Final answer:
An accurate measurement is one that is close to the true value of whatever is being measured. Accuracy represents the correctness of the measurement, while precision, indicated by significant figures or decimal places, reflects consistency and detail.
So option (2) is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
A measurement that is accurate is one that is close to the true value. Accuracy refers to how close a measurement is to an accepted reference or true value. It's about the correctness of the measurement, rather than just the level of detail or the number of decimal places it includes. Having multiple decimal places or many significant figures does not necessarily make a measurement accurate if it is far from the actual value. Therefore, the more significant figures or decimal places a measurement has only reflect its precision, not its accuracy. Precision is about the consistency of repeated measurements and the granularity of the measurement tool.
For example, if we measure the length of a standard piece of printer paper and the measurements are 11.1 inches, 11.2 inches, and 10.9 inches, and the true length is 11.0 inches, these measurements are accurate because they are very close to the true value. Significant figures express the precision of a measurement, and the accuracy is judged by how close these figures are to the known or true value. In science, accurate measurements are crucial, and we always strive to make our values as accurate as possible, which is why instruments are often calibrated against known standards.