Page 7 - Introduction to Physics

Scientific form Prefixes

The values of measurements which is either Prefix is used to simplify the expression of very
very large of very small are written in big or very small numerical values of physical

Standard Form so as to be neater, brief and quantities
easier to read.

n
A x 10 , Prefix Value Standard Symbol
1 < A < 10 and n = integer form
1,000,000,000,
Tera 10 12 T
Write the following quantities in standard 000
form : Giga 1,000,000,000 10 9 G

a. Radius of the earth = 6 370 000 m Mega 1,000,000 10 6 M

Ans : 6.37x 10 m Kilo 1,000 10 3 k
6
Hecto 100 10 2 h
b. Mass of an electron 1

= 0.000 000 000 000 000 911 kg Deca 10 10 da
Deci 0.1 10 −1 d
Ans : 9.11x 10 -16 kg
Centi 0.01 10 −2 c

c. Size of a particle = 0.000 03 m Mili 0.001 10 −3 m

Ans : 3 x 10 m Micro 0.000 001 10 −6 μ
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d. Diameter of an atom = 0.000 000 072 m Nano 0.000 000 001 10 −9 n

Ans : 7.2 x 10 m 0.000 000 000
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Pico 001 10 −12 p
e. Wavelength of light = 0.000 000 55 m

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Ans : 5.5 x 10 m 7