IT IS IMPORTANT THAT SCIENTISTS CAN
COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER.
Measurements

Measurement: comparison of some aspect
(dimensions, quantity, capacity) of an objector
phenomenon with a standard unit.
 The standard makes the measurement
valid.
 All measurements need a number and unit for
comparison.
Use prefixes in measurements:


kilo = 1000
deci = 1/10
hecto = 100
deka = 10
centi = 1/100 milli = 1/1000

Scientists use metric units to measure length, volume,
mass, weight, density, and temperature

It is easier to convert meters to centimeters or
millimeters than to go from yards to feet or inches.
All you have to do with the metric system is move
decimal places.
Precision: gives a better representation of the
value.
 2.1cm is more precise it is measured to the nearest
tenth of a cm
 2cm is only measured to the nearest cm
Length

Metric standard for length is the meter (m)
1 m = 100 cm = 1000 mm
(1) m (1/100) m (1/1000) m
Whereas:
1000m = 1 km
What if you wanted to measure something the
size of an atom?

Angstrom = one ten billionth of a meter

Sometimes we are given a unit that we don’t want;
we need to use a conversion to get the unit we
want.
For example: Given 5m want the
measurement in cm


We know that 100cm = 1 m
Therefore we can set up a conversion
5m x 100cm/1m = 500cm
More Conversions: using decimals

2km =
m

5mm =
m

6.3m =
cm