3.

1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

Scientific
Measurements
Arvin C. Diamante
Master Teacher II
Nicolas L. Galvez Memorial NHS
June 20, 2018

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Accuracy, Precision,
and Error

Accuracy, Precision, and Error

How do you evaluate accuracy and

precision?

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Accuracy, Precision,
and Error

Accuracy and Precision

• In chemistry, the meanings of accuracy and
precision are quite different.

• Accuracy is a measure of how close a

measurement comes to the actual or true
value of whatever is measured.

• Precision is a measure of how close a

series of measurements are to one
another, irrespective of the actual value.

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Accuracy, Precision,
and Error

Accuracy and Precision

To evaluate the accuracy of a measurement,
the measured value must be compared to the
correct value.

To evaluate the precision of a measurement,

you must compare the values of two or more
repeated measurements.

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Accuracy, Precision,
and Error

Accuracy and Precision

Darts on a dartboard illustrate the difference
between accuracy and precision.

Good Accuracy, Poor Accuracy, Poor Accuracy,

Good Precision Good Precision Poor Precision

The closeness of a dart to the bull’s-eye corresponds to

the degree of accuracy. The closeness of several darts to
one another corresponds to the degree of precision.
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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

a)78.1 mL, 43.9 mL, 2 mL accurate precise

should be 100mL both neither
NEITHER
b) 68.1 mL, 68.2 mL, 68.0 mL accurate precise
should be 68.1mL both neither
BOTH
c) 98.0 mL, 98.2 mL, 97.9 mL accurate precise
should be 100mL both neither
BOTH
d) 72.0 mL, 60.3 mL, 68.1 mL accurate precise
should be 100mL both neither
NEITHER
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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >
Accuracy and Precision

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >
Accuracy and Precision

Label what each indicates.

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >
Accuracy and Precision

• In this picture, all of the

darts land on the bulls-
eye which illustrates good
precision and accuracy.

• In this picture, all of the

darts land near each
other, but away from the
bulls-eye which illustrates
good precision, but poor
accuracy.

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >
Accuracy and Precision

• Here the darts are not

close to each other, but
are close to the bulls-eye
indicating poor precision,
but good accuracy.

• Finally, the darts are not

close to each other or
near the bulls-eye
indicating both poor
accuracy and poor
precision.

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Precise,
Both or
Neither?
• Known Density = 3.11 g/mL
• Test Results 3.77, 3.81, 3.76, 3.80
• Precise, not accurate
• Test Results 3.01, 3.89, 3.50, 5.99
• Neither
• Test Results 3.04, 3.20, 3.13, 3.07
• Accurate, not precise
• Test Results 3.11, 3.12, 3.12, 3.10
• Both
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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

• Describe the accuracy and precision of these 4 targets.

Accurate, Precise, but Accurate, Not

and precise not accurate but not accurate,
precise and not
precise

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Accuracy, Precision,
and Error

Determining Error
• Suppose you use a thermometer to
measure the boiling point of pure water at
standard pressure.

• The thermometer reads 99.1°C.

• You probably know that the true or

accepted value of the boiling point of pure
water at these conditions is actually
• 100.0°C.

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Accuracy, Precision,
and Error

Determining Error
• There is a difference between the
accepted value, which is the correct value
for the measurement based on reliable
references, and the experimental value,
the value measured in the lab.

• The difference between the experimental

value and the accepted value is called the
error.

Error = experimental value – accepted

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value
3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Accuracy, Precision,
and Error

Determining Error

• For the boiling-point measurement, the

error is 99.1°C – 100°C, or –0.9°C.

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Accuracy, Precision,
and Error
Determining Error
• For the boiling-point measurement, the error
is 99.1°C – 100°C, or –0.9°C.

• The percent error of a measurement is the

absolute value of the measured
experimental value minus the accepted
value divided by the accepted value,
multiplied by 100%.
measured - accepted
Percent error = x 100%
accepted value

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Sample Problem 3.2

Calculating Percent Error

The boiling point of pure water is
measured to be 99.1°C. Calculate
the percent error.

Think about it: Using

the absolute value of
the error means that
percent error will
always be a positive
value.
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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Sample Problem 3.2

2 Calculate Solve for the unknown.

Substitute the equation for error, and then plug
in the known values.
|experimental value – accepted value|
_______________________________
Percent error = X 100%
accepted value

|99.1˚C – 100.0˚C |
= X 100%
100.0 ˚C

0.9°C
_______
= X 100 % = 0.9%
100.0°C
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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Significant Figures

• Scientist use significant figures to determine

how precise a measurement is
• Significant digits in a measurement include all
of the known digits plus one estimated digit

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > For example…

• Look at the ruler below

• Each line is 0.1cm

• You can read that the arrow is on 13.3 cm
• However, using significant figures, you must
estimate the next digit
• That would give you 13.30 cm

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Let’s try this one

• Look at the ruler below

• What can you read before you estimate?

• 12.8 cm
• Now estimate the next digit…
• 12.85 cm

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

Graduated Cylinder –
Meniscus and Parallax

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >
INTERPOLATION AND SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
• What is the volume of water in this graduated cylinder? Always
measure the volume of a liquid at the bottom of the meniscus.
The units are mL.

• The volume of water is

52.8 mL. The 52 mL
are exactly known,
and the 0.8 mL is
uncertain because it
was interpolated or
estimated 1 digit
beyond the smallest
graduation.

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >
RULES FOR RECOGNIZING SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
• Non-zero numbers are always significant. 73.3 has 3
significant figures.
• Zeros between nonzero digits are significant. That is,
508 cm has 3 significant figures.
• All final zeros to the right of the decimal place are
significant. 6.20 has 3 significant figures.
• Leading zeroes merely locate the decimal point and
are never significant. That is, 0.0497 cm equals 4.97 x
10-2 cm and has 3 significant figures.
• Trailing zeros are significant as follows: 50.0 mL has 3
significant figures, 50. mL has 2 significant figures, and
50 mL has 1 significant figure.
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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

Datum Number of Datum Number of

(grams) Significant (milliliters) Significant
Figures Figures
10,034 5 150. 3
1.908 4 0.705 3
0.32 2 0.054 2
0.00046 2 5.86 x 10-7 3
150 2 3040 3
0.0000160 3 0.0000730 3

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

Practice Rule #1 Zeros

45.8736 6 •All digits count

.000239 3 •Leading 0’s don’t

.00023900 5 •Trailing 0’s do
48000. 5 •0’s count in decimal form
48000 2 •0’s don’t count w/o decimal
3.982106 4 •All digits count
1.00040 6 •0’s between digits count as
well as trailing in decimal form
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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >
RULES FOR ROUNDING OFF NUMBERS
• If the digit to the immediate right of the last significant figure is
less than five, do not change the last significant figure.
2.532 → 2.53
• If the digit to the immediate right of the last significant figure is
greater than five, round up the last significant figure.
2.536 → 2.54
• If the digit to the immediate right of the last significant figure is
equal to five and is followed by a nonzero digit, round up the
last significant figure. 2.5351 → 2.54
• If the digit to the immediate right of the last significant figure is
equal to five and is not followed by a nonzero digit, look at the
last significant figure. If it is an odd digit, round it up. If it is an
even digit, do not round up. 2.5350 → 2.54 but 2.5250 → 2.52

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23.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >
8
In carrying out an addition or subtraction,
the answer cannot have more digits after the
decimal point than either of the original
numbers.

Chapter Two
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23.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >
9 In carrying out a multiplication or division, the
answer cannot have more significant figures
than either of the original numbers.

Chapter Two
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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

Multiplication and division

32.27  1.54 = 49.6958 49.7

3.68  .07925 = 46.4353312 46.4
1.750  .0342000 = 0.05985 .05985
3.2650106  4.858 = 1.586137  107 1.586 107
6.0221023  1.66110-24 = 1.000000 1.000

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >
Addition and Subtraction

.56
__ + .153
___ = .713 .71
__ Look for the
last
82000 + 5.32 = 82005.32 82005 important
10.0 - 9.8742 = .12580 .1 digit

10 – 9.8742 = .12580 0

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

Density

 Density = amount of matter per unit volume

 Density is the ratio of mass to volume
 If the volume stays the same and the mass
increases . . . the density will increase
 If the mass stays the same and the volume
increases . . . The density will decrease

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

What would take up more space??? A kilogram of feathers…..

or a kilogram of steel??

OR

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >
Density is the measure of the “compactness” of
a material
 How close the atoms or
molecules are to each
other
 More than “heaviness”
- density includes how
much space an object
takes up!!
 All substances have
density including
liquids, solids, and
gases
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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

Understanding Density Table

• We can also use it to predict how substances will
interact. For instance, whether an object will sink or
float.
• The density of water is 1.0 (It is the standard to
which all other densities are compared)
• If the density of an object is greater than 1.0, the
object will sink in water.
• If the density of an object is less than 1.0, then the
object will float in water.

© Copyright 2014 – All rights reserved –

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

WHY DO WE CARE?
• Since the measurement is standard, we can use it to
identify an unknown substance.
• Example – You buy what you think is a gold
chain. How can you be sure?
• Compute the density. If it matches the known
density for gold then it is real gold. If not, it is
probably fake.

© Copyright 2014 – All rights reserved –

37
3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

• 1. If a measurement is not very reproducible

but close to the actual value, it is very _____
but not very _____.

a. Accurate, Neither
b. Precise, Both
c. Accurate, Precise
d. Precise, Accurate

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

• 2. What is the percent error if a measured

value is 24.59 g/mL and the accepted value is
25.49 g/mL?

a. . 0.9647%
b. 1.037%
c. 0.0366%
d. 3.5%

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

• 3. Why are plus and minus signs ignored in

calculating percent error?

a. Accepted values for data do not include negative

numbers.
b. An experimental value smaller than the accepted
value is not considered an error.
c. Only the size of the error matters, not whether the
values in error are larger or smaller than the accepted
values.
d. The formula for percent error automatically cancels
40 out the signs.
3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

• 4. How many significant figures are there in

5.0390 g?

a. Two
b. Three
c. Four
d. Five

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

• 5. The sum of 4.824 + 2.03 + 4.72319 +

123.4567 + 111.1 expressed to the proper
number of significant figures is _________.

a. 246
b. 246.1
c. 246.13
d. 246.134

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

• 6. What would be the appropriate manner for

representing 5400 with 3 significant figures?

a. 54000.
b. 54000
c. 5.4x104
d. 5.40x103

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

• 7. Which would you use to determine the

mass of an object?

a. Meter stick
b. Graduated cylinder
c. Tape Measure
d. Triple beam balance

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

• 8. What is the volume of the liquid in this

graduated cylinder?

a. 30 g
b. 32 mL
c. 34 mL
d. 40 mL

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

• 9. Why does ice float on water?

a. it is colder than water

b. it is less dense than water
c. it is harder than water
d. it is lighter than water

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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

• 10. Which of the following statements BEST

summarizes the relationship between mass,
volume and density.

a. Density is the amount of mass in a certain

volume of matter.
b. Density is the heaviness of an object for its
weight.
c. Density is the size of an object for its volume.
d. Density is the mass added to the volume of an
47 object.