Question 1

Which of the following numbers contains exactly three significant figures?

Accepted Answer

$$0.00320$$

Question 2

A student records the mass of a sample as $$0.0540 g. $$How many significant figures are in this measurement?

Accepted Answer

3

Question 3

Which of the following best describes the difference between precision and accuracy?

Accepted Answer

Precision is how close repeated measurements are to each other; accuracy is how close a measurement is to the true value.

Question 4

When adding $$2.345$$, $$0.07$$, and $$2.9975$$, what is the correct answer with the proper number of significant figures?

Accepted Answer

$$5.41$$

Question 5

Which of the following numbers is ambiguous in terms of significant figures and should be reported in scientific notation?

Accepted Answer

$$5000$$

Question 6

A measurement is recorded as $$1.00000 m. $$How many significant figures does this value have?

Accepted Answer

6

Question 7

Which of the following best explains why leading zeroes are not considered significant?

Accepted Answer

They only serve to locate the decimal point.

Question 8

A student measures the volume of a liquid in a graduated cylinder and records $$4.58 mL. $$Which digit is estimated?

Accepted Answer

8

Question 9

When multiplying $$2.34 ($$three significant figures) by $$0.056 ($$two significant figures), how many significant figures should the answer have?

Accepted Answer

Two

Question 10

A scientist repeatedly measures the mass of a sample and obtains values that are very close to each other but far from the true value. What type of error is most likely present?

Accepted Answer

Systematic error

Question 11

Which of the following best describes how to round the number $$5.349 to $$two significant figures?

Accepted Answer

$$5.3$$

Question 12

A measurement is recorded as $$0.00090 g. $$How many significant figures does this value have?

Accepted Answer

2

Question 13

Which of the following is the correct rule for determining the number of significant figures in the result of an addition or subtraction?

Accepted Answer

The result should have as many decimal places as the quantity with the fewest decimal places.

Question 14

A student subtracts $$0.221$$ from $$5.9$$ and obtains $$5.679. $$What is the correct answer with the proper number of significant figures?

Accepted Answer

$$5.7$$

Question 15

Which of the following statements about random and systematic errors is correct?

Accepted Answer

Systematic error tends to make measurements consistently too high or too low.

Question 16

A student records the following measurements for the mass of a lead block: $$9.85 g$$, $$9.87 g$$, $$9.86 g. $$The true mass is $$10.00 g. $$Which statement is correct?

Accepted Answer

The measurements are precise but not accurate.

Question 17

Which of the following is the correct way to report the number $$0.0000000009 in $$scientific notation with the correct number of significant figures?

Accepted Answer

$$9 	imes 10$$^{-10}$$

Question 18

In a multistep calculation, when should you round your answer to the correct number of significant figures?

Accepted Answer

Only at the final answer

Question 19

A student reads the meniscus of a graduated cylinder as shown in the image. What is the correct way to record the volume?

Accepted Answer

$$4.58$$ 	ext{ mL}$

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the role of the estimated digit in a measurement?

Accepted Answer

It is the last digit and represents the uncertainty in the measurement.

Significant Figures and Measurement Reliability in Chemistry

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