Chemistry Music Video 2: Big Sig Fig Gig

This song explains how to determine the number of significant figures (measured digits) in a measurement, All music and lyrics copyright 2007, Mark Rosengarten. All rights reserved.

Lyrics:

When you take a measurement
What makes it significant?
The numbers that you measure
Are the ones that you should treasure
When rounding answers off with math
Sig figs can be the easy path
How ever can you see
How many sig figs that there be?
Heres a way for you to tell
Its better than a magic spell
So pay attention to the words
And it wont seem quite as absurd!

If your measurement is smaller
Than the number ONE
Finding out the sig figs
Can be a lot of fun
Find the first non-zero
Thats on the leftward side
From that place on to the right,
Theyre all sig figs, what a ride!

(0.00350 has three sig figs, starting
from the 3 and going all the way to the end)

If your measurement is bigger
Than the number ONE
Start with the first digit
Your countings just begun
Go right to the last integer
Or a line over a zero
Or look for a decimal point
Youre a sig fig hero! _
1300 has two sig figs, 1300 has three
sig figs, 1300. has four sig figs)

In a number that is bigger
Than the number ONE
The zeros on the end
Could be place-holders, son!
If there is nothing on those zeros
To tell us different
Then the zeros are place holders
(I think thats what I meant!!!)

A line over a zero
Tells us where the sig figs stop
Unless its in the units place
(Then a decimal point youll pop)
And now its time to hear the rule
Please put on your wigs
Bigger than one with a decimal point
Theyre all sig figs!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• chemistry
• music
• video
• science
• physics
• sig
• fig
• significant
• figures
• measurement

[animalslover4life]

Lol we watched this in maths today and the whole class had to stay in as well as about 5 people who had there parent called for laughing at this. Lol it is so funny.

[MarkRosengarten]

@animalslover4life The teacher lashed out against kids who laughed at this? It's MEANT to be laughed at. That's the whole point. It may be bad, but it will help you remember and people tend to remember things that evoke a strong emotional response. Not cool on the teacher's part.

[xProfeshCamperx]

sig. figs. are so stupid. according to this:

5x3=20

3x4=10

200-25=200

8x8=60

need i go on>

[MarkRosengarten]

@xProfeshCamperx You completely miss the point. In science, math is not just some mechanical procedure you go through. You cannot justify better answers than your measuring tools allow. This is why they spend the big bucks to get the best precision possible...that extra sig fig can make all the difference in an engineering project. Your examples are correct, but no scientist would use an instrument with so little precision.

[iiGATORNADE]

literally i passed a huge test because of you <3

[MarkRosengarten]

@iiGATORNADE Mind if I share this comment with my students? Maybe I can get them to watch these too! :) Congrats. :)

[MarkRosengarten]

@PennyVintage1961 Thank you! :)

[PennyVintage1961]

@MarkRosengarten Same! OMG! Now I completely understand sig figs! Thank u sooooooo much. We saw this in school and it was so good that I had to watch it at home!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) I luv the tune. Even if I was not in chemistry I would listen to this for fun!!!

[lollerskates101LOL]

The beginning was quite terrible, I was about to click off, then you started singing and I was like okay haha. Good video thanks

[meandyoubill]

this helped so much!!! Only missed one Sig Fig question out of 10! so proud!

[LadiiRocIsCrazii]

thankyou sooooo much for this video!!! i was so fustrated at first and now I get it!!!!

[MerryGo528491]

Oh I GET IT NOW!! Thank you :D You've got a beautiful singing voice by the way. I Liked

[jacksta95]

you have a beautiful singing voice.

[harrypotterluvr21]

ha our teacher showed us this vid in first hour, and it's been in my head all day! which is good because I have a quiz on it tomorrow. :)

thank you!