How many significant figures are present in the quantity 9.86 m/s²?

The quantity 9.86 m/s² has three significant figures. Significant figures are determined by the precision of the measurement and include all non-zero digits, any zeros between significant digits, and any trailing zeros in the decimal portion.

In this case, the digits 9, 8, and 6 are all non-zero, and they contribute to the count of significant figures. Since there are no leading zeros or trailing zeros after the decimal point, there are no additional figures to consider. Therefore, the total count of significant figures in 9.86 m/s² is three.