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Measurement
Chm081L
Significant Figures in the Final Answer
The answer for addition or subtraction is based on the term in the
data with the lowest number of decimal places. For example,
23.657
+ 3.5625
1.63
--------------
28.8495 or 28.85 (two decimal places)
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The answer to a multiplication or division operation is reported to the same
number of significant figures as the term in the data with the least number
of significant figures. For example,
32.460 x 3.410 = 110.6886 or 110. 7 (four [Link].)
Example 1
1. Perform the following calculations and express the answers to
the correct number of significant figures.
A. 0.4862 x 0.340 x 0.6800 = 0.112 (three sig. fig.)
B. 2.0 x 300.0 = 600 or 6. 0 x 102 ( two sig. fig.)
(Note: Since the final answer must be written in 2 sig. fig., it is necessary
to write the result in exponential form.)
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C. 23.6 + 3.566 - 1.34 = 25.8 ( one decimal place)
D. 0.00000567 + 0.0000432 - 0.000000288
Solution
Since the given numbers are very small, it is necessary to express
each number in exponential form. Note that for addition or subtraction,
it is necessary to make the powers of 10 the same.
5.67 x 10-6 + 43.2 x 10-6 - 0.288 x 10-6
= 48.6 x 10-6 ( one decimal place)
= 4.86 x 10-5 (Note: The number multiplied by power of 10 must be
less than 10)
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Metric Prefixes
deka (da)—101 deci (d)—10-1
hecto (h)—102 centi (c)—10-2
kilo (k)—103 milli (m)—10-3
mega (M)—106 micro ()—10-6
giga (G)—109 nano (n)—10-9
tera (T)—1012 pico (p)—10-12
peta (P)—1015 femto (f)—10-15
exa (E)—1018 atto (a)—10-18
Metric Units in Symbols
Unit Symbol Unit Symbol
acre ac liter L
meter m metric ton t
centimeter cm milliliter mL
cubic centimeter cc or cm3 millimeter mm
dyne dyn Newton N
kilogram kg Joule J
kilometer km Pascal Pa
deciliter dL calorie cal
Note: A Newton (N) is the force that produces an acceleration of 1 meter per square second on a
mass of one kilogram.
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English Units in Symbols
Unit Symbol Unit Symbol
feet ft pint pt
gallon gal pound lb
inch in yard yd
mile mi quart qt
ounce oz mil mil
British Thermal Unit BTU pound force lbf
Note: A pound force (lbf) is the force exerted by gravity at sea level on a one-pound mass
Systems of Measurement
PHYSICAL SI metric cgs British
QUANTITY
length m m cm ft
mass kg kg g lb
time s s,h s s,h
temperature K C C F
force N kgf dyn lbf
heat energy J = N•m kcal or Cal cal BTU
area m2 m2 cm2 ft2
volume(solid) m3 m3 cm3 ft3
volume(liquid) L L mL qt
pressure Pa = N/m2 kgf/m2 dyn/cm2 lbf/ft2
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Dimensional Analysis
2. Perform the following conversions using unit analysis (or
dimensional analysis:
A. 32.1 mg = _________g
Solution
10-3 g
32. 1 mg x ------------ = 0.0321 g or 3.21 x 10-2 g
mg
B. 6.3 L = ___________ mL
Solution
mL
6.3 L x ------------ = 6.3 x 103 mL
10-3 L
Solution
103 mL
6.3 L x ------------ = 6.3 x 103 mL
1 L
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C. 20.6 micrometers (μm) =___________ angstrom (Å)
Solution
10-6 m 1Å
20.6 μm x ------------ x ------------- = 2.06 x 105 Å or
μm 10-10 m
1 m 1010 Å
20.6 μm x ------------ x ------------- = 2.06 x 105 Å
106 μm 1m
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D. 465.4 Mg =_____________lb
Solution
106 g 1 lb
465.4 Mg x ------------ x ------------- = 1.026 x 106 lb
Mg 453.59 g
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E. 6 h and 35 min = ______________s
Solution
Convert the units h and min into s and combine the results.
60 s
35 min x ------------ = 2,100 s
1 min
3600s
6h x ------------ = 21,600 s
1h
Therefore, the time is 23,700 s
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F. 23.6 in3 = ___________ qt
Solution
Note that in the conversion table, 1 in = 2.54 cm. By taking the
third power of both sides of the equation, we obtain 1 in3 = (2.54)3
cm3 which we can use as conversion factor.
(2.54)3 cm3 1L 1.0567 qt
23.6 in3 x --------------- x --------------- x -------------- = 0.409 qt
1 in3 1000 cm3 1L
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G. 425 acres = _______ m2
Solution
Note that 1 m = 3.281 ft. By squaring both sides of the equation,
1 m2 = (3.281)2 ft2 , we arrive at the following solution:
43,560 ft2 1 m2
425 acres x -------------- x --------------------- = 1.72 x 10 6 m2
1 acre (3.281)2 ft2
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H. 47 mi/h = __________ m/ s
Solution
mi 5280 ft 1m 1h
47 ------- x ------------- x ----------- x ------------ = 21 m/s
h 1 mi 3.281 ft 3600 s
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I. 57.2 lb/ ft3 = __________kg/ m3
Solution
lb 1 kg (3.281)3 ft3
57.2 ------- x --------------- x ---------------- = 918 kg/m3
ft3 2.2 lb 1 m3
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