THE

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THE METRIC SYSTEM
Don't sigh when you use SI
Sally Student Horace Mann Middle School
2
WHY USE METRICS?
10
10

• 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

01
10
How far is it?
(In America we would say 59 miles)
3
HOW DID IT GET STARTED?

• The modern metric system is really called the
  Systeme International dUnités (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

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HOW DID IT GET STARTED?(Part 2)

• Thomas Jefferson (1790) proposed a decimal-based
  measurement system for the United States
• Frances Louis XVI (1790) authorized scientific
  investigations aimed at a reform of French
  weights and measures these investigations led
  to the first metric system

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HOW DID IT GET STARTED?(Part 3)

• The U.S. Mint (1792) produced the worlds 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
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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.

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RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BASICS
Forward to Common Symbols

• 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 (cm3) of water equals 1 gram
  (g)
• The volume occupied by 1 cm3 is 1 milliliter (mL)

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THEREFORE

• 1 cm3 1 mL
• 1 cm3 of water 1 g ( 1 mL)
• 1 L of water 1 kg ( 1 dam)
• (SEE HOW EASY THIS IS?)

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COMMON SYMBOLS
Back to Relationships
10
METRIC CONVERSIONS
Kilo-
1000
Hecto-
MOVE DECIMAL ONE PLACE TO RIGHT FOR EACH STEP
100
For an example, click here
Deka-
10
BASE METER, LITER, GRAM
1
MOVE DECIMAL ONE PLACE TO LEFT FOR EACH STEP
Deci-
0.1
Centi-
0.01
For an example, click here
Milli-
0.0010
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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
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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 0.2345 dekaliters in 2345 milliliters!

Back to Metric Conversions
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PRACTICE CONVERTING

• 1. 11 cm _____ mm
• 2. 0.55 m _____ cm
• 3. 1.23 kg _____ mg
• 4. 0.47 L _____ hL
• 5. 1001 g _____ kg
• 6. 357 mL _____ daL
• 7. 131 dm _____ km
• 8. 2001 kL _____ mL

• Answer these before going to the next slide

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PRACTICE CONVERTING (ANSWERS)

• 1. 11 cm 110 mm
• 2. 0.55 m 55 cm
• 3. 1.23 kg 1,230,000 mg
• 4. 0.47 L 0.0047 hL
• 5. 1001 g 1.001 kg
• 6. 357 mL 0.0357 daL
• 7. 131 dm 0.0131 km
• 8. 2001 kL 2,001,000,000 mL
• How did you do?

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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

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REFERENCES FOR THE METRIC SYSTEM

• Clip art images courtesy of Microsoft Office 2002
• The U.S. Metric Association, http//lamar.colostat
  e.edu/hillger/
• Padilla, Michael J., Ph.D., Physical Science.
  Needham, Massachusetts Prentice-Hall, 2001.