Sally Student Horace Mann Middle School

WHY USE METRICS?  Based on powers of 10 so it is easy to convert  Used by almost all of the countries in the world  It is the language of scientists How far is it? (In America we would say 59 miles)

HOW DID IT GET STARTED?  The modern metric system is really called the Systeme International d’Unités (SI)  The original system was first proposed in 1585 by Simon Stevin in his book “The Tenth” – he suggested that a decimal system be used for weights and measures, coinage, and divisions of the degree of arc

HOW DID IT GET STARTED? (Part 2)  Thomas Jefferson (1790) proposed a decimal-based measurement system for the United States  France’s Louis XVI (1790) authorized scientific investigations aimed at a reform of French weights and measures – these investigations led to the first “metric” system

HOW DID IT GET STARTED? (Part 3)  The U.S. Mint (1792) produced the world’s first decimal currency (the U.S. dollar has 100 cents)  France (1795) officially adopted the metric system  1954 – The International System of Units began its development SI

BASIC UNITS There are three basic units used in the metric system (SI): 1. gram (mass) 2. meter (distance) 3. liter (volume) They are all related.

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BASICS  1 meter (m) is 1/10,000,000 of the distance between the Equator and the North Pole  1/100 of a meter is a centimeter (cm)  1 cubic centimeter (cm 3 ) of water equals 1 gram (g)  The volume occupied by 1 cm 3 is 1 milliliter (mL) Forward to Common Symbols

THEREFORE:  1 cm 3 = 1 mL  1 cm 3 of water = 1 g (= 1 mL)  1 L of water = 1 kg (= 1 dam) (SEE HOW EASY THIS IS?)

COMMON SYMBOLS Back to Relationships ggramkkilo1000 mmeterhhecto100 Lliterdadeka10 ddeci0.1 ccenti0.01 mmilli0.001

METRIC CONVERSIONS Kilo- Hecto- Deka- BASE = METER, LITER, GRAM Deci- Centi- Milli MOVE DECIMAL ONE PLACE TO RIGHT FOR EACH STEP MOVE DECIMAL ONE PLACE TO LEFT FOR EACH STEP For an example, click here

SAMPLE CONVERSIONS I  Example 1: How many meters are in 1 kilometer? There are 3 steps in the down-to-the- right direction between kilo- and the base (meter), so move the decimal point three places to the right, therefore there are 1000 meters in 1 kilometer! Back to Metrics Conversions

SAMPLE CONVERSIONS II  Example 2: How many dekaliters are there in 2345 milliliters? There are 4 steps in the up-to-the- left direction between milli- and deka-, move the decimal point four places to the left, therefore there are dekaliters in 2345 milliliters! Back to Metric Conversions

PRACTICE CONVERTING cm = _____ mm m = _____ cm kg = _____ mg L = _____ hL g = _____ kg mL = _____ daL dm = _____ km kL = _____ mL Answer these before going to the next slide

PRACTICE CONVERTING (ANSWERS) cm = 110 mm m = 55 cm kg = 1,230,000 mg L = hL g = kg mL = daL dm = km kL = 2,001,000,000 mL  How did you do?

OTHER SI STANDARDS MEASUREMENT MASS (LARGER) TIME TEMPERATURE DENSITY VELOCITY FORCE PRESSURE ENERGY POWER ELECTRICAL CURRENT STANDARD METRIC TON SECOND DEGREE CELSIUS KG PER CUBIC METER KM PER HOUR NEWTON KILOPASCAL KILOJOULE WATT AMPERE

REFERENCES FOR THE “METRIC SYSTEM”  Clip art images courtesy of Microsoft Office 2002  The U.S. Metric Association,  Padilla, Michael J., Ph.D., Physical Science. Needham, Massachusetts: Prentice-Hall, 2001.