How do biologists use scientific notation?

Answer 1

Scientific notation is the same in all branches of science, statistics, economics, etc. It is a way of representing very large and very small numbers - whatever the context in which they appear.

Answer 2

cientists and engineers often work with very large or very small numbers, which are more easily expressed in exponential form or scientific notation. You write a very large number in scientific notation by moving the decimal point to the left until only one digit remains to the left. The number of moves of the decimal point gives you the exponent. For example:

3,454,000 =

3.454 x 106

For very small numbers, you move the decimal point to the right until only one digit remains to the left of the decimal point. The number of moves to the right gives you a negative exponent:

0.0000005234 =

5.234 x 10-7

Addition Example Using Scientific Notation

Addition and subtraction problems are handled the same way.

1. Write the numbers to be added or subtracted in scientific notation.
2. Add or subtract the first part of the numbers, leaving the exponent portion unchanged.
3. Make sure your final answer is written in scientific notation.

(1.1 x 103) + (2.1 x 103) =

3.2 x 103

Subtraction Example Using Scientific Notation

(5.3 x 10-4) - (2.2 x 10-4) =

3.1 x 10-4

Multiplication Example Using Scientific Notation

You do not have to write numbers to be multiplied and divided so that they have the same exponents. You can multiply the first numbers in each expression and add the exponents of 10 for multiplication problems.

(2.3 x 105)(5.0 x 10-12) =

When you multiply 2.3 and 5.3 you get 11.5. When you add the exponents you get 10-7. At this point your answer is:

11.5 x 10-7

You want to express your answer in scientific notation, which has only one digit to the left of the decimal point, so the answer should be rewritten as:

1.15 x 10-6

Division Example Using Scientific Notation

In division, you subtract the exponents of 10.

(2.1 x 10-2) / (7.0 x 10-3) =

0.3 x 101 =

3

Answer 3

Scientific notation in science is used to simplify a math problem. For example:

938,472,500 is much harder than 9.384725 x 10 to the eighth power

Scientific notation is used to keep accuracy in measurements and to avoid writing out an outrageous amount of numbers (scientists can be somewhat lazy-maybe because their time is so valuable). For example, when doing calculations with numbers that are very large or very small such it is much easier to express using scientific notation. Planck's constant which is commonly used in many applications can either be expressed as 6.626x10^-34 Js (scientific notation), or as 0.0000000000000000000000000000000006626 Js (I might've missed or added a zero by mistake). Clearly scientific notation saves time and mistakes.

In many real world applications a range of values can cover a vast spectrum; a logarithmic scale is useful and employs scientific notation (common examples include the electromagnetic spectrum, pH scale, and the Richter magnitude scale).

Also using scientific notation allows for accuracy in a calculation; since only significant digits are kept and used in scientific notation meaningless (or invalid) numbers are disconsidered.

Answer 4

Biologists use scientific notation to compute very large or very small numbers.

Answer 5

There are different rules which depend on what you wish to do: add, subtract, multiply, divide, convert into or from scientific notation. The question needs to be more specific.