Scientific Notation
…used to express very large or very small numbers. Also
used to maintain correct SF.
Form: (# from 1 to 9.999) x 10exponent
800 = 8 x 10 x 10
= 8 x 102
2531 = 2.531 x 10 x 10 x 10
= 2.531 x 103
0.0014
= 1.4 10 10 10
= 1.4 x 10–3
(-) exponent = number < 1 (+) exponent = number > 1
Put in standard form
1.87 x 10–5 = 0.0000187
3.7 x 108 = 370,000,000
7.88 x 101 = 78.8
2.164 x 10–2 = 0.02164
Change to scientific notation
12,340 = 1.234 x 104
0.369 = 3.69 x 10–1
0.008 = 8 x 10–3
1,000,000,000 = 1 x 109
6.02 x 1023 = 602,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
Using the Exponent
Key EE EXP
1.2 x 105 2.8 x 10 19
Type this calculation in like this:
1 . 2 EE 5
2 . 8 EE 1 9 =
Calculator gives…4.2857143 –15
or…4.2857143 E–15
This is NOT written… 4.3–15
But instead is written… 4.3 x 10–15 or 4.3 E –15
7.5 x 10–6 (–8.7 x 10–14) = –6.5 x 10–19
4.35 x 106 (1.23 x 10–3) = 5.35 x 103 or 5350
5.76 x 10–16 9.86 x 10–4 = 5.84 x 10–13
8.8 x 1011 x 3.3 x 1011 = 2.9 x 1023
Accuracy and Precision
All numerical data are the result
of uncertain measurements.
precision: a measure of the degree of
fineness of a measurement; it
depends on the extent to which the
instrument is calibrated
e.g., 8m vs. 8.00 m vs. 8.00000 m
When repeated, precise measurements yield similar
answers each time.
e.g., precise… 0.653 m
0.652 m
0.654 m
imprecise… 0.7 m
0.8 m
0.6 m
A good rule of thumb is…
It is the % difference that is important.
accuracy: how close a measured
value is to the true value
Three types of error can affect accuracy.
human error: mistake in reading instrument
or recording results
-- minimize with repeated measurements
method error: using measuring instrument improperly
e.g., parallax in measuring with a meter stick
instrument error: measuring device is
improperly calibrated
e.g., bathroom scale that always reads 5 lbs. too heavy
Significant Figures about…
A student is combining separate water samples, all of
differing volumes, into one large bucket. Samples A, B
and C are 25.5 mL, 16.37 mL and 51 mL, respectively.
Once combined, what is the total volume of all the
samples?
92.87 mL NO!
Because the samples were each measured
with a different level of precision, we must
factor that into our calculations by identifying
what are called significant figures.
Measurement and Precision
• The last digit of any measured number is assumed to
be an estimate (uncertain)
• The second to last digit is assumed to be known with
certainty
A (25.5 mL) B (16.37 mL)C(think
(51 mL)dashes…)
26
60
50
25 16.4
16.3
Identifying Significant
Figures
Counting SF in a number
Non-zero numbers: ALWAYS count as SF
Zeroes
Relative Left: NEVER count as SF (0.000345)
to the Middle: ALWAYS count as SF (5001)
non-zero
Right: sometimes…
numbers
w/ decimal point: count as SF (25.10)
w/o decimal point: DO NOT count as SF (8200)
Exact Numbers: IGNORE SF
(assumed to have an infinite number of SF)
Counts (28 students in this class)
Constants (1 mol = 6.022 x 1023)
Conversions (1 in = 2.54 cm)
How many Sig Figs?
Measurement Number of SF Measurement Number of SF
25 g 2 0.12 kg 2
0.030 kg 2 1240560. cm 7
1.240560 x 106 mg 7 6000000 kg 1
6 x 104 sec 1 6.00 x 106 kg 3
246.31 g 5 409 cm 3
20.06 cm 4 29.200 dm 5
1.050 m 4 0.02500 g 4
Now, determine the # of SF in Part A and B of the Sci. Not. HW (5 min)
Sig Figs with Calculations
Note: For any calculations, always perform the entire calculation
without rounding, and then round the final answer.
Addition/Subtraction
• Round the answer to the LEAST number of decimal places
found (least precise)
11.31 + 33.264 + 4.1 = 48.674
→ rounded to 48.7
Multiplication/Division
• Round the answer to the smallest number of SF found
5.282 x 3.42 = 18.06444
→ rounded to 18.1
(3.42 only has 3 SF)
Back to the original
question…
A student is combining separate water samples, all of
differing volumes, into one large bucket. Samples A, B
and C are 25.5 mL, 16.37 mL and 51 mL, respectively.
Once combined, what is the total volume of all the
samples?
25.5 mL + 16.37 mL + 51 mL = 92.87 mL
93 mL
Could I write that as 93.0? NO!
Round to the correct number of significant figures.
Calculator
2 sig. figs. 3 sig. figs. 5 sig. figs.
says…
75.6 76 75.6 75.600
0.528396 0.53 0.528 0.52840
387600 390,000 388,000 * 3.8760 x 105
4200 4,200 * 4.20 x 103 4.2000 x 103
8.4845E-4 8.5 x 10–4 8.48 x 10–4 8.4845 x 10–4
* = requires scientific notation
Units must be carried into the
answer, unless they cancel.
5.2 kg (2.9 m) = 0.64 kg*m
(18 s)(1.3 s) s2
4.8 g (23 s) = 0.17 g
(18 s)(37 s) s
Solve for x. x+y=z
x and y are connected by addition.
Separate them using
subtraction. In general, use
x+y=z
opposing functions to separate –y –y
things.
The +y and –y cancel on the
left,
leaving us with… x=z–y
Numerical Example
Solve for x. x – 24 = 13
x and 24 are connected by
subtraction. Separate them x – 24 = 13
using the opposite function: +24 +24
addition.
The –24 and +24 cancel on
the left,
leaving us with… x = 37
Solve for x. F=kx
x and k are connected by
() 1
__
multiplication. Separate them k F = k x
using the opposite function:
()
1
__
k
division. (or)
The two k’s cancel on the F=kx
right, k k
leaving us with… __
F
x=
k
SI Prefixes
kilo- (k) 1000
deci- (d) 1
/10
centi- (c) 1
/100
milli- (m) /1000
1
Also,
1 mL = 1 cm3 and 1 L = 1 dm3
You will be responsible for knowing these!
Conversion Factors and
Unit Cancellation
How many cm are in 1.32 meters?
equality: 1 m = 100 cm (or 0.01 m = 1 cm)
conversion factors:
1m
______ or 100 cm
______
100 cm 1m
1.32 m 100 cm = 132 cm
1m
We use the idea of unit cancellation
to decide upon which one of the two
conversion factors we choose.
How many m is 8.72 cm?
equality: 1 m = 100 cm
conversion factors:
1m
______ or 100 cm
______
100 cm 1m
8.72 cm 1m = 0.0872 m
100 cm
Again, the units must cancel.
How many kilometers is 15,000 decimeters?
15,000 dm 1 m 1 km = 1.5 km
10 dm 1,000 m
How many seconds is
4.38 days?
( )(
24 h
4.38 d ____
1d
60 min
_____
1h )( )
60 s
____
1 min
= 378,432 s
If we are accounting for significant
figures, we would change this to… 3.78 x 105 s
4. Convert 41.2 cm2 to mm2
Recall that… ( = 10
1 cm )2 mm
( )2
41.2 cm2 102 mm2 = 4,120 mm2
1 cm2
SI-US Conversion Factors
Equality Conversion Factors
Length
2.54 cm 1 in
2.54 cm = 1 in. and
1 in 2.54 cm
39.4 in 1m
1 m = 39.4 in. and
1m 39.4 in.
Volume
946 mL 1 qt
946 mL = 1 qt and
1 qt 946 mL
1.06 qt and 1L
1 L = 1.06 qt
1L 1.06 qt
Mass
453.6 g 1 lb
453.6 g = 1 lb and
1 lb 453.6 g
2.20 lb 1 kg
1 kg = 2.20 lb and
1 kg 2.20 lb