Measurement Notes
Basic Units of Measure in the SI:
1.
2.
Length- Meters (m)
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Mass- Kilograms (Kg)
Volume- liters (L) for liquids and cubic centimeters (cm³)
for solids
Weight- Newtons (N)
Time- seconds (s)
Temperature- Kelvin, but we use Celsius (˚C)
Density- g/mL, g/cm³, g/m³
Area- m²or cm²
Length- distance from one point to another
- Metric ruler is most common instrument for measure
Volume- amount of space an object takes up
- Three dimensional
Three different methods used to figure out volume:
1. The common measurement tool for liquids is a graduated
cylinder.
- Must take in account for the meniscus
2. This formula is used to find volume for solids.
- Volume = Length x Width x Height
- Units are either cubic centimeter (cm³) or for larger volumes
is it cubic meters (m³)
- Sugar cube is about the size of 1 cm³
- One cubic centimeter is equal to one milliliter
3. Immersion is used to find the volume of irregular objects.
Meniscus- the curve associated with the top surface of the water in a
graduated cylinder
- to determine the volume of water, you read the millimeter
marking at the bottom of the curve
Immersion- the method associated with finding the volume of irregular
objects by placing it in water and determining how much the water level
rises.
Mass- a measure of the amount of matter an object contains
- Triple beam balance is the common measurement tool
- Never changes with location
Triple- beam balance- works by comparing the mass of the object
you are measuring to a known mass
Weight- measure of the force of gravity acting on an object
- Spring scale is the common measurement tool
- Varies between locations in the universe
Time- an interval between two events usually measured with a
watch or clock
Temperature- measure of average vibrations of the particles that
make up a material (or amount of kinetic energy in a substance)
- Measured in degrees with a thermometer
Density- measure of the amount of matter that occupies a given
space
- formula used is Density = Mass/ Volume
Area- the amount of surface included within a set of boundaries
- Expressed in square units (m²) or (cm²)
- formula used is Area = Length x Width
- Tool for measuring- must be calculated