User:Atcovi/Measurements

All measurements in this page are expressed in metric units. Scientists throughout the world use the metric system, and you will always use metric units when you make measurements in the laboratory. The official name of the measurement system is the Le Système International d'Unités (or International System of Measurements). It is usually referred to simply as SI.

The metric system is a decimal system---that is, all relationships between units of measurement are based on powers of 10. Most units have a prefix that indicates the relationship of that unit to the base unit. For example, a meter equals 100 centimeters/1,000 milimeters. The lists below show the most commonly used prefixes as well as the main units used for each type of measurement.

Metric Prefixes

 * Prefix: giga; Symbol G; Factor of Base Unit: 1,000,000,000
 * Prefix: mega; Symbol M; Factor of Base Unit: 1,000,000
 * Prefix: kilo; Symbol K; Factor of Base Unit: 1,000
 * Prefix: hecto; Symbol h; Factor of Base Unit: 100
 * Prefix: deka; Symbol da; Factor of Base Units: 10
 * Prefix: deci; Symbol d; Factor of Base Units: 0.1
 * Prefix: centi; Symbol c; Factor of Base Units: 0.01
 * Prefix: milli; Symbol m; Factor of Base Units: 0.001
 * Prefix: micro; Symbol µ; Factor of Base Units: 0.0001
 * Prefix; nano; Symbol n; Factor of Base Units: 0.000000001

Temperature
In the metric system temperature is measured on the Celsius scale. On the Celsius scale, 0° (32°F) is the freezing point of water, and 100° (212°F) is the boiling point of water. Thus 1°C equals 0.01 of the difference between the freezing point and boiling point of water.

Area

 * Square Kilometer (km2) = 100 hectares
 * 1 hectare (ha) = 10,000 square meters
 * 1 square meter (m<2) = 10,000 sqaure centimeters
 * 1 square centimeter (cm2) = 100 square millimeters

Mass

 * 1 kilogram (kg) = 1,000 grams
 * 1 gram (g) = derived from kg (base unit of mass)
 * 1 milligram (mg) = 0.001 gram
 * 1 microgram (µg) = 0.000001 gram

Liquid Volume

 * 1 kiloliter (kL) = 1,000 liters
 * 1 liter (L) = base unit of liquid volume
 * 1 milliliter (mL) = 0.001 liter

Note: When measuring liquid volume in a graduated cylinder, be sure to read the measurement at the bottom of the meniscus, or curve.

Length

 * 1 kilometer (km) = 1,000 meters
 * 1 meter (m) = base unit of length
 * 1 centimeter (cm) = 0.01 meter
 * 1 millimeter (mm) = 0.001 meter
 * 1 micrometer (µm) = 0.000001 meter
 * 1 nanometer (nm) = 0.000000001 meter