After being in chemistry for a little over twenty-four hours my official proclamation is: I am no chemist. ;)
I got through the first module okay and I got most of the in-text problems right. After I finished, I did the review problems and got them all right (without looking!) except for one. Then I went and failed the practice problems--I got, like, everyone of them wrong. I don't know why!
What makes matters worse is the module is on the simplest thing: conversion between metric system units and significant numbers. What could be simpler? Worse still is that I have most of the converting down pat. It's the significant figures, I cannot figure significant figures. >.< I feel like such an idiot. :P I guess I'd better get back to studying, got to get this down so that I can go do something else, like struggling with geometry, struggling with Latin, or reading a dull book.
2 comments:
"After being in chemistry for a little over twenty-four hours my official proclamation is: I am no chemist."
REALLY?!?!?! I reached that same conclusion! :P
*see above comment from guitargirl*
I know, I had trouble with that chapter, too! And epically failed the test. =( I'm going to ask mom, once I finish the book, if I can go back and re-try.
I'm sure you'll get 'em figured out! Multiplication and division, you count the number of significant figures [sigfigs] (numbers and zeros either between two sigfigs or at the very end of the number, after the decimal point) and round the multiplied or divided number to the same # of sigfigs.
Addition and subtraction, you find the last sigfig in the number. Say, 235.6 + 983. The last sigfig in the first # is in the tenth's place, but the last one in 984 is in the one's place. So you round the answer (1218.6) to the one's place: 1219.
(Funny how I can tell you all this, but still have trouble with 'em myself. =P )
~Kiwi~
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