Scientific Measurement

Objectives:
1.Explain what measurement is.
2. Identify the systems of measurement.
3. Give the basic types of fundamental quantities and their meanings.

Chemistry is an experimental and a quantitative science. The

development of its principles is based on carefully designed experiments carried
out under controlled conditions.

At the heart of any quantitative experiment in our surroundings and in

laboratories is the performance of operations called measurements.
Measurements are made nearly everyday, not only in the laboratory but in every
establishment and even at home.

This lesson will take you to the world of scientific

measurements. Read this lesson and learn to appreciate
its importance.

METRIC – The Universal Language of Scientific

Measurement

 Measurement is the process of comparing a known

quantity like a measuring device to an unknown
quantity or the things or objects to be measured. It is
the process of determining how many times a certain
quantity is contained in a standard measuring device.

 The scientific system of measurement is called the metric system. The

metric system is often referred to as the International System of Units, or
SI.

 Scientists throughout the world use the metric system of measurement. The
two subdivisions of the metric system are the mks (meter-kilogram-second)
and cgs (centimeter-gram-second). It is based on units of ten. SI consists of
three classes of units that form coherent set base units, derived units and
supplementary units.

There are seven basic or fundamental units considered in the SI.

Fundamental Quantities are quantities that can be measured directly using

measuring devices.

 Basic Types of Physical Quantities

1. Mass (m) is a basic property of matter. It is the measure of the amount of
matter it contains. The standard unit of mass is the kilogram, kg. One
kilogram (kg) is the mass of 1 liter (L) of water at 4°C and a pressure of 1
atmosphere (atm). The mass of an object remains the same even if the
position of the object is changed with reference to the earth’s center. It is
measured using the triple beam balance or the equal arm balance.
2. Length (l) is a distance between two distinct points. It is measured by using a
metric ruler. Width (w) is also a length, and height (h), is the vertical
distance. The basic unit is the meter (m).
3. Time (t) is the regular interval between two successive points. The standard
unit of time is the second. The second was originally defined in terms of the
motion of the earth, but it was revised and instead compared to vibrations of
cesium atoms.
4. Temperature (T) is the measure of the hotness or coldness of an object. It is
technically defined as the measure of the average kinetic energy of a body.
Kelvin (K) is used as the basic unit.
5. Electric current (I) is the measure of the flow of electrons or charges. An
ammeter is used to measure current expressed as Ampere (A).
6. Luminous intensity (E) is the amount of illumination received by an object.
The unit of measure used to describe this is candela (cd).
7. Amount of substance (n) is the number of moles. The basic unit is the mole
or mol.

The different units of measurements are used in our day-to-day activities.

When you go the gas station to fill up your gas tank, the unit of measurement
used is liter. In the sari-sari store or supermarket, the units used for mass are
grams and kilograms. For volume, milliliters or liters are used. On road markers,
the distances are measured in kilometers.

The most common measurements you will be using in the laboratory are
those of length, mass, volume and temperature.

The Common Metric Units

The Table of Prefixes
Metric – English Equivalents
 SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
1. Explain what scientific notation is.
2. Transform given numbers in scientific notation
following the set rules.
3. Follow the rules on performing the basic operations in
scientific notation.

SCIENTIFIC NOTATION is a compact, simple and easy way of writing

down very small and very large numbers using powers of ten. The exponent tells
the number of times the decimal point is moved from its original place to the right
or from the original place to the left. The exponent is NEGATIVE if the decimal
point is moved from left to right and POSITIVE if it is moved from right to left.

Example:
1. 4 000 000 = 4.0 x 106
2. 532 000 000 = 5.32 x 108
3. 0.000000045 = 4.5 x 10-8
4. 0.0032 = 3.2 x 10-3

 `To add and subtract numbers expressed in powers of ten, simply copy the
common exponent and proceed as in addition or subtraction. (If the
exponents are not the same, make them the same first before adding or
subtracting)

Add: (1.3 x 102) + (2.4 x 102) = 3.7 x 102

(5.2 x 105) + (1.3 x 104) =

(First make the exponent the same, then add the numbers and copy
the common exponent.)

(5.2 x 105) + (0.13 x105) = 5.33 x 105

note: if exponent is to be added move the decimal
point to the left and vice versa
 To multiply numbers expressed in powers of ten, add the exponents. If the
exponents are of different signs, meaning, one is positive and the other one is
negative, add them algebraically by subtracting the smaller number from the
larger number and copying the sign of the larger number.

(2.5 x 105) • (4.3 x 103) = 10.75 x 108

= 1.075 x 108+1
= 1.075 x 109

Final answer should be expressed in standard form. M.N x 10 n, where M is

the only digit before the decimal point, N is/are the number(s) after the
decimal point, and n is the exponent.
 (2.5 x 105) • (4.3 x 10-3) = 10.75 x 102 = 1.075 x 103
(2.5 x 10-5) • (4.3 x 103) = 10.75 x 10-2 = 1.075 x 10-1

 To divide numbers expressed in powers of ten, subtract the exponents. If the

exponents are of different signs, meaning, one is positive and the other one is
negative, change the sign of the number to be subtracted and then proceed
as in addition.

4.3 x 105 = 1.72 x 105 – 3 = 1.72 x 102

2.5 x103
4.3 x 10-5 = 1.72 x 10-5 – 3 = 1.72 x 10-8
2.5 x103
4.3 x 105 = 1.72 x 105 + 3 = 1.72 x 108
2.5 x10-3

Parallax - is the apparent shift in position of an object as it is viewed or observed

at different angles.

Accuracy and Precision

Accuracy is a degree of agreement between a measured value and the

true value.
Precision is the degree of the instrument’s exactness.

SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
1. Explain what significant figure is.
2. Identify the rules in determining number of significant figures.
3. Determine the number of significant figures for the given sets
of measurements.

Significant figures – the number of digits or figures that best represents the
value of a measurement.

Rules in Determining the Number of Significant Figures:

 All non-zero digits are significant. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

 All zeros in between two non-zero digits are significant. 2804 has four
(4) significant figures.
 All zeros to the right of a decimal point but to the left of a non-zero digit
are NOT significant. For example, 0.0003068 has four (4) significant
figures
All zeros which are to the right of non-zero digit and to the right of the
decimal point are significant.
Example: 0.00000165000 – 6 s.f. 0.008730 – 4 s.f.
0.91900 – 5 s.f

 All zeros to the right of non-zero digit without an expressed decimal
point following it are NOT significant. For example, 406,000 has three
(3) significant figures, but 406,000. has six (6) significant figures
because of the indicated decimal point.

Graph - is a tool or mechanism to show the relationship between two variables.

The two kinds of variables are the dependent variables plotted on the Y-axis or
the ordinate and the independent variables plotted on the X-axis or the
abscissa.