Question

A meter scale is graduated at every millimeter. How many significant digits will be there in a length measurement with this scale ?

Answer 1

Hint: To solve this question, we have to know about significant figures, meter and millimeter. The meter is characterized as the length of the way travelled by light in a vacuum in \[1/299{\text{ }}792{\text{ }}458\]second. The meter scale was initially characterized in \[1793\] as one ten-millionth of the separation from the equator toward the North Pole. In \[1799\], it was reclassified as a model meter bar (the real bar utilized was changed in \[1889\]).

Complete answer:
We have given here that the meter scale is graduated at every millimeter.. Now, in a measurement, significant digits is the number of digits in a value which contribute to the accuracy of the measurement. Now, in a scale the minimum value that we can measure with the scale will give the minimum number of significant digits that we can achieve with the measurement. Now, we know that one meter is equivalent to thousand millimeters.
So, \[1\,m = 1000\,mm\]
So, the minimum number of significant digits may be one. (e.g. for measurements like, \[5\,mm,7\,mm\] etc.) and the maximum no. of significant digits may be four. (e.g. \[1000\,mm\]).So, the no. of significant digits may be one, two, three or four. We know that, One millimeter is equivalent to \[0.001\] meters (one-thousandth of a meter) or one-10th of a centimeter.

Note: To solve this type of problem always remember that the significant figures are the number of digits that contribute to the measurement meaning any zero in the left side of the number or measurement will be treated as an insignificant digit. Millimeter is a metric unit of length equivalent to one thousandth of a meter. Millimeter, mm. metric straight unit - a direct unit of distance in measurement terms. In the decimal standard a millimeter (mm) is a unit of estimation used to portray the actual elements of an article. In the worldwide arrangement of units (SI units) length is estimated in meters (m).