Uncertainties in

Measurement
LESSON 7
Lesson Objectives:

1. Express the accuracy and precision in measurement

2. Solve operations using correct number of significant

Uncertainties in Measurement

The uncertainty in the

measurement or the
calculated values is 1.05
indicated by mentioning uncertain measurement

the number of significant 1.07

figures.
1.09
certain measurement
Significant Figures in Measurement

● Every measurement we make includes some

uncertainty.
-We can never measure exactly or know a quantity with absolute
certainty.
● The numbers (quantity) we use must tell us two
things:
-How large or small
-How well were you able to measure it
Significant Figures in Measurement

● The digits we record in a measurement (certain

and uncertain) are called Significant figures.

● The greater the # of significant figures in a

measurement, the greater the certainty.
 Example
To measure the volume
of liquid in a graduated
cylinder, you should
make a reading at the
bottom of the meniscus,
the lowest point on the
curved surface of the
liquid. The bottom of the meniscus in this case clearly lies between the 21
and 22 markings, meaning the liquid volume is certainly greater
than 21 mL but less than 22 mL. The meniscus appears to be a bit
closer to the 22-mL mark than to the 21-mL mark, and so a
reasonable estimate of the liquid’s volume would be 21.6 mL. In the
number 21.6, then, the digits 2 and 1 are certain, but the 6 is an
estimate.
 Suppose three students are asked to
measure the volume of liquids inside of this
graduated cylinder.
My answer is 21.5 mL

The volume is 21.4 mL

That is 21.6 mL
In all three digits first 21.5
two digits 2 and 1 are
The amount of uncertainty
certain but the third 21.4 in the above stated
digit is doubtful or measurements is 0.1 mL.
uncertain. 21.6 Uncertainty depends
upon the instrument that is
used for the instrument.

21.5 + 0.1 mL = 21.6

21.4 + 0.1 mL = 21.5

21.6 - 0.1 mL = 21.5

21.5 - 0.1 mL = 21.4

 We can state the above
measurements along with
Note that in the above stated example, uncertainty
students subdivided the distance between 21 as:
mL and 22 mL in 10 equal parts and used it as
21.5 ± 0.1 mL
lowest measurement that can be taken with
the help of this graduated cylinder. 21.4 ± 0.1 mL

This minimum possible measurement is the 21.6 ± 0.1 mL

least count of the measuring
cylinder and this LEAST COUNT is EQUAL to
the uncertainty in the
measurements taken with the help of this
graduating cylinder.
Determining Which Digits are
Significant

In general, all digits are significant, except zeros that

are not measured but are used to position the
decimal point (place holders)
RULES IN DETERMINING
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES/DIGITS:
1. All the non-zero digits are always significant.

For example in the number 0.003045, the non-zero numbers are 3, 4, and 5.They
are all significant.

2. Zeros between non-zero numbers (captive zeros) are significant also.

For example in the number 0.003045, zero between 3 and 4 is significant.

3. The leading/starting zeros are always insignificant.

For example in the number 0.003045, the first three

leading zeros are insignificant. Actually these leading zeros
tell us about the location of decimal point only.
RULES IN DETERMINING
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES/DIGITS:
4. The trailing/ending zeros on the right hand side of decimal point
are significant.
For example in the number 123.0, the trailing zero is significant.

5. When a measurement/number is given in scientific notation/standard form, all the

digits except powers of ten portion are significant.
For example in the number 1.3 x 103 there are two significant digits.
In the number 1.30 x 103 there are three significant digits.
In the number 1.300 x 103 there are four significant digits.
 RULES IN DETERMINING
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES/DIGITS:

6. An important principle should be noted that if we add, substract, multiply or divide

different measurements then the result should have only as many significant digits as
the measurement with least number of significant digits.
Example: Add the following measurements: 123. 1, 345.67, 105.100
When we add these numbers, we get 468.870
But as the first measurement has only 4 significant figures, the result must
not have more than 4 significant figures.
Hence the correct result is: 468.9
Here are some examples:
Significant Figures in Calculation

● Answers to calculation cannot be more accurate than the

information you entered in calculation - but calculators
don’t know that.

● 2 rules reporting the uncertainty in calculations

-Addition and Subtraction
-Division and Multiplication
Addition and Subtraction

● When adding or subtracting, round off to the

fewest number of decimal places.
Division and Multiplication

● Keep the same number of sig. figs as the

measurement with the least number of sig. figs

The first measurement 1.2 has 2 sig figs

The second measurement has 3 sig figs
So your answer may only have 2 sig. figs
Practice Test
Answer
 Accuracy and Precision

Accuracy and precision are two

important factors to consider when
taking data measurements. Both
accuracy and precision reflect how
close a measurement is to an
actual value, but accuracy reflects
how close a measurement is to a
known or accepted value, while
precision reflects how reproducible
measurements are, even if they are
far from the accepted value.
 Accuracy and Precision

Accuracy is how close a value is to

its true value. An example is how
close an arrow gets to the
bull's-eye center.

Precision is how repeatable a

measurement is. An example is
how close a second arrow is to the
first one (regardless of whether
either is near the mark).
Example
Suppose a quality control chemist at a pharmaceutical company is
tasked with checking the accuracy and precision of three different
machines that are meant to dispense 10 ounces (296mL) of cough
syrup into storage bottles. She proceeds to use each machine to fill
five bottles and then carefully determines the actual volume
dispensed, obtaining the results tabulated in Table 1.
Considering these results, she will report that dispenser #1 is precise
(values all close to one another, within a few tenths of a milliliter) but not
accurate (none of the values are close to the target value of 296 mL, each
being more than 10 mL too low).

Results for dispenser #2 represent improved accuracy (each volume is

less than 3 mL away from 296 mL) but worse precision (volumes vary by
more than 4 mL).

Finally, she can report that dispenser #3 is working well, dispensing

cough syrup both accurately (all volumes within 0.1 mL of the target
volume) and precisely (volumes differing from each other by no more
than 0.2 mL).