Final answer:
One milligram is one-thousandth of a gram, or 1 mg = 1 × 10-3 g, and this can be expressed in scientific notation with a positive exponent as 1 × 103 to represent 0.001 grams.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'One milligram is equal to 10-3 grams' can be rewritten using a positive exponent by expressing the gram as the base unit and remembering that a milligram is one-thousandth of a gram. Therefore, 1 mg can be expressed as 1 × 10-3 g, which equals 0.001 grams.
To convert into a positive exponent, we simply recognize that 0.001 is the same as 1 x 103 (since the decimal has been moved three places to the right). Converting the mass examples given into scientific notation, we get:
- 3.8 × 10-5 kg = 3.8 × 102 mg
- 2.3 × 1017 kg = 2.3 × 1014 g
- 2.4 × 10-11 kg = 2.4 × 10-8 g
- 8 × 1015 kg = 8 × 1012 g
- 4.2 x 10-3kg = 4.2 x 100 g