Chemistry 100

Chapter 2

Measurements and Calculations

Measurements
 Measurements

Measurement consists of two parts:

Number - Unit

2 pounds

Unit
Number
 Measurement and Units

Metric system or SI (International System of Units)

meter, liter, gram …

English system (use in the United States)

miles, gallons, pounds …

Advantages of SI: we have base unit for each kind of measurement

other units are related to the base unit by power of 10.

 base unit of length: meter (m)

1 kilometer (km) = 1000 meter (m)

1 centimeter (cm) = 0.01 meter (m)
1 nanometer (nm) = 1×10-9 meter (m)

base unit of mass: gram (g)

1 kilogram (kg) = 1000 gram (g)
1 milligram (mg) = 0.001 gram (g)

base unit of volume: liter (L) base unit of time: second (s)
1 milliliter (mL) = 0.001 liter (L) 60 seconds (s)= 1 minute (min)
1000 milliliter (mL) = 1 liter (L) 60 minutes (min) = 1 hour (h)

1 mL = 1 cc = 1cm3
 Tools (equipment) of measurement

Length: Meterstick or Ruler

Volume: Graduated cylinder, Pipette

Mass: Balance
 Temperature

english system Fahrenheit (°F)

metric system or SI Celsius or centigrade (°C)

°F = 1.8 °C + 32

°F – 32
°C =
1.8

Kelvin scale or absolute scale (K)

K = °C + 273

°C = K – 273
Temperature
 Temperature

1. Size of degree is the same for Celsius and Kelvin scales.

2. Fahrenheit scale is smaller than others.

3. The zero points are different on all there scales.

 Scientific (exponential) notation
based on power of 10

10000 = 1×104 0.0001 = 1×10-4

4500000 = 4.5×106 0.000078 = 7.8×10-5

94800 = 9.48×104 0.0121 = 1.21×10-2

Positive power: greater than 1

Negative power: Less than 1

Scientific (exponential) notation

Power, Exponent
9.23 ×1025

Coefficient Base
 Scientific (exponential) notation

(3.62 ×106)(7.43 ×103) = 26.90 ×109 = 2.69 ×1010

(3.62 ×107)
= 2.68 ×102
(1.35 ×105)

Moving the decimal point to right Decreasing the power one point

Moving the decimal point to left Increasing the power one point
 Conversion of Units

Conversion Factor:

1 m = 1000 mm Equivalence statement

(Equality)

1m 1000 mm
or Conversion factor
1000 mm 1m

Ratios of two parts of equality

 Conversion of Units
Factor-Label method (dimensional analysis):

36 m = ? mm

36 m × conversion factor = ? mm

1m 1000 mm
or
1000 mm 1m

1000 mm
36 m × = 36000 mm
1m
 Conversion of Units
Factor-Label method
2.205 lb
25kg = ? lb 25kg × = 55 lb
1 kg

1.609 km
78 mile = ? km 78mi × = 130 km
1 mi

45 m/hr = ? in/min

39.37 in 1 hr
45 m × × = 30. in/min
hr 1m 60min
 Density and Specific gravity

density: amount of mass present in a given volume.

m d: density (g/mL or g/cm3) m: mass V: volume

d=
V

The density of ice is less

than the density of liquid
water, so the ice floats on
top of the water.

Salad oil is less dense than

vinegar.
Density and Specific gravity

Gas = low density

Liquids: close to 1
g/cm3, 1 g/mL

Metals: various
heavy densities.
 Density Examples

Example 1. A gas fills a volume of 1200. mL and has a mass of

1.60 g. What is the density of the gas?

m 1.60 g
d= = 1200. mL
= 0.00133 g/mL
V

Example 2. A cube of pure silver measures 2.0 cm on each side. The

density of silver is 10.5 g/cm3. What is the mass of the cube?

V = L× H × W = 2.0 cm x 2.0 cm x 2.0 cm = 8.0 cm3

m m
d= 10.5 g/cm3 = m = 84 g
V 8.0 cm3
 Density Examples

Example 3: The density of air is 1.25 x 10-3 g/cm3. What is the mass
of air in a room that is 5.00 meters long, 4.00 meters wide and 2.2
meters high?
V = L× H × W

V = 5.0 m x 4.0 m x 2.2 m = 44 m3 Hmm, not so helpful.

V = 500. cm x 400. cm x 220 cm = 44000000 cm3

m
d=
V

m m
d= 1.25x10-3 g/cm3 = m = 55000 g
V 4.4 x 107 cm3
 Density and Specific gravity

Specific gravity:

dsubstance
SG =
dwater

No units (dimensionless)
Hydrometer
 Significant Figures

Exact numbers: we do not use a measuring devise.

(Counting numbers)

Number of students in class, 1m = 100cm

Inexact numbers: we use a measuring devise.

(measuring numbers)

Temperature of room, mass of table

 Significant Figures

We always have errors in measurement: Personal and instrumental errors.

All measurements need an estimate.

between 11.6 and 11.7 11.62 or 11.63 or 11.67 or …

 Significant Figures

Certain numbers: 11.6

Uncertain number: 11.66

(estimated digit - only the last digit)

Significant Figures: all numbers recorded in a measurement.

(certain and uncertain)

We only write the correct number of digits in our reports, these

are called significant figures.

When we report, we show uncertainty with ± 11.66 ± 0.01

 Significant Figures rules

1. Nonzero digits count as significant figures. 297.32 5 S.F.

2. Zeros:

a) Zeros at the beginning of numbers do not count as S.F. (Leading zeros).

0.0031 2 S.F.

b) Zeros between two nonzero digits count as S.F. (Captive zeros).

600067 6 S.F.

c) Zeros at the end of numbers (Trailing zeros):

If there is a decimal point, count as S.F. 2.800 4 S.F.

If there is not a decimal point, do not count as S.F.

2800 2 S.F.
 Rounding off

1. If the digit to be removed:

a) is less than 5, the preceding digit stays the same.

5.343 5.34 (2 decimal places) 5.343 5.3 (1 d.p.)

b) is equal to or greater than 5, the preceding digit is increased by 1.

6.456 6.46 (2 decimal places) 6.456 6.5 (1 d.p.)

2. We round off at the end of calculation.

 Significant Figures in calculation

1. Multiplication or division:

Number of significant figures in result = Smallest number of significant figures.

4.000 × 560 × 7001 × 0.003 = 47046.72 = 50000 or 5×104

4 S.F. 2 S.F. 4 S.F. 1 S.F. 1 S.F.

4 S.F. 8.600
= 0.000195454 = 0.00020 or 2.0×10-4
2 S.F. 44000 2 S.F.
 Significant Figures in calculation

2. Addition or subtraction:

Number of decimal places in result = Smallest number of decimal places.

57.93 + 0.05 - 0.230 + 4600. = 4657.75 = 4658

2 d.p. 2 d.p. 3 d.p. 0 d.p. 0 d.p.

710.0 - 0.0063 – 4098.1 + 4.63 = -3383.4763 = -3383.5

1 d.p. 4 d.p. 1 d.p. 2 d.p. 1 d.p.
 Significant Figures in calculation

• Significant Figures in Mixed operations

(1.7 x 106 ÷ 2.63 x 105) + 7.33 = ???

Step 1: Divide the numbers in (6.463878327…) + 7.33

the parenthesis. How many sig
figs?

Step 2: Add the numbers. How

6.5 + 7.33
many decimal places to keep?

Step 3: Round answer to the

appropriate decimal place. 13.8