Math Skills for the Science Lab

Distance: Length, Width, & Height Are measures of distance between two points. –Length is the (longest) distance from side to side between an object’s ends. –Width is the distance at right angles to the length. –Height is the vertical (top to bottom) distance between an object’s ends. The meter is the base unit for distance.

Mass The amount of matter or stuff in something –Not to be confused with weight! Which is the pull of the earth’s gravity on an object. –Weight can change, but the amount of matter in an object stays the same (assuming the same gravity). A triple-beam (pan) balance or an electronic balance is used to measure mass. –The base unit we use is grams (g).

Volume of a Rectangular Solid The amount of space an object occupies. To find the volume of a cube or rectangular prism. 1.Measure the length, width, & height of the object. 2.Then, multiply the three measurements. V= l x w x h 3.The units are (usually) m 3 or cm 3.

The amount of space a liquid occupies. A beaker or graduated cylinder is used to measure the volume of a liquid. –The base unit we use is liters (L). Smaller amounts are usually measured in milliliters (mL). Always: –Determine the scale on your beaker/graduated cylinder. –Have the beaker/graduated cylinder on a flat surface. –Read the liquid level at the bottom of the meniscus (curve). Volume of a Liquid

1. Fill a graduated cylinder with water & record the amount. 2. Put the object in the water & record the new amount. 3. Find the difference. volume of water & object – volume of water volume of object A graduated cylinder is used to find the volume of an irregularly shaped object (like a rock)… –Use the water displacement method below. The unit we use is milliliters (mL). of 2 mL Volume of an Irregularly Shaped Object

Temperature Temperature is a measure of how fast the atoms & molecules of a substance are moving. –The faster the movement, the hotter the object’s temperature. –The slower the movement, the cooler the object’s temperature. Temperature is measured, using a thermometer, in degrees Celsius. –Always determine the scale on your thermometer. Time Seconds (s) are used to measure the duration of an event (how long it took). We use a stopwatch to measure time.

The order of prefixes in the metric system… You can remember it by thinking of… King Hector Distributed Money… Dollars & Cents to Millie 1000 or or or or or or 1/ or or 1/ or or 1/1000 Changing the Size of Units