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On the opposite end of the electromagnetic spectrum from the radio waves, the wavelengths get smaller and smaller. Visible light waves, for example, are listed on the diagram as measuring approximately 10⁻⁶ meters.
10⁻⁶ has a negative exponent. How do we calculate 10⁻⁶? Let’s write 10⁻⁶ as a decimal to understand the value of negative exponents.
10⁻⁶ is the reciprocal of 10⁶ which means:
So:
To summarize how to calculate the negative exponent: take the positive exponent, and divide 1 by that number.
Some other examples of negative exponents:
