Prepared By Dr.

Rupa Dey
rdschemistry@gmail.com
Mob. No. 8638155244

Basic concept of chemistry

(Part -1)
Class - xi

Significant Figure
The total number of certain digit whose value is uncertain is known as significant figure.

Rule for Counting of significant figure

1. All non-zero integers are significant.

Eg., 525 has 3 significant figure
5255 has 4 significant figure
5.53 has 3 significant figure
9.982 has 4 significant figure
2. Leading zeros (which are right to decimal point) are not counted as significant figure.
Eg., 0.01 has 1 significant figure
0.00052 has 2 significant figure
3. Captive zeros (zeros between two non zero digits) are considered as significant figure
Eg., 5005 has 4 significant figure
5.005 has 4 significant figure
6.9005 has 5 significant figure
2018 has 4 significant figure
4. Trailing zeros (which are at the right end of a number) are significant if the number contains a decimal point.
Eg., 0.01000 has 4 significant figure
2.00 has 3 significant figure
0.0050 has 2 significant figure
505.00 has 5 significant figure
5. Representing a number in exponential notation is called scientific notation. For example, 5525 can also be
represented as 5.525 X 103.
The numerical portion of a scientific notation represents the number of significant figure. For example,
5.00 X 102 has 3 significant figure
5.000 X 103 has 4 significant figure
5.000 X 102 has 4 significant figure

Round Off Figure

Rule:-
1. The digit coming after the desired number of significant figures are simply dropped if the first of them is less than
5.
Eg., 5.3227 rounding off upto 3 significant figures is 5.32
105.6211 round off to 6 significant figures is 105.621
2. If the first digit following the point of round off is 5 and no other non-digits follow the 5, then 5 is dropped. Provided,
if the preceding digit is odd, one is added to it and if it is even, it remains same.
Eg., 7.1365 rounds to significant figures 7.136
7.2275 rounds to significant figures 7.228
 5.255 rounds to significant figures 5.26
3. If the first digit following the point of round off is greater than 5, then one is added to the preceding digit.
Eg., 1.276 rounds to significant figures 1.28
8.19438 rounds to 3 significant figures is 8.19
5.347 rounds to 3 significant figures is 5.35
55.6 rounds to 2 significant figures is 57

Exercise

1. How many significant figures are present in the following?

(i) 0.0025
(ii) 208
(iii) 5005
(iv) 12600
(v) 500.0
(vi) 2.0034
2. Round up the following upto three significant figure?
(i) 34.216
(ii) 10.4103
(iii) 0.04597
(iv) 280.8
3. Express the population of India, 684000000 (1981 0nwards) in scientific notation of 4 significant figures.
4. Write the following in standard decimal.
(i) 4X10-6
(ii) 200X10-8
(iii) 0.01X10-5
5. Find the significant figure of the following scientific notation.
(i) 2.1X104
(ii) 6.023X1023
(iii) 1.67X10-24
6. Express the following into four SF.
(i) 5.607892
(ii) 32.382900
(iii) 1.78986X103
(iv) 0.007837

Calculations Involving Significant Figure

1. Add 7.85 X 105 and 6.45 X 104

Sol. The result is

(7.85 X 105) + (6.45 X104)

= (7.85 X 105) + (0.645 X 105)

= (7.85 + 0.645) X 105 = 8.495 X 105

2. Subtract 4.6 X 10-4 and 2.5 X 10-3 [Ans. 2.04 X10-3]

3. Multiply 7.8 X 104 and 6.4 X 107
 Sol. The result is

(7. 8 X 104) X (6.4 X 107)

= (7.8 X 6.4) X 104+7

= 49.92 X 1011

=4.992 X 1012

5.6 𝑋 10−5
4. Solve [Ans. 8.235 X10-9]
6.8 𝑋 103

Accuracy and Precision

Accuracy is the difference between the experimental value or the mean value of a set of measurements and the true value.

Accuracy = (Mean Value of set Measurement-True Value)

% Accuracy = (Mean Experimental Value – True Value) X 100

Smaller the difference between the mean value and the true value, the larger is the accuracy.
Precision is defined as the closeness of various measurements for the same quantity. If the value to different
measurements are close to each other and hence close to their average value, the measurement is said to be precise.

For example: the true value of mass is 4.00g

Students Reading 1 Reading 2 Reading 3 Reading 4 Average

A 4.00 4.01 4.02 3.99 4.005

B 3.6 3.5 3.7 3.8 3.65

C 3.6 4.2 4.4 4.8 4.25

A  Most accurate and precise value. Since % Accuracy = (4.005-4.00) X 100 = 0.5 %

B  Poor Accuracy and good Precision. Since reading are close to each other and also 4.00-3.65=0.35

C  Accuracy and Precision both are poor.

Exercise

Two students performed the same experiment separately and each one of them recorded two readings of mass which are
given below. The true value of mass is 3.0 g. on the basis of given data, find out the more precise and accurate value from the
following readings of student A & B.

READINGS
STUDENTS
(I) (II)
A 3.01 2.99
B 3.05 2.95

Solution:
 3.01+2.99
Average of readings of student A = = 3.00
2

3.05+2.95
Average of readings of student B = = 3.00
2

Both the average values are correct value. Hence reading of both are accurate. Readings of student A is close to each
other (only differ by 0.02) and also close to the true value. Hence, readings of A are precise. But readings of B are not close
to each other (differ by 0.1) and hence are not precise neither accurate.

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