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Measurement
Quick questions on SI prefixes and order-of-magnitude estimates: H2 Physics Measurement
7short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What are the common SI prefixes?Show answer
Each prefix is a power-of-ten multiplier attached to a unit.
What are converting between prefixed units?Show answer
Convert to base units first, do the arithmetic, then re-prefix if needed. This avoids the classic error of mishandling squared or cubed prefixes.
What are order-of-magnitude estimates?Show answer
An order of magnitude is the nearest power of ten to a quantity. To estimate:
What is standard form discipline?Show answer
Always express very large or very small results in standard form with . This keeps significant figures explicit and makes order-of-magnitude comparison immediate.
What is q1?Show answer
Convert to hertz in standard form. [1 mark]
What is q2?Show answer
A cube has sides of . Find its volume in cubic metres. [2 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Estimate the order of magnitude of the number of heartbeats in an average human lifetime, stating your assumptions. [3 marks]
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