1. Section 2: Standards of Measurement
Chapter 1: The Nature of Science
Section 2: Standards of Measurement

2. Learning Goals
Name the prefixes used in SI and indicate what multiple of ten each one represents.
Identify SI units and symbols.
Convert related SI units.

3. Units and Standards
Standard: exact quantity that people agree to use for comparison.

4. Measurement Systems Imperial system of measurement
Feet
Pounds
Gallons
Only 3 countries do not use the metric system of measurement:
U.S.A., Myanmar, and Liberia

7. Measurement Systems
International System of Units (SI): an improved version of the metric system.
Understood by scientists worldwide
Based on multiples of 10 and uses prefixes to indicate a specific multiple.

8. Measurement Systems SI Base Units: Length – meters (m)
Mass – grams (g)
Liquid volume – liters (L)
Time – seconds (s)

9. See the “Metric Toolbox” or Page 15 of your textbook for more
Measurement Systems
SI Prefixes:
Kilo (k) – x1000
Centi (c) – x 0.01 or 1/100
Milli (m) – x or 1/1000
See the “Metric Toolbox” or Page 15 of your textbook for more

10. Measurement Systems Converting between SI Units:
Use conversion factors:
ratios that are used to change one unit to another

11. Example
There are 1000 mL in 1 L.
How many mL are in 3 L?

12. Factor Label Method Write what you know on the left
Write what you want on the right
Put a conversion factor in the middle
Cancel units on top and bottom
Multiply top and divide bottom

13. Example
There are 100 cm in 1 m.
How many cm are in 2.75 m?

15. Example
How long, in centimeters, is a 3,075 mm rope?

16. Let’s Practice!

17. Measuring Distance
Length is measured using a unit appropriate for the distance between two points.

18. Measuring Distance
The SI unit of length is the meter (m). mm cm

19. Measuring Volume Volume: the amount of space an object occupies.
The base unit for liquid volume is liters (L)
Beakers, flasks, and graduated cylinders (mL)

20. Measuring Volume Measuring solid volumes: Formulas: (V = l x w x h)
Units in cubic centimeters (cm3) or cubic meters (m3)
Water displacement

21. Measuring Matter
Mass: a measurement of the quantity of matter in an object.
Base unit is grams (g)
Balances can be used to measure mass

22. Measuring Matter Density: the mass per unit volume of a material.
How much mass an object has in a certain amount of space.
Density = mass/volume
Unit for density is grams per milliliter (g/mL)

23. Measuring Time and Temperature
SI unit of time = seconds (s)
Metric unit of temperature = degrees Celsius (°C)
SI unit of temperature = Kelvin (K)