Chapter 2: Measurement and Problem Solving
Date:____________
Section 2: Scientific Notation - Notes
Objectives:
 Express very large and very small numbers using scientific notation.
Scientific Notation:
 Scientific notation allows us to express ____________________________________ numbers
without having to write down all of the digits

o
15,000,000,000 = _____________________________
o
0.00000264 = ___________________________
When expressing numbers in scientific notation, always keep the _________________________
of sigfigs as in the original measurement.
To express a number written in standard notation in scientific notation:

Move the decimal until ________________________ digit appears to the left of the decimal.

The exponent represents the number of ______________________________ you moved

o
A ___________________ exponent represents a value larger than one
o
A ___________________ exponent represents a value less than one
Include all significant figures
o
1.5 x 105 = ________________________
o
2.93 x 10-7 = _______________________________

If the decimal point is moved to the left, the exponent is ______________________.

If the decimal point is moved to the right, the exponent is _____________________.

A number written in scientific notation has two parts:
o
A __________________ part
o
An ______________________ part
Practice:
 The 2013 U.S. population was estimated to be 315,000,000 people. Express this number in
scientific notation.

The total U.S national debt in 2013 was approximately $16,342,000,000,000. Express this
number in scientific notation.

The radius of a carbon atom is approximately 0.000000000070 m. Express this number in
scientific notation.

Express the number 0.000038 in scientific notation.