Chemistry for Engineers 1

Measurements
MPS Department  FEU Institute of Technology
 OBJECTIVES

∎ Define the importance of measurement.

∎ Determine the differences between accuracy, precision, significant figures,
scientific notation, and the systems of measurement.
∎ Give possible examples in converting one unit to another unit of a given
quantity.
 UNIT OF MEASUREMENT
 - a standard which is an exact quantity used for
comparison when measuring.
 IMPORTANCE OF MEASUREMENT
• 1. Qualitative Measurement - non-numeric form
• Qualitativus (Latin) – quality or kind
 2. Quantitative Measurement – definite form
 (usually in numbers)
• Quantitativus (Latin) – having quantity as
• mass, size, volume, etc.
 Accuracy VS Precision
What is the difference between Accuracy and
Precision?

https://danielmiessler.com/blog/difference-precision-accuracy/
 Scientific Notation
Scientific Notation – numbers expressed in
scientific notation have the following form:

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algebra/writing-numbers-in-scientific-notation/
 Scientific Notation

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ebly.com/scientific-notation.html
 Significant Figures
Kinds of Numbers
Exact - numbers obtained by counting or from
definitions.
Non Exact - numbers obtained from measurements.
 Significant Figures
Significant Figures – are digits believed to be correct by
the person who makes a measurement.

http://www.chem.uiuc.edu/rogers/Text2/Tx22/tx22.html
e.g. Using a beaker, graduated cylinder and burette

http://www.chem.uiuc.edu/rogers/Text2/Tx22/tx22.html
 Rules for Significant Figures
1. The digits 1 to 9 are all significant.
Ex. 1.3 = 2 SF .615 = 3 SF 2.3489 = 5 SF
2. Zero between non zero digits are significant.
Ex. 2006 = 4 SF 3.09 = 3 SF 4007 = 4 SF
3. The zero is significant if it is the final digit to the
right of the decimal point and non zero digits.
Ex. 95.0 = 3 SF 9.50 = 3 SF .950 = 3 SF
 Rules for Significant Figures
4. Zero to the left of the decimal point and non zero digits are
not significant.
Ex. 0.0020 = 2 SF 0.376 = 3 SF 0.00376 = 3 SF
5. The use of bar above zero indicates that the zero is significant.
Ex. = 5 SF = 3 SF = 4 SF
6. When a no. ends in zeros, the zeros are not significant.
Ex. 12000 = 2 SF 12000. = 5 SF
1560000 = 3 SF 1560000. = 7 SF
7. Scientific Notation (SN):
Ex. 48000 = 4.8 x 104 - 2 SF
0.0048 = 4.8 x 10-3 - 2 SF
 Rules for Significant Figures
In addition and subtraction, the last digit
retained in the sum or difference is determined
by the position of the first doubtful digit.
Example
• 37.24 mL + 10.3 mL = 47.54 mL
– Reported as 47.5 mL
• 37.2342 g – 27.87 g = 9.3642 g
– Reported as 9.36 g
 Rules for Significant Figures
In multiplication and division, an answer contains
no more significant figures than the least number
of significant figures used in the operation.
Example
• Area of a rectangle- 1.23 cm wide and 12.34 cm long
• A = l x w = 12.34cm x 1.23 cm = 15.1782 square cm –
Reported as 15.2 square cm.
 Value of Measurements
Value – a quantitative description that includes
both a unit and a number.
– For 100 meters, the meter is a unit by which
distance is measured, and the 100 is the number of
units contained in the measured distance.

Units – quantities defined by standards that people

agree to use to compare one event or object to
another.
Metric, International, and English System
• English System
– System of measurement that is used in the
United States but has been replaced in most parts
of the world.

• Metric System
– The common system of reference units used in
science – Has evolved into the International System
of Units (SI units) from the French “Systéme
International d’Unités”.
Metric and English Conversions
 Base Units for the International
System of Measurement
• Length
– Meter, m, the distance that light travels
in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second.

• Mass
– Kilogram, kg, the mass of a platinum
iridium alloy cylinder in a vault in France.
 Base Units for the International
System of Measurement
• Time
– Second, s, the duration of 9,192,631,770
periods of the radiation emitted in a specified
transition between energy levels of cesium133.

• Temperature
– Kelvin, K, 1/273.16 of the temperature
difference between absolute zero and the triple
point temperature of water.
 Measurements

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Metric Prefixes and Equivalents

http://tutoroctavian.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-twenty-si-prefixes.html
 Lengths

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 Mass and Weight
• Mass
– a fixed and unvarying quantity that is
independent of the object’s location.

• Weight
– the measure of the earth’s gravitational
attraction for a body.
– Varies in relation to the position of an
object on or its distance from the earth.
 Mass

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 Volume

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t/ESL-Liquid-Measurement-Sort-1846943
 Temperature

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 Density
• Density (𝜌) – defined as the mass per unit volume.
𝒎
𝝆=
𝒗
 Specific Gravity
• Specific Gravity – the ratio of the density of
that substance to the density of water at 4 °C

reference substance of H₂O at 4°C = 1 g/cc = 1 g/ml

ρ substance
Specific Gravity = -------------------- ( no unit )
ρ reference subs.
 Changing Units of Measurement
• Unit Factor Method
– also known as Dimensional Analysis.
– The units must always accompany the
numeric value of a measurement, whether we
are writing about the quantity, talking about it
or using it in calculations.
 Unit Conversion
Example 1: Express 1.47 miles in inches.

Conversion: 1 mi = 1609 m
1 m = 39.37 in

1.47 𝑚𝑖 1609 𝑚 39.37 𝑖𝑛

𝑥 𝑥 = 93119.11 𝑖𝑛
𝑖𝑛 1 𝑚𝑖 1𝑚
 Mass Conversion
Example 2: A sample gold has a mass of 0.324
mg. What is its mass in g? In Kg?
Conversion: 1 g = 1000 mg
1 kg = 1000 g

0.324 𝑚𝑔 1𝑔
𝑥 = 3.24 𝑥 10−4 𝑔
1 1000 𝑚𝑔
0.324 𝑚𝑔 1𝑔 1 𝑘𝑔
𝑥 𝑥 = 3.24 𝑥 10−7 𝑘𝑔
1 1000 𝑚𝑔 1000 𝑔
 Volume Conversion
Example 3: One liter is exactly 1000 cc. How
many cubic inches are there in 1000 cc?
Conversion: 1 L = 1000 cc = 1000 𝑐𝑚3

3
1000 𝑐𝑚3 1 𝑖𝑛
𝑥 = 61.02 𝑖𝑛3
1 2.54 𝑐𝑚
 Energy Conversion
Example 4: A common unit of Energy is the erg.
Convert 3.74 𝑥 10−2 erg to the SI units of
energy, joules and kilojoules. One erg is exactly
1 𝑥 10−7 joule (J).
Conversion : 1 𝑒𝑟𝑔 = 1 𝑥 10−7 𝐽
1 kJ = 1000 J
3.74 𝑥 10−2 𝑒𝑟𝑔 1𝑥10−7 𝐽
𝑥 = 3.74 𝑥 10−9 𝐽
1 1 𝑒𝑟𝑔
3.74 𝑥 10−1 𝑒𝑟𝑔 1 𝑥 10−7 𝐽 1𝑘𝐽
𝑥 𝑥 = 3.74𝑥10−11 𝑘𝐽
1 1 𝑒𝑟𝑔 1000 𝐽
 English – Metric Conversion
Example 5: Express 1.0 gallon in millilitres .
Conversion: 1 gal = 3.74 L
1 L = 1000 ml

1.0 𝑔𝑎𝑙 3.74 𝐿 1000 𝑚𝑙

𝑥 𝑥 = 3740 𝑚𝑙
1 1 𝑔𝑎𝑙 1𝐿
 Density and Specific Gravity
Example 6: A 21.0 gram piece of chromium is
dropped into a graduated cylinder that contains
5.00 mL of water. The water level rises to 8.12
mL. What is the specific gravity of chromium?
𝑚 21 𝑔
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 = = = 6.73 𝑔/𝑚𝑙
𝑣 8.12𝑚𝑙 − 5𝑚𝑙
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑐ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑢𝑚 6.73𝑔/𝑚𝑙
𝑆𝑝. 𝐺𝑟. = = = 6.73
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑡 4℃ 1𝑔/𝑚𝑙
THANK YOU…
GOD BLESS…
 REFERENCES
Lawrence S. Brown and Thomas A. Holme (2018), Chemistry for
Engineering Students : Cengage Learning
Roxy Wilson (2018), Solutions to Red Exercises: Chemistry: The
Central Science : United Kingdom: Pearson
Theodore E. Brown, et. al.(2018), Chemistry: The Central Science
(14th Edition) : United Kingdom: Pearson

https://www.slideshare.net/pavelhasan0007/branches-of-
chemistry-55333800
https://www.slideshare.net/jwlpatterson/matter-and-energy-ppt
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Book
%3A_The_Basics_of_GOB_Chemistry_(Ball_et_al.)/01%3A_Chemistry%
2C_Matter%2C_and_Measurement