1. T HE M ETRIC S YSTEM & S CIENTIFIC N OTATION

2. Metric Conversions Ladder Method T. Trimpe 2008 http://sciencespot.net/

3. KILO 1000 Units HECTO 100 Units DEKA 10 Units DECI 0.1 Unit CENTI 0.01 Unit MILLI 0.001 Unit Meters Liters Grams Ladder Method How do you use the “ladder” method? 1 st – Determine your starting point. 2 nd – Count the “jumps” to your ending point. 3 rd – Move the decimal the same number of jumps in the same direction. 4 km = _________ m 1 2 3 How many jumps does it take? Starting Point Ending Point 4. 1 __. 2 3 = 4000 m

4. Try these conversions using the ladder method. 1000 mg = _______ g 1 L = _______ mL160 cm = _______ mm 14 km = _______ m109 g = _______ kg 250 m = _______ km Conversion Practice Compare using, or =. 56 cm 6 m 7 g 698 mg

5. S CIENTIFIC N OTATION Many of the numbers used in physics are extremely small or large.

6. S CIENTIFIC N OTATION Many of the numbers used in physics are extremely small or large. Therefore, it is important you understand scientific notation.

7. S CIENTIFIC N OTATION In scientific notation, the number is written as two parts. The first part is a number between 1 and 9.

8. S CIENTIFIC N OTATION The first part cannot be a number that starts or ends with a zero. Zeros can be in between but not at the beginning or end.

9. S CIENTIFIC N OTATION The second part is an exponent, written as a power of 10. The exponent tells you how many places to move the decimal point.

10. S CIENTIFIC N OTATION Example: 2.6 x 10 3 ________ is the exponent and tells you that you need to move the decimal __________ places.

11. S CIENTIFIC N OTATION The sign of the exponent tells you which way to move the decimal point.

12. S CIENTIFIC N OTATION If the exponent is positive, the decimal moves so the number is bigger than one. If the exponent is negative, the decimal moves so the number is less than one. Positive Exponent Negative Exponent

13. S CIENTIFIC N OTATION Examples: 3.1 x 10 -3 6.25 x 10 4

14. S CIENTIFIC N OTATION Putting numbers into scientific notation requires moving the decimal point so there is only one number in front of it.

15. If you don’t see a decimal point, it is at the end of the number. Remember, a zero can’t be the first number.

16. To put numbers into scientific notation, count the number of places you had to move the decimal point, so that only one number is in front of it. That number becomes your exponent.

17. The sign of the exponent depends on your original number. If the number was bigger than one, the sign is positive. If the number was less than one, the sign is negative.