Chemistry Measurements
Chemistry Measurements
Chemistry Measurements
Chapter 3
Converting between units Calculations using dimensional analysis Quantifying and communicating uncertainty in measurements Significant figures and rounding
Exponential notation
Bp B = base p = power
104 = 10 " 10 " 10 " 10 = 10000 1 1 1 1 1 1 10!4 = 4 = " " " = = 0.0001 10 10 10 10 10 10000
We generally use base 10, B=10 Large and small numbers are written as a.bcd x 10e
one digit before the decimal point
How far do we need to move the decimal point? 724000.0 7.240000 moved 5 places left
How far do we need to move the decimal point? 0.000427 00004.27 (different direction) moved 4 places right
Notice that the minus sign for -7.2 stays the same. -720,000 is a large negative number
In the metric system units that are larger, or smaller, than the base unit are multiples of 10 g (grams), kg (kilograms = g x 1000) for weights m (meters), km (kilometers = m x 1000) for distance You can convert units by simply moving the decimal point and using exponential notation.
SI Units
SI units are a subset of all metric units SI is an abbreviation for the French name for the International System of Units The SI system is defined by seven base units Mass Length Temperature Time Amount of substance Electrical current Luminous intensity kilogram meter kelvin second mole ampere candela
Antoine Lavoisier
It is worth learning these (basic scientific literacy) These are quantities that are very common in chemistry and biochemistry
Mass
The SI unit of mass is the kilogram, kg It is defined as the mass of a platinum-iridium cylinder stored in a vault in France (!) It is the only SI unit that is still defined in relation to an artifact rather than to a fundamental physical property that can be reproduced in different laboratories A new 1kg sphere made of silicon is in the works. It will contain 2.15 x 1025 atoms
Length
The SI unit of length is the meter, m It is defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,468 second.
Volume
The SI unit of volume is the cubic meter, m3 A more practical unit for laboratory work is the cubic centimeter, cm3.
Volume
One liter (L) is defined as exactly 1000 cubic centimeters Volume of a 10cm x 10cm x 10cm box One liter of water weighs 1000g = 1 kilogram 1 mL = 0.001 L = 1 cm3
Temperature
Fahrenheit Temperature Scale:
Water freezes at 32F and boils at 212F
TF 32 = 1.8 x TC
EK =
1 3 mv 2 = kB T 2 2
When the temperature is 0 K, all the particles/atoms in the material are stationary (v = 0) TK = TC + 273
Amount of substance
One mole is the amount of substance of a system which contains as many "elemental entities" (eg, atoms, molecules, ions, electrons) as there are atoms in 12 g of carbon-12: 6.022 x 1023
1 mole carbon atoms
You could use the mole as a unit of measurement for amounts of other things
eggs in SI units? Not very practical!
1.9926 x 10-23 moles eggs The dozen is a better unit!
Derived units
The SI units for all other physical property measurement are derived from their relationship to the 7 base units Examples
Common unit for force or weight is the Newton (N) !2 SI unit is m ! kg or m.kg.s
s2
Common unit for pressure is the pascal (Pa), N/m2 kg or m !1.kg.s !2 SI unit is
m ! s2
Common unit for energy, heat or work is the joule, (J), Nm SI unit is m 2 ! kg or m 2 .kg.s !2
s2
The mass per unit volume The SI units of density are kg/m3, but we most often use g/cm3 or g/mL
water has a density very close to 1 g/cm3 osmium has a density of 22.6 g/cm3
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Note that the mL canceled leaving only g, which is the correct unit for mass.
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Dimensional analysis
A quantitative problem-solving technique featuring algebraic cancellation of units and the use of PER expressions. PER: A mathematical statement of two quantities that are directly proportional to one another
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23 weeks x
161 days
This gives you the correct answer and the correct units
PER Path 7 days/week weeks days
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m 26.08 m
Reality check: Less meters (larger unit) than centimeters (smaller unit). OK.
yd
= 72.444 yd
In the metric calculation we just had to move the decimal point two places!
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1.0 qt x
= 9.4 x 102 mL
Reality check: More mL (smaller unit) than quarts (larger unit). OK All units cancel leaving just mL. OK.
Define the path for the conversion 0.001 kg/g g/cm3 kg/cm3 1000000 cm3/m3 kg/m3
Convert the density of lead, 11.4 g/cm3 into SI units 11.4 g cm3 x 0.001 kg x 1000000 cm3 g L = 11400 kg m3
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Converting between units Calculations using dimensional analysis Quantifying and communicating uncertainty in measurements Significant figures and rounding
Uncertainty in Measurement
No measurement is exact In scientific writing the uncertainty associated with a measured quantity is always included By convention, a measured quantity is expressed by stating all digits known accurately plus one uncertainty digit We describe the accuracy of a number by saying that it is known to n significant figures where n is the number of digits that are known accurately, plus one (the last digit, which was estimated)
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The bottom board is one meter long. How long is the top board?
More than half as long as the meter stick, but less than one meterabout 6/10 of a meter. The uncertain digit is the last digit written. 0.6 m
Now the meter stick has marks every 0.1 m, numbered in centimeters. How long is the board? Between 0.6 m and 0.7 m (with certainty), and the uncertain digit must be estimated. 0.64 m
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The measuring device now has centimeter marks. How long is the board?
The measuring device has millimeter marks. We could estimate between the millimeter marks, but alignment of the board and the meter stick has an uncertainty of a millimeter or so. We have reached the limit of this measuring device. 0.643 m The measurement is accurate to three significant figures
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Significant Figures
The measurement process, not the units in which the result is expressed, determines the number of significant figures
The length of the board in the previous illustrations was 0.643 m. Expressed in centimeters, it is 64.3 cm They are the same measurement with the same uncertainty. Both must have the same number of significant figures
The location of the decimal point has nothing to do with significant figures
The same 0.643 m is 0.000643 km. The three zeros before the decimal point are not significant Begin counting significant figures at the first nonzero digit, not at the decimal point
Examples
How many significant figures? 23.5g 10400 m 0.03679 l 2.5 x 10-9 m 3 significant figures 3 significant figures 4 significant figures 2 significant figures
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Significant figures
The uncertain digit is the last digit written If the uncertain digit is a zero to the right of the . decimal point, that zero must be written If the mass of a sample is shown on the display of a balance as 15.10 g, and the balance is accurate to 0.01 g, the last digit recorded must be zero to indicate the correct uncertainty
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g = 0.0822828 g
But: the volume 0.0573 is only known to 3 significant figures The mass calculated using that volume cannot be more accurate Answer: 0.0823 g
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There are exactly 24 hours in one day. Exact numbers are infinitely significant. They never limit the # sig. figs. Check: numbers of hours larger than number days, OK
Note units
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