SI UNITS OF MEASUREThe Metric System

Can you measure

up?

1789 The French Revolution of

1789 sparked the invention of a new system of measurement

The French Academy of Sciences replaced customary units with the metric system.

Proper name: International System of Measurement

WHAT IS A METER?

A meter is 1/10 millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole.

Derived from the Greek word “metron” meaning: a distance.

Metric Units for: Mass: g Volume: L Length: m (cm) Temperature: °C

SI is NOT used in the United States! We still use the customary units of

measure SI is used for experiments because the

results are easily :UnderstoodInterpretedCommunicatedCompared

Neither SI nor US customary are more accurate!

US Customary units are easier to use, but SI is more universal.

WHAT IS THE ORDER OF THE METRIC SYSTEM?King Henry Died by Drinking

Chocolate MilkKing: KiloHenry: HectoDied: DecaBy: Base (m, L, g)Drinking: DeciChocolate: CentiMilk: Milli

UNITS OF MEASUREMENT:LENGTH

US Customary SystemInchesFeetYardsMiles

MetricMeters (cm)

HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE RULER: One side has inches. The other side is the metric side.

The big numbers represent centimeters The smaller lines represent millimeters. How many millimeters are in a

centimeter? 10

A meter? 1000 mm

Volume is the amount of space a substance or object occupies!

UNITS OF MEASUREMENT:VOLUME

US Customary SystemCupsPintsQuartsGallonsFluid Ounces

Metric SystemLiters

Most commonly mL

cm3

[1mL=1cm3]

MEASURING VOLUMERegularly shaped object: Formula:

V= L x W x Hcm x cm x cm = cm3

Liquid: use a graduated cylinder (or graduate)

Irregularly Shaped object: use the method of water displacement

UNITS OF MEASUREMENT:WEIGHT/MASS

US Customary SystemOuncePoundTons

MetricGram (g)

Types of Scales Used to Measure Weight

Mass is a measurement of how much matter is in an object.

Weight is the measure of the amount of gravity pulling down on the mass of the object.

Triple beam balance

The balance has three beams called rider beams. Each rider beam has a different mass suspended from it. These masses, called riders, can be moved left and right along the rider beams. By moving the riders, you can determine the mass of an object placed on the measurement tray.

beamsriders

rider

An adjustment knob is used to calibrate the balance. When no objects are sitting on the measurement tray, and all the riders are in their leftmost or 0 position, the pointer should be lined up with the zero mark. If it is not lined up with the zero mark, you would need to turn the adjustment knob until it is.

adjustmentknob

pointer zero markmeasurement tray

AREAArea is the number of unit squares that can be fitted into a 2-dimensional surface

Formula: A= L x W

DENSITYDensity is the measurement of the mass of a substance per unit volume.

Formula: D= mass volume(D=Mass divided by volume)

If it is a liquid….. g/mLIf it is a solid

Regularly shaped….. g/cm3

Irregularly shaped…. g/mL

The density of water is 1 g/mLo If the density is > 1 g/mL: SINK

o If the density is < 1 g/mL: FLOAT (ex: ice/oil)

UNITS OF MEASUREMENT:TEMPERATURE

US Customary System° Farenheit

Metric System° Celsius (oC)Kelvin (K)

Common Modern Units for Measuring Temperature

FahrenheitCelsius

Temperature is the measurement of the heat of something on a scale. The basic unit of temperature in the metric system is Celsius or centigrade. Water freezes on the Celsius scale at 0° and boils at 100°. Temperature is measured with a thermometer.

Thermometer

Water at freezing point measured by a digital thermometer