The number of significant figures in 6.02 x 10²³ is

The correct answer is 3.

Key Points

• The number 6.02 x 10²³ represents the Avogadro's number, which is a constant used to quantify particles like atoms or molecules in one mole of a substance.
• Significant figures indicate the precision of a measurement and include all certain digits plus one uncertain digit.
• In the given number, 6.02, there are 3 significant figures: "6", "0", and "2".
• The power of 10 (10²³) in scientific notation does not affect the number of significant figures.
• Hence, the number of significant figures in 6.02 x 10²³ is 3.

Additional Information

• Significant Figures:
  • These are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision, starting from the first non-zero digit.
  • Trailing zeros in a number with a decimal point are significant (e.g., 2.300 has 4 significant figures).
  • Leading zeros are not significant (e.g., 0.0045 has 2 significant figures).
• Scientific Notation:
  • It is a way of expressing very large or very small numbers, typically in the form a x 10ⁿ, where 1 ≤ a < 10 and n is an integer.
  • The coefficient (a) determines the number of significant figures, while the exponent (n) indicates the scale of the number.
• Avogadro's Number:
  • 6.022 x 10²³ particles/mole is used in chemistry to relate the number of particles to the amount of substance in moles.
  • It is named after the Italian scientist Amedeo Avogadro, who made foundational contributions to molecular theory.
• Rules for Counting Significant Figures:
  • All non-zero digits are significant.
  • Zeros between non-zero digits are significant (e.g., 1002 has 4 significant figures).
  • For numbers without a decimal point, trailing zeros may or may not be significant depending on the context (e.g., 1500 has 2 significant figures unless specified otherwise).