I understand that significant figures is a term used for "reliably known digits". However, what I don't understand is why the 0's are not counted among these in numbers such as 0.002. Surely, if we know that the units digit is 0, and that the tenths digit is 0, and that the hundredths digit is 0, then we know these digits reliably? In other words, we know that the units digit is not 1 or 2 or 3, but 0. Thus, we know this digit reliably. Why then is it not counted as a significant figure? Why do all physics textbooks say that 0.002 only has 1 significant figure?
The "related" question is different from the one I am asking. The one there is asking about 1500 whereas my one is about 0.002, ie when the zeros come to the left of the number.
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