SCIENTIFIC NOTATION & SIGNIFICANT
FIGURES
In science, we often encounter very large
and very small figures. Say for example the
Avogadro’s number,
602000000000000000000000 particles per
mole, or the mass of a proton,
0.00000000000000000000000000167 Kg. It
is very cumbersome to write all these zeros
in a number. A very convenient way to write
such numbers is by converting the numbers
before or after the decimal point into
exponential form. This form is called the
scientific notation.
SCIENTIFIC NOTATION - It is a convenient
way of expressing the very big number into
a small number.
As a general rule the base should contain
only one figure to the left of the decimal
point. It is improper to write the base with
more than one figure before the decimal
point. The exponent part is not meant to
be multiplied with the base. The
exponent will just indicate how much is
the place value of the base part, right or
left of the decimal point depending on the
value of n, which could be any integer.
DECIMAL NOTATION- It is the means of
expressing numerical value into decimal
notations.
There are three rules for using DECIMAL
NOTATION:
Rule 1: To express a number in scientific
notation, you move the decimal point to
the position such that there is one nonzero
digit to the left of the decimal point.
Rule 2: If the decimal point is moved to the
left, the exponent is positive.
Rule 3: If the decimal point is moved to the
right, the exponent is negative.
EXAMPLES
61 695 —--------- 6.1695 × 104
0.720—-------------- 7.20 × 10-1
54 684 789 = 5.4684789 × 10^7
326 225 = 3.26225 × 10^5
0.006854 = 6.854 × 10^-3
986 = 9.86 × 10^2
0.0000569 = 5.69 × 10^-5
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES- It is a digit in a
number with known certainty and the last is
uncertain.

There are two rules for using
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES:
Rule 1: If there is a decimal point in a
number, draw an arrow from left to right
until you arrive at the first non-zero digit.
All the digits not drawn by an arrow are
significant.
The mass of a body is the quantity of
matter that it contains while the weight of
A body is the force that gravity exerts on
the body and is a variable since the
attraction is dependent on the distance of
the body from the center of the earth.
Density – is defined as mass per unit
volume.

EXAMPLES Substances can be often distinguished by

0.000 231000 = 6 s. f. measuring their densities since any two
0.0000023 = 2 s. f. substances usually have different densities.
217.000019 = 9 s. f.
Specific Gravity - It denotes the ratio of
the density of the
Rule 2: If there is no decimal point in a substance to the density of a reference
number, draw an arrow from right to left substance.
until you arrive at the first non-zero digit.
All the digits not drawn by an arrow are S.G. = DS/ Drs
significant.
The reference substance for solids and
EXAMPLES liquids is water (1g/cm3) and for gasses
are air and ( 1.29g/L) air and hydrogen (
300020000 = 5 s. f. 0.08987g/L )
6234577000 = 7 s. F.
253000 = 3 s. F. Sample Problems
2643000 = 4 s. f.
Example No.1
Calculate the density and specific gravity
0.00695367 = 6 s. f. of a body that has a mass of 321g and
a volume of 45.0 cm3 at 25oC .
0.0004725589 =7 s. f.
Given:
6980000 = 3 s. f.
321 g= mass
6161995 = 7 s. f.
45.0 cm3= Volume

Density & Specific Gravity 25oC .

Step 1: Find the density using the
Mass and Weight formula D=m/v

D= m/v = 321grams / 45.0 cm3


7.13 g/cm3 —--- Density
Step 2: Solve for the specific
Gravity using the formula
S.G. = DS/Drs
Remember this!
1g/cc X 1 cc/1mL
Step 2: Solve for the mass of gasoline
using the computed density in step 1
M= D X V
= 0.82g/ml x 10.5 gal ( note convert
unit gal to mL)

The reference substance for solids = 0.82g/ml x 39, 742.5 mL

and liquids is water (1g/cm3) and for
gases are air ( 1.29g/L) and hydrogen = 32,588.85 g or 32.59Kg (convert
( 0.08987g/L ) grams to kilograms)

Step 2: Solve for the specific Gravity

using
the formula S.G. = DS/Drs

S.G. = DS/Drs

= 7.13 g/cm3/ 1 g/cm3

S.G = 7.13

Example No. 2

What is the mass in kilograms of 10.5gal

of gasoline with a specific
gravity of 0.82?

Step 1: Find the density of the sample

using the formula for specific gravity

S.G. = Ds/ Drs (derived a formula)

Ds = S.G X Drs

Ds = S.G X Drs

Ds = 0.82 X 1g/cc = 0.82g/cc or

0.82g/ml