1.

1 UNITS
• 1.1.1 Symbols
• 1.1.2 Scientific notation
• 1.1.3 Unit prefixes
• 1.1.4 Logs
• 1.1.5 Accuracy
• 1.1.6 SI Units
• 1.1.7 Unit analysis
 Scientific Notation
In order to make the number easier to use we commonly
express it in scientific notation e.g: 2.304  106 kg.

• The 2.304 MUST be between 1 and 10. To express this

number as 0.2304  107 or 23.04  105 is mathematically the
same but should NOT be used because it is incorrect use of
the notation.
• The number raised to a power must be 10, e.g. 86 or 76
should NOT appear in this notation.
• The power must be a positive or negative integer, e.g.
numbers such as: 104.5 or 106.3 should NOT appear (but
negative powers such as 10-4 may be used)
 1.1 UNITS
• 1.1.1 Symbols
• 1.1.2 Scientific notation
• 1.1.3 Unit prefixes
• 1.1.4 Logs
• 1.1.5 Accuracy
• 1.1.6 SI Units
• 1.1.7 Unit analysis
 Metric Prefixes
The alternative way of making the number easier to use is to
change the units. For all metric units the prefixes are: 
• G Giga 109
• M Mega 106
• k Kilo 103
• m milli 10-3
  micro 10-6
• n nano 10-9
• p pico 10-12
• Thus 2304000 kg = 2304 Mg
Get your powers of 10 right!
 1.1 UNITS
• 1.1.1 Symbols
• 1.1.2 Scientific notation
• 1.1.3 Unit prefixes
• 1.1.4 Logs
• 1.1.5 Accuracy
• 1.1.6 SI Units
• 1.1.7 Unit analysis
 Accuracy
• Depending on the accuracy known or
required the number 2.304  106 might be
expressed as: 2.3  106 kg or even 2  106
kg
• This may be correct but numbers should
NEVER be rounded in this way until the
end of a calculation.
 1.1 UNITS
• 1.1.1 Symbols
• 1.1.2 Scientific notation
• 1.1.3 Unit prefixes
• 1.1.4 Logs
• 1.1.5 Accuracy
• 1.1.6 SI Units
• 1.1.7 Unit analysis
 Units
• MKS SI (Metre kilogramme second Systéme
International) units in which masses are
measured in kg and lengths in m.
• cgs (centimetre gramme second)
• Imperial/American (pounds weight and feet
etc.)
• MKS units should always be used where
possible.
 In the metric system:
• 1 ml (millilitre) of water (= 1 cubic
centimetre) weighs 1 g (gramme)
• 1 l (litre) of water weighs 1 kg
(kilogramme)
• 1000 litres of water (= 1 cubic metre) weigh
1000kg (= 1 Tonne)
• Thus in MKS units the density of water is
1000 kg/m3
 1.1 UNITS
• 1.1.1 Symbols
• 1.1.2 Scientific notation
• 1.1.3 Unit prefixes
• 1.1.4 Logs
• 1.1.5 Accuracy
• 1.1.6 SI Units
• 1.1.7 Unit analysis