PHYS 1051 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Decimal Mark, Significant Figures, Scientific Notation
Ch. 1 Introduction to Physics
Measurement
• SI System-International
• MKS- always end in this
o M- meters, length
o K- kilograms, mass
▪ Mass-measurement of inertia
o S-seconds, time
Unit Conversions-practice!
Dimensional Analysis
• Consider physical quantity without regard to units
• Do the units work?
Significant Figures
• Significant figures- all digits in a measurement know for certain and one that in an
estimate
• General Rules:
o 1). All nonzero digits are significant
▪ Ex: 12→ 2 SF
▪ 14.3→ 3 SF
▪ 14.672→5 SF
o 2). Zeros which are solely used to hold a decimal place are not significant
▪ Ex: 0.0035→ 2 SF
▪ 0.0001→ 1 SF
o 3). Zeros between other significant figures are significant
▪ Ex: 303→ 3 SF
▪ 40201→ 5 SF
o 4). Ending zeros to the right of a decimal point are significant
▪ Ex: 4.00→ 3 SF
▪ 4.000→ 4 SF
o 5). Ending zeroes, the left of an implied decimal point is not significant. To show
that they are significant, put them in scientific notation
▪ Ex: 400→ 1 SF
▪ 15,000→ 2 SF
• More practice
o 404.0→ 4 SF
o 25,200→ 3 SF
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