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BISC110/S13: Series 1 Lab 1 Boot Camp: Difference between revisions
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BISC110/S13: Series 1 Lab 1 Boot Camp (view source)
Revision as of 09:05, 11 January 2013
, 11 January 2013→PART I: Metric Measurements
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The power of 10 in the exponent column in the table above indicates the placement of the decimal point for that measurement. For example, 10<sup>3</sup> is equivalent to 1.0 x 10<sup>3</sup> and can be converted to 1000 by moving the decimal point 3 places to the right corresponding to the exponent value equal to 3. Similarly, 2.5 x 10<sup>3</sup> is converted to 2500 by once again moving the decimal point 3 places to the right. If the exponent is negative, the decimal point must be moved to the left the correct number of places. For example, we can convert 2.5 x 10<sup>-2</sup> to 0.025 by moving the decimal point 2 places to the left. The use of exponents of 10 to place the decimal point is called scientific notation. Scientific notation is used to represent very large or very small numbers in calculations and scientific writing. | The power of 10 in the exponent column in the table above indicates the placement of the decimal point for that measurement. For example, 10<sup>3</sup> is equivalent to 1.0 x 10<sup>3</sup> and can be converted to 1000 by moving the decimal point 3 places to the right corresponding to the exponent value equal to 3. Similarly, 2.5 x 10<sup>3</sup> is converted to 2500 by once again moving the decimal point 3 places to the right. If the exponent is negative, the decimal point must be moved to the left the correct number of places. For example, we can convert 2.5 x 10<sup>-2</sup> to 0.025 by moving the decimal point 2 places to the left. The use of exponents of 10 to place the decimal point is called scientific notation. Scientific notation is used to represent very large or very small numbers in calculations and scientific writing. | ||
It is important to become familiar with measurements expressed in metric units and to be able to convert between these units (from grams to milligrams, for example). Conversions are straightforward since the power of ten between each unit is known. Since there are 1000 milligrams in each gram, a sample that weighs 1 gram also weighs 1000 milligrams. To keep track of the decimal point, 1000 milligrams is best written in scientific notation as 1.0 x 10<sup>3 | It is important to become familiar with measurements expressed in metric units and to be able to convert between these units (from grams to milligrams, for example). Conversions are straightforward since the power of ten between each unit is known. Since there are 1000 milligrams in each gram, a sample that weighs 1 gram also weighs 1000 milligrams. To keep track of the decimal point, 1000 milligrams is best written in scientific notation as 1.0 x 10<sup>3</sup> mg. | ||
=='''PART II: Basic Laboratory Equipment'''== | =='''PART II: Basic Laboratory Equipment'''== | ||
