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Use appropriate tools and equipment for measuring
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Use the metric system for measuring
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Use the “ladder method” and dimensional analysis to convert values between metric and English units

Merci Beaucoup!!!

The Metric System
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Standardized system of measurement
used by all scientists worldwide.
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Based on units of 10
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Similar to our monetary system:
10 cents = dime
100 cents = dollar
10 dimes = dollar

In the U.S. we use the
Metric or SI System.
Measurements are easily understood by all scientists

Measurements are easier to convert than the scientists.

In the English system you have to remember so many units numbers . . .
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12 inches in a foot
3 feet in a yard
5,280 feet in a mile
16 ounces in a pound
4 quarts to a gallon
In the SI System you only have to remember one number - 10 and a few basic units

Length: measures distance between objects
Volume: measures the amount of space something takes up
Mass: measures the amount of matter in an object
Temperature: measures molecular movement in an object

Measurement System Comparisons
MEASUREMENT
LENGTH
VOLUME
TEMPERATURE
MASS
TIME
BASIC UNIT
Meter
Liter
Celsius
Gram
Second
ABBREVIATION m
L
°C g s, sec
All Measurement systems have standards.
Standards are exact quantities that everyone agrees to use as a basis of comparison.

1 Gram
1 Liter
1 Meter

Measure of the force of gravity on an object
Measure of amount of matter in an object
NOT affected by gravity

Weight and Mass are related, but NOT the same.
 Weight can change depending on location
 Mass is constant regardless of location
 The greater the mass, the larger the pull of gravity.
The larger the pull of gravity, the greater the weight

Kilo
Hecto
Deca
Base Unit g, m , L
Deci
Centi
Milli
1000
100
10
1
Metric System Prefixes
.1
1/10
.01
1/100
.001
1/1000
The Base Unit is the determined by the type of measurement being made.
(mass, volume, or length)
The same prefixes are used regardless of the the measurement type being made length, mass, or volume.

Metric Prefixes
Kilo
Hecto Increase to Basic Unit
Deca
Basic Unit (g,m,L)
Deci
Centi Decrease to Basic Unit
Milli


µ -
 nmicroone millionth ex. Micrometer or micron nanoone billionth

Abbrev. Word Meaning mm millimeter one thousandth meter cg kL cm mL mg km kg

Abbrev. Word Meaning mm millimeter .001 meter (thousandth) cg centigram .01 gram (hundredth) kL kiloliter 1000 liters cm centimeter .01 meter (hundredth) mL milliliter .001 meter (thousandth) mg milligram .001 gram (thousandth) km kilometer 1000 meters kg kilogram 1000 grams

• Used for metric to metric conversions
• Conversions are done by moving the decimal point.
• Larger to smaller unit:
Move decimal point to the right
• Smaller to larger unit:
Move decimal point to the left

The Metric System is used for everyday life in most countries except the
United States, Liberia and Myanmar

Method we will use to convert English – Metric units.
When does this skill come in handy?

• Determine the equality relationship between units ex. 2.54 cm = 1 inch
• Write the relationship between the units as a fraction with the desired unit in the numerator (top) and the unit you have in the denominator (down). This is the conversion factor .
2. 54 cm Numerator
1 inch Denominator
• Multiply the value you have by the conversion factor it’s like multiplying by one.
10 inches x 2.54 cm
1 inch
• Cancel out the units , multiply, solve
10 inches x 2.54 cm = 25.40 cm
1 inch

• How many feet are in 144 inches?
• Determine the relation between feet and inches
12 inches OR 1 foot___
1 foot 12 inches
• Choose the conversion factor with the desired unit in the numerator

• How many feet are in 144 inches?
• Determine the relation between feet and inches
12 inches OR 1 foot
1 foot 12 inches
• Choose the conversion factor with the desired unit in the numerator

Inches to feet
Minutes to hours
1 ft
12 in.
60 min
1 hr
12 in.
1 ft
1 hr
60 min
Meters to centimeters 1 m
100 cm
100 cm
1 m

Inches to feet
Minutes to hours
1 ft
12 in.
60 min
1 hr
12 in.
1 ft
1 hr
60 min
Meters to centimeters 1 m
100 cm
100 cm
1 m

• 36 eggs = ? Dozen
• Determine equality
12 eggs = 1 dozen
• Determine Conversion factor
12 eggs or 1 dozen
1 dozen 12 eggs

• 36 eggs = ? Dozen
• Determine equality
12 eggs = 1 dozen
• Determine Conversion factor
12 eggs or 1 dozen
1 dozen 12 eggs

• 36 eggs = ? Dozen
• Conversion factor: 1 dozen
12 eggs
• 36 eggs x 1 dozen = 36 x 1 dozen = 3 dozen
12 eggs 12

• 10 cm = ___?___ inches
• Choose conversion factor:
2.54 cm or 1 inch__
1 inch 2.54 cm
Although these are both equivalent, choose the one with the desired unit in the numerator (top)

• 10 cm x 1 inch__ = _________
2.54 cm
10 cm x 1 inch__ = 10 x 1 inch = 3.93 in
2.54 cm 2.54

Convert 8 yards to feet…
1. Determine the equality relationship between units
3 ft 1 yd
or
1 yd 3 ft
2. Make a decision : What conversion factor will you use?
8 yards
1
Set up the problem : Multiply the measurement by the conversion factor.
8 yd

3 ft
1 yd
Solve the problem : Perform the multiplication
8 yd

3 ft
1 yd

8 yd
1

3 ft
1 yd

24 ft
1

24 ft

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All measurements need a number and a unit!
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Basic units of Measurement
(meter, liter, gram)
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Metric prefixes and values

How to convert units

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Measurements need a number and a unit!
Basic units of Measurement
(meter, liter, gram) and prefixes
How to convert metric units
Be able to make basic measurements of volume, length, and mass
Definition of density and how to figure it out.
Vocabulary words

Metric Measurement:
Length is the distance between two points.
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Does not matter if it is width, height, depth, etc.
All are length measurements.
The basic unit of length in the SI System is the meter.
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The meter is about the length of the English yard
(3 feet).
Area is a variation of a length measurement.
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Area is length x width.
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Expressed in units 2 (m 2 , cm 2 , mm 2 etc.)

Metric Measurement:
Mass is a measurement of the amount of matter in an object.
 Basic unit of mass is the gram. There are
454 grams in one pound.
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 Weight and mass are related, but NOT the same.
Weight is the pull of gravity on an object
The greater the mass, the larger the pull of gravity.

Metric Measurement:
Volume is a measurement of the amount of space something takes up.
 The basic unit used for volume is the liter. This unit is used for the volumes of liquids.
 Volumes of solids are figured using this formula:
(L)ength x (W)idth x (H)eight cm x cm x cm = cm 3
 Objects without a definite length, width or height (a rock for example), can use water displacement to determine volume.
NOTE: 1 ml = 1 cm 3

Metric Measurement:
Temperature is a measure of the kinetic energy of the atoms in an object.
 Temperature is measured with a thermometer and measured in Celsius or Kelvin.
 Celsius ranges from 0 (freezing) to 100 (boiling).
 The Kelvin scale begins at absolute zero, or 0 K.
At 0 Kelvin no more heat can be removed from an object.
 To convert to Kelvin you add 273 degrees to the Celsius reading.
 Freezing in Kelvin is 273 K, boiling is 373 K.

Density is how much matter is in
amount of space it takes up (volume).
lead to equal one kilogram!
The formula for density is:
Mass (grams) divided by Volume (cm 3 )
So the unit for density is g / cm 3
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Every substance has a density, and that density always remains the same.
Which one takes up more space (volume)?
We say the lead is more dense than the feathers.
The density of water is 1 g / cm 3