1. Why America Uses The Metric System oF vs oC

2. What is the Metric System & why do we need to use it?
The Metric System is a measurement system based on our decimal (base 10) number system.
Most other countries use the Metric System as the basis for their calculations. We need to be able to read these measurements and share results!
The Metric System has been used in all scientific, medical, and governmental calculations since 1960.

3. NASA Learns the Importance of the Metric System
Mars Climate Orbiter

4. The official name of the Metric System is:
Systeme International d’unites (SI Units) Or
The International System of Units
*Which country do you think inspired the initiative to create of the SI Units?

5. Kilo – Hecto – Deca – BASIC UNITS – deci – centi - mili
SI Units
The 3 basic units of the metric system are grams, meters, and liters.
A prefix is added to the basic unit to describe measurements that are greater or less than the basic units.
Kilo – Hecto – Deca – BASIC UNITS – deci – centi - mili

6. Metric Prefixes 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

7. 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

9. How To: Properly Name Units
Naming Rule: Prefix + Base Unit = Proper Unit
Examples:
centi + meter = centimeter
Kilo + Liter = KiloLiter
Deka + gram = Dekagram

11. SI Unit Studying Acronym!
King Kilo Henry Hecto Drinks Deka Unusually Base Units (m, L, g) dark deci chocolate centi milk milli
Uppercase = Larger Value
lowercase = smaller value

12. Lesson 1: Length

13. English vs. Metric Units
Which is longer?
A. 1 mile or 1 kilometer
B. 1 yard or 1 meter
C. 1 inch or 1 centimeter
1.6 kilometers
1 mile
1 yard = meters
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters
Left Image: Right Image:

14. Click the image to watch a short video about the meter.
Metric Units km m cm mm
The basic unit of length in the metric system is the meter and is represented by a lowercase m.
Standard: The distance traveled by light in absolute vacuum in 1⁄299,792,458 of a second.
Click the image to watch a short video about the meter.

15. km mm m cm Metric Units Metric Units Practice Problems:
1 Kilometer (km) = 1000 meters
1 Meter = 100 Centimeters (cm)
1 Meter = 1000 Millimeters (mm)
Practice Problems:
Which is larger?
A. 1 meter or 105 centimeters
B. 4 kilometers or 4400 meters
C. 12 centimeters or 102 millimeters
D millimeters or 1 meter

16. Measuring Length: Practice Problems
1 centimeter = 10 millimeters
How many millimeters are in 1 centimeter?
What is the length of the line in centimeters? _______cm
What is the length of the line in millimeters? _______mm
What is the length of the line to the nearest centimeter? ________cm
HINT: Round to the nearest centimeter – no decimals.
Ruler:

18. Lesson 2: Volume

19. English vs. Metric Units
Which is larger?
A. 1 liter or 1 gallon
B. 1 liter or 1 quart
C. 1 milliliter or 1 fluid ounce
1 fl oz = ml
1 12-oz can of soda would equal approximately 355 ml.
1 gallon = 3.79 liters
It would take approximately 3 ¾ 1-liter bottles to equal a gallon.
1 quart = liters

20. Click the image to watch a short video about volume.
Metric Units kL cL mL L
Volume measures the amount of space an object takes up.
The base unit of volume in the metric system in the liter and is represented by L.
Standard: 1 liter is equal to one cubic decimeter.
Click the image to watch a short video about volume.

21. 1 liter (L) = 1000 milliliters (mL)
Metric Units kL cL mL L
Metric Units
1 liter (L) = 1000 milliliters (mL)
1 milliliter (mL) = 1 cm3
Practice Problems:
Which is larger?
A. 1 liter or 1500 milliliters
B. 200 milliliters or 1.2 liters
C. 12 cm3 or 1.2 milliliters*

22. Measuring Volume What causes the meniscus? Practice Question:
We will be using graduated cylinders to find the volume of liquids and other objects.
Practice Question:
Read the measurement based on the bottom of the meniscus or curve and make sure you are eye-level with the level of the water.
What is the volume of water in the cylinder? _____mL
What causes the meniscus?
A meniscus occurs when the molecules of the liquid attract those of the container. The glass attracts the water on the sides.

23. Measuring Volume of a Liquid
What is the volume of water in each graduated cylinder? B C D
Pay attention to the scales for each cylinder.

24. Measuring Volume of a Regular Solid
10 cm
9 cm
8 cm
We can measure the volume of regular object using the formula length x width x height.
Use the formula to calculate the volume of the blue rectangular prism.
_____ X _____ X _____ = _____

25. Measuring Volume of a Regular Solid
Calculate the volume of the cube using the formula
length x width x height.
7 cm
7 cm
7 cm
_____ X _____ X _____ = _____

26. Measuring Volume of an Irregular Solid
Irregular solids do not have straight edges, so volume cannot be calculated using L x W x H.
We can measure the volume of irregular object using water displacement.
Displacement is the amount of space (volume) occupied by an object that was formerly occupied by the fluid.
Displacement can be measured in milliliters (mL).

27. Measuring Volume of an Irregular Solid

28. Measuring Volume of an Irregular Solid
How To Measure Water Displacement
1. Amount of H2O with object = ______ 2. Amount of H2O without object = ______ 3. Difference = Volume = ______
Units: 1 mL = 1 cm3
At Home Practice:
Click here for an online activity about volume. Choose Lessons  Volume & Displacement

29. Lesson 3: Mass

30. Related, but not the same!
Definitions
Mass – Amount of matter (stuff) in an object.
Weight – Force exerted on an object because of a planet’s gravity.
Related, but not the same!
Mass ≠ Weight!
Weight on Earth vs. Moon

31. Weight Varies, Mass Does Not
If you move to a different location, the amount of stuff in you doesn’t change, so your mass is always the same.
BUT the force of gravity may be different, causing your weight to be different.

32. Metric Ruler Stick Demo
Does air have mass?
Meter Stick Demo
Metric Ruler Stick Demo

33. English vs. Metric Units
1 pound = grams
Which is larger?
1. 1 Pound or 100 Grams
2. 1 Kilogram or 1 Pound
3. 1 Ounce or 1000 Milligrams
100 kilogram = 220 pounds
1 ounce of gold = 28,349.5 milligrams

34. Click the image to watch a short video about mass.
Metric Units kg g cg mg
Kilogram Prototype
Mass refers to the amount of matter in an object.
The base unit of mass in the metric system is the
gram and is represented by g.
Standard: 1 gram is equal to 1/1000 the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram (IPK)
What is that???
A platinum-iridium cylinder kept by the International Bureau of Weights & Measures at Sèvres, France
Click the image to watch a short video about mass.

35. kg cg mg g Metric Units Metric Units 1 Kilogram (km) = 1000 Grams (g)
1 Gram (g) = 1000 Milligrams (mg)
Practice Problems:
Which is larger?
A. 1 kilogram or 1500 grams
B milligrams or 1 gram
C. 12 milligrams or 12 kilograms
D. 4 kilograms or 4500 grams

36. Measuring Mass vs. Measuring Weight
The triple-beam balance is used to find the mass of various objects.
The spring scale is used to find the weight of various objects.

37. Measuring Mass – Triple-Beam Balance
1st – Place the object on the scale.
2nd – Slide the large weight to the right until the arm drops below the line. Move the rider back one groove. Make sure it “locks” into place.
3rd – Repeat this process with the top weight. When the arm moves below the line, back it up one groove.
4th – Slide the small weight on the front beam until the lines match up.
5th – Add the amounts on each beam to find the total mass to the nearest tenth of a gram.
Click here to try an online activity.

38. Measuring Mass Practice Question:
What would be the mass of the object measured in the picture?
_______ + ______ + _______ = ________ g

39. Lesson 4: Density
Coke vs. Diet Coke

40. Density Density = ___Mass___ Volume
Density is the amount of matter within a certain volume.
It measures how tightly packed and how heavy the molecules are in an object.
Density = ___Mass___
Volume

41. Density Density = ___Mass___ Volume Metric Units: __g__ OR __g__
mL cm3

42. Calculating Density Density = ___Mass___ Volume
Practice Question:
A rock has a mass of 210 grams and occupies a volume of 70 cm3. What is its density?

43. Calculating Density Density = ___Mass___ Volume Practice Question:
The dimensions of a regular solid are given below. Use the dimensions to calculate the volume. Then, calculate the density of the object if its mass is g.
5.0 cm
10.0 cm
25.0 cm