Measurement Lesson 2 Mod 2
Measurement Lesson 2 Mod 2
• Uncertainty is measurement
can also be the affects of
uncontrolled variables in the
measurement called the
random errors; and from a flaw
in the equipment or the design
of an experiment called the
systematic error.
• Percent of error- is the
absolute value of the difference
between the true value and the
experimental value divided by
the true value.
Precision- refers to the
closeness of measurement
within a set of data.
Accuracy- is determined
when a certain
quantitative value is
relatively close to the
“true value”.
Significant figures- are the digits in any
measurement that are known with certainty, plus
one digit which is uncertain.
Rules for counting significant figures and examples
Rules Measured Numbers No. of significant figures
1. all nonzero digits are significant 247 3
2. Zeros between nonzero digits are significant 20303 5
3. Zeros to the left of the first nonzero digits are NOT 0.0200 3
significant
4. If the number is less than 1, then only the zeros at the end
of the number and the zero between nonzero digits are 0.003560 4
significant.
5. If the number is greater than 1, then all the zeros written to 3560.00 6
the right of the decimal point are significant
6. For numbers with trailing zeros that do not contain a 300 expressed as
decimal point, the zeros may or may NOT be significant 3x103 1
3.0x103 2
3.00x103 3
7. Zeros used as place holders (i.e. x10-3) in a large number
without a decimal number point are NOT significant 1.234x10-3 4
Density Measurement
D 1.589 g/cm3