Significant Figures are they Significant?

Question

My friend in H Chemistry in another school asked me about sigfigs. I having completed h chemistry have never heard of this. Should I have?

Answer 1

how did you not hear of sig figs if you did chemistry?  You even listen to it in high school chem.

Basically, in addition or subtraction you go to the small number of places after the decimal [hence 0.001 + 0.01 meaning 2 after . since 0.01 has 2] and and the lowest number of numbers regardless of decimal place when dividing and multiplying.

PS Zeros before a nonzero number doesn't count though 4000 has one sig fig while 4000. has FOUR.  Also, don't use the sig figs until the end unless you want to s***w up your calculation!

Answer 2

Yes you should have learned them or maybe you did and just forgot.  Here is a site to refresh your memory.

http://www.usca.edu/chemistry/genchem/si...