Question

Significant Figures & Errors of Measurement Complete the following with “are” or “are not:

Answer 1

1. Zeros between two significant digits ARE significant.  e.g.  in the number 809, the 0 is significant to the value of the number 

2. Zeros to the right of a decimal point that precedes all nonzero digits ARE significant.  e.g. in 0.0674, the 0 that comes after the decimal point is important to the overall value of the other digits.

3. All nonzero digits ARE significant.  (Nonzero digits are ALWAYS significant)

4. One or more final zeros used after the decimal point ARE significant. e.g. in the number 35.00 the zeros indicates the possibility of further digits beyond the zeros and as such make then significant

5. Zeros used solely for spacing the decimal point ARE NOT significant.
e.g. in the number 0.46, the zero has no bearing on the .46 thus not adding value to the number. 


Determine the number of significant figures in each of the following numbers:
 
I highlighted those digits that are significant and put the number of sig. fig. in brackets

1)  5.432  (4 sig. fig.)

2)  40.319 (5 sig. fig.)

3)  146  (3 sig. fig.)

4)  3.285  (4 sig. fig.)

5)  0.189 (3 sig. fig.)

6)  249.3 (4 sig. fig.)

7)  2873.0 (4 sig. fig.)

8)   99.9 (3 sig. fig.)

9)  0.000235 (6 sig. fig.)

10)   144 (3 sig. fig.)

11)  2500 (2 sig. fig.)

12)  2500.0 (5 sig fig) -  the decimal point makes the zeros that precede it signicficant

13)  1.04 (3 sig fig)

14)  3.58  (3 sig fig)

15)  48.57193 (7 sig fig)

16)  8365.6 (5 sig fig)

17)  0.002300 (4 sig fig)

18) 7.500 (2 sig fig)

19) 3.92  (3 sig fig)

20) 1.00 (3 sig fig)