ActuallyImad

Both of your replies were really helpful. So putting negative exponents to the side for a second, say, 6.67 * 10^2 simplified (just to cement my understanding) would be 6.67 * 100 = 667, and the negative would be 6.67 * 0.01 = 0.0667 If so, then I completely understand that part. Now I get that, I guess I'll ask you very next thing I should learn after that, when calculating the equation in its simplified form ( 6.67 x 0.00000000001 ) I get the answer 6.67384e-11 , could anyone explain the e-11 part? The answer to 6.67384 x 10^-11 obviously isn't 6.67384, so why is it represented that way, or maybe not why is it that way, but my naivety would have me look at that equation and see it as 6.67384 , so how am I interpreting that wrongly? I mean, the only way it's equal to that is if its 6.67384 * 1, and it clearly isn't. I know to people who know these things, you know it isn't that, and doesn't look like it's equal to 6.67384 but it does to me, basiclly, how do I apply e-11 to the sum before it and come out with the right answer. Thanks again.

I should have titled this: What kind of information should I know before going into physics education, and are the things listed below among them? I have a notepad dedicated to physics, as reading things isn't really enough to embed things in my knowledge, everything I want to learn, I write down rather than just read. There are lots of pages dedicated to different things, but an example of some of the things I've written down are: phyiscal constants, G, c mass of electron/proton/neutron Pi, Tau, Lots and lots of symbols, from λ = wavelength / Cosmo. constant to = field strength I don't yet know all of these things off the top of my head, and I know theres no need to know the mass of particles to the full extent of decimal places known, but with time I hope to know them to some degree, and I think I should know the symbols if I really want to get comfortable with physics. I'm no expert but I'm also by no means a complete rookie, more of a keen learner for the last 2 years or so. What things should someone who wants to get higher physics education should know, before starting higher education? If anyone is kind enough to have a long conversation with me about this, feel free to PM me and we can talk somewhere good for both us. Big ol' thank you to anyone kind enough to help! - Imad

When I see an equation like 6.67384 x 10^-11 (G constant), how exactly do i write out the 10^-11 part, would it be 0. (eleven 0s and a one? or ten 0s and 1) or am i wrong on both of them? Basically the ideal reply to this would realy just be what exactly the 10^-11 is written out as, because though I get the meaning, if I tried to solve something with an equation containing that kind of math language, I probably wouldn't be correct because I'm not 100% sure how to write it. This is my first post here, but I think you guys can expect to see me around the Physics board pretty often Thanks for any help in advance, Imad