Conversion & Scientific Notation

UNIT CONVERSION
& SCIENTIFIC
NOTATION
GENERAL PHYSICS
STEM_GP12EU-Ia-1
Units, Physical Quantities, Measurement,
Graphical Presentation
Units, Physical Quantities
CORE IDEA Units, Physical Quantities
LEARNING OUTCOME 1. Solve measurement
problems involving
conversion of units,
expression of measurements
in scientific notation.
CODES STEM_GP12EU-Ia-1
Physical Quantities
• Physical quantities are numbers
used to describe a physical
phenomenon quantitatively.
• Example: mass, time, length,
speed, force, electric current,
temperature and vectors
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design/uploads/2018/03/visual-motion-thumb-sq.jpg
Physical Quantities
• Nature of physical quantities
Physical Quantities
Fundamental Derived
Physical Quantities
Fundamental quantities are
quantities that exist by
themselves
Example: mass, time,
length, temperature,
electric current, amount of https://encrypted-
tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTBsscsn9Jupe__4-
substance, intensity of light FtVXTClZABwqnJacKppA&usqp=CAU
Physical Quantities
Derived quantities are
quantities are dependent
on other quantities
Example:
area – dependent on length
speed – dependent on time and https://cbswire.dk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/flying-
length home.gif
density – dependent on mass and

volume
Physical Quantities
• Types of physical quantities
Physical Quantities
Scalar Vector
Physical Quantities
Scalar quantities are
quantities with magnitude
only
Example: mass, distance,
speed, energy
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9p7vYPCtUw.jpeg
Physical Quantities
Vector quantities are
quantities with magnitude
and direction
Example: velocity,
acceleration, force
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content/uploads/2020/06/What-is-Frictional-Force.jpg
Scientific Notation
• Format: 𝐶. 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀 × 10𝑒
where: 𝐶 - the characteristic digit (may be any digit from
1-9)
𝑀 - the mantissa digits (may be any digit from 0-
9)
10 - base
𝑒 - exponent, the number of times the decimal
point is moved to either towards left or right
Rules in expressing standard notation to
scientific notation:
1. When the decimal point is moved from right to left,
the result is positive exponent.
Example: 7806. 123 = 7. 806123 × 103 = 7.81 × 103
2. When the decimal point is moved left to right, the

result is negative exponent.
Example: 0.00007806123 = 7.806123 × 10−5 = 7.81 × 10−5
Rules in converting scientific notation back to
standard notation:
1. Move the current decimal point according to the
number of places based on the exponent
(+) positive exponent – move to the RIGHT
Example:
(-) negative exponent – move to the LEFT

Example:
Rules in Addition and Subtraction involving
1. When two or more quantities are added or
subtracted, make sure the exponents are the same. If
not, choose one to adjust the decimal and exponent.
2. Add/subtract the number. Keep the exponent the
same.
Examples:
a. 6.2 × 103 + 1.74 × 103 = 6.2 + 1.74 × 103 = 7.94 × 103
b. 7.1 × 103 + 5.2 × 105 = 0.071 × 105 + 5.2 × 105 =
5.271 × 105
Rules in Multiplication and Division involving
1. Powers of ten are added in multiplication.
Example:
1.50 × 102 1.20 × 103 = (1.50)(1.20) × 102+3 = 1.80 × 105
2. Powers of ten are subtracted in division
Example:
1.50 × 102 1.50 2−3 = 1.25 × 10−1
= × 10
1.20 × 103 1.20
Significant Figures
Rules in determining the number of significant
figures:
1. All nonzero digits are significant.

2. All zeros between nonzero digits are significant.
3. All zeros before the first nonzero digit are NOT
significant.
4. All zeros to the right of the last nonzero digit are
significant.
Significant Figures
1. In adding or subtracting quantities, the least
number of decimal places in any of the
numbers being added or subtracted should
also be the number of the decimal places in
the answer.
Example: 2.15 𝑚 Two decimal places
+ 1.8 𝑚 One decimal place → LEAST
3. 𝟗𝟓 𝑚
𝟒. 𝟎 𝒎 ONE decimal place
Significant Figures
2. In multiplying or dividing quantities, the least
number of significant figures in the input
number should also be the number of
significant figures in the answer.
Example: 10.58 𝑐𝑚 Four significant figures
x 2.14 𝑐𝑚 Three significant figures → LEAST
𝟐𝟐. 𝟔 𝒄𝒎𝟐 THREE significant figures

Exercises:
1. Apply the rules in identifying the number of
significant figures in each of the following:
a. 0. 00054
b. 830
c. 356, 000
d. 0. 016500
e. 32.0040
5
f. 5.130 × 10
Exercises:
2. Express the following numbers in scientific
notation: (Answers should include three
significant figures)
a. 65, 000
b. 0. 001327
c. 2, 450, 000
d. 0. 00001997
Exercises:
3. Perform the indicated operations: (All answers
should be expressed in scientific notation. Apply the
rules for significant figures in your final answer.)
a. 4.0 × 10−6 × 3.0 × 104
b. (32 × 106 ) − 2 × 107
𝟑×𝟏𝟎𝟖 (𝟖×𝟏𝟎𝟒 )
c. (𝟔×𝟏𝟎𝟓 )
d. 0.868 𝑘𝑔 + 2.35 𝑘𝑔 − 2.15 𝑘𝑔
e. 3.25 𝑚 2.1 𝑚
Units
System of Units
➢SI (Système Internationale) – the universal system
used by the scientific community.
The seven fundamental quantities and SI units
Symbol/Abbreviation SI Unit Quantity
s second Time
m Meter Length
kg Kilogram Mass
A Ampere Electric current
K Kelvin Thermodynamic
temperature
mol Mole Amount of substance
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Units
TRIVIA! Why is a Universal System important?
On September 23, 1999,
communication with the spacecraft
Mars Climate Orbiter was lost as the
spacecraft went into orbital
insertion due to ground-based
computer software which produced
output in non-SI units of pound
force-seconds (lbf •s) instead of the
SI units of newton-seconds (N•s)
specified in the contract between
NASA and Lockhead
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Units
Unit prefixes and scientific notation
Units
Unit prefixes and scientific notation
Units
Unit conversion
• When units are not consistent, converting to
appropriate ones is needed
• In unit conversion, units can be treated as algebraic
quantities that can cancel each other out
Units
Types of unit conversion
1. Straightforward linear conversion
Example: 1mi = 1609m
2. Chain conversion
Example: 15mi/h= ____ m/s
𝑚𝑖 1609𝑚 1ℎ 1𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑚
⟹ 15 ≈ 6.704
ℎ 1𝑚𝑖 60𝑚𝑖𝑛 60𝑠 𝑠
Units
Types of unit conversion
3. Power conversion
Example: 100 m2= ____ cm2
2
100𝑐𝑚 10000𝑐𝑚2
⟹ 100𝑚2 = 100𝑚2 = 1000000𝑐𝑚 2
1𝑚 1𝑚2
6 2
Expressing is scientific notation: 1.0𝑥10 𝑐𝑚
Units
Unit conversion
When hunting, a cheetah

can reach a speed of 20 m/s
in 2 seconds. Express the
speed of a cheetah in km/h.
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4679_gettyimages-1251525164-170667a.jpg
Units
Unit conversion
𝑚 1𝑘𝑚 60𝑠 60𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑘𝑚

⟹ 20 = 72
𝑠 1000𝑚 1𝑚𝑖𝑛 1ℎ ℎ
Exercises:
1. Below are the given measurements. Convert it as
indicated.
a. 365 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠 into 𝑚𝑖𝑛
b. 94.3 𝑀𝐻𝑧 into 𝑘𝐻𝑧
c. 450 𝑐𝑚2 into 𝑘𝑚2
d. 72 𝑛𝑚 into 𝑚𝑚
e. 130 𝑚𝑖/ℎ into 𝑘𝑚/𝑠
f. 40.0 𝐿 to 𝜇𝐿
g. 5 𝜇𝐿 to 𝑚𝐿
Exercises:
2. Indicate which is greater (>) or lesser (<) by
writing the correct symbol. If the quantities
are equal write (=). Show your solution.
•
a. 50 𝑑𝑚 _____ 0.005 𝑚𝑚
b. 0.03 𝑀𝑔 _____ 30 𝑘𝑔
c. 7.8𝑥102 𝑛𝑚 _____ 0.78𝑥107 𝜇𝑚
d. . 2/3 𝑘𝑚 _____ 1/5 𝑀𝑚
References

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UNIT CONVERSION

density – dependent on mass and

2. When the decimal point is moved left to right, the

(-) negative exponent – move to the LEFT

1. All nonzero digits are significant.

𝟐𝟐. 𝟔 𝒄𝒎𝟐 THREE significant figures

When hunting, a cheetah

𝑚 1𝑘𝑚 60𝑠 60𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑘𝑚

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