PHY 112: Measurement

in Physics
ISSAHAKU SONTAA JAKALIA
[email protected]/[email protected]/[email protected]
Contact: 0249316267
WhatsApp: 0249316267
Scientific Measurement

Using and Expressing

Measurements

Significant Figures
• Learning targets

• I can state the number of

significant figures in a number
and why they are significant.

• I can calculate problems and

have the correct number of
significant figures in the answer.
• You can easily read the temperature on this
thermometer to the nearest degree.

• You can also estimate the temperature to

about the nearest tenth of a degree by noting
the closeness of the liquid inside to the
calibrations.

• Can you estimate the temperature on this

thermometer?

• Suppose you estimated that the temperature

lies between 22°C and 23°C, at 22.9°C.
• This estimated number, 22.9°C, has
three digits.

• The first two digits (20 and 2) are

known with certainty, while the
rightmost digit (9) has been
estimated and involves some
uncertainty.

• These reported digits all convey useful

information and are called significant
figures.
 Significant Figures

• The significant figures in a

measurement include all of the
digits that are known, plus a last
digit that is estimated.

Measurements must always be

reported to the correct number
of significant figures because
calculated answers cannot be
more precise than measured
data.
• The width of the door can
be expressed as:
• 0.8 m for meter stick “a”
because 0 is known and
.8 is estimated
• 0.77 m for meter stick
“b” because 0.7 is
known and 0.07 is
estimated a.
• 0.772 m for meter stick
b.
“c” because 0.77 is
known and .2 is c.
estimated
Determining Significant Figures in Measurements
To determine whether a digit in a measured
value is significant, you need to apply the
following rules.
1. Every nonzero digit is significant.

Each of these measurements has

three significant figures:

24.7 meters
0.743 meter
714 meters
Determining Significant Figures in Measurements

2. Zeros appearing between nonzero

digits are significant. These are called
“sandwich zeros”.

Each of these measurements has

four significant figures: Why?

7003 meters
40.79 meters
1.503 meters
Rule 3: Trailing zeros following a non zero
digit and are significant only if there is a
decimal point.
Eg.:
0.00500
0.03040
2.30 x 10-5
4.500 x 1012
100.000
Determining Significant Figures in Measurements

Each of these measurements has how

many significant figures: WHY? (find
the captured & trailing zeros)

43.00 meters
1.010 meters
9.000 meters

Answer: Four significant figures (Refer to

rule 3)
 Summary
• Which digits are significant
figures?
1. All non zero digits (1 to 9)
2. sandwich zeros – which are
between non-zero digits
• Example 1,001
3. Trailing zeros – with a
decimal point
Which ZERO digits are NOT
significant figures?
• Leading zeros before real
numbers
• Example 0.000231
• Trailing zeros after real
numbers if no decimal is
written
• Example 1,000,000
 Determining Significant Figures in Measurements

Each of these measurements has how

many significant figures?

0.0071 meter = 7.1 x 10-3 meter

0.42 meter = 4.2 x 10-1 meter
0.000099 meter = 9.9 x 10-5 meter

These are All digits are

leading significant using
zeros scientific notation
Determining Significant Figures in Measurements

The zeros in these measurements are not

significant: WHY?

300 meters (one

? significant figure)
7000 meters (one
? significant figure)
27,210 meters (four
? significant figures)

No captured zeros nor trailing zeros, no

decimal points!
Determining Significant Figures in Measurements
Unlimited number of significant figures
There are two situations in which numbers
have an unlimited number of significant
figures. Counting and Equivalents

• The first involves counting.

23 people in your classroom
This measurement is a counted value,
so it has an unlimited number of
significant figures.
Determining Significant Figures in Measurements

• The second situation involves equivalents like

those found within a system of measurement.

Each of these numbers has an unlimited number

of significant figures.

60 min = 1 hr
100 cm = 1 m

Counting and equivalents do not limit the significant

figures in your calculations!
 Rules for significant figures

Rule 1: Non-zero digits are always significant.

Rule 2: “sandwich zeros” – any zeros between

two significant digits are significant.

Rule 3: Trailing zeros are significant if there is a

decimal point

Rule 4 – Unlimited significant figures

• Counted values
• equivalents
Suppose that the winner of a 100-meter dash
finishes the race in 9.98 seconds. The runner
in second place has a time of 10.05 seconds.
How many significant figures are in each
measurement? Give the rules 1-4.

There are three significant figures in 9.98

Rule 1- every nonzero digit is significant

There are four significant figures in 10.05

Rule 1- every nonzero digit is significant
Rule 2 – sandwich zeros between nonzero digits are
significant
Counting Significant Figures in Measurements
How many significant figures are in each measurement?
Give the rule(s) for counting significant figures

a. 123 m 3 sig-figs -– all nonzero numbers

5 sig-figs -– all nonzero numbers

b. 40,506 mm – sandwich zeros

c. 9.8000 x 104 m 5 sig-figs -– trailing zeros with a decimal are

significant
Counting Significant Figures in Measurements
How many significant figures are in each measurement?
Give the rule(s) for counting significant figures

a. 22 metersticks Unlimited- counting

b. 0.070 80 m 4 sig-figs - all nonzero numbers are significant

-sandwich zeros are significant
– trailing zeros with a decimal are significant

2 sigfigs -– all nonzero numbers

c. 98,000 m No decimal so zeros are placeholders
No captured & no trailing zeros
 Significant Figures in Calculations

Rounding

• To round a number, first decide how many

significant figures the answer should
have.

• Then round to that many digits, counting

from the left.

• “4 & below, let it go”

• “5 & above, give it a shove”
 Rounding Measurements

Round off each measurement to

the number of significant figures
shown in parentheses.
a. 314.721 meters (four) 314.7

b. 0.001 775 meter (two) 0.001 8

c. 8792 meters (two) 8800

 Rounding Measurements
The arrow points to the digit immediately
following the last significant digit. Write your
answer using scientific notation.

a. 314.721 meters – round to 4 significant figures

↑
2 is less than 5, so you do not round up.

314.7 meters = 3.147 x 102 meters

The arrow points to the digit immediately
following the second significant digit. Write your
answer using scientific notation.

b. 0.001 775 meters - round to 2 significant figures

↑
7 is greater than 5, so round up.

0.0018 meter = 1.8 x 10-3 meter

 Apply the concepts to this problem.
The arrow points to the digit immediately following
the second significant digit. Write your answer
using scientific notation.

c. 8792 meters - round to 2 significant figures

↑
9 is greater than 5, so round up.

8800 meters = 8.8 x 103 meters

Significant Figures in Calculations

• A calculated answer cannot be more

precise than the least precise
measurement from which it was
calculated.

• The calculated value must be rounded

to make it consistent with the
measurements from which it was
calculated based on the number of
significant figures.
Significant Figures in Calculations
Example
• A student measures the sides of a die and
had 1.8 cm on each side. He proceeded
to calculate the volume;
1.8 cm x 1.8 cm x 1.8 cm = 5.832 cm3.

Is his answer correctly expressed?

No. This is incorrect because the

measurements have tenths and the answer
is expressed using thousandths.
 Significant Figures in Calculations

Addition and Subtraction

The answer to an addition or

subtraction calculation should be
rounded to the same number of
decimal places (not digits) as the
measurement with the least
number of decimal places.
Significant Figures in Addition and
Subtraction

Give the answer to the correct

number of significant figures.
12.52 m + 349.0 m + 8.24 m
 Apply the concepts to this problem.

349.0 m has the

fewest decimal places, 12.52 m
just one. The answer 349.0 m
must be rounded to + 8.24 m
one decimal place 369.76 m

Ans: 369.8 m
 Significant Figures in Calculations

Multiplication and Division

• In calculations involving multiplication

and division, round the answer to the
same number of significant figures
as the measurement with the least
number of significant figures.
Significant Figures in Multiplication and Division

Give the answers to the correct

number of significant figures.
a. 7.55 m x 0.34 m
b. 2.10 m x 0.70 m
c. 2.4526 m2 ÷ 8.4 m
 Apply the concepts to this problem.
a. 7.55 m x 0.34 m
The second measurement (0.34 m) has the
least number of significant figures (two).
So, the answer must be rounded to two
significant figures.

a. 7.55 m x 0.34 m = 2.567 m2

= 2.6 m2
The second measurement (0.70 m)
has the least number of significant
figures (two). So, the answer must
be rounded to two significant
figures.

b. 2.10 m x 0.70 m = 1.47 m2

= 1.5 m2
 Apply the concepts to this problem
c. 2.4526 m2 ÷ 8.4 m
The second measurement (8.4 m2) has
the least number of significant figures
(two). So, the answer must be rounded
to two significant figures.

c. 2.4526 m2 ÷ 8.4 m = 0.291076 m

= 0.29 m
In what case are zeros significant in a
measured value?
•trailing zeros with a decimal point
•Sandwich zero’s – between real
numbers

•Sig Fig Rule when + or - numbers?

• Round to fewest decimal places

•Sig Fig Rule when x or ÷ numbers?

• Round to fewest significant figures