1.4 Uncertainty in Measurement: Significant Figures

Question 1

What is the definition of: Uncertainty?

Answer 1

The inaccuracy of a measuring device and the need to estimate when reading

Question 2

What is the correlation between number of digits in a measurement and accuracy?

Answer 2

The greater the number of digits in a measurement, the greater the accuracy

Question 3

How many significant figures are shown: 3,241

Answer 3

4 sig figs, non zero digits are significant

Question 4

How many significant figures are shown: 1,200,004

Answer 4

7 sig figs, zeros between non zero digits are significant

Question 5

How many significant figures are shown: 2,300.

Answer 5

4 sig figs, trailing zeros preceding a decimal point are significant

Question 6

How many significant figures are shown: 2,300

Answer 6

2 sig figs, trailing zeros NOT preceding a decimal point are NOT significant

Question 7

How many significant figures are shown: 3.0 x 10 e4

Answer 7

2 sig figs, zeros shown in exponential notation are significant

Question 8

How are significant figures determined during multiplication or division?

Answer 8

The answer is determined by the measurement with the LEAST amount of significant overall figures during calculation

Question 9

How are significant figures determined during addition or subtraction?

Answer 9

The answer has the same amount of decimal places as the measurement with the lowest number of significant figures in the decimal place

Question 10

How would this figure be rounded to the tenths place: 3.4678

Answer 10

3.5; if the digit removed is greater than 5, the preceding number rounds upwards

Question 11

How would this figure be rounded to the tenths place: 2.4267

Answer 11

2.4; if the digit removed is less than 5, the preceding digits remains the same

Question 12

How would this figure be rounded to the tenths place: 3.455

Answer 12

3.4; If the digit preceding a 5 is an even number, it remains the same

Question 13

How would this figure be rounded to the tenths place: 3.355

Answer 13

3.4; If the digit preceding a 5 is an odd number, it is rounded up by 1

Question 14

What is the definition of: Exact number?

Answer 14

Numbers with no uncertainty and thus have no impact on sig figs in a calculation

Question 15

What is the definition of: Precision?

Answer 15

Reproducibility, how close measurements are relative to each other

Question 16

What is the definition of: Accuracy?

Answer 16

How close each measurement is to the correct answer

Question 17

What is the definition of: Systematic error?

Answer 17

An error that consistently produces overly hight or low results in relation to the true value

Question 18

What is the definition of: Random error?

Answer 18

n error that produces measurements both hight AND low of the true value