WHAT ARE SOME METRIC MEASUREMENT
TOOLS THAT SCIENTISTS
USE TO MAKE
QUANTITATIVE OBSERVATIONS?
Department of Mathematics and Science
What tools do scientists use to
measure length or distance?
ruler
tape measure
meter stick
Department of Mathematics and Science
What is Length?
• Length- is the distance between two points.
• How long is the screw in centimeters?
It is 5.1 centimeters.
• Remember to measure to the smallest place value
the tool allows and use decimals.
Department of Mathematics and Science
Metric Units
What are the metric units for measuring length or distance ?
Units include the meter, centimeter and the millimeter.
The basic unit of length in the metric system in the meter and is
represented by a lowercase m.
Metric Units
1 Kilometer (km) = 1000 meters
Click the image to
watch a short video
about the meter.
1 Meter = 100 Centimeters (cm)
1 Meter = 1000 Millimeters (mm)
Which is longer?
A. 1 meter or 105 centimeters
C. 12 centimeters or 102 millimeters
B. 4 kilometers or 4400 meters
D. 1200 millimeters or 1 meter
Adapted from T. Trimpe 2008 http://sciencespot.net
Department of Mathematics and Science
Measuring Length
How many millimeters are in 1 centimeter?
1 centimeter = 10 millimeters
What is the length of the line in centimeters? _______cm
What is the length of the line in millimeters? _______mm
What is the length of the line in centimeter? ________ HINT:
Measure to the smallest place value the tool allows – use decimals.
The line is 3.2 cm.
Adapted from T. Trimpe 2008 http://sciencespot.net
Department of Mathematics and Science
What tools do scientists use
to measure volume?
• Measuring cups
• Graduated cylinders
• Beakers
• Measuring spoons
• Rulers or meter sticks or tape measures
Department of Mathematics and Science
Metric Units
What is volume?
Volume is the amount of space an object takes up.
The base unit of volume in the metric system in the liter and
is represented by L or l.
Metric Units
1 liter (L) = 1000 milliliters (mL)
1 milliliter (mL) = 1 cm3 (or cc) = 1 gram (with water)
Which is larger?
Click the image
to watch a short
video about
volume.
A. 1 liter or 1500 milliliters
B. 200 milliliters or 1.2 liters
Adapted from T. Trimpe 2008 http://sciencespot.net
/
Department
of Mathematics and Science
Measuring Volume
Graduated cylinders are tools used to
find the volume of liquids. Here’s how:
Read the measurement based on the bottom
of the meniscus or curve.* When using a real
cylinder, make sure you are eye-level with the
level of the water.
What is the volume of water in the cylinder?
43 mL
*What causes the meniscus?
The liquid in the graduated cylinder generally
tends to stick to the sides of the cylinder. That
is why for water and similar liquids we read
the bottom.
Adapted from T. Trimpe 2008 http://sciencespot.net
Department of Mathematics and Science
Measuring Volume of Liquids
What is the volume of liquid in each cylinder?
52 mL
Adapted from T. Trimpe 2008 http://sciencespot.net
37 mL
Department of Mathematics and Science
22.5mL
Measuring Volume of Solids
9 cm
What tool can be used to measure the volume of
an object with the shape of a rectangular prism?
We can measure using a ruler and the formula:
8 cm
10 cm
length ___ x width ___ x height ___ = ______ cm3
What can be used to measure the
volume of irregular shaped object (rock) ?
water displacement using
a graduated cylinder
Amount of H2O with object = ______
About of H2O without object = ______
Difference = (rock) Volume = ______
Adapted from T. Trimpe 2008 http://sciencespot.net
Department of Mathematics and Science
What tools do scientists use
to measure mass?
Balance & gram pieces
Pan balance & gram pieces
Triple Beam Balance
Electronic balance
Department of Mathematics and Science
Metric Units
What is mass?
Mass is the amount of matter in an object.
The base unit of mass in the metric system in the gram
and is represented by g.
Metric Units
Click the image to
watch a short video
about mass.
1 Kilogram (km) = 1000 Grams (g)
1 Gram (g) = 1000 Milligrams (mg)
Which is larger?
A. 1 kilogram or 1500 grams
C. 12 milligrams or 12 kilograms
B. 1200 milligrams or 1 gram
D. 4 kilograms or 4500 grams
Adapted from T. Trimpe 2008 http://sciencespot.net/
Department of Mathematics and Science
Measuring Mass – Triple-Beam Balance
A triple-beam balance can be used to find the mass of various objects.
1st – Place the object on the pan.
2nd – Slide the large weight to the right until the arm drops below the
line. Move the rider back one groove. Make sure it “locks” into place.
3rd – Repeat this process with the top weight. When
the arm moves below the line, back it up one groove.
4th – Slide the small
weight on the front
beam until the lines
match up.
5th – Add the amounts on each beam to find the total
mass to the nearest tenth of a gram.
Adapted from T. Trimpe 2008 http://sciencespot.net/
Department of Mathematics and Science
Measuring Mass – Triple-Beam Balance
A triple-beam balance can be used to
find the mass of various objects.
The objects are placed on the pan and
then you move the weights on the
beams until you get the lines on the
right-side of the scale to match up.
Once you have it balanced , you add up the
amounts on each beam to find the total mass.
What would be the mass of the object
measured in the picture?
_______ + ______ + _______ = ________ g
Adapted from T. Trimpe 2008 http://sciencespot.net/
Department of Mathematics and Science
What tools do scientists use
to measure weight?
• Spring Scale
• Pan Scale
Department of Mathematics and Science
What is weight?
• Weight is the measure of the pull of gravity on
an object.
What units are used to measure weight?
• Newtons (N) and grams (g)
Department of Mathematics and Science
How to use a spring scale
Spring 1. Hold the spring scale in one hand so that the hook is
hanging downward.
2. Be sure that you hold it high enough so you can see the
scale clearly.
3. Look at the center of the scale for the units the scale
uses. It will be grams and /or Newtons.
4. Check that round platform is set at zero (x) on the scale.
5. Hook the object you are weighing onto the hook that
hangs down from the scale. If there is a basket or pan
suspended below the scale, place the object on the pan.
6. Wait for the spring to stop moving up and down. Once it
stops moving, look at the markings on the side of the
scale and record the weight. On most scales it can be
recorded in both grams and Newtons.
Department of Mathematics and Science
X
Look at the spring scale drawings below, up
to how many Newtons will they measure?
Each spring scale measures up to five Newtons (N).
How many parts is each Newton divided into?
ten parts
How many
Newtons?
0.7 N
Department of Mathematics and Science
What are these WEIGHT measurements?
A.
3.4 N
B
4.9 N
C
0.6 N
Department of Mathematics and Science
What tools do scientists use
to measure temperature?
Thermometers
Department of Mathematics and Science
What is temperature?
• Temperature is a measure of how hot or
cold something is.
• It is the measure of the heat or thermal
energy in a substance.
• It is the average speed of the particles in
a substance.
Department of Mathematics and Science
Measuring Temperature
• There are two different scales we
will use to measure temperature.
• Fahrenheit scale – water freezes at
320 and boils at 2120F
• Celsius (centigrade) scale- water
freezes at 00C and boils at 1000C
Click on the hyperlink below for an
Interactive Thermometer
Department of Mathematics and Science
Brain Check
Measurement Tool
1. Ruler /Tape measure
Metric Unit
3. Spring Scale
A. Newtons
B. Degrees Celsius
C. Milliliters
4. Graduated cylinder
D. Grams
5. Thermometer
E. Centimeters
2. Balance
*How
does measurement help us know about the world?
Department of Mathematics and Science