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0.2 Mathematical basics  (Page 3/3)

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Number Exponential Form Common Logarithm
1000 10 3 3
10 10 1 1
1 10 0 0
0.1 10 −1 −1
0.001 10 −3 −3

To find the common logarithm of most numbers, you will need to use the LOG button on a calculator.

Rounding and significant digits

In reporting numerical data obtained via measurements, we use only as many significant figures as the accuracy of the measurement warrants. For example, suppose a microbiologist using an automated cell counter determines that there are 525,341 bacterial cells in a one-liter sample of river water. However, she records the concentration as 525,000 cells per liter and uses this rounded number to estimate the number of cells that would likely be found in 10 liters of river water. In this instance, the last three digits of the measured quantity are not considered significant. They are rounded to account for variations in the number of cells that would likely occur if more samples were measured.

The importance of significant figures lies in their application to fundamental computation. In addition and subtraction, the sum or difference should contain as many digits to the right of the decimal as that in the least certain (indicated by underscoring in the following example) of the numbers used in the computation.

Suppose a microbiologist wishes to calculate the total mass of two samples of agar.

4.38 3 _ g 3.002 1 _ ______ g 7.38 5 _ g

The least certain of the two masses has three decimal places, so the sum must have three decimal places.

In multiplication and division, the product or quotient should contain no more digits than than in the factor containing the least number of significant figures. Suppose the microbiologist would like to calculate how much of a reagent would be present in 6.6 mL if the concentration is 0.638 g/mL.

0.63 8 _ g mL × 6. 6 _ mL = 4.1 g

Again, the answer has only one decimal place because this is the accuracy of the least accurate number in the calculation.

When rounding numbers, increase the retained digit by 1 if it is followed by a number larger than 5 (“round up”). Do not change the retained digit if the digits that follow are less than 5 (“round down”). If the retained digit is followed by 5, round up if the retained digit is odd, or round down if it is even (after rounding, the retained digit will thus always be even).

Generation time

It is possible to write an equation to calculate the cell numbers at any time if the number of starting cells and doubling time are known, as long as the cells are dividing at a constant rate. We define N 0 as the starting number of bacteria, the number at time t = 0. N i is the number of bacteria at time t = i , an arbitrary time in the future. Finally we will set j equal to the number of generations, or the number of times the cell population doubles during the time interval. Then we have,

N i = N 0 × 2 j

This equation is an expression of growth by binary fission.

In our example, N 0 = 4, the number of generations, j , is equal to 3 after 90 minutes because the generation time is 30 minutes. The number of cells can be estimated from the following equation:

N i = N 0 × 2 j N 90 = 4 × 2 3 N 90 = 4 × 8 = 32

The number of cells after 90 minutes is 32.

Most probable number

The table in [link] contains values used to calculate the most probable number example given in How Microbes Grow .

A table is titled Most Probable Number Table. For each row, it states the number of tubes giving a positive reaction for a 5-tube set for 10 mL, 1 mL and 0.1 mL tubes, followed by the MPN per 100 mL, and the 95% confidence limits for low and high. For row 1, the reactions are 10 mL = 0, 1 mL = 0, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is <2, and the low and high confidence limits are <1 and 7. For row 2, the reactions are 10 mL = 0, 1 mL = 1, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 2, and the low and high confidence limits are <1 and 7. For row 3, the reactions are 10 mL = 0, 1 mL = 2, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 4, and the low and high confidence limits are <1 and 11. For row 4, the reactions are 10 mL = 1, 1 mL = 0, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 2, and the low and high confidence limits are <1 and 7. For row 5, the reactions are 10 mL = 1, 1 mL = 0, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 4, and the low and high confidence limits are <1 and 11. For row 6, the reactions are 10 mL = 1, 1 mL = 1, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 4, and the low and high confidence limits are <1 and 11. For row 7, the reactions are 10 mL = 1, 1 mL = 1, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 6, and the low and high confidence limits are <1 and 15. For row 8, the reactions are 10 mL = 2, 1 mL = 0, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 5, and the low and high confidence limits are <1 and 13. For row 9, the reactions are 10 mL = 2, 1 mL = 0, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 7, and the low and high confidence limits are 1 and 17. For row 10, the reactions are 10 mL = 2, 1 mL = 1, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 7, and the low and high confidence limits are 1 and 17. For row 11, the reactions are 10 mL = 2, 1 mL = 1, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 9, and the low and high confidence limits are 2 and 21. For row 12, the reactions are 10 mL = 2, 1 mL = 2, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 9, and the low and high confidence limits are 2 and 21. For row 13, the reactions are 10 mL = 2, 1 mL = 3, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 12, and the low and high confidence limits are 3 and 28. For row 14, the reactions are 10 mL = 3, 1 mL = 0, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 8, and the low and high confidence limits are 1 and 19. For row 15, the reactions are 10 mL = 3, 1 mL = 0, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 11, and the low and high confidence limits are 2 and 25. For row 16, the reactions are 10 mL = 3, 1 mL = 1, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 11, and the low and high confidence limits are 2 and 25. For row 17, the reactions are 10 mL = 3, 1 mL = 1, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 14, and the low and high confidence limits are 4 and 34. For row 18, the reactions are 10 mL = 3, 1 mL = 2, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 14, and the low and high confidence limits are 4 and 34. For row 19, the reactions are 10 mL = 3, 1 mL = 2, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 17, and the low and high confidence limits are 5 and 46. For row 20, the reactions are 10 mL = 3, 1 mL = 3, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 17, and the low and high confidence limits are 5 and 46. For row 21, the reactions are 10 mL = 4, 1 mL = 0, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 13, and the low and high confidence limits are 3 and 31. For row 22, the reactions are 10 mL = 4, 1 mL = 0, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 17, and the low and high confidence limits are 5 and 46. For row 23, the reactions are 10 mL = 4, 1 mL = 1, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 17, and the low and high confidence limits are 5 and 46. For row 24, the reactions are 10 mL = 4, 1 mL = 1, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 21, and the low and high confidence limits are 7 and 63. For row 25, the reactions are 10 mL = 4, 1 mL = 1, 0.1 mL = 2; the MPN is 26, and the low and high confidence limits are 9 and 78. For row 26, the reactions are 10 mL = 4, 1 mL = 2, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 22, and the low and high confidence limits are 7 and 67. For row 27, the reactions are 10 mL = 4, 1 mL = 2, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 26, and the low and high confidence limits are 9 and 80. For row 28, the reactions are 10 mL = 4, 1 mL = 3, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 27, and the low and high confidence limits are 9 and 80. For row 29, the reactions are 10 mL = 4, 1 mL = 3, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 33, and the low and high confidence limits are 11 and 93. For row 30, the reactions are 10 mL = 4, 1 mL = 4, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 34, and the low and high confidence limits are 12 and 93. For row 31, the reactions are 10 mL = 5, 1 mL = 0, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 23, and the low and high confidence limits are 7 and 70. For row 32, the reactions are 10 mL = 5, 1 mL = 0, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 31, and the low and high confidence limits are 11 and 89. For row 33, the reactions are 10 mL = 5, 1 mL = 0, 0.1 mL = 2; the MPN is 43, and the low and high confidence limits are 15 and 110. For row 34, the reactions are 10 mL = 5, 1 mL = 1, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 33, and the low and high confidence limits are 11 and 93. For row 35, the reactions are 10 mL = 5, 1 mL = 1, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 46, and the low and high confidence limits are 16 and 120. For row 36, the reactions are 10 mL = 5, 1 mL = 1, 0.1 mL = 2; the MPN is 63, and the low and high confidence limits are 21 and 150. For row 37, the reactions are 10 mL = 5, 1 mL = 2, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 49, and the low and high confidence limits are 17 and 130. For row 38, the reactions are 10 mL = 5, 1 mL = 2, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 70, and the low and high confidence limits are 23 and 170. For row 39, the reactions are 10 mL = 5, 1 mL = 2, 0.1 mL = 2; the MPN is 94, and the low and high confidence limits are 28 and 220. For row 40, the reactions are 10 mL = 5, 1 mL = 3, 0.1 mL = 0; the MPN is 79, and the low and high confidence limits are 25 and 190. For row 41, the reactions are 10 mL = 5, 1 mL = 3, 0.1 mL = 1; the MPN is 110, and the low and high confidence limits are 31 and 250. For row 42, the reactions are 10 mL = 5, 1 mL = 3, 0.1 mL = 2; the MPN is 140, and the low and high confidence limits are 37 and 340. For row 43, the reactions are 10 mL = 5, 1 mL = 3, 0.1 mL = 3; the MPN is 180, and the low and high confidence limits are 44 and 500.

Questions & Answers

Three charges q_{1}=+3\mu C, q_{2}=+6\mu C and q_{3}=+8\mu C are located at (2,0)m (0,0)m and (0,3) coordinates respectively. Find the magnitude and direction acted upon q_{2} by the two other charges.Draw the correct graphical illustration of the problem above showing the direction of all forces.
Kate Reply
To solve this problem, we need to first find the net force acting on charge q_{2}. The magnitude of the force exerted by q_{1} on q_{2} is given by F=\frac{kq_{1}q_{2}}{r^{2}} where k is the Coulomb constant, q_{1} and q_{2} are the charges of the particles, and r is the distance between them.
Muhammed
What is the direction and net electric force on q_{1}= 5µC located at (0,4)r due to charges q_{2}=7mu located at (0,0)m and q_{3}=3\mu C located at (4,0)m?
Kate Reply
what is the change in momentum of a body?
Eunice Reply
what is a capacitor?
Raymond Reply
Capacitor is a separation of opposite charges using an insulator of very small dimension between them. Capacitor is used for allowing an AC (alternating current) to pass while a DC (direct current) is blocked.
Gautam
A motor travelling at 72km/m on sighting a stop sign applying the breaks such that under constant deaccelerate in the meters of 50 metres what is the magnitude of the accelerate
Maria Reply
please solve
Sharon
8m/s²
Aishat
What is Thermodynamics
Muordit
velocity can be 72 km/h in question. 72 km/h=20 m/s, v^2=2.a.x , 20^2=2.a.50, a=4 m/s^2.
Mehmet
A boat travels due east at a speed of 40meter per seconds across a river flowing due south at 30meter per seconds. what is the resultant speed of the boat
Saheed Reply
50 m/s due south east
Someone
which has a higher temperature, 1cup of boiling water or 1teapot of boiling water which can transfer more heat 1cup of boiling water or 1 teapot of boiling water explain your . answer
Ramon Reply
I believe temperature being an intensive property does not change for any amount of boiling water whereas heat being an extensive property changes with amount/size of the system.
Someone
Scratch that
Someone
temperature for any amount of water to boil at ntp is 100⁰C (it is a state function and and intensive property) and it depends both will give same amount of heat because the surface available for heat transfer is greater in case of the kettle as well as the heat stored in it but if you talk.....
Someone
about the amount of heat stored in the system then in that case since the mass of water in the kettle is greater so more energy is required to raise the temperature b/c more molecules of water are present in the kettle
Someone
definitely of physics
Haryormhidey Reply
how many start and codon
Esrael Reply
what is field
Felix Reply
physics, biology and chemistry this is my Field
ALIYU
field is a region of space under the influence of some physical properties
Collete
what is ogarnic chemistry
WISDOM Reply
determine the slope giving that 3y+ 2x-14=0
WISDOM
Another formula for Acceleration
Belty Reply
a=v/t. a=f/m a
IHUMA
innocent
Adah
pratica A on solution of hydro chloric acid,B is a solution containing 0.5000 mole ofsodium chlorid per dm³,put A in the burret and titrate 20.00 or 25.00cm³ portion of B using melting orange as the indicator. record the deside of your burret tabulate the burret reading and calculate the average volume of acid used?
Nassze Reply
how do lnternal energy measures
Esrael
Two bodies attract each other electrically. Do they both have to be charged? Answer the same question if the bodies repel one another.
JALLAH Reply
No. According to Isac Newtons law. this two bodies maybe you and the wall beside you. Attracting depends on the mass och each body and distance between them.
Dlovan
Are you really asking if two bodies have to be charged to be influenced by Coulombs Law?
Robert
like charges repel while unlike charges atttact
Raymond
What is specific heat capacity
Destiny Reply
Specific heat capacity is a measure of the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree Celsius (or Kelvin). It is measured in Joules per kilogram per degree Celsius (J/kg°C).
AI-Robot
specific heat capacity is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree Celsius or kelvin
ROKEEB
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Source:  OpenStax, Microbiology. OpenStax CNX. Nov 01, 2016 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col12087/1.4
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