CLT 1010

BASIC MATH FOR CHEMISTRY

SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
Many #s encountered in chem. Are very large or very small
Ex. 2 grams hydrogen gas contain about
602200000000000000000000 molecules

One atom of helium has a mass of about

.00000000000000000000000665 grams

To make them convenient to use, we write

Scientific notation
6.022 x 10 molecules 6.65 x 10 grams

SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
In reporting measured data & results of calculations based on measured data, we restrict # of digits to those which are justified by the measurement. These are called significant figures or significant digits.
RULES 1. All nonzero digits are significant. 2. Zeros between significant digits are significant. 3. Decimal zeros to right of a # are significant. 4. Zeros after a significant digit & to left of a printed digit are significant 5. Other zeros not significant.

SIGNIFICANT DIGITS

Ex. #2

# sign. Fig.

Rule #1

Rule

504000. 504000 0.002090 5.030 1200.0

6 sign. Fig. 3 sign. Fig. 4 sign. Fig. 4 sign. Fig. 5 sign. Fig.

5 4 5 4 2 9 5 3 12

O4 5 O 4 2 O 9 5 O 3 12OO
5

SIGNIFICANT DIGITS
Rule #3 Rule #4 Rule #5

O .03O 1200.O
209

504

000.
504

000 0.002090

12

00.

METRIC PREFIXES
PREFIX
M (mega-) 10Hz=1MHz,10M=1Mm k (kilo-) d (dec-) c(centi-) 10g=1cg m (milli-) 10L-1ml (micro-) 10g=1g n (nano-) 10 10 10 10 10 10m=1Km, 10g=1kg 10m=1dm,10L=1dl 10m=1cm, 10m=1mm, 10m=1m,

MEANING
10

EX.

10

METRIC PREFIXES
Note that, for ex.
1 cm = 10meter 10 meter = 1 centimeter 1 or

10 m 1 cm

This fraction therefore becomes a convenient Unit Factor or conversion factor for converting centimeters to meters or vice versa.

Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional analysis is using unit factors to convert one unit of measurement /amount to another
to convert 173 cm to m, we multiply by unit factor: Length= 173 cm (10m) = 173 X 10m =1.73 m 1 cm

Because the unit factor = 1, it does not change the value of length, only its units. If invert unit factor, can convert units in the opposite direction, from meters to

 Convert length of 1.73 m to cm, multiply by inverted unit factor:

Length = 1.73 m (1 cm) = 173 cm 10m

Whether you choose to invert unit factor or not is determined by which units you want to cancel out.(see ex.) Dimensional analysis uses dimensions or units as guide to solving problems. Use simple conversion problems that could be solved by other means. The same techniques can be used to solve a wide variety of problems, including mole problems, gas law problems, molarity problems, etc.

 Dimensional analysis uses conversion factors to convert from a given quantity to a desired quantity.
(given quantity) x (conversion factor) = (desired quantity)

Conversion factors are set up from unit equivalences.

Ex: unit conversion: 3 ft. = 1 yd. conversion factor: 3 ft. = 1 1 yd

Ex: unit equivalences: 1000g = 1 kg, 1000 mm=1 m 1000 mg = 1g, 1 cm/mL Problem: we want to convert 15 in. into equivalent #

 Dimensional analysis uses the need to cancel units to show which way to flip conversion factor. Under what conditions can one cancel out units using this method?
When same units appear above division line When same units appear above & below division line When same units appear below division line When same units appear next to each other on line

How do you tell whether to put # of a conversion factor above or below the division line?

 Density/Volume
Problems such as g/cm or g/mL Convert mass to volume & vice versa

Density (g/mL) is simply a factor that allows one to convert between mass & volume for any given substance.
Use dimensional analysis method to calculate volume of 1.00 lb Hg using its density of 13.6 g/mL Set up simple units conversionmassvolume

(1.00 lb) x (____) x (____) 13.6 g

 Rounding off numbers- insignificant digits

If digit to be dropped is less than 5, preceding figure is not altered If digit to be dropped is more than 5, preceding figure is increased by 1 If digit to be dropped is 5, preceding figure is increased by 1 if it is an odd #, but altered if it it is an even #. Ex: 3.24 = 3.2 3.16 = 3.2 3.15 = 3.2 3.25 = 3.2

 Rules for figure retention

Retain as many significant figures that is necessary to give only 1 uncertain figure For all digits in a # to be significant, every digit except last must be correct and the error in last digit must not be greater than of the lowest unit that occupies that space In adding/subtracting #s with differing #s of digits, retain significant figures in each # and in final answer only to the point corresponding to the least # of significant figures occurring after last decimal point. In multiplying/dividing #s with differing #s of digits, retain as many significant figures as are found in the factor having the least # of significant figures.

 If routine systems for multiplication/division are used, reject all superfluous digits at each stage of operation When use logarithm tables for multiplying #s, retain as many figures in the mantissa of each factor as are found in the factors themselves under previous rule.

 Exponents- used to indicate a # is to be multiplied by itself as many times as indicated by its exponent.
Ex- 10= 10 x 10 = 100 Exponent with + or no sign is positive Exponent with sign is negative ( indicates # times the reciprocal of base is multiplied by itself) Ex. - 2 = x x= / = 0.125

 Exponent rules
Two #s with same base, add exponents
6 x 6 = 6 or 6

Raise exponent to higher power, multiply the exponents

(6) = 6 =6

To divide having same base, write base with exponent of divisor subtracted from exponent of dividend
6 6 = 6 = 6 = 6

- To multiply/divide #s with different bases, convert exponents to simple #s first.

- 2 x 3 = 8 x 9 = 72

- To add/subtract #s having exponents , convert #s to simple #s first.

- 3 + 2 = 27 + 4 = 31

 Ratio/Proportion
Ratio is found by dividing one # by the # it is being compared with. Written several ways. Ex. 5 to 4
54 5 : 4 5/4 1.25 (5 4 = 1.25)

In lab, use ratios such as 9 ml of saline & 1 ml of serum in tube. Ex. Serum to saline is 1:9, saline to total volume is 9 : 10.

 Proportion 2 or more ratios having same relative meaning but different #s.
Ex. = 5/10

Using ratio/proportion can calculate unknown:

20 g = x g 100 ml 20 ml 100X = 20 X 20 100X = 400 X = 400 100 X = 4 g (4 g in 20 ml)

TEMPERATURE CONVERSIONS
THREE SCALES TO MEASURE TEMP.
Fahrenheit, Celsius, & Kelvin 0 K= -273 C, & 273 K = 0 C 0 C = 32 F, but 0 F = 17.78 C

C to K: K to C: C to F: F to C: F to K: K to F:

C = K-273 K = C + 273 F = (C x 1.8) + 32 C = (F- 32) X 0.556 C = (F-32) X 0.556 = 273 C= K-273, F= (C x 1.8) + 32

Factors
4 common uses of factors
Express quantity of one substance as equivalent quantity of another substance Allow for differences in color equivalents/molecular equivalents Combine many calculations into single process Correcting for variation in procedure quantities

Using ratio/proportion ( known basis of comparison such as molecular weight)

Multiply known quantity by conversion factor & the product is the equivalent value. The quantities of two substances must be expressed in same units ( mg to mg,etc.)