The Metric SystemWhy scientists love it so.

Standards of the pastPeople used to use

parts of their body to determine the length of something.

The standard would be a part of the king’s anatomy.

The standard yard was the distance from the king’s nose to his outstretched arm

People would use their feet to measure distance

This is how the term foot came about.

Today the standard “foot” in the English system is

12 inches = 1 foot

The English system is very confusing because it has so many

different values

Scientists give the English system the thumbs down

Scientists needed an exact and uniform system of weights and measurements

Metric Base UnitsBasic Units in the Metric System

Physical Quantity Basic Unit Symbol

Length meter m

Mass gram g

Volume liter L

TimeEnergy

Amount of Matter

SecondJouleMole

sJ

mol

Metric Base UnitsBasic Units in the Metric System

Physical Quantity Basic Unit Symbol

Length meter m

Mass gram g

Volume liter L

Metric chart

Prefix Symbol Factor Number Factor Word

Kilo- k 1000 ThousandHecto- h 100 HundredDeca- da or dk 10 TenUnit m, l, or g 1 OneDeci- d .1 TenthCenti- c .01 HundredthMilli- m .001 thousandth

Metric chart

Prefix Symbol Factor Number Factor Word

Kilo- k 1000 Thousand

Unit m, l, or g 1 One

Centi- c .01 HundredthMilli- m .001 thousandth

Meters Meters measure

length or distance One millimeter is

about the thickness of a dime.

1000 mm = 1 m

Meters One centimeter is

about the width of a large paper clip

100 cm = 1 m

• or your fingernail.

MetersA meter is about the width of a doorway

MetersA kilometer is about six city blocks or 10

football fields.

1000 m = 1 km

1.6 kilometers is about 1 mile

Gram Grams are used to

measure mass or the weight of an object.

Grams A milligram weighs

about as much as a grain of salt.

1000 mg = 1 g

Grams 1 gram weighs about

as much as a small paper clip.

1 kilogram weighs about as much as 6 apples or 2 pounds.

1000 g = 1 kg

Liters Liters measure liquids

or capacity.

Liter 1 milliliter is about the

amount of one drop

1000 mL = 1 L

Liter 1 liter is half of a 2

liter bottle of Coke or other soda

Converting Metric UnitsConversion Factors

Length Mass Volume

1000 mm = 1m 1000 mg = 1g 1000 mL = 1L

100 cm = 1m 100 cg = 1g 100 cL = 1L

1000 m = 1km 1000 g = 1kg 1000 L = 1kL

How many cm are in 1.32 meters?

or

1.32 m =

applicable conversion factors:

equality: 1 m = 100 cm

______1 m100 cm

Remember units must cancel!

______1 m

100 cm

( )______1 m

100 cm 132 cm

How many liters is 8.72 mL?

applicable conversion factors:

8.72 mL =

equality: 1 L = 1000 mL

Again, the units must cancel.

or

______1 L1000 mL

______1 L

1000 mL

( )______ 0.0087 L1 L1000 mL