SI Units & The Metric System
The standard system of measurement in science is the SI unit – or System Internationale – and is based on the metric system. This system is exceptionally easy to use because of its simplicity of construction: unlike U.S. Standard units, SI units are based on factors of 10 and have prefixes and suffixes to indicate what is being measured and how much.
The SI unit is the universal measuring system used in all areas of science throughout the world.
The entire SI system of measurement is constructed from seven base units, each of which represents a single physical quantity.
|
Base Unit
|
What it Measures
|
Unit Symbol
|
|
Meter
|
Length
|
m
|
|
Gram
|
Mass
|
g
|
|
Liter
|
Liquid Volume
|
L
|
|
Second
|
Time
|
s
|
|
*Kelvin
|
*Temperature
|
*K
|
* For the purposes of this class, we will be using Celcius
|
Prefix
|
Unit Multiple
|
Unit Symbol
|
+/- Base
|
|
kilo
|
1,000
|
k
|
+
|
|
hecta
|
100
|
h
|
+
|
|
deca
|
10
|
da
|
+
|
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
–
|
|
deci
|
.1 (1/10)
|
d
|
-
|
|
centi
|
.01 (1/100)
|
c
|
-
|
|
milli
|
.001 (1/1000)
|
m
|
-
|
Because this system uses units that are factors of 10, they can be converted much more easily than the U.S. Standard system. The metric conversion stair chart is a simple, graphic way to convert between units. Simply place your value on the appropriate step of the staircase, and decide which direction you must convert. If up, you divide the original value by ten at each step. If down, you multiply the original value by 10.
Metric System Games & Practice
- Mathew Metric’s Gum Parlor
- Metric Crossword
- Measure It
- Metric Quiz
- Metric Length Columns
- Metric Length Ordered List
- Metric Length Pop-ups
- Metric Millionaire
- Metric Problem Solving Pop-Ups
- Metric Weight and Capacity Columns
- Scrambled Metric Weight and Capacity
Tags: metric system, unit conversion
Posted in Biological Science, Earth Science, Physics & Physical Science
