MEASUREMENT

GENCHEM_Q1_L2_W2
What are the SI Units and Quantities they
described?
In SI, the standard measurement system for science, there is seven
base units.
Seven System International (SI) Fundamental Units
Physical Quantities Name Abbreviation
Mass kilogram kg
Length meter m
Time second s
Temperature Kelvin K
Electric Current Ampere A
Amount of Substance mole mol
Luminous Intensity candela cd
The common Prefixes Used in the SI System
Prefix Abbreviation Factor
Tera T 1,000,000,000,000
Giga G 1,000,000,000
Mega M 1,000,000
Kilo K 1,000
hector h 100
Unit 1
deci d 0.001
centi C 0.000001
milli M
nano n
pico p
What is the difference between Accuracy and
Precision?
I. Precision:
The precision of a series of measurements is an indication of the agreement among repetitive
measurements.
A high precision measurements expresses high confidence that the measurements lies within a
narrow range of values.
Precision depends on the instrument used to make measurements. The precision of a measurement
is one-half the smallest division of the instrument for analog and one significant digit for digital.
Typically, imprecision is caused by random variations such as slight changes in pressure, room
temperature, supply voltage, friction or pulling force over a distance.
Human interpretation such as how an instrument scale is read between divisions is also a source of
random error.
Example: which set is more precise?
18.2, 18.4, 18.35
17.9, 18.3, 18.85
16.5, 17.2, 19.44
What is the difference between Accuracy and
Precision?
II. Accuracy:
Accuracy is a description of how close a measurement is to the correct or accepted value
of the quantity measured.
It is sometimes expressed as a percentage deviation from the known value. The known
or true value is often based on reproductible measurements
A common source of systematic error is not zeroing your measuring instrument correctly
so that all the data is constantly shifted away from the true value. This can give high
precision but poor accuracy.
Your instrument might also not be accurate. A two-point calibration can be used to
check.
Example: Who is more accurate when measuring a book that has a true length of 17.0 cm?
Christopher: 17.0 cm, 16.0 cm, 18.0 cm, 15.0 cm
Christian: 15.5 cm, 15.0 cm, 15.2 cm, 15.3, cm
 What are the Rules for counting Significant
Figures?
I. Rules for Counting Significant Figures:
1. None Zero Integers. None zero integers always count as significant.
Examples: 65.78 4 significant figures ( 4 SF)
1.9245 5 significant figures ( 5 SF)
2. Zeros. There are three classes of zeros:
a. Leading zeros – are zeros that precede all the non zero digits. These do not count as significant figures.
Example: 0.000391 3 significant figures ( 3 SF)
0.083652 5 significant figures ( 5 SF)
b. Captive zeros – are zeros between non zero digits. These always count as significant figures.
Example: 8.00345 6 significant figures ( 6 SF)
2.017 4 significant figures ( 4 SF)

c. Trailing zeros – are zeros at the right end of the number. They are only significant if the number contains a decimal point
Example: 7000 1 significant figures ( 1 SF)
300.3 significant figures ( 3 SF)
20.00 4 significant figures ( 4 SF)
Think and Try
How many significant figures are in each of the following?
___1.) 0.0012 ___6.) 2006 ___11.) 1.00x10^3
___2.) 437, 000 ___7.) 125,904,000 ___12.) 0.0048
___3.) 900.0 ___8.) 0.001060 ___13.) 0.00480
___4.) 106 ___9.) 3050 ___14.) 4.00x10^-3
___5.) 1.0012 ___10.) 100 ___15.) 2.01050
What are the Rules of Significant Figures in
Mathematical Operations?
I. For Multiplication or Division – the number of significant figures in the
result is the same as the number in the least precise measurement used in
the calculation.
Example: 2.11 x 6.2 = 13.082 Final Answer: 13.0
3.85 / 1.2 = 3.208333 Final Answer: 3.2
II. For Addition or Subtraction – the result has the same number of decimal
places as the least precise measurement used in the calculation.
Example: find the sum of 76.48, 4.9, and 456.123.
Answer: 533.503 Final Answer: 533.5

Note: in most calculations you will need to round off numbers to obtain the correct
significant figures.
 Think and Try
Perform, the following mathematical operations, report your answer in
correct significant figures.
a.) 1.45 * 12.02 __________ f.) 2.46 * 2 __________
b.) 12.786 + 1.23 __________ g.) 0.1654 + 2.07 – 2.114 __________
c.) 79.74 – 9.137 __________ h.) 100.65 / 4.026 __________
d.) 485 / 9.231 __________ i.) 68 * 12.88 __________
e.) 2.96 + 8.1 + 5.0214 __________ j.) (8178 / 42.3) * 6.2 __________
How to Determine the Density?
Density – property of matter is commonly used by chemist as an
“identification tag” for a substance defined as the mass of substance
per unit volume of the substance.
Density = mass / volume p=m/v
 SUBSTANCE DENSITY (g/ml)

Aluminum 2.70
Benzene 0.880
Densities of Copper 8.96

various
Ethanol 0.789
Gold 19.32

Common Hydrogen
Iron
0.000084
7.87

Substances at Lead
Magnesium
11.34
1.74

20 degree Mercury
Oxygen
13.6
0.000133
Celsius. Silver
Sodium Chloride
10.5
2.16
Water 0.9982
Note: 1 cm^3 = 1 ml
Examples:
1. What is the density of a 1,075 g rock if its volume is 334.5 ml?
Given: Mass, m = 1,075 g, Volume, v = 334.5 ml
Required: density, p
Solution: p = m / v
p = 1,075 g/ 334.5 ml
p = 3.2138 g/ml
2. The density of titanium is 4.54 g/ml. what is the volume in ml of 163
g of titanium?
 Think and Try
1. A 335 ml of urine sample has a mass of 342.6 g. calculate its density.
2. The density of methanol at 20°C is 0.791 g/ml. What is the mass in grams
of 250 ml sample?
3. What is the density of 95.0 g block of wood whose dimensions are L = 7.8
cm, width = 5.2 cm, and thickness = 3.18 cm?
4. Calculate the density of each of the following in grams/ml:
a) A piece of metal with a mass of 8500 g displaces 0.180 ml when placed in water.
b) A piece of metal 2300 g displaces 8.0x10^-3 ml.