1. Fundamentals of Physics
Scientific notation and the metric system

2. Scientific Notation Working with very big and very small numbers
A whole number and a decimal multiplied by a power of 10
Examples: 6.5 x x x 10-3

3. Converting to scientific notation
Move the decimal
5,400,000.0
5.4 x 106
3.45 x 10-9
HINT: Large numbers  positive exponents Small numbers  negative exponents

4. Converting to decimal form
Positive exponent— move decimal to the right
Negative exponent—move the decimal to left
4.5 x 107
45,000,000.0
7.89 x 10-4
10-2
Think of this as 1 x 10-2
0.01
What about 100?
100 = 1 So 3.5 would be 3.5 x 100

5. Metric System Prefix/Multiplier
Symbol
10n
Multiplier
Giga- G
109
1,000,000,000
Mega- M
106
1,000,000
Kilo- k
103
1,000
Hecto- h
102
100
Deka- da
101 10
Base-
meter, liter, gram 1
Deci- d
10-1
0.1
Centi- c
10-2
0.01
Milli- m
10-3
0.001
Micro- μ
10-6
Nano- n
10-9

6. Metric Prefix: Base Units vs. Standard Units
Length
Meter m
*Volume
Liter m3
*Mass
Gram Kg
Time
Seconds s
Base Unit
SI Standard Unit
(Use these for physics equations)

7. Try these: ______ cm = 1 meter ______mm = 1 meter
4,000,000 bytes = _______Mbytes
4 Mbytes
85 kilodollars = _______dollars
85,000 dollars

8. To help you remember try these:
10-2 mental
10-6 scope
106 phone
101 ration

9. Mini Quiz Convert to Scientific Notation 0.00000456 267,000,000,000
Solve
3. (2.3 x 105) x (4.5 x 10-9) =
4. 26 km = ____ mm
26,000,000
µg = ____ g
10.35 X 10-4
= X 10-3

10. Conversion Factors Length: 1 in = 2.54 cm 1 mi = 1600 m Mass:
1 kg = 2.2 lbs (on earth only)
Volume:
354 ml = 12 fl oz.
1 L = 1.06 qts

11. Examples
2.0 hrs = ____ sec

12. Examples
6.20 m/s = _____ mph