An environmental scientist tested a compost sample in the lab to find the number of bacteria it contained. The following output was given on her machine for one gram of compost.

1.1E9

The mass of one cubic yard is about 765,000 grams. About how many bacteria would she expect to find in a cubic yard of the same compost?
A.
8.415 × 1012
B.
8.415 × 1014
C.
8.415 × 1013
D.
8.415 × 1015

1 answer

C. 8.415 × 10^13

To find the number of bacteria in a cubic yard of compost, you need to multiply the number of bacteria in one gram by the number of grams in a cubic yard.

1.1E9 bacteria per gram x 765,000 grams = 8.415 x 10^13 bacteria

Therefore, the scientist would expect to find approximately 8.415 x 10^13 bacteria in a cubic yard of the same compost.