Scientific Notation

The first of many lessons in Physical Sciences is that of Scientific Notation. Scientific Notation is necessary to communicate the size of tiny atoms or incredibly long distances. The numbers are a way to communicate and create a visual of the movement of the small particles.

I have found scientific notation a useful tool to easily round large numbers and to do quick conversions. Scientific notation is good to explain units that describe very tiny particles, in studying chemicals in water often times parts per million to explain different amount of particles existing in water ways and other resources we might access. Scientific notation is useful to convert to other units and basis to understanding reactivity in chemistry.

I like to tell students in the simplest form to understand scientific notation.

1. When a number is below 0 move the decimal to the right to create a negative exponent
2. When a number is much larger than 0 move the decimal to the left to create a positive exponent
3. When multiplying exponents they are added together
4. When dividing exponents they are subtracted from each other