Metric System Notes

A. METRIC SYSTEM Metric system is based on the power of 10. Meter is a measure of length. Gram is a measure of mass. Liter is a measure of liquid volume. Celsius is a measure of temperature.

B. MEASUREMENT BASICS FOR RULERS 1. Measure from 0, not the end of the ruler 2. No fractions – USE DECIMALS 3. 1 meter = 100 centimeters (cm) = 1000 (mm) 4. 1 cm = 10 mm 5. A centimeter is a unit of length in the metric system. 6. There are 2.54 centimeters in an inch. 7. A 12 inch ruler is about 30 cm long.

C. SAMPLE RULER

D. DO NOT USE BAD WORDS LIKE INCH & FEET

Four centimeters + seven millimeters = 4.7 centimeters

Most Common Metric Units small Large Volume Distance Mass ml Liter Kl mm Meter Km mg Gram Kg

1. Distance from Indianapolis to New York? ____ E. MEASUREMENT PRACTICE What would be a reasonable unit to use to measure the following? (m,cm,mm,km,kg,g,mL) 1.    Distance from Indianapolis to New York? ____   2.    Length of a bacterium? ___ 3.    Length of a pencil? ____ 4.     Height of a tree? _____ 5.    Mass of a bowling ball? ____

6.    Mass of an aspirin tablet? ____ 7.    Mass of a penny? ____   8.   Mass of a large dog? ____ 9. Volume of a pea? ____ 10.    Volume of water in a plastic bottle? ____

1. Distance from Indianapolis to New York? _km___   2.    Length of a bacterium? _mm__  3.    Length of a pencil? _cm___  4.     Height of a tree? __m___  5.    Mass of a bowling ball? _kg___  6.    Mass of an aspirin tablet? _g___  7.    Mass of a penny? __g__  8.   Mass of a large dog? _kg___  9. Volume of a pea? __mL__  10.    Volume of water in a plastic bottle? _mL___