1. 10
Metric Conversions
and
Unit Analysis

2. Very small pm
picometer
x 103
x 103 ηm
nanometer
x 103 μm
micrometer
x 103 mm
millimeter
x 103 m
meter
x 103 km
kilometer
x 103 Mm
megameter
x 103 Gm
gegameter
Very big Tm
terameter

3. You should also know
x 101 mm
millimeter
x 102 cm
centimeter m
meter

5. We are going to use unit analysis to do some metric conversions.
The main purpose of this is to learn unit analysis and secondly learn about metric conversions.
To facilitate this you are only allowed to convert by 103 x per conversion.
Please do the same in your workbook. We use unit analysis as our main calculation tool in Chemistry 11 and Chemistry 12.
Learn it well and you will do awesome in chemistry.

6. 1. Convert 1.23 x 1012 Mm to m- you can only convert by 103 in any one step!
x 1 x 103 km
x 1 x 103 m
1 Mm
1 km
= x m
Write the starting number and units
Multiply with 1 Mm on the bottom and 103 km on top
Mutiply with 1 km on the bottom and 103 m on top
Do the math and round off to three sig figs

7. 2. Convert 6.5 x 10-6 m to nm- you can only convert by 103 in any one step!
x x 103 mm
x 1 x 103 μm
x 1 x 103 nm
1 m
1 mm
1 μm
= 6.5 x 103 nm

8. 3. Convert 6.5 x 106 nm to m- you can only convert by 103 in any one step!
x μm
x 1 mm
x 1 m
1 x 103 nm
1 x 103 μm
1 x 103 mm
= 6.5 x m

9. 4. Convert 5.88 x 108 μm to km
5.88 x 108 μm
x mm
x 1 m
x 1 km
1 x 103 μm
1 x 103 mm
1 x 103 m
= x km

10. 5. Convert 65 m2 to mm2
65 m2
x 1 x 103
( )2 mm 2 2
1 m
= x 107 mm2

11. 6. Convert 875 mm3 to m3
875 mm3
x m 3 3
( )3
1 x 103 mm
= x m3