Quantitative Astronomy Guided Notes.docx - Guided Notes –...

Guided Notes – Quantitative Astronomy
Numbers Need Units
Why do we need to have units attached to numbers when discussing things in science?
What are the three types of quantities that we measure in this class? What are the metric system’s units
for each of these quantities?
What is a prefix good for in the metric system? What are three examples of metric system prefixes, and what does each one stand for? What are three non-metric units we might use often in this course, and what does each one mean?
Your employer gives you a chance to decide how long your break should be. Which one should you
select?

Big Numbers
Why do we need a shorthand (called “scientific notation”) for big numbers in Astronomy?