1. Introduction to the Metric System
gram
Kilometer
liter
milliliter
Celsius
Introduction to the Metric System
meter
kilogram
Symbols
Prefixes
Converting Within the Metric System

2. Metric System
Usain Bolt won the gold medal in the 100 meter men’s track final of the 2008 Olympic games held in Beijing, China.
Dawn Harper won the gold medal in the 100 meter women’s hurdle’s final at those same Olympic games.

3. Metric System But how far is 100 meters? How far is 10 meters?
What about 10 feet?
Can you easily figure out how far 10 feet is, but have trouble knowing how far 10 meters is?

4. Metric System You are not alone!
Measuring in metrics is something we are not used to doing.
In the United States, we use the English system of measurement: pounds, feet, inches, miles, gallon, pint, etc.

5. Metric System
However, scientists around the world use the International System of Measurements, (SI) or Metrics, to measure distances, volumes, masses, and temperatures.
In fact, most countries use the SI system of measurement.
The countries in red are NOT using the metric system as a standard measurement system.

6. Metric System
If you travel to France, the distances and speeds marked on the road signs will be in kilometers, not in miles.
You would buy milk measured in liters

7. 2 Liters 1 Liter Metric System
You may be used to buying water and soda in liters, so you are already using the metric system! 1
Liter

8. Ask a classmate how many fingers wide their desk is.
Metric System
Use your index finger to measure the width of your desk.
How many fingers wide is it?
Ask a classmate how many fingers wide their desk is.

9. Metric System
Do all of the desks in your classroom look like they are the same width?
Did everyone arrive at the same or different answers?
Why do you think it is important to have a standard system of measurement?
What would the world be like if we all used
our index fingers to measure length?

10. ? ? ? Metric System Ok, how many ounces in a pound again?
12 inches to a foot,
Let’s see – do I divide?
Multiply?
Mmmm…
Metric System
Try converting 18 inches into feet.
How about 14 ounces into pounds?
Ok, how many ounces
in a pound again?
The English system is not easy to use.
? ? ?

11. Metric System
Scientists need a standard system of measurement that is easy to use and convert measurements.
Fingers will not do!
The English system is confusing!
Using the same measuring system by everyone world-wide allows for uniformity of measurements.

12. Metric System 10
The metric system is based on the number 10. It is easy to use because each measurement can be converted by simply multiplying or dividing by a factor of 10.

13. Metric System
Look at the chart below to see the basic metric units and their symbols.
Measurement
Unit
Symbol
Length
meter m
Mass
gram g
Volume
liter L
Temperature
Kelvin (or Celsius)
K (C)

14. No Prefix 10 – Deka- 100 – Hecta-
Metric System
Meter, Liter, and Gram are all base units.
1 – base unit
No Prefix 10 – Deka – Hecta-
Prefixes are used with the base unit of measurement and indicate which multiple of 10 is being used.
Kilo- 1000
Milli- 1/1000
Centi- 1/100
Kilometer, milliliter, and centigram are examples of metric units that use prefixes.

15. Metric System
Here are some commonly used prefixes in the metric system. Notice the multiplying factors are all based on the number 10.
Prefix
Symbol
Multiplying Factor
Giga G
1,000,000,000
Mega M
1,000,000
Kilo k
1000
Hecta h
100
Deka da 10
Deci d
0.1
Centi c
0.01
Milli m
0.001
Micro u
Nano n

16. The basic unit of length is meter.
Metric System
The basic unit of length is meter.
A meter is about the length of a yard in the English system.
The length of a room or the length of a hallway would be measured in meters.
A centimeter is one-hundredth (1/100) of a meter.
The length of your finger or your pencil would be measured in centimeters.

17. Metric System
Use a metric ruler or a meter stick to measure length in the Metric System.

18. The basic unit of mass is kilogram.
Metric System
The basic unit of mass is kilogram.
A kilogram is about 2.2 pounds.
The mass of one of your large textbooks may be about 1 kilogram.
A gram is one-thousandth of a kilogram.
Pencils, candies, and cereal can be measured in grams.

19. Use a balance or scale to measure mass in the Metric System.

20. The basic unit of volume is the Liter.
Metric System
The basic unit of volume is the Liter.
A liter is about 34 ounces, or about 1/4 of a gallon.
The volume of a large bottle of soda is 2 liters.
A milliliter is one-thousandth (1/1000) of a liter.
A glass of water, a bottle of drinking water, and a jar of spagetti sauce can be measured in milliliters.

21. Use a graduated cylinder to measure volume in the Metric System.

22. Celsius Kelvin Metric System
One of two units may be used in the Metric System when measuring temperature.
Celsius
Kelvin
0 degrees Celsius =
freezing point of water
37 degrees Celsius = body temperature
0 degrees Celsius = 273 Kelvin
310 Kelvin = body temperature

23. Metric System
Once you learn how to measure in the Metric System, you will need to convert from one unit to another on occasion.
For instance, you may have a balance that measures in grams, but your lab directions call for you to record the mass in kilograms. You will need to know how to convert the units.

24. Metric System
An easy way to convert between the commonly used measurements is to simply move the decimal.
But…
How many places do you move the decimal? Which direction do you move it?
Here’s an easy method to converting measurements within the Metric System which uses a mnemonics chart.

25. Here are some prefixes and their corresponding values.
Base – No prefix
Metric System
Hecta-
Deka-
Centi-
Deci-
Milli-
Kilo-
/ / /1000
Here are some prefixes and their corresponding values.
Reading from left to right: each prefix is 10 times smaller than the value on its left.
Reading from right to left: each prefix is 10 times larger than the value on its right.

26. Metric System Base – No prefix meter Hecta- Deka- Centi- Deci- Milli-
Kilo-
/ / /1000
A kilometer is 10 times longer than a Hectameter.
A kilometer is 1000 times longer than a meter

27. A mnemonic can help you with conversions within the Metric System.
Base – No prefix
Metric System
Hecta-
Deka-
Centi-
Deci-
Milli-
Kilo-
/ / /1000
K H D B D C M
King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk
A mnemonic can help you with conversions within the Metric System.
Each letter of the mnemonic begins with the first letter of the metric prefix.

28. Base – No prefix
Memorize the mnemonic!
Metric System
Hecta-
Deka-
Centi-
Deci-
Milli-
Kilo-
/ / /1000
King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk
You will always be able to rebuild this chart if you memorize the mnemonic!

29. Let’s try a conversion: How many milliliters are in 1.25 Liters? OR
Metric System
Since the Metric System is based on factors of 10, we need only worry about moving the decimal when converting between metric measurements.
Let’s try a conversion:
How many milliliters are in 1.25 Liters? OR
1.25 L = ? mL

30. Metric System Base – No prefix Hecta- Deka- Centi- Deci- Milli- Kilo-
/ / /1000
King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk
Start with the mnemonic:
King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk.
Now add the prefixes that start with the first letter of the mnemonic. They will be in the correct order!

31. Metric System Each Prefix along the chart is a “Place” or “Spot”.
Base – No prefix
Metric System
Hecta-
Deka-
Centi-
Deci-
Milli-
Kilo-
/ / /1000
King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk
Now we are ready to make the conversion: L = ? mL
Step 1: Since Liter has no prefix, we will place our pencil on the “Base-No Prefix” spot.
Step 2: Find “Milli-” on the chart.

32. Metric System Base – No prefix Hecta- Deka- Centi- Deci- Milli- Kilo-
King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk
Step 3: Start at “Base-No Prefix” and jump your pencil to the right towards “Milli-”. You moved 3 places to the right to arrive at “Milli”.
Step 4: Now move the decimal in 1.25 L to the right 3 places. This matches what you just did on the chart.

33. Metric System
1.25
Move the decimal to the right 3 places.
Add a zero in the last place.
1.25 L = 1250 mL
You need not keep the decimal visible – it is understood to be to the right of 1250 ml.

34. Metric System Base – No prefix Hecta- Deka- Centi- Deci- Milli- Kilo-
/ / /1000
Try another conversion: 247 meters = ? kilometers
Follow the previous steps:
Place your pencil on “Base-No Prefix” and move to “Kilometers” by jumping 3 spaces to the left.

35. 247 m 247 m = 0.247 km Metric System Remember:
Now move the decimal point 3 spaces to the left.
247 m
The decimal is understood to be to the right of ‘7’.
Add a zero in front of the decimal.
247 m = km
Remember:
Meter – m, kilometer – km

36. 56.2 cm = 562 mm Metric System Base – No prefix Hecta- Deka- Centi-
Deci-
Milli-
Kilo-
King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk
Move the decimal one place to the right.
Convert 56.2 cm to mm.
56.2 cm = 562 mm

37. 467.0 cg = 4.670 g Metric System Base – No prefix Hecta- Deka- Centi-
Deci-
Milli-
Kilo-
King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk
Convert centigrams to grams
You see that the decimal needs to move to the left two places.
467.0 cg = g

38. Draw the above chart on your paper and try these conversions:
Base – No prefix
Metric System
Hecta-
Deka-
Centi-
Deci-
Milli-
Kilo-
/ / /1000
King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk
Draw the above chart on your paper and try these conversions:
93.2 mL = ? L
g = ? Kg
0.56 m = ? cm
Answers are revealed on the next slide.

39. Metric System Answers: 93.2 mL = 0.0932 L 845.34 g = 0.84534 Kg
Base – No prefix
Metric System
Hecta-
Deka-
Centi-
Deci-
Milli-
Kilo-
/ / /1000
King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk
Answers:
93.2 mL = L
g = Kg
0.56 m = 56 cm
Remember to add zeroes as placeholders where necessary.