Scientific notation is a method used to work with large numbers in regards to particular measurements. Smaller numbers can also be expressed in scientific notation. Writing numbers in their full form would be too cumbersome a task when doing calculations with immense numbers. Numbers that reach sizes of trillions or more can be manipulated easily by a mathematical method. The expression for scientific notation is recognizable by a base number ( which can be referred to as mantissa) multiplied times ten raised to a certain power. Exponents are critical to producing scientific notation. The exponent determines the amount of decimal places in the number in notation form. When the exponent is negative, different rules have to be applied.
A negative exponent requires the decimal point to be directed to the left. A positive exponent means that the decimal point shall go to the right. Zeros will be added as needed for the correct expression. Scientific notation follows five rules. A number written without an exponent has the number 1 for the exponent in the notation. The second rule requires that any number ( excluding zero 0 or 0 raised to the zero power) with an exponent of zero is equal to one. It should also be noted that a power demonstrates how many times a number is multiplied by 10.
The key to writing correct scientific notation is to understand place value. If the decimal point is moved to the left the power of ten will be expressed as positive. When the decimal point is transported to the right the power of ten will be negative. These are the general rules for the proper format for scientific notation. The larger the numbers become it will not be a problem to express them in an efficient manner. Numbers that range past a trillion would be tiresome to write in full form. Quadrillion contains 15 zeros, quintillon has 18 zeros, and at maximum the number decillion contains 33 zeros. These numbers expressed would look like this : 1,000,000,000,000,000 (quadrillion),1,000,000,000,000,000,000(quintillion),and1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (decillion) . Doing basic arithmetic or algebra would be frustrating if one had to continually write long numbers like this. Science is not meant to be complicated,but simple and efficient. Scientific notation is another extension of that concept. This mathematical method of expressing values is helpful for astronomy and astrophysics when discussing magnitude and distance .
Further Reading
Barnes-Svarney, Patricia L. "Scientific Notation." The New York Public Library Science Desk Reference. New York: Macmillan, 1995. 3-4.
