metric

The Metric System   The metric system is based on the number 10. There are, for example, 10 millimeters per centimeter. There are 1000 (10 times 10 times 10) meters per kilometer. (The prefix kilo- means one thousand times - so a kilometer is one thousand times the length of a meter.) There are one thousand milliliters in a liter. (The prefix milli- means "one thousandth of " - so one milliliter would be one one-thousandth of a liter.) In chemistry, physics - in fact, all the sciences, the metric system is used. The basic advantage to the metric system is that it is so easy to go from one unit to another. You just multiply or divide by 10.   Basic unit for measuring length is the meter. The symbol is m. Basic unit for measuring volume is the liter. The symbol is v. Basic unit for measuring mass is the gram. The symbol is g. 1000            100           10             unit           1/10           1/100                1/1000 Kilo             hecto       deca                           deci             centi                milli k                                                                                          c                       m big                                                 medium                                             small There are 1000 grams in a kilogram. 1,000g = 1 kg There are 1000 meters in a kilometer. 1,000m = 1km There are 1000 millimeters in a meter. 1,000mm = 1 m There are 1000 milliliters in liter. 1,000ml = 1 l Kilo- means 1000. The symbol is k. So the symbol for one kilogram is kg. Milli- means 1/1000 or one one-thousandth. The symbol is m. Centi- means 1/100th. The symbol is c. The symbol for centimeter is cm. There are 10 millimeters in one centimeter. 10mm = 1 cm 1kg = 1000g                  1/1000kg = 1g                1g = 100cg = 1000mg Questions: 1.      What is the symbol for millimeter? How many meters is this? 2.      What is the symbol for kilogram? How many grams is this? 3.      What is the symbol for a centiliter? How many liters is this? 4.      How many millimeters in a meter? 5.      How many millimeters in a centimeter? 6.      How many centiliters in liter? 7.      How many meters in a kilometer? 8.      How many millimeters in a kilometer? 9.      How many milliliters are there in one (1) liter? 10.  Milli- means what? 11.  Is a millimeter more or less than a meter? How do you know? By how much? 12.  Is a kilogram more or less than a meter? How do you know? 13.  If 200 milligrams is 200 one-thousandths of a gram, what would 900 milligrams be? 14.  How many milligrams are in 1 gram? In two grams? In 5 grams? In 1000 grams? 15.  How many milligrams in one kilogram? 16.  2,000mm = _______m 17.  How many mm are there in one meter? 18.  How many milliliters are there per liter? 19.  How many milligrams are there per gram? 20.  What do the following stand for? (a) milli-_____________ (b) centi-____________ (c) g _______________ (d) kilo-_____________ (e) mg______________ (f) cm_______________ (g) mm______________ For scale reference, just so you know:        Your fingernail is about one millimeter thick and one centimeter wide. Your hand is about 10 centimeters wide or one decimeter. When you walk, one stride is almost one meter. It is also about a meter from your fingertips to you opposite shoulder. Most people drink about 2-3 liters per day. A liter of water weighs one kilogram. One milliliter of water weighs one gram. Our gram crackers weighed about 3.8 grams. Most of us weigh between 40 and 100 kilograms. A grain of rice could be measured in milligrams.