Unit ConversionsKaran Patel

Different Units

• Units are measurements of things

• Examples• Time (seconds)

• Distance (meters)

• Mass (kilograms)

• Force (pounds)

• There are several different types of units for each measurement

Converting Units

• Different countries use different units

• Converting between units is simple• There are different formulas to convert to and from different units

• Scientists must be able to convert between any given unit with ease

• Still, it can become problematic for different countries to use different units• Most countries use the metric system to measure things

• The United States still uses the imperial system for measurement

• Hopefully, the US will one day also switch over to the metric system

Problems with Different Units

• Having different standards for units causes problems

• Mars Climate Orbiter crashed in 1999 because scientists used different units• Because some scientists used the metric system

while others used the imperial system, a simple mistake caused an entire crash

• In order to prevent these kinds of mistakes, the SI unit system was made

International System of Units

• Throughout the world, students are now being taught to use SI units in science courses.

• It is based on the metric system, and all scientists today use it without problems.

• Learning the SI system also allows US students to become familiar with the metric system• It is important for all countries to one day use a

standardized system for measurement