Unit 1: Intro to Earth/Environmental Science Metric Conversions

What are Metric Conversions? Sometimes we need to change from one measurement to another. This is usually done because the unit that is used is either too big or too small for that type of measurement.

Sometimes the number is too big for the unit being measured. 525,568 millimeters Sometimes the number is too big for the unit being measured.

Sometimes the number is too small for the unit being measured 0.00654 km Sometimes the number is too small for the unit being measured

How Do We Fix This Problem? We can correct these problems by doing a process called Metric Conversion. When you do a Metric Conversion, you are changing from one unit of measurement to another.

So How Do I Do A Metric Conversion? We will be using a method called The Stair-step Method of Metric Conversion. It requires you to move the decimal in the number.

The Stair-step King-Henry-Died-By-Drinking-Chocolate-Milk Kilo- Hecto- Deka- base units Deci- Centi- Milli- Grams, liters,meters King-Henry-Died-By-Drinking-Chocolate-Milk

The Stair-step : METER King-Henry-Died-By-Drinking-Chocolate-Milk Km Hm Dam M Dm Cm Mm METERS King-Henry-Died-By-Drinking-Chocolate-Milk

How Do I Use This? 5.0 K m _?_H m -The first letter of the prefix in the unit of measurement tells you which step to start on. -The first letter in the second unit of measurement tells you which step to stop on. -Find which step to start on, and count the number of steps it takes to get to the step that you need to stop on.

Km Hm Dam M Dm Cm Mm METERS The Stair-step : METER

How Do I Use This (cont.)? 5.0 K m _50_H m If you went to the right(downstairs) the decimal in the first measurement moves that many places to the right. If you went to the left (upstairs) then the decimal moves to the left. Fill any empty places with zeros. 5.0 K m _50_H m

525568 mm = ? m The decimal in 525568 mm moves three places to the left, becoming 525.568 m. 0.00654 km = ? m 0.00654 km becomes 6.54 m.

1.45m  ___ cm 1450 145 14.5 0.145 0.0145 0.00145 :00

The Stair-step : METER Km- Hm Dam M Dm Cm Mm

4.0 mm  ___ dm 0.04 0.4 4 40 400

The Stair-step : METER Km- Hm Dam M Dm Cm Mm

0.022 hm  __dam 0.0022 0.22 2.2 22

Km- Hm Dam M Dm Cm Mm The Stair-step : METER

0.108 km  ___ m 0.00108 0.0108 1.08 10.8 108 1080

Km Hm Dam M Dm Cm Mm The Stair-step : METER

5 km  ___ mm 0.000005 0.00005 .5 500 50,000 5,000,000

Km- Hm Dam M Dm Cm Mm The Stair-step : METER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MekxJse2vgs http://www.unit-conversion.info/metric.html

Know Your Left From Your Right Count Up to Six Know Your Left From Your Right King-Henry-Died-By-Drinking-Chocolate-Milk middleschool science.com