Significant Figures Accuracy

Introduction to significant figures accuracy:
The significant figures express the accuracy with physical quantity. The digits, whose values are accurately known in a particular measurement, are called the significant figures. Here we discuss the role of the significant figures in the accuracy of the measurement.

Significant Figures Accuracy:

Greater the number of significant figures obtained when making a measurement, more accurate is the measurement. Conversely, a measurement made to only a few significant figures is not a very accurate one. For example, a recorded figure of 1.21 means the quantity can be relied on as accurate to three significant figures and a figure of 1.212 is said to be accurate to four significant figures. Thus, adding significant figures in a measured quantity indicate the number of digits in which we have the confidence. A number is rounded off to the desired number of significant figures by dropping one or more digits to the right. When the first digit dropped is less than 5, the last digit retained should remain unchanged and when it is more than 5 or equal to 5, one is added to the last digit retained.

                                                               significant figure example

Conclusion for Significant Figures Accuracy:

In an experiment, usually a number of measurements are made and to obtain outcome, they are then compounded i.e. added, subtracted, multiplied or divided. If all the observations have been made with great accuracy except one observation, then the inaccuracy in the single observation is going to mark the result adversely. To understand this point, consider a strong iron chain of which one link is weak. Obviously, the chain cannot be stronger than its weakest link. Actually, it forms the basis of compounding the measurement and then to know the number of significant figures. In case of addition or subtraction, do not retain a greater number of decimal places in a result computed from addition and subtraction than in the observation, which has the fewest decimal places. In case of multiplication or division, do not retain a greater number of decimal places in a result computed from multiplication and division than the least number of significant figures in the data from which the result is computed.

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