Standard Form / Scientific Notation / Prefixes

Standard Form / Scientific Notation / Prefixes

1. Scientists have developed a shorter method of expressing very large or very small numbers
known as the standard form or scientific notation.

2. By this method, all numbers are expressed in the form of: A x 10^N, where A is an integer or
decimal number such that A is equal to or greater than 1 but less than 10 (1 =< A < 10) and N
is an integer. Hence,
o for a number equals to A (i.e. between 1 and 10), N equals to zero;
o for a number equals to or is greater than 10, N is a positive integer; and
o for a number less than 1, N is a negative integer.
o for a number which is negative, just insert a negative sign in front of the notation.

3. A prefix is a letter placed before a unit of measurement to act as the multiplier of the unit for
example, 2000 metres or 2 x 10^3 metres (in standard form) can be written as 2 kilometres
(2 km) where the prefix kilo (k) acts as 1000 or 10^3.

4. Other prefixes, their symbols and the multipliers they represent are as follows:
Prefix Symbol Multiplier Value of Multiplier
tera- T 10^12 1 000 000 000 000
giga- G 10^9 1 000 000 000
mega- M 10^6 1 000 000
kilo- k 10^3 1 000
hecto- h 10^2 100
deka- da 10 10
deci- d 10^-1 0.1
centi- c 10^-2 0.01
milli- m 10^-3 0.001
micro- 10^-6 0.000001
nano- n 10^-9 0.000000001
pico- p 10^-12 0.000000000001

Solving Problems Involving Conversion of Units of Measurements Sound
Understanding of the Prefixes and Some Basic Mathematical Skills Are Needed.

(2006 P1 Q3 pg. 48 - convert 102.3 Mhz to Hz in standard form)
(2007 P1 Q1 pg. 92 - convert 470 pF to F in standard form)
(2008 P1 Q1 pg. 140 - convert 3.1 km/h to m/s)
(2009 P1 Q1 pg. 186 - given lengths in different prefixes - choose the longest)
(2010 P1 Q1 pg. 230 - pick prefixes in ascending order)

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Segment Review Questions:


A) Standard Form / Scientific Notation / Prefixes:

1. Express each the following physical quantities in its SI unit and in scientific notation to 3
significant figures:

a. Acceleration due to gravity, g = 9.783 ms
-2

b. Speed of light in vacuum, c = 298,000 kms
-1

c. Length of an onion cell, L = 0.000 028 m
d. Charge of an electron = -1.6 x 10
-7
pC (pico coulombs)

2. For each of the following symbol of prefixes, state its name and its numerical value in index
form (i.e. in power or exponential form):
a. da
b. h
c. k
d. M
e. G
f. T
g. d
h. c
i. m
j.
k. n
l. p

3. Identify the largest and the smallest measurements from the following values:

A. 3.14 x 10
3
km
B. 3.14 x 10
8
nm
C. 3.14 x 10
10
m
D. 3.14 x 10
-2
cm

4. Convert:

a. Density of sea water from 1.05 x 10
3
kg m
-3
to g cm
-3

b. Velocity of cyclist from 5.6 m s
-1
to km h
-1

c. Radio frequency from 102.3 MHz to Hz
d. 470 pF to F in standard form to 3 significant figures
e. 0.0006 Gm to Mm
f. 26 m to mm