Concept:
Significant figures are the digits in a number that carry meaningful information about its precision. The rules are:
• All non-zero digits are significant.
• Zeros between non-zero digits are significant (captive zeros).
• Leading zeros (to the left of the first non-zero digit) are NOT significant.
• Trailing zeros in a number containing a decimal point are significant.
Step 1: Analyze value (a) \( 0.0025 \)
In \( 0.0025 \), the zeros to the left of \( 2 \) are leading zeros. According to Rule 3, leading zeros are not significant. Only the digits \( 2 \) and \( 5 \) are significant.
Significant figures = 2.
Step 2: Analyze value (b) \( 500.0 \).
In \( 500.0 \), there is a decimal point. According to Rule 4, trailing zeros after a non-zero digit in a decimal number are significant. Here, the zeros between \( 5 \) and the decimal, as well as the zero after the decimal, are all significant.
Significant figures = 4.
Step 3: Analyze value (c) \( 2.0034 \).
In \( 2.0034 \), the zeros are between the non-zero digits \( 2 \) and \( 3 \). According to Rule 2, these captive zeros are significant. All digits (\( 2, 0, 0, 3, 4 \)) carry meaning.
Significant figures = 5.