Tabulating a Function with exponential values and using fprintf

I want to tabulate my function. However, when I do, all my y values are zeros since my numbers are really small from the range of 10^-18 to 10^-14. My prof commented how I should use fprintf instead of disp and that fprintf statement having z(j) and y(j) as the varialbes print. How can I make a table where my table will show y-values with an exponential notation.

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%script to call Bohr_Model_RJP
%prepare for loop
npts=118;
dz = 118/(npts-1);
disp( 'z' )
n=1; 
%loop
for j=1 : npts
    z(j) = dz*(j-1);
    y(j) = zeff(z(j),n);
    disp ([ z(j), y(j) ])
end
    
function E = zeff(z,n)
%n-value represents an electron circular-orbit around a nucleus; the higher the n-value, the farther the orbit%; 
%z-value represents the atomic number of an element, randomly generated from 0 to 118 because there are 118 elements on the periodic table;
R= 2.178*10^-18;
%R-value represents the Rydberg constant which is measured in Joules
E=-(R*z^2/n^2); 
% Formula calculating the energy a nucleus exerts on an electron
%value is negative because the nucleus pulls the electron towards it.
end

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

The loop is not required. By vectorizing the function you can simplify your code.

https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/vectorization.html

npts = 118;
n = 1;
z = linspace(0,npts,npts); % odd, but exactly the same as what you have.
y = zeff(z,n);

fprintf('%+.4e  %+.4e\n',[y;z])

-0.0000e+00  +0.0000e+00
-2.2154e-18  +1.0085e+00
-8.8616e-18  +2.0171e+00
-1.9939e-17  +3.0256e+00
-3.5446e-17  +4.0342e+00
-5.5385e-17  +5.0427e+00
-7.9754e-17  +6.0513e+00
-1.0855e-16  +7.0598e+00
-1.4178e-16  +8.0684e+00
-1.7945e-16  +9.0769e+00
-2.2154e-16  +1.0085e+01
-2.6806e-16  +1.1094e+01
-3.1902e-16  +1.2103e+01
-3.7440e-16  +1.3111e+01
-4.3422e-16  +1.4120e+01
-4.9846e-16  +1.5128e+01
-5.6714e-16  +1.6137e+01
-6.4025e-16  +1.7145e+01
-7.1779e-16  +1.8154e+01
-7.9976e-16  +1.9162e+01
-8.8616e-16  +2.0171e+01
-9.7699e-16  +2.1179e+01
-1.0722e-15  +2.2188e+01
-1.1719e-15  +2.3197e+01
-1.2761e-15  +2.4205e+01
-1.3846e-15  +2.5214e+01
-1.4976e-15  +2.6222e+01
-1.6150e-15  +2.7231e+01
-1.7369e-15  +2.8239e+01
-1.8631e-15  +2.9248e+01
-1.9939e-15  +3.0256e+01
-2.1290e-15  +3.1265e+01
-2.2686e-15  +3.2274e+01
-2.4126e-15  +3.3282e+01
-2.5610e-15  +3.4291e+01
-2.7139e-15  +3.5299e+01
-2.8711e-15  +3.6308e+01
-3.0329e-15  +3.7316e+01
-3.1990e-15  +3.8325e+01
-3.3696e-15  +3.9333e+01
-3.5446e-15  +4.0342e+01
-3.7241e-15  +4.1350e+01
-3.9079e-15  +4.2359e+01
-4.0963e-15  +4.3368e+01
-4.2890e-15  +4.4376e+01
-4.4862e-15  +4.5385e+01
-4.6878e-15  +4.6393e+01
-4.8938e-15  +4.7402e+01
-5.1043e-15  +4.8410e+01
-5.3192e-15  +4.9419e+01
-5.5385e-15  +5.0427e+01
-5.7622e-15  +5.1436e+01
-5.9904e-15  +5.2444e+01
-6.2230e-15  +5.3453e+01
-6.4601e-15  +5.4462e+01
-6.7016e-15  +5.5470e+01
-6.9475e-15  +5.6479e+01
-7.1978e-15  +5.7487e+01
-7.4526e-15  +5.8496e+01
-7.7118e-15  +5.9504e+01
-7.9754e-15  +6.0513e+01
-8.2435e-15  +6.1521e+01
-8.5160e-15  +6.2530e+01
-8.7929e-15  +6.3538e+01
-9.0742e-15  +6.4547e+01
-9.3600e-15  +6.5556e+01
-9.6502e-15  +6.6564e+01
-9.9449e-15  +6.7573e+01
-1.0244e-14  +6.8581e+01
-1.0547e-14  +6.9590e+01
-1.0855e-14  +7.0598e+01
-1.1168e-14  +7.1607e+01
-1.1485e-14  +7.2615e+01
-1.1806e-14  +7.3624e+01
-1.2131e-14  +7.4632e+01
-1.2462e-14  +7.5641e+01
-1.2796e-14  +7.6650e+01
-1.3135e-14  +7.7658e+01
-1.3478e-14  +7.8667e+01
-1.3826e-14  +7.9675e+01
-1.4178e-14  +8.0684e+01
-1.4535e-14  +8.1692e+01
-1.4896e-14  +8.2701e+01
-1.5262e-14  +8.3709e+01
-1.5632e-14  +8.4718e+01
-1.6006e-14  +8.5726e+01
-1.6385e-14  +8.6735e+01
-1.6768e-14  +8.7744e+01
-1.7156e-14  +8.8752e+01
-1.7548e-14  +8.9761e+01
-1.7945e-14  +9.0769e+01
-1.8346e-14  +9.1778e+01
-1.8751e-14  +9.2786e+01
-1.9161e-14  +9.3795e+01
-1.9575e-14  +9.4803e+01
-1.9994e-14  +9.5812e+01
-2.0417e-14  +9.6821e+01
-2.0845e-14  +9.7829e+01
-2.1277e-14  +9.8838e+01
-2.1713e-14  +9.9846e+01
-2.2154e-14  +1.0085e+02
-2.2599e-14  +1.0186e+02
-2.3049e-14  +1.0287e+02
-2.3503e-14  +1.0388e+02
-2.3962e-14  +1.0489e+02
-2.4425e-14  +1.0590e+02
-2.4892e-14  +1.0691e+02
-2.5364e-14  +1.0791e+02
-2.5840e-14  +1.0892e+02
-2.6321e-14  +1.0993e+02
-2.6806e-14  +1.1094e+02
-2.7296e-14  +1.1195e+02
-2.7790e-14  +1.1296e+02
-2.8288e-14  +1.1397e+02
-2.8791e-14  +1.1497e+02
-2.9299e-14  +1.1598e+02
-2.9810e-14  +1.1699e+02
-3.0326e-14  +1.1800e+02

function E = zeff(z,n)
%n-value represents an electron circular-orbit around a nucleus; the higher the n-value, the farther the orbit%; 
%z-value represents the atomic number of an element, randomly generated from 0 to 118 because there are 118 elements on the periodic table;
R = 2.178*10^-18;
%R-value represents the Rydberg constant which is measured in Joules
E = -(R*z.^2/n^2);  % !!! vectorized power operation !!!
% Formula calculating the energy a nucleus exerts on an electron
%value is negative because the nucleus pulls the electron towards it.
end