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Chapter 1 Lecture

This document introduces fundamental concepts in measurements for physics, including SI units, accuracy versus precision, and the use of significant figures. It explains the importance of distinguishing between accuracy (closeness to true value) and precision (repeatability of measurements), as well as how to handle significant figures in calculations. Additionally, it addresses measurement uncertainty and how to express it using estimated and percent uncertainty.

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3 views13 pages

Chapter 1 Lecture

This document introduces fundamental concepts in measurements for physics, including SI units, accuracy versus precision, and the use of significant figures. It explains the importance of distinguishing between accuracy (closeness to true value) and precision (repeatability of measurements), as well as how to handle significant figures in calculations. Additionally, it addresses measurement uncertainty and how to express it using estimated and percent uncertainty.

Uploaded by

arnoldjackson1996
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Physics for Engineers and Scientists I

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION,
MEASUREMENTS,
ESTIMATING
Objectives
• List basic SI units and the quantities they describe.
• Distinguish between accuracy and precision.
• Use significant figures in measurements and
calculations.
System International – SI (metric system)
Length – meter (m)
Time – second (s or sec)
Mass – kilogram (kg)

U.S. Customary system


Length – foot (ft)
Time – second (s or sec)
Mass – slug or pound-mass
Quantities

• Quantity
• Something that has magnitude, size, or amount.
(not the same as a measurement)
• Mass, weight, force, speed, length, etc.
Metric Prefixes Table 1-4, p. 7
Giga G 109
Mega M 106
Kilo k 103
Centi c 10-2
Milli m 10-3
Micro m 10-6
Nano n 10-9
Significant Figures
• Accuracy –
• Closeness of measurements to correct or accepted
value.
• Precision –
• Closeness of a set of measurements of same quantity
made in the same way.
• Values close to one another, but not necessarily close to
accepted.
Significant Figures

• Significant figures – all the digits of a


measurement known with certainty plus one
final digit, which is somewhat uncertain.
Significant Figures
p. 4
• Zeros appearing between nonzero digits are
significant.
• Zeros appearing in front of nonzero digits are not
significant.
• Zeros at the end of a number and to the right of a
decimal point are significant.
• Zeros at the end of a number but to the left of a
decimal point may or may not be significant. A
decimal point placed after zeros indicates that they
are significant.
Significant Figures
643
3 significant

23.21
4 significant

0.062
2 significant
Significant Figures

Addition/Subtraction
• The answer must have the same number of digits to
the right of the decimal point as there are in the
measurement having the fewest digits to the right
of the decimal point.

Multiplication/Division
• The answer can have no more significant figures
than are in the measurement with the fewest
number of significant figures.
1-3 Measurement and Uncertainty; Significant
Figures

Accuracy vs. Precision


Accuracy is how close a measurement comes to
the true value.
Precision is the repeatability of the measurement
using the same instrument.
It is possible to be accurate without being
precise and to be precise without being accurate!

Copyright © 2009 Pearson


Education, Inc.
1-3 Measurement and Uncertainty; Significant
Figures
No measurement is exact; there is always some
uncertainty due to limited instrument accuracy and
difficulty reading results.

The photograph to the left


illustrates this – it would be
difficult to measure the width
of this board more accurately
than ± 1 mm.

Copyright © 2009 Pearson


Education, Inc.
1-3 Measurement and Uncertainty; Significant
Figures

Estimated uncertainty is written with a ± sign; for


example: 8.8 ± 0.1 cm.
Percent uncertainty is the ratio of the uncertainty to
the measured value, multiplied by 100:

Copyright © 2009 Pearson


Education, Inc.

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