Q.Define : Least count
Definition. The least count of a measuring instrument is the smallest quantity that instrument is capable of measuring, fixed by the spacing of its smallest scale division.
Example. A burette graduated in divisions of 0.1 mL has a least count of 0.1 mL, so any reading taken on it can only be trusted to the nearest 0.1 mL, with one further digit estimated by eye.
Significance. The least count sets the accuracy ceiling of a measurement: a reading can never be reported with more certainty than the instrument's least count allows, which is why it directly determines how many significant figures a measurement is entitled to.
Least count = the smallest quantity/interval a given measuring instrument can distinguish (its smallest scale division), e.g. 0.1 mL for a standard burette.
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