Metric Conversions, Significant Figures, and Scientific Notation

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture on metric conversions, significant figures, scientific notation, and the history of the metric system.

What is the base unit for mass in the metric system?

Gram (g)

How do you perform metric conversions using the staircase method?

Count the steps up or down the metric staircase and move the decimal the same number of steps in the same direction.

What does Kilo (k) represent in metric prefixes?

1000.

Give an example of when to use scientific notation.

When dealing with very large or very small numbers.

What digits are considered significant in a measurement?

All nonzero integers, zeros between nonzero integers, and trailing zeros after a decimal point.

What are leading zeros classified as in terms of significant figures?

Leading zeros never count as significant figures.

What is a conversion factor?

A ratio that shows the relationship between two metric units used to convert between them.

Why is it important to use significant figures in scientific measurements?

To reflect the precision of measurements and prevent misleading claims of precision.

Who was Carl Friedrich Gauss and what was his contribution to the metric system?

A mathematician and scientist who helped formalize the metric system and advocated for its use as a global standard.

How does scientific notation aid in calculations?

It shortens long numbers into compact, easy-to-calculate forms, reducing errors and speeding up calculations.

What is a significant figure?

Digits in a measurement that show how precise a number is.

What is the metric prefix for 0.1?

Deci (d) is the metric prefix for 0.1.

How do trailing zeros impact significant figures?

Trailing zeros after a decimal point count as significant figures, but trailing zeros without a decimal do not.

What is dimensional analysis?

A method of converting units by multiplying by conversion factors.

What is the base unit for length in the metric system?

Meter (m).

What is the difference between a positive and negative exponent in scientific notation?

A positive exponent indicates the decimal moves left, while a negative exponent indicates it moves right.