1. Meters, Liters and Grams Oh My!
The Metric System
Meters, Liters and Grams
Oh My!

2. The Metric System
The metric system is a measurement system based on our decimal (base 10) number system.
Other countries and all scientists and engineers use the metric system for measurement.
Other countries’ companies are refusing to buy products from the U.S. if not labeled in metric units
Scientists need a universal way to communicate data (SI Units)

3. What does the metric system measure?
The gram measures mass or how much something weighs
The liter measures volume which is used when measuring liquids
The meter measures the length of an object or the distance from place to place

4. Review of Scientific Terms
Mass - a fundamental measure of the amount of matter in the object
Matter – anything that has mass and takes up space
Volume – the amount of space an object takes up or contains
Measured by L*W*H or using the displacement method
Length - Extent or distance from beginning to end
Density - The mass of a substance per unit volume, D=M/V

5. Metric Prefixes Metric Units
The metric system has prefix modifiers that are multiples of 10.
Prefix
Symbol
Factor Number
Factor Word
Kilo- k
1000
Thousand
Hecto- h
100
Hundred
Deca-
da or dk 10
Ten
Unit
m, l, or g 1
One
Deci- d .1
Tenth
Centi- c
.01
Hundredth
Milli- m
.001
thousandth

6. Place Values of Metric Prefixes
Thousand
Hundred
Ten
One
Tenth
Hundredth
Thousandth km kg kL hm hg hL
dkm
dkg
dkL m g L dm dg dL cm cg cL mm mg mL

7. Meters Meters measure length or distance
One millimeter is about the thickness of a dime.

8. Meters One centimeter is about the width of a large paper clip
or your fingernail.

9. Meters
A meter is about the width of a doorway

10. Meters A kilometer is about six city blocks or 10 football fields.
1.6 kilometers is about 1 mile

11. Gram Grams are used to measure mass or the weight of an object.
Mass is a measurement of the amount of matter something contains, while Weight is the measurement of the pull of gravity on an object.

12. Grams
A milligram weighs about as much as a grain of salt.

13. Grams 1 gram weighs about as much as a small paper clip.
1 kilogram weighs about as much as 6 apples or 2 pounds.

14. 2 Liter Soda Liters Liters measure capacity or volume.
Volume refers to the space taken up by an object itself, while capacity refers to the amount of a liquid or other pourable substance a container can (or does) hold.
2 Liter Soda

15. Liter
1 milliliter is about the amount of one drop

16. Liter
1 liter is half of a 2 liter bottle of Coke or other soda

17. Liter
A kiloliter would be about liter bottles of pop

18. What unit would you
use to measure each of
the following items?

19. Which unit would you use to measure the length of this bicycle?
km m cm mm

20. Which unit would you use to measure the mass of a penny?
km g cL mg

21. Which unit would you use to measure the water in an aquarium?
L m cL mg

22. To change from a larger unit to a smaller unit, you need to multiply.
1 km x 1000 = 1000 m
1 m x 100 = 100 cm
1 cm x 10 = 10mm

23. Place Values of Metric Prefixes
Move the decimal point to the right to multiply.
Thousand
Hundred
Ten
One
Tenth
Hundredth
Thousandth km kL kg hm hL hg
dkm
dkL
dkg m L g dm dL dg cm cL cg mm mL mg

24. Place Values of Metric Prefixes
Thousand
Hundred
Ten
One
Tenth
Hundredth
Thousandth km kg kL hm hg hL
dkm
dkg
dkL m g L dm dg dL cm cg cL mm mg mL

25. To change from smaller units to larger units you divide by a power of ten.
1000mm ÷ 10 = 100cm
100cm ÷ 10 = 10dm
10dm ÷ 10 = 1m

26. Place Values of Metric Prefixes
Move the decimal point to the left to divide.
Thousand
Hundred
Ten
One
Tenth
Hundredth
Thousandth km kL kg hm hL hg
dkm
dkL
dkg m L g dm dL dg cm cL cg mm mL mg

27. Metric Conversions Using Factor-Label Method
1 Dozen eggs = 12 eggs 12 inches = 1 foot
60 seconds = 1 minute 16 ounces = 1 pound
Factor Label Method: A way to convert a ratio of equivalent values to express the same quantity in different units.
Given Units
Units to Get to
Examples:
Units to Cancel
24 inches = ____?____ feet
24 inches
1 feet
= 2 feet
Equivalent Ratio
12 inches

28. Rules

29. Example A rattlesnake is 2.44 m long. How long is the snake in cm?
2.44 m x cm = 244 cm
1 m

30. Conversion Practice
Try these conversions using Factor Labeling Method. Show your work.
1000 mg = _______ g 1 L = _______ mL 160 cm = _______ mm
14 km = _______ m 109 g = _______ kg 250 m = _______ km
Compare using <, >, or =.
56 cm m 7 g mg

31. Metric Conversion Challenge (Homework!)
Write the correct abbreviation for each metric unit.
1) Kilogram _____ 4) Milliliter _____ 7) Kilometer _____
2) Meter _____ 5) Millimeter _____ 8) Centimeter _____
3) Gram _____ 6) Liter _____ 9) Milligram _____
Try these conversions, using the ladder method.
10) 2000 mg = _______ g 15) 5 L = _______ mL 20) 16 cm = _______ mm
11) 104 km = _______ m 16) 198 g = _______ kg 21) 2500 m = _______ km
12) 480 cm = _____ m 17) 75 mL = _____ L 22) 65 g = _____ mg
13) 5.6 kg = _____ g 18) 50 cm = _____ m 23) 6.3 cm = _____ mm
14) 8 mm = _____ cm 19) 5.6 m = _____ cm 24) 120 mg = _____ g