School of Graduate Studies

Module No. 1
Introduction to Chemistry

Name: Isabel L. Parro Course Title: Chemistry

Course Code: SCI 205 Name of Faculty: Maria Wendy M. Solomo
Week/Period: August 22, 2021 Term: 1st Term

Assessment Tasks
I. Counting the number of Significant Figures
Task: Determine the number of significant figures of a set of measurements.

Procedure: Refer to the PowerPoint in the slideshare.net, which of the following is an

inexact quantity: (a) the number of people in your Chemistry class, (b) the mass of a
penny, (c) the number of grams in a kilogram?

Inexact number → uncertainty

(a) the number of people in your chemistry class → certain

(b) the mass of a penny → certain

(c) the number of grams in a kilogram → uncertain

The following is an inexact quantity: (c) the number of grams in a kilogram

Then, applying the rules on significant figures, count the number of significant figures
and indicate the rule that support your answer.

Significant Rule
figures
1. 76 000 000 m 2 (two) SF Rules for Numbers WITHOUT a Decimal
Point
The first two 1. START counting for significant
digits are figures. On the FIRST non-zero
significant digit.
because 2. STOP counting for sig. figs. On the
according to the LAST non-zero digit.
rule all nonzero 3. Non-zero digits are ALWAYS
digits are significant
significant and
the last two
zeroes are
insignificant
because they
are after the last
non-zero digit.
There is no
 decimal point
here so it’s safe
to have just only
2 sig figs.
2. 0.00492 kg 3 (three) SF Rules for Numbers WITH a Decimal Point
The first three 1. START counting for sig. figs. On the
zeroes FIRST non-zero digit.
in 0.00492 2. STOP counting for sig. figs. On the
(three significant VERY LAST digit (regardless
digits) are whether or not the last digit is a zero
insignificant or non-zero number).
because they 3. Non-zero digits are ALWAYS
are before the significant.
first non-zero 4. Any zero AFTER the first non-zero
digit, and the digit is STILL significant. The zeroes
last three BEFORE the first non-zero digit are
nonzero digit are insignificant.
significant.
3. 249 092 908 9(nine) SF Rules for Numbers WITHOUT a Decimal
mi Point
1. START counting for sig. figs. On the
FIRST non-zero digit.
2. STOP counting for sig. figs. On the
LAST non-zero digit.
3. Non-zero digits are ALWAYS
significant
4. Zeroes in between two non-zero
digits are significant. All other zeroes
are insignificant.

4. 13.64901 L 7(seven) SF 1. All nonzero digits are significant.

2. Zeroes in between two non-zero
digits are significant. All other zeroes
are insignificant.
5. 15.98 x 10 7 lb 4 (four) SF  Disregard the “10b,” and determine
the significant digits in “a.”
 15.98 x 10 7 has 4 significant digits.

II. Scientific Notation Task: Express numbers to scientific notation. Procedure: Refer to
the PowerPoint in the slideshare.net, do the following:

A. Convert the following numbers to scientific notation.

1. 0.0000000000007365 7.365 × 10-13
2. 68 300 000 000 6.83 × 1010
3. 1 050 000 000 000 1.05 × 1012
4. 0.0000012345 1.2345 × 10-6
5. 0.00000000999 9.99 × 10-9
B. Convert the following numbers in scientific notation to standard form.
6. 1.05 x 1015 1050000000000000
7. 7.895 x 1023 789500000000000000000000
-18
8. 2.003 x 10 0.000000000000000002003
9. 5.719 x 10-6 0.000005719
-1
10. 6.80000 x 10 0.680000

In calculations, round up if the first digit to be discarded is greater than 5 and round
down if it is below 5. If the first discarded digit is 5, then round up if a nonzero digit
follows it, round down if it is followed by a zero.

III: Mathematical Operations Applying Significant Figures When numbers are used in
mathematical calculations, only a specific number of significant digits are allowed. This is
based on the premise that the final answer may not be more accurate than the least
accurate measurement. To determine the number of significant figures in a calculated
result or measurement, various rules apply.

Task: Identify the most important parameters and the appropriate method and
equipment needed in determining the water quality for freshwater.

The Five Basic Water Quality Parameters Equipment needed

Dissolved Oxygen colorimetry, a sensor and meter or by
titration. Modern techniques involve
either an electrochemical or optical
sensor.
Temperature thermometer
Electrical Conductivity/Salinity electrical conductivity meter (EC meter)/
Salinometer
pH PH meter
Turbidity electronic turbidity meter or a turbidity
tube

Procedure: A. Perform the following operations and round off answers applying the
rules in determining significant figures.
Exact number rounded off
1. 56mg + 99.08mg = 155.08 milligrams 155mg
2. 524.45 g + 971.907 g = 1 496.357 grams 1,496.36 grams
3. (3.11 m) x (0.92 m) = 2.8612 m2 2.9 m2
4. (98.20 m2 ) / (4.0 m) = 24.55 meters 25m
5. (5 456 000 mL) x (24.0 ) = 2nd number doesn’t have a unit
If the unit of 24.0 is mL the answer is -131000000

B. Do the following equations and round off answers based on the number of significant
figures.
Exact number rounded off
11. (3.23 x 109 ) + (5.6 x 1010) 59230000000 5.9 × 1010
12. (8 x 1015) + (2.3 x 1014) 8.23x1015 8x1015
13. (9.9 x 10-4 ) – (0.42 x 10-3 ) 0.00057 5.7 × 10-4
14. (7.2 x 1020)(2.2 x 10-12) 1584000000 1.6 × 109
15. (8.3 x 10-9 ) /(3.0 x 10-12) 2766.66666667 2.8 × 103

-For addition and subtraction, the answer should have the same number of decimal
places as the term with the fewest decimal places.
For multiplication and division, the answer should have the same number of significant
figures as the term with the fewest number of significant figures.
In multi-step calculations, you may round at each step or only at the end.
Exact numbers, such as integers, are treated as if they have an infinite number of
significant figures.

C. Determine the number of significant figures in a calculated quantity.

1. The width, length, and height of a small box are 15.5 cm x 27.3 cm, and 5.4 cm,
respectively.
(The product of the width, length, and height determines the volume of a box. In
reporting the product, we
can show only as many significant figures as given in the dimension with the fewest
significant figures, that
for the height (two significant figures):
Volume= LWH
27.3 cm x 15.5 cm x 5.4 cm= 2285.01 cm3
=2.3x103 cm3 2 significant figures
When we use a calculator to do this calculation, the display shows 2285.01, which we
must round off to two significant figures. Because the resulting number is 2300, it is best
reported in exponential notation, 2.3 × 103, to clearly indicate two significant figures.

2. It takes 10.5s for a sprinter run 100.00m. Calculate the average speed of the sprinter
in meters per second, and express the results to the correct number of significant
figures.
[Average Speed = Total Distance Traveled ÷ Total Time Taken]

Average speed= 100.00m/10.5s

Answer: 9.52 m/s (three significant figures)

D. Then, answer the following question:

1. Why determine the number of significant figures in calculated results or
measurements?

I believe that sig figs are important in measurement because it allows to have a more
accurate and precise calculation. This is important in science specifically in chemistry
because no measuring device can make a measurement with 100% precision. Using
significant figures allows scientists and even us to know how precise the answer is, or how
much uncertainty there is. For example, a device couldn't measure mass very precisely
and the error was carried on when calculating weight. Using significant figures eliminates
this miscalculation and confusion. If we are inconsistent with the number of sig figs, that
data that is calculated will end up being completely different from the actual solution. Sig
figs are important because they retain the accuracy of the calculations so that differences
in measurement or calculation which could be a result of error will not impact the accuracy
of the final result. They also let us know when it is okay to round. I guess sig figs are used
to just so that we have a system to base our calculations off such that we'll all get the
same answer as long as we do it correctly. It limits the variation in how frequently we round
and to which decimal place, which I guess helps to keep answers consistent across the
board. I believe we use them to be as exact as possible. For example, when measuring
grams of a compound, one might get different results depending in how they round so sig
figs are important in rounding. Other than using them in actual lab, I think we use them so
we know how to deal with decimals. There can be numbers with a lot of decimal places
so we need to know where to stop.