Scientific notation

Today we're going to look at Scientific notation - how scientists (and mathematicians) write numbers that are really big or really small. Answer the following in your books:

1. What is Scientific notation?
2. Watch this video. Who uses Scientific notation?
3. Use the video from number 1 to give the steps for converting a very large number to Scientific notation:
4. How many atoms are there in 1 mole? What is the long-hand way to write this?
5. Why is scientific notation useful (think about what you just did for question 4)?
6. How big is an x chromosome? What about a carbon atom? Write these figures in Scientific notation.
7. Give the number 10,000 in scientific notation.
8. Explain how this common formula triangle can be used to calculate numbers in Science:
9. Write a question that requires students to use this traingle, and give a mark scheme.