Question

There are 1.3×10⁵ cells in a petri dish. Each cell is approximately 2.8×10^(-6) m. How large are the cells combined?

A) 3.64 x 10^(-1) m
B) 3.64 x 10¹ m
C) 3.64 x 10⁵ m
D) 3.64 x 10⁶ m

Answer 1

The combined size of the cells in the petri dish is 3.64 x 10¹ m (Option B).

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the combined size of the cells, you can multiply the number of cells by the size of each cell. The total size (S) can be calculated using the formula S = Number of cells × Size of each cell. Substituting the given values, we get:

`\[ S = (1.3 × 10^5 \, \text{cells}) * (2.8 × 10^(-6) \, \text{m/cell}) = 3.64 × 10^1 \, \text{m} \]`

Therefore, the correct answer is 3.64 x 10¹ m, which corresponds to Option B.

This calculation demonstrates the application of basic arithmetic with scientific notation to find the combined size of the cells. It is crucial to multiply the number of cells by the size of each cell to obtain the total size. The result is expressed in scientific notation to maintain appropriate precision and scale in scientific calculations. The final answer signifies the overall spatial extent of the cells in the petri dish, providing a quantitative measure of their combined size.