A student has measured the length of a wire equal to 0.04580 m. This v...
Zero on right having decimal place are counted. For a number less than 1, zeroes on left of first non zero-digit are not significant
The number of significant figures in 0.04580 is 4
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A student has measured the length of a wire equal to 0.04580 m. This v...
Zero on right having decimal place are counted. For a number less than 1, zeroes on left of first non zero-digit are not significant
The number of significant figures in 0.04580 is 4
A student has measured the length of a wire equal to 0.04580 m. This v...
Explanation:
Significant figures are a way to express the precision or accuracy of a measurement. They represent the digits in a number that are known with certainty, plus one uncertain or estimated digit. The rules for determining significant figures are as follows:
1. Non-zero digits are always significant.
2. Zeros between non-zero digits are always significant.
3. Leading zeros (zeros to the left of the first non-zero digit) are not significant.
4. Trailing zeros (zeros to the right of the last non-zero digit) are significant if there is a decimal point present.
5. Trailing zeros that are simply placeholders to indicate the magnitude of the number are not significant.
Given:
Length of wire = 0.04580 m
Determination of significant figures:
1. The number 0.04580 has five digits, but not all of them are significant according to the rules mentioned above.
2. The leading zero in 0.04580 is not significant because it is a placeholder and does not contribute to the precision of the measurement.
3. The non-zero digits 4, 5, 8, and the trailing zero after 8 are all significant.
4. Therefore, the number 0.04580 has four significant figures.
Answer:
The correct answer is option B) four significant figures.