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Logarithmic

Definition

In the context of biology, a logarithmic scale is often used to represent data that covers a large range of values in a compact way. It's a mathematical concept where each increment on the axis increases by a factor of 10.

Analogy

Imagine you're reading a book series with an increasing number of pages in each book. The first book has 10 pages, the second has 100, the third has 1,000 and so on. If you were to plot this on a graph with regular scales, it would be hard to see any detail for the earlier books because they are so much smaller than the later ones. But if you use a logarithmic scale (log scale), each step up represents multiplying by ten - so all your books can fit neatly and visibly on your shelf (or graph).

Related terms

Exponential Growth: This refers to an increase that becomes more rapid over time due to growth being proportional to current size.

pH Scale: A logarithmic scale used in chemistry and biology that measures acidity or alkalinity. Each unit represents a tenfold difference in acidity.

Decibel Scale: Another example of a logarithmic scale used in physics and engineering to measure sound intensity. Each increase of 10 decibels represents approximately doubling the perceived loudness.