Unit conversions and significant digits

In summary: Well my deal with scientific notation is to reduce the number of decimal places.( Not sure if I am correct with what I am about to say)But 100,000=1*10^5=1.0*10^5I usually regard the trailing zero's as placeholders so that if I have to write it in scientific notation I would write 1.0*10^5 to 2sf. Or else I would have to write 1.000 *10^5 which in my eyes would be pointless to do (write 1.000 that is) because it would be the same as just writing 1.0*10^
  • #1
jwj11
37
0
Let's us say I was given 100.0 kg of something.
That number has 4 significant digits.
Now let's say I wanted to convert that to grams.
It would be 100,000g.

but even if I write that as 100,000. it would be 6 significant digits.
Is my only option for this case to write it in scientific notation?

SO it would be 1.000*10^5 g
Right?
 
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  • #2
you can put a line above the last zero that you want to be significant
 
  • #3
So just mark the second 0 from the right for 10,000 to make a mental note that it only has 4 significant digits?

But my methodology for using scientific notation is correct too right?
Could you please explain a bit more about what you meant by that dranseth.
 
  • #4
jwj11 said:
Let's us say I was given 100.0 kg of something.
That number has 4 significant digits.
Now let's say I wanted to convert that to grams.
It would be 100,000g.

but even if I write that as 100,000. it would be 6 significant digits.
Is my only option for this case to write it in scientific notation?

SO it would be 1.000*10^5 g
Right?

In your calculations you can write out the 100,000 but as the number gets bigger it is best to use scientific notation so you have less digits to write out.
so 100,000 would be 1.0*10^5 g
 
  • #5
jwj11 said:
So just mark the second 0 from the right for 10,000 to make a mental note that it only has 4 significant digits?

But my methodology for using scientific notation is correct too right?
Could you please explain a bit more about what you meant by that dranseth.

I'll give you an example

10,000

see where the 0 is underlined? Flip it so that line is on top of the 0 instead of on the bottom
 
  • #6
rock.freak667 said:
In your calculations you can write out the 100,000 but as the number gets bigger it is best to use scientific notation so you have less digits to write out.
so 100,000 would be 1.0*10^5 g

Ok when you did that you are left with 2 significant digits.
The original was 4.
Is that ok to do it that way?
 
  • #7
jwj11 said:
Ok when you did that you are left with 2 significant digits.
The original was 4.
Is that ok to do it that way?

Well my deal with scientific notation is to reduce the number of decimal places.( Not sure if I am correct with what I am about to say)

But 100,000=1*10^5
I usually regard the trailing zero's as placeholders so that if I have to write it in scientific notation I would write 1.0*10^5 to 2sf. Or else I would have to write 1.000 *10^5 which in my eyes would be pointless to do (write 1.000 that is)
 

1. What is the purpose of unit conversions and why is it important?

Unit conversions are used to convert a quantity from one unit to another unit that is equivalent in value. It is important because it allows for consistency in measurements and allows for easy comparison of data from different sources.

2. How do I convert from one unit to another?

To convert from one unit to another, you need to know the conversion factor between the two units. This can be found by using a conversion chart or formula. Multiply the value in the original unit by the conversion factor to get the equivalent value in the desired unit.

3. What are significant digits and why are they important in scientific measurements?

Significant digits, also known as significant figures, are the digits in a number that carry meaning or contribute to the precision of the measurement. They are important in scientific measurements because they indicate the level of accuracy and precision of the measurement. They also help avoid misleading or false results.

4. How do I determine the number of significant digits in a measurement?

The general rule for determining the number of significant figures in a measurement is to count all the digits from the first non-zero digit to the last digit, including any zeros in between. For example, 0.0054 has two significant figures, while 123.40 has five significant figures.

5. Can I round off my answer to the same number of significant digits as the original measurement?

Yes, when performing calculations involving significant digits, the final answer should have the same number of significant figures as the original measurement with the least number of significant figures. However, if the calculation involves multiplication or division, the final answer should have the same number of significant digits as the measurement with the least number of significant figures.

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