There are exactly 60 seconds in a minute, exactly 60 minutes in an hour, exactly 24 hours in a mean solar day, and 365.24 solar days in a solar year. How many seconds are in a solar year? Give your answer with the correct number of significant figures.

Key Concepts

Unit Conversion

Unit conversion is the process of converting a quantity expressed in one set of units to another. In this question, we need to convert minutes to seconds and hours to seconds, which involves multiplying by the appropriate conversion factors (60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour). Understanding how to systematically convert units is essential for solving problems involving different measurements.

Significant Figures

Significant figures are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision. When performing calculations, especially in chemistry, it is crucial to maintain the correct number of significant figures based on the precision of the given data. In this question, the final answer must reflect the significant figures of the least precise measurement, which is 365.24 days, ensuring the answer is reported accurately.

Time Measurement

Time measurement involves understanding the relationships between different time units, such as seconds, minutes, hours, and days. In this question, we need to recognize that there are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, and 24 hours in a day. This knowledge is fundamental for calculating the total number of seconds in a solar year by sequentially applying these relationships.