Chapter 2: Metric system,

conversion and uncertainty

of
measurements
Objectives:
Apply the concepts of accuracy and
precision
Apply the concept of significant
figures
Apply appropriate units to describe
the results
Use the unit factor method to carry
out conversions among units

New vocabulary

Exponential notation (decimal notation)

Exact number: S chnh xc
Significant figures (SF) cc s c
ngha
Accuracy: chnh xc
Precision: lp li
Addition, substraction, multiplication
and division (+,-, x, :)

Exponential (scientific)
notation
When dealing with very large and
very small numbers (give Ex.)
E.g. Avagadro number = ?
1.6605 * 10-24 g is ? (1 amu)
In the exponential notation, place
one nonzero digit to the left of the
decimal
-4

0.000348 = 3.48 X 10

Two kinds of numbers

Numbers obtained by counting or from

definitions are exact numbers (give
ex.)

Exact number may be thought of as

containing an infinite number of significant
figures

Numbers obtained from measurements

are not exact. There is some
uncertainty (doubts) in all
measurements. Every measurement
involves an estimation (next example)

Example
12 13

cm

object
12.5 cm

The smallest divisions (calibration lines) on the ruler are 1 cm. An at

to measure 0.1 cm (1 mm) requires estimation

fferent people measure the same length of the object will probably not g
the same result.
The last digit, 5, is a best estimate and is therefore doubtful

Example

Which statements include exact

numbers

(a) Angel Falls in Venezuela is 32 12

ft high.
(b) There are nine known planets in
the Solar System.
(c) There are 453.59 g in 1 lb.
(d) There are 1000 mm in 1 m.

Uncertainty in
Measurement

Accuracy: How close you are to the

true value
Precision: How close your values are
to one another (internal consistency)
Ideally, all measurements should be
both accurate and precise
Measurements are frequently
repeated to improve accuracy and
precision

Description of precision
and accuracy

A laboratory instructor gives a sample

of amino-acid powder to each of four
students, I, II, III, and IV, and they
weigh the samples. The true value is
8.72 g. Their results for three trials are

Significant figures (SF)

Are digits believed to be correct by

the person who makes measurement.
In the above example, because the
person making the measurement is
not certain that the last digit,5, is
correct, it would be meaningless to
report the length of the object as
12.54 cm

The number of significant figures in a measurement depends on the

measuring device.

Simple rules govern the

use of significant figures
1.
2.

3.

Nonzero digits are always significant

Zeroes are sometimes significant,
and sometimes they are not (ex. a,
b, c)
Exact numbers can be considered as
having unlimited number of
significant figures. We do not apply
the rules of significant figures to
them

Examples

1) 38.57 mL
2) a)zeroes at the beginning of a
number are never significant: 0.052 g
b) zeroes between nonzero digits
are always significant: 6.08 km
c) zeroes at the end of a number
that contains a decimal point are
always significant: 38.0 cm

Rules of rounding of

When the number to be dropped < 5,

the preceding number is left unchanged
(e.g., 6.54 rounds to 6.5)
When it is > 5, the preceding number is
increased by 1 (e.g., 8.48 rounds to 8.5)
When the number to be dropped is 5,
the preceding number is set to nearest
even number (e.g., 7.45 rounds to 7.4,
and 7.35 rounds to 7.4) (intended to
reduce the accumulation of errors)

Significant figures
(Addition and
Substraction)

In addition and substraction, the last

digit retained in the sum or
diference is determined by the
position of the first doubtful digit
Example: (a) Add 37.24 mL and 10.3
mL; (b) Substract 21.2342 g from
27.87 g
Which digit is the first doubtful digit ?

Multiplication and division

In multiplication and division, an

answer contains no more
significant figures than the least
number of significant figures used
in the operation
Example: What is the area of a
rectangle 1.23 cm wide and 12.34
long?

Exercise 1

Express the following exponentials

as ordinary numbers:
(a) 5.06 x 103, (b) 4.0010 x 10-3,
(c)16.10 x 103, (d) 0.206 x 10-4, (e)
9.000 x 103, (f) 9.000 x 10-3.

Exercise 2

For each of the following quantities

underline the zeros that are
significant figures, determine the
number significant figures in the
quantity, and rewrite the quantity
using scientific notation. (a) 423.06
mL; (b) 0.0001073040 g; (c)
1,081.02 pounds

Exercise 3

A box is 252.56 cm wide, 19.23 cm

deep and 6.5 cm tall. Calculate the
volume of the box. (Show your
answer with the correct number of
significant figures

Exercise 4

Express (a) 1.00 cubic foot in units of

liters (b) 1.00 liter in units of pints (c)
miles per gallon in kilometers per liter
What is the mass of a rectangular
piece copper 24.4 x 11.4 x 7.9 cm ?
The density of copper is 8.92 g/cm 3
Vinegar has a density of 1.0056 g/cm 3.
What is the mass of 3 L of vinegar

Exercise 5