Scientific Notation Converter
Convert numbers between scientific notation and decimal format. Instant conversion tool for engineering, physics calculations. Handle large and small numbers easily.
What is Scientific Notation?
Scientific notation is a way of expressing numbers that are too large or too small to be conveniently written in standard decimal form. It is commonly used by scientists, mathematicians, and engineers to simplify calculations and express measurements more concisely.
In scientific notation, a number is written as the product of a coefficient (a number between 1 and 10) and a power of 10. For example, 300 can be written as 3 × 10² or 3e2.
How to Use This Converter
Converting to Scientific Notation:
- Enter your standard number in the input field
- Select the desired number of decimal places for the coefficient
- Click 'Convert' to see the result in scientific notation
- The result will show both the standard notation (e.g., 1.23e8) and the formatted version (1.23 × 10⁸)
Converting to Standard Form:
- Switch to 'To Standard Form' mode
- Enter the scientific notation (you can use formats like 1.23e8, 1.23E8, or 1.23×10^8)
- Click 'Convert' to see the result in standard decimal form
- Very large or small numbers will be displayed with proper formatting
Understanding the Result:
- Coefficient: The number between 1 and 10 (or -1 and -10 for negative numbers)
- Exponent: The power of 10 that the coefficient is multiplied by
- Positive exponent: Indicates a large number (move decimal point right)
- Negative exponent: Indicates a small number (move decimal point left)
Conversion Examples
Large Number
123,456,789 = 1.23 × 10⁸
The coefficient is 1.23 and the exponent is 8, meaning move the decimal 8 places to the right
Small Number
0.00000123 = 1.23 × 10⁻⁶
The negative exponent -6 means move the decimal 6 places to the left
Negative Large Number
-5,430,000 = -5.43 × 10⁶
Scientific notation works the same way for negative numbers
Speed of Light
299,792,458 m/s ≈ 3.00 × 10⁸ m/s
Commonly used in physics to express very large values
Planck Length
0.000000000000000000000000000000000016 m ≈ 1.6 × 10⁻³⁵ m
Essential for expressing extremely small measurements in quantum physics
Earth's Mass
5,972,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 kg ≈ 5.97 × 10²⁴ kg
Makes astronomical numbers much easier to read and work with
