PHYS 104 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Scientific Notation, Significant Figures, Unified Atomic Mass Unit
Document Summary
The aim of all sciences, including physics, is the search for order in our observations of the world around us. An important aspect of science is observation of events, and experimenting. Theories are created to explain and order the observations made through experimentation. Models: used by scientists who are trying to understand a particular set of phenomena, relatively simple and provides a structural similarity to the phenomena being studied. Theory: is broader and more detailed than a model, can give quantitatively testable predictions, often with great precision. Is used when giving the result of a measurement = Is the ratio of the uncertainty to the measured value, multiplied by. Ex: the measurement is 8. 8 and the uncertainty about 0. 1cm, the percent uncertainty is: Significant figures: use the following rules to determine the significant figures: Scientific notation: in scientific notation, a number is written as the product of a number from 1 through 10 and an integer power of 10.