The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is an area of plastic waste twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean. It is estimated there are **1.8 x 1012** pieces of plastic in this patch with a mass of about **7.9 x 107 kg**. Out of this, **8%**is in the form of microplastics, which are small pieces less than 5 mm long. Microplastics pose a health hazard to humans, fish, and wildlife. How many **kilograms** of microplastics are in this garbage patch?

Round-off your answer to three significant figures in scientific notation.

To find the mass of microplastics in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Calculation:

1. **Total Mass of Plastics:**
   \[
   7.9 \times 10^7 \text{ kg}
   \]

2. **Percentage of Microplastics:**
   \[
   8\%
   \]

3. **Mass of Microplastics:**
   To calculate the mass of microplastics, multiply the total mass of plastics by the percentage of microplastics (expressed as a decimal):
   \[
   \text{Mass of microplastics} = 7.9 \times 10^7 \text{ kg} \times \frac{8}{100}
   \]

   \[
   = 7.9 \times 10^7 \text{ kg} \times 0.08
   \]

   \[
   = 0.632 \times 10^7 \text{ kg}
   \]

   \[
   = 6.32 \times 10^6 \text{ kg}
   \]

### Rounded Answer:
The mass of microplastics in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is approximately \(6.32 \times 10^6\) kg when rounded to three significant figures.

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Let me know if you have any questions or if you would like further explanation on any part of this calculation!

### Related Questions:

1. What is the impact of microplastics on marine ecosystems?
2. How do microplastics enter the food chain?
3. What are the primary sources of microplastics in the ocean?
4. How can microplastic pollution be reduced or mitigated?
5. What are the long-term effects of microplastics on human health?
6. How does the Great Pacific Garbage Patch affect ocean currents and climate?
7. What technologies are being developed to clean up oceanic plastic waste?
8. How can individual actions contribute to reducing plastic pollution?

### Tip:

Reducing single-use plastics and supporting plastic recycling initiatives can significantly decrease the amount of plastic entering oceans and reduce the environmental impact of microplastics.

Learn how to calculate the mass of microplastics in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch using percentage calculations and scientific notation. Understand the environmental impact of microplastics and their implications for marine ecosystems. Suitable for students and environmental enthusiasts.

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