Essay On Significant Figures

Measurements, Calculations, and Significant Figures Measurements, calculations, and significant figures are vital mathematical terms used to understand the basic concepts of physics. Knowing how to properly make measurements and apply the necessary calculations to obtain accurate answers will surely prove beneficial in physics, but having that knowledge will also help you throughout your entire life. Therefore, it is important to understand the processes and numbers involved when using measurements, calculations, and significant figures. Measurements are used to identify the specific characteristics of an object, such as length, size, and amount. One must use the proper measuring device, depending on the conditions of the experiment and

When you multiply or divide measurements, the number of significant figures in the answer is equal to the number of significant figures in the least precise measurement. For the addition or subtraction of measurements, the number of significant figures in the answer is equal to the number of decimal places in the least precise measurement. Nonzero integers always count as significant figures, and exact numbers, quantities obtained without the use of a measuring device, have an infinite number of significant figures. For example, the number 15.1 has three significant figures because none of the integers are zero. However, there are three classes of zeros: leading zeros, captive zeros, and trailing zeros. Leading zeros, which precede all nonzero integers, such as in the number 0.0071, are not significant. Captive zeros, which are zeros found between nonzero integers, such as in the number 2001, are always significant. Trailing zeros, which are found at the right end of a number, such as in the number 7.0, are only significant if there is a decimal point. The rules of significant figures, along with measurements and calculations, are absolutely necessary for