Chapter 1 Electronics Fundamentals: Notation, Units, Measurement and Safety

What is scientific notation?

A system for representing any number as a number between 1 and 10 times a power of ten.

What is the general form of scientific notation?

a × 10^n, where 1 ≤ |a| < 10 and n is an integer.

What is engineering notation?

A system for representing any number as a one-, two-, or three-digit number times a power of ten with an exponent that is a multiple of three.

How is 47,000,000 represented in scientific notation?

4.7 × 10^7

How is 47,000,000 represented in engineering notation?

47 × 10^6 (or 47 meg)

How is 0.000027 represented in scientific notation?

2.7 × 10^−5

How is 0.605 represented in scientific notation?

6.05 × 10^−1

What is the SI unit for capacitance?

Farad (F)

What is the SI unit for charge?

Coulomb (C)

What is the SI unit for current?

Ampere (A)

What is the SI unit for voltage?

Volt (V)

What is the SI unit for resistance?

Ohm (Ω)

What is the power of ten for the prefix 'Mega'?

10^6

What is the power of ten for the prefix 'Milli'?

10^−3

What is the difference in powers of ten when converting from MΩ to kΩ?

3 (10^6 to 10^3)

What is error in measurements?

The difference between the true or best-accepted value and the measured value.

What does accuracy indicate in measurements?

How close a measurement is to the true value.

What does precision measure in measurements?

The repeatability or consistency of a series of measurements.

What are significant digits?

The digits in a number that are known to be correct, indicating the precision of a measurement.

What is the rule for rounding if the digit being dropped is greater than 5?

Increase the last retained digit by 1.

What is a GFCI outlet?

A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter outlet designed to detect current leakage and trip the breaker.

What are the three connections in a standard 120 V wall outlet?

Hot (carries voltage), Neutral (completes the circuit), Safety Ground (provides a path to earth for fault current).

What should you do to ensure electrical safety in the lab?

Never work alone, remove conductive jewelry, and inspect equipment regularly.