SigFigs and Unit Conversions
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Unit Conversion & Significant Figures: Crash Course Chemistry #2 by CrashCourse [11:24]
Think About It: Scientific notation, units, and significant figures are all used in this video!
Unit Conversion & Significant Figures: Crash Course Chemistry #2 by CrashCourse [11:24]
Think About It: Scientific notation, units, and significant figures are all used in this video!
To perform well on any quiz or test on significant figures and unit conversions, I must be able to:
I should also:
Remember:
Key Questions (answer these questions in your notebook and bring to class on Tuesday):
- Answer the Key Questions on the metric system in your notebook.
- Come to class prepared to complete a brief assessment on significant figures and unit conversions.
- Come to class prepared to complete a worksheet on significant figures and unit conversions with your study partner.
I should also:
- Watch the Instructional Videos on significant figures for additional instruction and take notes, and/or ....
- Read the Topic Review lesson on significant figures for additional instruction and take notes.
Remember:
- You are also encouraged to read the following sections of General Chemistry by Ebbing & Gammon: Section 1.5 - Measurement and Significant Figures, Section 1.7 - Derived Units, and Section 1.8 - Units and Dimensional Analysis (Factor-Label Method)
Key Questions (answer these questions in your notebook and bring to class on Tuesday):
- What is the purpose of "significant figures" or "significant digits"? How do sigfigs relate to the precision or certainty of a measurement?
- When should you "round" a number and how do you do it?
- What is/are the differences between and "exact" number and a "measured" number?
- How are sigfigs handled when multiplying or dividing measurements?
- How are sigfigs used when adding and subtracting measurements?
- What is a "conversion factor" and why are they needed in medicine or engineering?
- How do I "convert" from one metric prefix to another?
- How do I "convert" to and from metric units and "English" (i.e. US) units?
SigFigs
Watch Me - Instructional Videos
SigFis are SO important that you have lots of videos for practice!
GenChem Level Videos
Significant Figures: What the Heck? by Mike Christiansen [15:49]
Introductory Level Videos
Why are Significant Figures Important? by Tyler DeWitt [7:44]
What's the point of significant figures?!? Really, significant figures (or significant digits) can be such a pain in the neck. What is the point? Significant figures tell us how to round, but they also make sure that the answer we get from a math problem is not more precise than the numbers that we started with. Accuracy and precision are both important with significant figures and digits.
Determine the Number of Sig. Figs. in a Measurement by kentchemistry.com [2:21]
Determining the number Significant Figures can be difficult at first. This video shows you a trick to identifying the sig figs and goes over a few examples. Sig Figs are important because it shows the precision of a measurement.
Significant Figures Made Easy! by Tyler DeWitt [7:10]
Don't be confused by Significant Figures! It will JUST MAKE SENSE with this video! An introduction to significant figures. Discusses how to round for multiplication and division using significant digits.
Significant Figures Made Easy! (1.2) by Tyler DeWitt [5:02]
Introduction to significant figures. Discusses basics of multiplication and division.
Significant Figures and Zero (1.3) by Tyler DeWitt [5:02]
When you're doing significant digits, how do you deal with zeros?
Significant Zero Practice Problems (1.4) by Tyler DeWitt [8:10]
Lots of practice problems to work on significant figures with zeros.
Multiplication and Division with Significant Zeros (1.5) by Tyler DeWitt [4:31]
Now that we know when zeros are significant or not, we'll do multiplication and division and rounding with numbers that have zeros.
Add and Subtract with Significant Figures (1.6) by Tyler DeWitt [4:43]
How to do addition and subtraction with significant figures, also known as significant digits.
Scientific Notation and Significant Figures (1.7) by Tyler DeWitt [4:43]
How to round with significant figures when you're doing scientific notation problems.
Scientific Notation and Significant Zeros (1.8) by Tyler DeWitt [5:54]
Advanced: how to use significant figures to deal with tricky zero problems.
Using Significant Figures Practice Problems (1.9) by Tyler DeWitt [5:40]
Measurement vs. counting and how to round: a bunch of practice problems to work on using significant figures with units.
Watch Me - Instructional Videos
SigFis are SO important that you have lots of videos for practice!
GenChem Level Videos
Significant Figures: What the Heck? by Mike Christiansen [15:49]
Introductory Level Videos
Why are Significant Figures Important? by Tyler DeWitt [7:44]
What's the point of significant figures?!? Really, significant figures (or significant digits) can be such a pain in the neck. What is the point? Significant figures tell us how to round, but they also make sure that the answer we get from a math problem is not more precise than the numbers that we started with. Accuracy and precision are both important with significant figures and digits.
Determine the Number of Sig. Figs. in a Measurement by kentchemistry.com [2:21]
Determining the number Significant Figures can be difficult at first. This video shows you a trick to identifying the sig figs and goes over a few examples. Sig Figs are important because it shows the precision of a measurement.
Significant Figures Made Easy! by Tyler DeWitt [7:10]
Don't be confused by Significant Figures! It will JUST MAKE SENSE with this video! An introduction to significant figures. Discusses how to round for multiplication and division using significant digits.
Significant Figures Made Easy! (1.2) by Tyler DeWitt [5:02]
Introduction to significant figures. Discusses basics of multiplication and division.
Significant Figures and Zero (1.3) by Tyler DeWitt [5:02]
When you're doing significant digits, how do you deal with zeros?
Significant Zero Practice Problems (1.4) by Tyler DeWitt [8:10]
Lots of practice problems to work on significant figures with zeros.
Multiplication and Division with Significant Zeros (1.5) by Tyler DeWitt [4:31]
Now that we know when zeros are significant or not, we'll do multiplication and division and rounding with numbers that have zeros.
Add and Subtract with Significant Figures (1.6) by Tyler DeWitt [4:43]
How to do addition and subtraction with significant figures, also known as significant digits.
Scientific Notation and Significant Figures (1.7) by Tyler DeWitt [4:43]
How to round with significant figures when you're doing scientific notation problems.
Scientific Notation and Significant Zeros (1.8) by Tyler DeWitt [5:54]
Advanced: how to use significant figures to deal with tricky zero problems.
Using Significant Figures Practice Problems (1.9) by Tyler DeWitt [5:40]
Measurement vs. counting and how to round: a bunch of practice problems to work on using significant figures with units.
SigFigs
Read Me/Try Me - Topic Review
GenChem Level
Measurements, Quantities, and Unity Factors ChemPRIME online textbook
Errors in Measurements - "Significant Figures" ChemPRIME online textbook
Online exercises to test your ability to manipulate Significant Figures at The Basics of Chemistry website at Ohio State. Try the following online exercises:
Introductory Level
Significant Figures by CK-12
What are "significant figures" and why do you need them to report measurement? Reviews the rules of significant figures in calculations.
Counting Significant Figures online practice by sciencegeek
Significant Figures Practice online practice by sciencegeek
Significant Figures in Measurements and Calculations by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Significant Figures Problem by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Significant Figures and Scientific Notation Test Questions by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Read Me/Try Me - Topic Review
GenChem Level
Measurements, Quantities, and Unity Factors ChemPRIME online textbook
Errors in Measurements - "Significant Figures" ChemPRIME online textbook
Online exercises to test your ability to manipulate Significant Figures at The Basics of Chemistry website at Ohio State. Try the following online exercises:
- Number of Significant Figures
- Significant Figures in Addition and Subtraction
- Significant Figures in Multiplication and Division
- Significant Figures in Combined Math Operations
Introductory Level
Significant Figures by CK-12
What are "significant figures" and why do you need them to report measurement? Reviews the rules of significant figures in calculations.
Counting Significant Figures online practice by sciencegeek
Significant Figures Practice online practice by sciencegeek
Significant Figures in Measurements and Calculations by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Significant Figures Problem by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Significant Figures and Scientific Notation Test Questions by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Conversion Factors
Watch Me - Instructional Videos
GenChem Level Video
Matter and Measurement: Part 3 of 3 by Mike Christiansen [37:16]
Introductory Level Videos
Converting Units with Conversion Factors by Tyler DeWitt [12:45]
How to convert units using conversion factors and canceling units. Some people call this dimensional analysis or the factor label method, but you will call it easy after you've watched this video!
Understanding Conversion Factors by Tyler DeWitt [10:13]
Even if you can write conversion factors and cancel units, that doesn't necessarily mean that you actually understand what you're doing. Here, we'll look at how conversion factors work and what the math means. You'll understand the unit conversions that you're working on, so you'll be able to look at the answer you get and decide whether it makes sense.
Converting Units using Multiple Conversion Factors by Tyler DeWitt [10:04]
How do you use more than one conversion factor? Here, we'll learn how to combine multiple conversion factors into a row so that you can convert units in more than one step using the factor label method or dimensional analysis.
Multiple Conversion Factors (Part 2) by Tyler DeWitt [12:04]
How do you do unit conversion with numbers that have a top and a bottom?
Unit Conversion in the Metric System - CLEAR & SIMPLE by sciencepost [10:59]
EASY Unit Conversion in the Metric System - This simple extra help video tutorial explains the metric system and how to make simple metric conversions. I show you the metric number line and how to use it to convert between units. Tune in for a quick lesson on how easy the metric system really is. It is also considered are of the international system of units.
Unit Conversion in the Metric System - Part 2 CLEAR & SIMPLE by sciencepost [6:42]
CLEAR & SIMPLE PRACTICE Solving Metric System Problems & Metric Conversion - This video tutorial practices a few metric system conversion problems. The problems are solved and explained in a simple way for chemistry, physics and general science classes.
Watch Me - Instructional Videos
GenChem Level Video
Matter and Measurement: Part 3 of 3 by Mike Christiansen [37:16]
Introductory Level Videos
Converting Units with Conversion Factors by Tyler DeWitt [12:45]
How to convert units using conversion factors and canceling units. Some people call this dimensional analysis or the factor label method, but you will call it easy after you've watched this video!
Understanding Conversion Factors by Tyler DeWitt [10:13]
Even if you can write conversion factors and cancel units, that doesn't necessarily mean that you actually understand what you're doing. Here, we'll look at how conversion factors work and what the math means. You'll understand the unit conversions that you're working on, so you'll be able to look at the answer you get and decide whether it makes sense.
Converting Units using Multiple Conversion Factors by Tyler DeWitt [10:04]
How do you use more than one conversion factor? Here, we'll learn how to combine multiple conversion factors into a row so that you can convert units in more than one step using the factor label method or dimensional analysis.
Multiple Conversion Factors (Part 2) by Tyler DeWitt [12:04]
How do you do unit conversion with numbers that have a top and a bottom?
Unit Conversion in the Metric System - CLEAR & SIMPLE by sciencepost [10:59]
EASY Unit Conversion in the Metric System - This simple extra help video tutorial explains the metric system and how to make simple metric conversions. I show you the metric number line and how to use it to convert between units. Tune in for a quick lesson on how easy the metric system really is. It is also considered are of the international system of units.
Unit Conversion in the Metric System - Part 2 CLEAR & SIMPLE by sciencepost [6:42]
CLEAR & SIMPLE PRACTICE Solving Metric System Problems & Metric Conversion - This video tutorial practices a few metric system conversion problems. The problems are solved and explained in a simple way for chemistry, physics and general science classes.
Conversion Factors
Read Me - Topic Review
GenChem Level
Conversion Factors and Functions ChemPRIME online textbook
Online exercises to test your ability to manipulate Significant Figures at The Basics of Chemistry website at Ohio State. Try the following online exercises:
Introductory Level
Cancelling / Converting Units (page 1 of 2) by Purplemath
Cancelling / Converting Units (page 2 of 2) by Purplemath
Math Skills Review Dimensional Analysis by chem.tamu
Introduction to Unit Conversion: the SI by BCIT [pdf document]
Read Me - Topic Review
GenChem Level
Conversion Factors and Functions ChemPRIME online textbook
Online exercises to test your ability to manipulate Significant Figures at The Basics of Chemistry website at Ohio State. Try the following online exercises:
- Rounding Off
- Precision and Accuracy
- Comparison of Metric Units
- Metric Units in Two and Three Dimensions
- Metric Interconversions - Medical Applications
- Metric Conversions - Water on Earth and Contents
- Metric Conversions - Pollution Problems
- Metric Conversions - Atomic Dimensions
- Metric-English Conversion Factors
Introductory Level
Cancelling / Converting Units (page 1 of 2) by Purplemath
Cancelling / Converting Units (page 2 of 2) by Purplemath
Math Skills Review Dimensional Analysis by chem.tamu
Introduction to Unit Conversion: the SI by BCIT [pdf document]