What is Magnitude: Definition and 1000 Discussions

An order of magnitude is an approximation of the logarithm of a value relative to some contextually understood reference value, usually ten, interpreted as the base of the logarithm and the representative of values of magnitude one. Logarithmic distributions are common in nature and
considering the order of magnitude of values sampled from such a distribution can be more intuitive. When the reference value is ten, the order of magnitude can be understood as the number of digits in the base-10 representation of the value. Similarly, if the reference value is one of certain powers of two, the magnitude can be understood as the amount of computer memory needed to store the exact integer value.
Differences in order of magnitude can be measured on a base-10 logarithmic scale in “decades” (i.e., factors of ten). Examples of numbers of different magnitudes can be found at Orders of magnitude (numbers).

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  1. E

    How to Determine the Magnitude of Space Debris Based on Dimension and Distance?

    Dear all, I'm new here and I'm sorry if my problem has already been discussed anywhere else. I have some problems in determining the magnitude of space debris as a function of their dimension and distance. I have to find the visual absolute magnitude of a 30 cm diameter debris, at 36000 km...
  2. S

    How Do You Calculate the Charge Between Two Points Given Voltage Difference?

    Homework Statement Location A is 3.04m to the right of a point charge q. Location B lies on the same line and is 3.87m to the right of the charge. The potential difference between the two locations is VB - VA = 45.0V . What is the magnitude and sign of the charge? Homework Equations...
  3. P

    Vector addition. finding x & y components, the magnitude, & the angle

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  4. N

    How to Calculate Combined Apparent Magnitude for Binary Star Systems

    Hi guys, first post (hopefully not only). If 2 stars are in an apparent binary system, how do you calculate the "combined apparent magnitude" of the system if you know both their apparent magnitudes and their distance from you. I can work out the apparent magnitude (even though that's not...
  5. F

    Magnitude of a Net Charge within a closed surface

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  6. T

    Ampere's Law to find the magnitude of the magnetic field

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  7. A

    What determines the magnitude of a tangent vector?

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  8. J

    Magnitude of Acceleration given a pendulum equilibrium

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  9. T

    Magnitude of Electric Field at a Point

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  10. N

    What is the magnitude of the resultant of the following vectors?

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  11. N

    How Do You Calculate the Resultant Force from Concurrent Coplanar Forces?

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  12. N

    Magnitude of the resultant

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  13. N

    How Do You Calculate the Magnitude and Direction of Coplanar Forces?

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  14. L

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  15. N

    Calculate Magnitude of Force F2: Homework Solution

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  16. T

    Vectors: Finding Magnitude and Angle

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  17. L

    Cross product question find the magnitude of the force

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  18. S

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  19. J

    Electric Field magnitude and distance

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  20. E

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  21. S

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  22. E

    Magnitude of electric field and 3 points

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  23. E

    Find the Magnitude of b Given c and a Vector in the Positive y-Axis

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  24. N

    Why have electron and proton same magnitude of charge?

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  25. B

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  26. N

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  27. I

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  28. M

    Calculating Strong Force on a Captured Neutron in a Nuclear Reactor

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  29. T

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  30. A

    Coulombs Law. Calculate Charge Magnitude and Direction

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  31. S

    Physics magnitude of avg acceleration

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  32. O

    Finding Magnitude and Direction using Component Method?

    Homework Statement Consider the three displacement vectors A = ( -2i + 3j ) m, B = ( 2i + 7j ) m, and C = ( -7i + 5j ) m. Use the component method to determine the following. (a) The magnitude and direction of D = A + B + C |D| = ___ m θ = ___° (from the +x axis) (b) The magnitude and...
  33. X

    How Do You Calculate the Electric Field in a Capacitor from Electron Deflection?

    Homework Statement The figure shows an electron entering a parallel-plate capacitor with a speed of 5.4×106m/s. The electric field of the capacitor has deflected the electron downward by a distance of 0.618cm at the point where the electron exits the capacitor. Find the magnitude of the...
  34. jegues

    Simple Electric Field Magnitude Question

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  35. S

    Electric Field at a Point on the Axis of a Charged Disk?

    Homework Statement A flat, circular annulus of radius 7 m with a hole in the center of radius 2 m is charged on one surface such that the surface charge density varies with the radial distance from the center of the disk by the equation sigma= (r2 + 961)1/2 x 10-6, where is in C/m2 and r is in...
  36. J

    Why is wave intensity defined as displacement^2 rather than just its magnitude?

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  37. C

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  38. Z

    Does general relativity give curvature a magnitude?

    I see that general relativity uses tensors to calculate curvature. How exactly does relativity calculate actual curvature. Are the units of curvature m^-1, like regular curvature units? For example, using SI units Ruv - 1/2guvR = (8πG/c^4)Tuv R00 - 1/2g00R = (8πG/c^4)T00 R00 + R/2 = 8πGρ/c^2...
  39. D

    Magnitude of the acceleration of the ball

    Homework Statement A soccer player accelerates a 0.50 kg soccer ball by kicking it with a net force of 5.0 N. Calculate the magnitude of the acceleration of the ball. b. What is the magnitude of the force of the soccer ball on the player's foot. Homework Equations a=fnet/m...
  40. N

    Find Magnitude: Help with Homework Problem

    Homework Statement A ball of mass 350g is traveling with a speed of 4m/s when it hits at right angles a fixed vertical wall. The ball rebounds with a speed of 3m/s. Find the magnitude of the impulse exerted by the ball on the wall. Using a simple diagram show the direction of velocities and...
  41. S

    Magnitude of momentum of electrons

    Homework Statement Find the magnitude of momentum of electrons in a straight wire of copper of length 1 meter carrtying a current of 16 ampere. a) 14.56e-12 kg m/s b) 29.12e-12 kg m/s c) 18.2e-11 kg m/s d) 91e-12 kg m/s The answer is (d) Homework Equations The Attempt at a...
  42. W

    Magnitude of the Tension in a Connection String

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  43. M

    Magnitude and Duration of Inrush on various lighting technologies

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  44. S

    Magnitude of Electric field at point P

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  45. B

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    Homework Statement A force of F = (3.00 i - 2.00 j) N acts at a location r = (1.00 i + 2.00 j) m on an object. What is the magnitude of the torque that this force applies about an axis through the origin perpendicular to the xy plane? Homework Equations Torque is equal to the cross...
  46. B

    Magnitude of the greater of 2 resistors?

    Homework Statement A 20 V emf is placed across 2 resistors in a series, a current of 2 A is present in each of the resistors. When the same emf is placed across the same 2 resistors in parallel, the current through the emf is 10 A. What is the magnitude of the greater of the 2 resistances...
  47. O

    Magnitude of resultant forces

    Homework Statement Forces with magnitude of 200 Newtons and 300 Newtons act on a hook. The angle between the two forces is 65°. Find the magnitude of the resultant of these forces. Round your answer to 2 decimal places. (Hint: write the 300 pound force as a vector in the direction of the...
  48. S

    Rectangular Vectors From angle and magnitude

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  49. M

    Getting the magnitude of linear acceleration from angular position equation

    Homework Statement The angular position of an object that rotates about a fixed axis is given by \theta(t) = \vartheta e^\betat, where \beta= 2 s^−1, \theta = 1.1 rad, and t is in seconds. What is the magnitude of the total linear acceleration at t = 0 of a point on the object that is 9.2 cm...
  50. P

    What is the apparent magnitude of the binary system?

    Homework Statement Two stars are in a circular visual binary system. The orbital period of the binary is 30 years. The distance to the binary is 20 parsecs. The angular radius of the orbit of each star is 1". What are the masses of the two stars? each star works out to be 4.4 solar...
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