Measuring in Metric

These notes go on p. 3 of your INB

International System of Units (SI)

• Base of 10, for easy math• 1 m= 100 cm= 1000 mm• Standard units:

– Mass= gram (g)– Length= meter (m)– Volume= liter (l)

• All measurements have a number and a unit!

Mass

• amount of matter in an object– Measured with a triple beam balance

• Mass is ≠ to weight

Volume of Regular Solid Objects• The amount of space an object “takes up”

• V= length X width X height

• Units= cm³ – 1 cm³ = 1 ml

Volume of Irregular Solid Objects• Use the water

displacement method in a graduated cylinder

• V= Final – Initial

• Read the meniscus, or bottom of the curve

Density

• The amount of matter in a certain volume

• Formula: D= m/V

• Units= g/cm³ = g/ml

• Density is always the same for a given uniform material!

Converting Units

khd m dcm l g

k= kilo m= meters d= decih= hecto l= liters c=

centid= deca g= grams m=

milli

Small to Big= move decimal to the left

Big to small = move decimal to the right

PREFIX MEANING

Kilo-[Kill-uh] -----------One thousand (1,000)

Hecto-[Hec-tuh]-------One hundred (100)

Deca-[Dec-uh]---------Ten (10)

___________________________________

___________________________________Deci-[Dess-ih]--------- One tenth (1/10)

Centi-[Sen-tih]--------One hundrendth (1/100)

Milli-[Mill-ih]-------- One thousandth (1/1,000)