Scientific notation is a way of expressing very large or very small numbers in a compact form. It's particularly useful in sciences, like physics, where we often deal with extreme quantities. In scientific notation, a number is written as the product of two parts:
- A coefficient that is between 1 and 10.
- An exponent of 10.
For example, the speed of light can be written as \(2.9979 \times 10^8\, \mathrm{m/s}\). Here, '2.9979' is the coefficient, and '\(10^8\)' denotes how many times to multiply the coefficient by 10.
This method ensures that we concisely represent and work with numbers, maintaining clarity and precision. It's exceptionally useful for maintaining consistency when calculating or conveying scientific measurements.