Metric System for Recording Measurments

Why do we use a standard system? So that measurements can be consistent

among people from all over the world

If I measured the length of the front lab table using footsteps and compared this measurement to someone else's measurement using foot steps, would these numbers be the same? Why or Why not?

SI uses the number 10 as a base- Let’s look at some units There are standard units for different types of

measurements. Length = Meters Mass = Grams Volume= Liters Temperature = Celsius

Length

The basic unit of length in the metric system is the meter (m)

The meter is = to 39.4 inches

Volume

Volume is the amount of space an object takes up.

The basic unit of volume is the liter (L) The liter is usually used for measuring the volume

of liquids The volume of solids can be measured in cubic centimeters (cc or cm3) = a cube that

measures 1cm x 1cm x 1cm 1cc is exactly equal to in volume to 1 ml

Mass

Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object

The basic unit of mass is the gram (g)

Weight

Weight is a measure of the attraction between two objects due to gravity

Your weight on another planet may differ due to the amount of gravity, however your mass will always be the same

Prefixes for our basic units

Deci = 1/10 a decimeter is 1/10 of a meter Centi= 1/100 a centimeter is 1/100 of a meter Milli= 1/1000 a millimeter is 1/1000 of a

meter Kilo= x1000 a kilometer is 1000x a meter

A kilogram is 1000x a gram A milligram is 1/1000 of a gram

Density

Density is the amount of matter that occupies a particular space

D= Mass/Volume or D = M/V If the substance is a solid we use g/cm3

If the substance is a liquid we use g/ml

Metric Prefixes used in Conversion

How can you remember this?

How do you convert from one unit to another? For every space that you move you move

the decimal one place to the left or the right

K – H – Da - - d – c - mK – H – Da - - d – c - m

A Sample Problem…

3.45 Kg = _____g

K – H – D - - d – c - mK – H – D - - d – c - m1 2 3

3450.

Another Sample Problem

756 ml = ______L

K – H – D - - d – c - mK – H – D - - d – c - m123

.756