Download Assignment #1

Assignment #1
Due one week from today BEFORE class on Monday
Reading
(do the Reading prior to Solving the Problems)
1. Read Chapter 1, pages 1 - 8
2. Read the "Toolkit"; read sections on "Significant Figures", "Scientific Notation" and "Unit
Analysis"
Problems
(Problems 1 to 4 after reading the toolkit – and do the problems from the book
after reading pages 1 to 8)
1. Significant figures
For each of the following numbers, specify how many significant figures there are and which is the
least significant figure. Then, rewrite the numbers in scientific notation to the thousandths place.
5,000
345,000
0.0000978
76,567,890
89,000,001
25.00567
sig. figs
least sig. fig
sci. notation
2. Multiplication and Division and "Significant Figures"
Calculate the following using a scientific calculator. Right out the full answer, then rewrite it being
mindful of the rules for significant figures!
2.6 x 10 8
333
. x 10 3
+ 91
. x 10 7
+ 3.0 x 10 -1
− 9.062 x 10 5
7.65 x 10 9
=
2
1.07 x 1012
=
7 x 1013
8.900 x 1010
=
3.400 x 10 -6
7.6
(2.4 x 10 )(1.06 x 10 ) =
(1.25 x 10 )(6.4 x 10 ) =
(9.33 x 10 )(8.1 x 10 ) =
(9.7 x 10 )(9.3 x 10 ) =
7
9
-1
17
-3
3
3
-7
x 10 3
3. Unit Analysis – the light year
How many days are in a year?
d/y
How many hours are in a year?
h/y
How many minutes are in a year?
min/y
How many seconds are in a year?
s/y
One lightyear is the distance light travels in one year. Light travels at a speed of 3.00 x 108m/s.
Using your answer from above, calculate how many meters
are there in a lightyear?
m/ly
How many miles are there in a lightyear?
mi/ly
4. Unit Analysis – degrees and arcseconds
How many degrees are there in one circle?
____________________
What fraction of a circle is subtended by one degree?
____________________
How many arc minutes are there in one circle?
____________________
What fraction of a circle is subtended by one arc minute?
____________________
How many arc second are there in one circle?
____________________
What fraction of a circle is subtended by one arc second?
____________________
What fraction of the entire sky is occupied by 1 square arc second?
____________________
5. Short Answers – attach to this assignment
From Seeds, page 8, Review questions 2, 5, 6, 10
6. Short Answers – attach to this assignment
From Seeds, page 8, Problem 2