Unit 1.1 Lab and Measurement

Front

What are significant figures (sig figs)?

Back

Significant figures are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision, including all non-zero digits, any zeros between significant digits, and trailing zeros in the decimal portion.

Front

How do you determine the number of significant figures in a number?

Back

Count all non-zero digits, any zeros between significant digits, and trailing zeros in a decimal number. Leading zeros are not counted.

Front

What is the rule for rounding when adding or subtracting numbers with significant figures?

Back

The result should be rounded to the least number of decimal places of any number in the operation.

Front

What is the rule for rounding when multiplying or dividing numbers with significant figures?

Back

The result should be rounded to the least number of significant figures of any number in the operation.

Front

What are the three base units of the metric system?

Back

The three base units are meters (for length), liters (for volume), and grams (for mass).

Front

What is the purpose of a graduated cylinder?

Back

A graduated cylinder is used to measure the volume of liquids accurately.

Front

How do you convert between metric units?

Back

To convert between metric units, multiply or divide by powers of ten based on the metric prefixes (e.g., kilo-, centi-, milli-).

Front

What is the significance of the decimal point in determining significant figures?

Back

The presence of a decimal point indicates that trailing zeros are significant, while in whole numbers without a decimal, trailing zeros may not be significant.

Front

What is the difference between precision and accuracy?

Back

Precision refers to the consistency of measurements, while accuracy refers to how close a measurement is to the true value.

Front

How do you measure the volume of an irregularly shaped object?

Back

You can measure the volume of an irregularly shaped object by using the water displacement method.