1. How Big is an Atom? Typically about 0.0000000001 m long 1 atom of Cu weighs 0.000000000000000000000000233 lb These are cumbersome numbers –One useful tool to use when writing numbers containing lots of zeroes is SCIENTIFIC NOTATION

2. Scientific Notation number is written with one digit in front of the decimal and then it is multiplied by some factor of 10 to make it the correct size one number in front of decimal x 10 some number gives size of number Size of atom in scientific notation is –1 x 10 -10 m –2.33 x 10 -25 lb

3. Units Measurements really have two parts –number and a unit Without unit, measurement is meaningless –10 long –is it big, or is it small? –don’t know unless you know the standard it was measured against

4. Unit Matters With a different unit, number can be VERY different CHANGING THE UNIT of a measurement may be useful The size of the atom can be written as –0.1 nanometer or 0.1 nm –Instead of 0.00000000001 m

5. Units or Standards of Measurement What is a nanometer? First, let’s consider what a kilogram is. (You’ve heard of it, right?) Kilo is metric prefix that means 1000 So a kilogram is 1000 grams Metric prefixes may be used with anything…a kilomile would be 1000 miles May use different units to measure same quantity…must ID that unit!!!

6. The Metric Prefixes PrefixAbbreviationMeaning MegaM10 6 kilok10 3 decid10 -1 centic10 -2 millim10 -3 micro  10 -6 nanon10 -9 picop10 -12

7. What is a nanometer? 1/(100000000) of a meter Remember, a typical atom is about 0.1 nm in diameter HENCE the term nanoscale for molecules and atoms

8. Dimensional Analysis or Factor Label Method of changing units that eliminates the question of “do I multiply or do I divide” Showing your units in the calculation answers this question for you

9. Dimensional Analysis or Factor Label Figure out what two things are equal –(find the useful relationship) Create the two factors –(that are equal to 1) Multiply what you have to start with by the factor that eliminates the unit you don’t want anymore and leaves you with the unit you do want!!

10. Factor-Label Examples If you have 108 eggs, how many dozen do you have? How many picometers are there in 2.5 x 10 -10 m ? If an object has a mass of 243 mg, what is its mass in kilograms? Hershey packet –Ans Pbm 1: 2.81 x 10 5 g/min –Ans Pbm 2: 214 wt oz / qt –Ans Pbm 3: 9.8 x 10 -5 g ethanol