Measurement and Significant Figures

I. Metric system
A. measured and derived units
B. conversions
II. Measurement
A. length
B. volume
C. mass
D. temperature
III. ScientiIic Notation
A. Writing numbers
IV. SigniIicant Figures
A. Determination
B. In calculations
V. Dimensional Analysis
VI. Density
VII. error calculations


















I. Metric System
A. measured and derived units
measured
length m
mass g
volume l
time s
temp K
energy 1
amount oI substance mol

derived
area cm
2
volume cm
3
density g/cm
3


B. conversions (one unit to another)



II. Measurement
A. length
B. volume


C. mass
D. temperature

III. Scientific Notation
A. writing numbers
Many numbers in chemistry are too large or too small to be easily understood.
1. Examples:
rass ol a prolor 1.Z221ZZZ(Z1)?10
-2Z
|g
average rurar oody corla|rs Z.00x10
2Z
alors
2. %echnique
Correct scientiIic notation begins with 1 digit, a decimal point, all signiIicant Iigures x 10
some power.
ex: 3031 3.031x10
3

.00000404 4.04x10
-6

100,000 1x10
5
Remember: moving the decimal to the leIt positive exponent decimal to the right negative exponent

IV. Significant Figures
A. %erminology
1. non-zero digits
2. imbedded zeros - zeros between non zero digits
3. trailing zeros - zeros listed aIter non-zero digits
4. leading zeros - zeros placed in Iront oI non-zero digits
B. determination of
1. Examples:
# sig Iigs
a) 45.7 J
b) 8.416 4
c) 1J0 2
d) 400. J
e) 400 1
e) J007. 4
f) 6000.1 5
g) 0.005 1
h) 0.080 2
I) 6.400 4
j) 200.000 6
2. `%E RULE: all numbers are significant except for
a. leading zeros
b. trailing zeros without a decimal.
C. in calculations
1. Addition/ subtraction
Rule: %he answer Is lImIted to the least precIse (fewest decImal places) number In
the questIon.

ex. 200.62 48J.20
7.4966 64.605
+ 4J.J14 418.595
251.4J06 418.60
2. multiplication / division
Rule: ultIplIcatIon / 0IvIsIon

%he product or quotIent Is lImIted to the same number of sIg fIgs as the least In
the questIon.

ex. 76.J
x J20
24.416
V. Dimensional Analysis
A. Uses and %echnique
B. Examples:
ILLL IUU!Lh5
noc. Inc rov|cw. vcqin ~in .crq cu.q rov|cw. unv vccowc roqrc..i.c|q nurvcr.
1. Convert 3.42 g into kilograms
2. How many inches are in 2.0 miles?
3. Dr. Ott can run a marathon (26.22 miles) in 2.925 hours. What is his average speed in m/s?
4. II I average driving 60.0 miles/hour when traveling (including stops and sleeping) how Iar
can I get in 3.5 days?

VI. Density
A. Density is deIined as how tightly packed the atoms in a substance are. With regard to elements,
the metal osmium is the densest, nearly twice as dense as lead. Each element has a unique
value Ior density and thereIore it is a way unknown elements can be identiIied.

B. Examples:
1. Calculate the density Ior the Iollowing object. II you know that the object has a mass oI 20.
grams and the volume is 10. ml.
2. Calculate the volume Ior the Iollowing object II you know that the object has a mass oI 21.0
grams and the density is 12.0 g/ml.
3. Calculate the mass Ior the Iollowing object. II you know that the object has a density oI 20.0
g/ml and the volume is 5.00 ml.
4. Calculate the density oI a liquid in a beaker. The beaker has a mass oI 15 grams when empty.
The beaker plus an unknown liquid has a mass oI 50. grams. What is the density oI the liquid iI
its volume is 10. mL?
5. What is the volume in mL oI 10.5 g oI Br2?
6. What is the mass (in kg) oI 3.2 L oI Br2?
VII. error calculations
See reIerence tables Ior Iormula