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Ch.1 - Matter, Measurement & Problem Solving
Chapter 1, Problem 82c

How many significant figures are in each number? c. 1.563300 * 1011 m

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Identify the significant figures in the number 1.563300.
Count all the non-zero digits, as they are always significant.
Include any zeros between non-zero digits, as they are also significant.
Consider any trailing zeros in the decimal portion, as they are significant.
Conclude the count of significant figures in the number 1.563300.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Significant Figures

Significant figures are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision. This includes all non-zero digits, any zeros between significant digits, and trailing zeros in the decimal portion. Understanding significant figures is crucial for accurately reporting measurements and calculations in scientific contexts.
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Scientific Notation

Scientific notation is a way of expressing numbers that are too large or too small to be conveniently written in decimal form. It is typically written as a product of a number between 1 and 10 and a power of ten. In the context of significant figures, the digits in the coefficient of the scientific notation are counted to determine the total number of significant figures.
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Rules for Counting Significant Figures

There are specific rules for counting significant figures in a number. For example, all non-zero digits are significant, leading zeros are not, and trailing zeros in a decimal number are significant. When a number is expressed in scientific notation, only the digits in the coefficient are considered significant, which simplifies the process of determining the total count.
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