Question

There is an average of 3.5×10−2 kilograms of dissolved salt in each liter of seawater. The Indian Ocean contains approximately ​2.64×1020​ liters of seawater.

How many kilograms of dissolved salt are in the Indian Ocean?

Enter your answer, in scientific notation, by filling in the boxes.



× 10
kg

Answer 1

To find the total kilograms of dissolved salt in the Indian Ocean, you can multiply the amount of dissolved salt per liter of seawater by the total volume of seawater in liters.

1. Amount of dissolved salt per liter: \( 3.5 \times 10^{-2} \) kg/L
2. Volume of seawater in the Indian Ocean: \( 2.64 \times 10^{20} \) L

Now, multiply these two values:

\[
3.5 \times 10^{-2} \text{ kg/L} \times 2.64 \times 10^{20} \text{ L}
\]

To do this multiplication, first multiply the coefficients (3.5 and 2.64) and then add the exponents of 10:

\[
3.5 \times 2.64 = 9.24
\]
\[
10^{-2} \times 10^{20} = 10^{(20 - 2)} = 10^{18}
\]

Combining these results gives:

\[
9.24 \times 10^{18} \text{ kg}
\]

Now, if we want this in scientific notation, we can express it as:

\[
9.24 \times 10^{18} = 9.24 \cdot 10^{18} \text{ kg}
\]

So, the answer in the specified format for the boxes provided in scientific notation would be:

\[
\text{Answer: } 9.24 \times 10^{18} \text{ kg}
\]

Thus, your answer to fill in the boxes would be:

\[
9.24 \text{ in the first box, and } 18 \text{ in the second box.}
\]