Units of Measure Section 1.3 Metric Mass

Pre-View 1.3 Mass – the measure of how much matter is in an object Gram – the standard SI unit for measuring mass Balance – a piece of equipment used to measure mass

Many times, mass and weight are used interchangeably, but they are not the same. –Mass is the measurement of how much matter is in an object, and the standard SI unit for mass is the gram. –Scientists use a balance to get the mass of objects.

What has the mass of one gram? –Two large paperclips –One large thumb tack (push pin) A gram is a small unit of measure. –Most everyday objects would be measured in kilograms.

SI unit of Mass: Kilogram (kg) When to use it… –To measure the mass of most everyday objects. Example: –A 10 pound weight contains about 4.5 kg of mass

SI unit of Mass: Gram (g) When to use it… –To measure lightweight objects. Example: –The mass of a dime is about 2.3 grams

SI unit of Mass: Milligram (mg) When to use it… –To measure very small amounts. Nutrients and medicines are often measured in milligrams Example: –Children’s aspirin contains 81 mg of aspirin. Most people require at least 70 mg of Vitamin C per day.