Final answer:
Trailing zeros are zeros after all nonzero digits and can be significant in measurements if they follow a decimal point or are indicated by scientific notation. Leading zeros are not significant as they only indicate the placement of the decimal point.
Step-by-step explanation:
Definition of Trailing Zeros
Trailing zeros are the zeros that appear after all nonzero digits in a number. For example, the trailing zero in '150.0' is significant because it follows a decimal point. However, if we consider the number '1500' here, it is ambiguous whether the trailing zeros are significant or not since there is no decimal point. This ambiguity is often resolved by using scientific notation to indicate the precise number of significant figures intended by the measurement.
For instance, the expression '1.30 × 10³' reveals that the trailing zero is indeed significant because it indicates that the tens place was measured, giving us three significant figures. In contrast, leading zeros, such as those in '0.0025', do not count as significant figures, because they merely serve to position the decimal point and do not represent measured values.
It is a cautionary note that in measurements, the number's precision is conveyed through the number of significant figures. When dealing with trailing zeros and no decimal point, it is typically assumed that these zeros are not significant unless there is a clear indication of precision, such as in the scientific notation format.