Scientific notation is a way to write large and small numbers using powers of 10. It involves writing a number as the product of a constant term and a power of 10. Some examples of scientific notation given are the Earth's diameter of 1.276 x 107 meters and the wavelength of red light being 6.5 x 10-5 cm. Greek prefixes are also sometimes used to denote powers of 10, with examples like giga for 10^9 and pico for 10^-12. Common conversion factors between units like meters and kilometers or kilograms and grams are also presented.

1. The World of PHYSICS…
SCIENTIFIC NOTATIONS.
- is a practical and simpler way of
writing large and long numbers using
the powers of 10 in combination with
the one constant and the decimal
places depending on the desired and
specified values.
1.00 x
const
ant
decimal
multiplie
r 10
powers

2. The World of PHYSICS…
These are some of the useful
applications of
scientific notation:
* Earth’s Equatorial diameter:
12,756,776 meters = 1.276 x107
meters
* Wavelength of Red Light:
0.000 065 cm = 6.5 x 10-5
cm
or 6.5 x 10-7
m

3. The World of PHYSICS…
In some cases, another way of writing
large and long numbers is through the
use of Greek prefixes. These are:PREFIXPREFIX SYMBOSYMBO
LL
MEANINGMEANING
AttoAtto aa 1010-18-18
or millionor million
millionthmillionth
FemtoFemto ff 1010-15-15
or millionor million
millionthmillionth
PicoPico pp 1010-12-12
or millionor million
millionthmillionth
-9-9

4. The World of PHYSICS…
Greek prefixes: co ntinuatio n…
PREFIXPREFIX SYMBOSYMBO
LL
MEANINGMEANING
DeciDeci dd 1010-1-1
or tenthor tenth
KiloKilo kk 101033
or Thousandor Thousand
MegaMega MM 101066
or Millionor Million
GigaGiga GG 101099
or Billionor Billion
TetraTetra TT 10101212
or Trillionor Trillion
PetaPeta PP 10101515
or Quadrillionor Quadrillion
1818

5. The World of PHYSICS…
Basic and Common Conversion
Factors…LENGTHLENGTH
1 meter1 meter 10001000
mmmm
100 cm100 cm
11
kilometekilomete
rr
1000 m1000 m
1 mile1 mile 1.6091.609
kmkm
MASSMASS
11
kilogramkilogram
1000 g1000 g
11
kilogramkilogram
2.22.2
poundpound
1 ton1 ton 10001000
kgkg
TIMETIME
1 hour1 hour 6060
minutesminutes
1 minute1 minute 6060

6. The World of PHYSICS…
Additional Conversion Factors…
LENGTHLENGTH
1 inch1 inch 2.542.54
cmcm
1 foot1 foot 0.30480.3048
mm
1 mile1 mile 1.611.61
kmkm
MASSMASS
1 once1 once 28.35 g28.35 g
1 ton1 ton
(short)(short)
907.2907.2
kgkg
2.22.2
poundspounds
1 kg1 kgTIMETIME
1 year1 year 365365
daysdays
11 1010
VOLUMEVOLUME
1 gallon1 gallon 3.793.79
litersliters
1 quart1 quart 0.950.95

7. The World of PHYSICS…
Conversion Formula for Temperatures
Scales.COVERSIOCOVERSIO
NN
EQUATIONEQUATION
Celsius toCelsius to
FahrenheitFahrenheit
oo
F =F = oo
C (9/5) +C (9/5) +
3232
Fahrenheit toFahrenheit to
CelsiusCelsius
oo
C = 5/9 (C = 5/9 (oo
F –F –
32)32)
Celsius toCelsius to K =K = oo
C +C +