Final answer:
To rank the numbers from fewest to most significant figures: B (0.0052) has two, A (0.43) also has two, C (0.430) has three, and D (4.321 x 10^-10) has four. Thus, the order is B, A, C, D.
Step-by-step explanation:
We are asked to rank the given numbers by the number of significant figures from the fewest to the most. Let's assess each one individually:
- B. 0.0052 has two significant figures. The leading zeros are not significant; they are only there to locate the decimal point.
- A. 0.43 has two significant figures, the same number as option B, but because we cannot have two 'fewest', B is listed first due to the nature of its leading zeros and then A.
- C. 0.430 has three significant figures. The trailing zero is significant because it is after the decimal point and is trailing a nonzero digit.
- D. 4.321 x 10^-10 has four significant figures. The exponent 10^-10 only sets the location of the decimal point and does not affect the count of significant figures.
Therefore, the order from the fewest significant figures to the most is: B, A, C, D.
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