Significant Figures in Measurement – Rankers Physics
Topic: Unit And Dimensions
Subtopic: Error Analysis

Significant Figures in Measurement

The diameter of a spherical bob, when measured with vernier callipers yielded the following values: 3.33 cm, 3.32 cm, 3.34 cm, 3.33 cm and 3.32 cm. The mean diameter to appropriate significant figures is:
3.33 cm
3.32 cm
3.328 cm
3.3 cm

Solution:

The mean of the values is \(\frac{3.33 + 3.32 + 3.34 + 3.33 + 3.32}{5} = 3.328\text{ cm}\). Rounding to the least number of decimal places in the readings (two decimal places) yields 3.33 cm.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *