Exponentiation is a mathematical operation that involves raising a number, called the base, to a power, known as the exponent. The exponent indicates how many times the base is multiplied by itself. For example, in the expression 2^3, the base is 2 and the exponent is 3, which means 2 × 2 × 2 = 8. This operation is fundamental in various fields, including science and engineering, as it helps express large numbers compactly. Exponentiation also has properties, such as a^m × a^n = a^(m+n), which simplifies calculations involving powers of the same base.