Collecting and Analyzing Data

Precision

a measure of how close a series of measurements are to one another

mass

the amount of matter in an object

Graph

A diagram that shows how two variables are related.

Scientific Notation

A method of writing or displaying numbers in terms of a decimal number between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of 10.

Derived Unit

A unit defined by a combination of base units

Constant

A value that does not change

Dimensional Analysis

A way to analyze and solve problems using the units, or dimensions, of the measurements

Significant Figure

All the digits that can be known precisely in a measurement, plus a last estimated digit

Density

Mass per unit volume

meter

SI base unit for length

kilogram

SI base unit for mass

Kelvin

SI base unit for temperature

second

SI base unit for time

Liter

SI base unit for volume

Dependent Variable

The outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.

Conversion Factor

a ratio of equivalent measurements used to convert a quantity from one unit to another

Experiment

a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact.

Accuracy

how close a measurement is to the true value

Quantitative Data

numerical data

base unit

one of the fundamental units of measurement that describes length, mass, time, and other quantities and from which other units are derived

Control

standard for comparison

Error

the difference between the experimental value and the accepted value

Percent Error

the percent that a measured value differs from the accepted value

Independent Variable

variable that is manipulated