Unit 2 MATH OF CHEMISTRY
1.2 What is scientific notation?
AIM: How do we use scientific notation when converting
units?
DO NOW:
Work with the person next to you:
1000 = 103
10=101
100= 102
10,000,000,000= 1010
What is the pattern that you are noticing?
WHAT IS SCIENTIFIC
NOTATION?
• Also known as Exponential Notation
• Helps us write numbers that are really
big or really small
Example:
1,340,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
Is the same thing as 1.34 x 1024
SO WHAT DOES AN EXPONENT
MEAN?
10
3
vs 10
POSITIVE MEANS:
WE MOVE THE DECIMAL
TO THE RIGHT
-3
NEGATIVE MEANS:
WE MOVE THE DECIMAL
TO THE LEFT
TABLE C
LET’S SPELL OUT WHAT THE
UNITS ACUTALLY MEAN
1 Kilometer (km)
= 1 (103) meter
= 1 x 1000 meter
= 1000m
2.5 Hectometer (hm)
HOW ABOUT THE REVERSE?
How does 0.007890 look in scientific
notation?
NEXT
Complete the
Scientific Notation Worksheet
When you are done, you may work on the
following:
• REVIEW SHEET (was due yesterday)
• CHEMISTRY VOCABULARY JOURNAL
- you will be allowed to use this on your quizzes and
(some of) your exams