Question

Hello, I have three questions regarding physics:

1. What determines the number of significant figures in a recorded value

2. What determines the number of significant figures in a calculated value?

3. An 880 gram object = 2 significant figures, but what digit of this number has "uncertainty"?

Thank you.

Answer 1

For recorded values remember these 3 things

1. Non zero digits are always significant

2. Zero between two significant digits r significant as well

3. Final zero in decimal is only significant. Like in 0.0050 the last zero is only significant

In your last question 0 is not significant

For calculated values

In case of addition or substraction round off your answer to least no of places to decimal point

In case of multiplication or division use least significant figure. For example 6.50 ÷ 3.250 will be equal to 2.00