Table of contents

1. Matter and Measurements4h 31m
2. Atoms and the Periodic Table5h 23m
3. Ionic Compounds2h 18m
4. Molecular Compounds2h 18m
5. Classification & Balancing of Chemical Reactions3h 17m
6. Chemical Reactions & Quantities2h 27m
7. Energy, Rate and Equilibrium3h 46m
8. Gases, Liquids and Solids3h 25m
9. Solutions4h 10m
10. Acids and Bases3h 29m
11. Nuclear Chemistry56m
BONUS: Lab Techniques and Procedures1h 38m
BONUS: Mathematical Operations and Functions47m
12. Introduction to Organic Chemistry1h 34m
13. Alkenes, Alkynes, and Aromatic Compounds2h 12m
14. Compounds with Oxygen or Sulfur1h 6m
15. Aldehydes and Ketones1h 1m
16. Carboxylic Acids and Their Derivatives1h 11m
17. Amines39m
18. Amino Acids and Proteins1h 51m
19. Enzymes1h 37m
20. Carbohydrates1h 41m
21. The Generation of Biochemical Energy2h 8m
22. Carbohydrate Metabolism2h 22m
23. Lipids2h 26m
24. Lipid Metabolism1h 45m
25. Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism1h 37m
26. Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis2h 54m

1. Matter and Measurements

Scientific Notation

GOB Chemistry

1. Matter and Measurements

Scientific Notation

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1:29 minutes

Problem 25e

Textbook Question

Write each of the following in scientific notation:
e. 0.0072

Verified step by step guidance

Identify the significant figures in the number. For 0.0072, the significant figures are '7' and '2'.

Move the decimal point to the right until there is only one non-zero digit to the left of the decimal point. In this case, move the decimal point 3 places to the right, resulting in 7.2.

Count the number of places the decimal point was moved. Since it was moved 3 places to the right, the exponent will be negative (-3).

Combine the significant figures and the exponent into the format \( a \times 10^n \), where \( a \) is the significant figure (7.2) and \( n \) is the exponent (-3).

Write the final result in scientific notation as \( 7.2 \times 10^{-3} \).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Scientific Notation

Scientific notation is a method of expressing numbers that are too large or too small in a compact form. It is written as the product of a number between 1 and 10 and a power of ten. For example, the number 0.0072 can be expressed as 7.2 x 10^-3, where 7.2 is the coefficient and -3 indicates the decimal point has moved three places to the right.

Significant Figures

Significant figures are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision. This includes all non-zero digits, any zeros between significant digits, and trailing zeros in the decimal portion. When converting to scientific notation, it is important to retain the correct number of significant figures to accurately represent the original value, ensuring that 0.0072 is expressed as 7.2 with two significant figures.

Exponent Rules

Exponent rules govern how to manipulate powers of ten in scientific notation. When converting a number to scientific notation, the exponent indicates how many places the decimal point has moved. A negative exponent, like in 7.2 x 10^-3, signifies that the original number is less than one, while a positive exponent indicates a number greater than one. Understanding these rules is essential for accurate conversions.