Systéme International d’unités (SI) International System of Units otherwise known as the metric...

Systéme International d’unités (SI)

International System of Units

otherwise known as the metric system....

General Information

International System of Units (SI) is a version of the metric system.

SI is based on the powers of 10.

General Information

Scientist world-wide have agreed to use SI to allow comparison of data and communication of results with each other.

LengthDef: distance between two points

Basic Unit: meter (m)

Common Units: kilometer (km), meter (m), centimeter (cm), millimeter (mm)

LengthMeasurement tool: ruler, measuring tape, meter stick

Common Conversions: 1 km = 1000 m, 1 m = 100 cm, 1 m = 1000 mm, 1 cm = 10 mm

Meter stick

MassDef: the amount of matter an object contains.

Basic Unit: kilogram (kg)

Common Units: kilogram (kg), gram (g), milligram (mg)

Mass

Measurement tools: pan balance, triple-beam balance, electronic balance

Common conversions: 1 kg = 1000 g, 1 g = 1000 mg

Mass

Weight: the pull of gravity on the mass of an object.

Pan balance

Triple-beam balance

Electronic balance

VolumeDef: amount of space an object takes up

Basic unit: liter (L)

Common units: liter (L), milliliter (mL), cubic centimeter (cm3)

Volume

Measurement tools: graduated cylinder, ruler (for rectangular solids)

Common conversions: 1 L = 1000 mL, 1 mL = 1 cm3

Volume - Reading a graduated cylinder

Look at liquid level at eye level.

Read at the bottom of the meniscus.

Meniscus - the bottom of the curve of liquid in a graduated cylinder.

Looking at graduated cylinder witha

meniscus

Volume - How to determine

Rectangular solids: volume is determined by measuring height, width, and length and multiplying them together.

Rectangular solid measurements

Volume - How to determine

Irregular solids: displacement of liquid (how much the water rises when an object is placed in the water.)

Volume by displacement

TimeBasic unit: second (s)

Common units: second (s), minute (min), hour (hr)

Measurement tools: clock, watch

Time

Common conversions: 1 hr = 60 min, 1 min = 60 s, 1 s = 1000 ms

TemperatureDef: a measurement of the average kinetic energy of the molecules in an object.

Basic unit: Kelvin (K)

Common Units: Kelvin (K), Celsius (°C)

Temperature

Measurement tool: thermometer

Common conversions: 0 K = -273°C, 0°C = 273 K

Temperature

Common temperatures: Water freezes - 0°C, Water boils - 100°C, Human body temperature - 37°C, Room temperature - 20°C