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Measurements in Chemistry

1. The document discusses various topics related to measurements in chemistry including errors in measurements, significant figures, scientific notation, the International System of Units (SI), density, temperature scales, and dimensional analysis. 2. It defines key terms like random error, systematic error, gross error, and uncertainty in measurements. Guidelines for determining the number of significant figures in measurements and calculations are provided. 3. Conversion factors and dimensional analysis are introduced as methods for converting between different units of measurement when performing calculations. Common temperature scales and the relationship between Celsius, Fahrenheit and Kelvin are also outlined.

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Angela Reyes
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51 views6 pages

Measurements in Chemistry

1. The document discusses various topics related to measurements in chemistry including errors in measurements, significant figures, scientific notation, the International System of Units (SI), density, temperature scales, and dimensional analysis. 2. It defines key terms like random error, systematic error, gross error, and uncertainty in measurements. Guidelines for determining the number of significant figures in measurements and calculations are provided. 3. Conversion factors and dimensional analysis are introduced as methods for converting between different units of measurement when performing calculations. Common temperature scales and the relationship between Celsius, Fahrenheit and Kelvin are also outlined.

Uploaded by

Angela Reyes
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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You are on page 1/ 6

8 Aug 2019

Overview
• Measurements
• Errors
1. Measurements in Chemistry • Significant Figures and Scientific Notation
• SI base units
• Operations
• Conversion Factors and Dimensional Analysis
• Density
• Temperature Scales

Measurements Points to ponder: MEASURE


• The determination of the dimensions, • All scientific measures are subject to error.
capacity, quantity, or extent of • These errors are reflected in the number of
something. figures reported for the measurement.
• quantitative observation
• These errors are also reflected in the observation
• product of a quantity and a unit that two successive measures of the same quantity
are different.

• The word error in science has a different


significance than in general human experience

General Laboratory Errors Random (indeterminate) Error


Classification
• caused by uncontrollable fluctuations in
variables that affect experimental results.
• Random (indeterminate) error
• For example, air fluctuations occurring as
• Systematic (determinate) error students open and close lab doors cause
• Gross error changes in pressure readings.
• A sufficient number of measurements result
in evenly distributed data scattered around an
average value or mean. This positive and
negative scattering of data is characteristic of
random errors.

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8 Aug 2019

Systematic (determinate) Error Gross Error


• are instrumental, methodological, or personal mistakes • are caused by experimenter carelessness
causing "lopsided" data, which is consistently deviated
in one direction from the true value. or equipment failure.
• Examples of systematic errors: an instrumental error • These "outliers" are so far above or below
results when a spectrometer drifts away from calibrated the true value that they are usually discarded
settings; a methodological error is created by using the
wrong indicator for an acid-base titration; and, a when assessing data.
personal error occurs when an experimenter records
only even numbers for the last digit of burette volumes.
• Systematic errors can be identified and eliminated after
careful inspection of the experimental methods, cross-
calibration of instruments, and examination of
techniques.

Uncertainty in Measurements Uncertainty in Measurements


• A digit that must be estimated is
called uncertain.
• A measurement always has some degree
of uncertainty.
• Record the certain digits and the first
uncertain digit (the estimated number).

Significant Figures Guidelines: Significant Figures


a. In any measurement, all nonzero digits are significant.
• Digits in a measurement that 3456 has 4 sig figs.
are known with certainty plus b. Confined zeros are zeros between nonzero
one digit that is estimated. digits. These always count as significant
figures.
# Sig Figs = all certain digits + one 16.07 has 4 sig figs.
estimated digit c. Trailing zeros are zeros at the right end of the
number. They are significant only if the number
contains a decimal point.
– a number are those digits that
9.300 has 4 sig figs.
carry meaning contributing to its
d. Trailing zeros are zeros at the right end of the
precision. number. They are not significant if the number
lacks an explicitly shown decimal point.
150 has 2 sig figs.

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8 Aug 2019

Operations Operations
• Rounding Off
• Process of deleting unwanted (nonsignificant) digits
from calculated numbers.
1. If the first digit to be deleted is 4 or less, simply
drop it and all the following digits.
5.83298 becomes 5.83 (for 3 sig figs).
2. If the first digit to be deleted is 5 or greater, that
digit and all that follow are dropped, and the last
retained digit is increased by one.
7.86541 becomes 7.87 (for 3 sig figs).

Operations Operations
• Exact Numbers
• Because exact numbers have no uncertainty
associated with them, they possess an unlimited
number of significant figures.
1 inch = 2.54 cm, exactly.

9 pencils (obtained by counting).


• Exact numbers never limit the number of significant
figures in a computational answer.

Scientific Notation Scientific Notation

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8 Aug 2019

Scientific Notation SI: Système International d‘ Unités


• For regularity/commonality of
international measurements.

• Pt-Ir prototype ~ 1 Kg

SI Units SI Derived Units

Conversion Factors

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8 Aug 2019

Dimensional Analysis
• Use when converting a given result from one system of
units to another:
1. Identify the known or given quantity (both
numerical value and units) and the units of
the new quantity to be determined.
2. Multiply the given quantity by one or
more conversion factors in such a manner
that the unwanted (original) units are
canceled, leaving only the desired units.
3. Perform the mathematical operations
indicated by the conversion factor setup.

Dimensional Analysis Density


• Ratio of the mass of an object to the
volume occupied by that object.
• Common units are g/cm3 (for solids) or
g/mL (for liquids).

mass
Density =
volume

Density Density

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8 Aug 2019

Temperature Scales Temperature Scales


• K = oC
+273.15
– Kelvin (Absolute temperature scale)
• oC = 5/9 (oF –
32)
– Celsius
• oF = 9/5 oC +
32
– Fahrenheit

Temperature Scales

1. Measurements in Chemistry

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