Units of Conversion, Significant Figures, Scientific Notation and Temperature

Units of Conversion, Significant figures,
Scientific Notation and Temperature

Ms. Andres
General Chemistry
Timeline of Important Dates In The
History Of The Metric System
-1670: Gabriel Mouton proposed his decimal system of measurement based on a
fraction of the Earth’s circumference.
– 1671: Jean Picard proposed the swinging pendulum as a measure of length.
– 1790: The National Assembly of France asked the French Academy of Sciences to
create a standard system of weights and measures.
– 1795: France adopted the metric system.
– 1840: French government required all Frenchmen to convert to the metric
system.
– 1866: Congress legalized the use of the metric system in the United States.
However, its use was not required.
– 1875: The Treaty of the Meter was signed at the close of the International Bureau
of Weights and Measures conference.
– 1957: The U.S. Army and Marine Corps adopted the metric system. Used as the
basis for their weapons and equipment.
– 1965: Great Britain began adopting the metric system.
– 1988: Congress passed the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act. This act
called for all federal government agencies to use the metric system for business by
the end of 1992. ”

Scientific Measurement
Measuring is expressing the size
and quantity unit to a
known standard unit.
 Follows the ruling of International

 System of Unit (SI)
 SI is based on multiplies of 10; to
 Change from one unit (larger or
 smaller to another, simply change the
Prefix
The Metric System
(International System of Units)
The International System of Units
There are 7 base units in SI. A
base unit or fundamental units
is defined unit in a system of
measurement that is based on
an object or event in the physical
world.
When base units are used to define
other measurement , the resulting
measurement is called derived unit.
Prefixes used in the Metric System
Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional Analysis is the process of converting from one
unit to another.
Example: convert 3000 grams to kilograms.
Dimensional Analysis
This time with derived units.
Example: 150 cubic centimeters to Liter;
Conversion factors: 1cm3 = 1ml
Liter= 150 cm3 x 1ml x 1L

1cm3 1000ml
= 0.150 L
Significant figures
Significant Figures
 Scientist use significant figures to
determine how precise a measurement is
 No measurements is exact
Significant figures are those digits that
are know with certainty plus the first
uncertain digit.
Significant Figures
For example
Look at the ruler below
What can you read before you estimate?

Now estimate the next digit…
Rules for Significant Figures:
Rule #1
Non-zero digits are always significant.
274 3 significant figures

25.632 5 significant figures
Rule #2
Any zeros between two significant digits are

significant.
Rule #3
A final zero or trailing zeros in the decimal

portion ONLY are significant.
Rule #4
All zeros that act as place holders are NOT

significant.
Example: 0.25
Rule #5
All zeros to the left of the decimal point and to the right of a
non-zero digit are NOT SIGNIFICANT.

Scientific Notation
Scientific Notation, also called as
Mathematical shorthand, is used to express
very large or very small numbers.
The exponent can be determined by the
number of decimals places you have to
move to get only 1 number in front of the
decimal.
the age of the Earth = 4,600,000,000 years
old,
one a.m.u. =
0.00000000000000000000000000166
kilograms.
A × 10n
Where A- single non-zero digit
n – exponent ( can be negative or positive)
Examples:
1 x 102 5.3 x 10-2
7.354 x 103 7.8 x 10-3
Temperature Conversion
 Temperature can be simply defined as a
measure of hotness or coldness of an object.
It is always in reference to a temperature
scale.
 Temperature is measured using
a thermometer. When we use a
thermometer, we are observing the effect of
temperature on the substance inside it.
Celsius to Fahrenheit ° F = 9/5 ( ° C) + 32
Kelvin to Fahrenheit ° F = 9/5 (K - 273) + 32
Fahrenheit to Celsius ° C = 5/9 (° F - 32)
Celsius to Kelvin K = ° C + 273
Kelvin to Celsius ° C = K - 273
Fahrenheit to Kelvin K = 5/9 (° F - 32) + 273

Accuracy and Precision
Accuracy and Inaccuracy
The accuracy of a measurement is how close a result comes to the
true value.
Systematic error or Inaccuracy is quantified by the average
difference (bias) between a set of measurements obtained with
the test method with a reference value or values obtained with
a reference method.
Precision and Imprecision
Precision refers to how well measurements agree
with each other in multiple tests.
Random error or Imprecision is usually quantified
by calculating the coefficient of variation from
the results of a set of duplicate measurements
(Westgard, 2008).
The Target
Exercises: Convert each of the following into scientific notation.
 3427
 172
 3100.0 x 102
 0.0000455
 0.00456
 1362205.2
 123,453
 0.502
 107.2
 1.29
Exercises: Determine the number of significant figures in each
of the following
 3427
 0.00456
 123,453
 172
 0.000984
 0.502
 3100.0 x 102
 0.0114 x 104
 107.2
 0.0000455
Exercises: Convert each into decimal form.
 1.56 x 104
 0.56 x 10-2
 3.69 x 10-2
 736.9 x 105
 0.00259 x 105
 0.000459 x 10-1
 13.69 x 10-2

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Units of Conversion, Significant figures,

Scientific Notation and Temperature

the end of 1992. ”

 Follows the ruling of International

Liter= 150 cm3 x 1ml x 1L

What can you read before you estimate?

Non-zero digits are always significant.

274 3 significant figures

Any zeros between two significant digits are

A final zero or trailing zeros in the decimal

All zeros that act as place holders are NOT

5000 1 significant figures

Kelvin to Fahrenheit ° F = 9/5 (K - 273) + 32

Fahrenheit to Celsius ° C = 5/9 (° F - 32)

Celsius to Kelvin K = ° C + 273

Kelvin to Celsius ° C = K - 273

Fahrenheit to Kelvin K = 5/9 (° F - 32) + 273

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