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VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Chemistry => Topic started by: lisafaustina on September 22, 2010, 12:26:38 am

Title: Sig figs
Post by: lisafaustina on September 22, 2010, 12:26:38 am
Are temperature, time amps or volts insignificant? :/
Title: Re: Sig figs
Post by: azn_dj on September 23, 2010, 12:18:51 am
Temperature changes, time and amps and volts all contribute to significant figures.

Temperature however is the strange one.
The rule is when you add or subtract, you go to the lowest number of decimal places of the two (or more figures). I think the exception is conversion to/from Kelvin, but im not to sure

Note: Faraday's constant is only to 3 sig figs! Even though normally 96500 would be 5, the Faraday constant is actually 96485.3399 - but we do not actually need it to this accuracy nor would such precision be relevant in any practical situation
Title: Re: Sig figs
Post by: kenhung123 on September 28, 2010, 05:18:23 pm
I want to ask also when you find the smallest number sig figs, do you follow it from the beginning of the question or specific to the sub question like 1a => 2 sig fig, 1b => 3 sig figs?
Title: Re: Sig figs
Post by: supernatural on September 28, 2010, 09:53:21 pm
Note: Faraday's constant is only to 3 sig figs! Even though normally 96500 would be 5

isnt 96500 3 sig figures?


I want to ask also when you find the smallest number sig figs, do you follow it from the beginning of the question or specific to the sub question like 1a => 2 sig fig, 1b => 3 sig figs?

i would stick to the same number of sig figures unless specified; so if the smallest number of sig figs was 2 then i would use 2 sig figs throughout that question, unless bii says "to 3 sig figs"
Title: Re: Sig figs
Post by: kenhung123 on September 28, 2010, 10:36:59 pm
Oh ok, thanks for clearing that up. Trial exam solutions confuses me as they shift throughout the question