The average tectonic plate

moves at the rate of 0.006 m
per year. How many meters
would it move in 2*10^6
years? Write the answer in
scientific notation, expressed
to the exact decimal place.

1 answer

To find the distance that a tectonic plate would move in \(2 \times 10^6\) years, we can use the formula:

\[ \text{Distance} = \text{Rate} \times \text{Time} \]

Given:

  • Rate = \(0.006 , \text{m/year}\)
  • Time = \(2 \times 10^6 , \text{years}\)

Now substitute the values into the formula:

\[ \text{Distance} = 0.006 , \text{m/year} \times 2 \times 10^6 , \text{years} \]

Calculating this step by step:

  1. Multiply \(0.006\) by \(2\):

\[ 0.006 \times 2 = 0.012 \]

  1. Now multiply this by \(10^6\):

\[ 0.012 \times 10^6 = 1.2 \times 10^4 \]

The distance that the tectonic plate would move in \(2 \times 10^6\) years is:

\[ \boxed{1.2 \times 10^4 \text{ m}} \]