metric conversion tutorial

Metric Conversion Tutorial

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How many Litres are there in a 355 mL pop can? How many kilometres is the sun’s radius if it is

0.6955 Gm (Giga meters) The smallest wavelength of light that can be seen by

humans is 380 nm (nano meters), how many millimetres is this?

A pumpkin seed has the mass of 250 mg, how many grams is this?

As a result of the 2011 Japanese earthquake there has been 1.8 µs (micro seconds)subtracted from the Earth day. How many seconds have we lost?

All these question and more will be answered if you click play.

Did You Know?

Click play to continue

Have you ever seen measurements written like these before?

55 cm, 355 mL, 78 µs, 150 Gg. Have you ever wondered what they meant? Click the play button and you will find out!

Part 1: Reading a Metric Unit.


There is only one base unit for each type of measurement.

We will use the following 4, but there are more.

. . . . Metric combines the bases units with

Prefixes to represent different sizes.

How do you read a metric unit?


Base Units

Distance = meters (m)Mass = grams (g)Volume = liters (L)Time = seconds (s)

Pre = before Fix = attached Prefix = attached before Example:

◦ km has the prefix k attached to the base unit mThis is read kilo metre.

◦ mL has the prefix m attached to the base unit LThis is read milli litre.

What is a prefix?


Please click the following link of your choice.

Yes, I did take the notes, I want to move on.

Oops, no I didn’t take the notes and need to go back.

Did you take the notes?

What is the prefix symbol in 67 cg?


A. g B. c C. cg D. None of the Above.

Quick Quiz 1

Please reread the information by choosing this link.

If you wish to skip ahead without rereading choose this link.

Sorry

Keep trying you’ll get the idea


Lets try another one.

I would like to reread the information.

Way to go!

You got the idea!

What is the base unit symbol in 45 Mg?


A. M B. g C. Mg D. 45 E. None of the above.

Quick Quiz 2

The prefix is always the first letter(s) written and the base unit is always the last letter.

For Mg the base unit symbol is g for grams and the prefix is M for Mega.


I would like to reread the instructions. I would like to continue.

Sorry


Yes, the base unit is the last letter in the symbol and the prefix is always the letter(s) that are written first.


Continue Start this section again.

That is correct.

You got the idea!

What is the prefix in 737 dag?


A. 737 B. d C. a D. g E. da

Quick Quiz 3

The prefix deca has the only two letter prefix, with the symbols of da. If you ever see 3 letters for a metric prefix and unit you can be certain that it is deca in front of the base.


Continue. Start at the beginning of this section again.

Sorry


The prefix deca has the only two letter prefix symbols of da. If you ever see 3 letters for a metric prefix and unit you can be certain that it is deca in front of the base.


Continue. Start at the beginning of this section again.

That is Correct!

You got the idea!

What is the prefix in the value 550 m?


A. m B. There is no prefix, this is in base units. C. This unit is not possible. D. 550

Quick Quiz 4

In the metric system, if there is only one letter after the numbers it means the measurement is in the base units and there is NO prefix.


Try Quick Quiz 4 again. Redo this section from the start. Move on.

This was a tricky one!


In the metric system, if there is only one letter after the number(s) it means the measurement is in the base units and there is NO prefix.

That is Correct!


You got the idea!

All metric units are written with prefix symbol(s) written before a base unit symbol.◦ Ex. kg, cm, ds, ML...

Deca is the only prefix that has two letters da. This is so you can tell it apart from deci (d).◦ Ex. dag, daL, dam, das

In the metric system, if there is only one letter after the numbers it means the measurement is in the base units and there is NO prefix.◦ Ex. g, m, L, s

Recap: Recognizing unit and prefix.


Recall: Have you ever seen measurements written like these

before? 55 cm, 355 mL, 78 µs, 150 Gg. Have you ever wondered what they meant?

55 cm is 55 with the prefix c (centi) and base unit (metres). 355 mL is 355 with the prefix m (milli) and base unit

(Litres). 78 µs is 78 with the prefix µ (micro) and base unit

(seconds). 50 Gg is 50 with the prefix G (giga) and base unit (grams).

Now you Know


Have you ever wondered what a giga, mega, or a micro meant?

They are all metric prefixes.

To find out more click play.

Part 2: Metric prefix list..


As you learned in section one the metric system uses prefixes attached in front of a base unit.

But why? The answer is simple, each prefix describes

how much bigger or smaller the measurement is compared to the base unit.

The next page will introduce you to the common metric prefixes and their meaning.

Metric Prefixes


Name Symbol ValueGiga G 1 000 000 000Mega M 1 000 000Kilo k 1 000Hecto h 100Deca da 10Base Unit gram (g),

meter (m), seconds (s), litre (L)

1

Deci d 0.1 =1/10 Centi C 0.01 =1/100 Milli m 0.001 =1/1000Micro µ

pronounced mu0.000 001 =1/ 1000 000

Nano n 0.000 000 001 =1/ 1000 000 000

Common Metric PrefixesClick anywhere to advance through this Page

You may Click play to move ahead

See how the value increases by factor of 10

See how the value decreases by a factor of10

Notice how these still increase by a larger factor of 10. They increase by

1000 each time.

Notice how these still decrease by a larger factor of 10.

They decrease by 1000 each time.

The first three prefixes above the base (da, h, k) increase by a factor of 10 each time.

The first three prefixes below the base (d, c, m) all decrease by a factor of 10 each time.

All the rest of the metric prefixes larger or smaller than the first three increase or decrease by a factor of 1000 each time.

That means, every prefix is just a factor of 10 larger or smaller than the base unit.

Recap


The prefix chart shown earlier seems like a lot to know.

Knowing the prefix, name, and value can be a lot when beginning.

So, for now all you will have to know will be the prefix list in order to be successful.

Daunting task!


For now you will only need to know the common prefixes that we will write them out like this.

G_ _M_ _k h da U d c m_ _µ_ _n

The U represents the general place for base units. In our case we will have grams (g), metre (m), Litre (L), or seconds (s).

Capitalization is important. For example, M is different from m and h is used for hecto not H.

The new symbol µ is a Greek letter called mu. This is the symbol for micro.

You must include the __ __spaces. Try writing this out on a piece of paper.

You will need to know the prefixes


g, m, L, s

Here is the list again. The more times you write or see it the faster you will remember it.


To help you remember the list try this: Grab My kittens hiding down under dads car motor meow now! To remember the base units try this. my grandma Loves stew (for meters, grams, Litres, and seconds)

Prefix list


g, m, L, s

What is the letter missing from the given metric prefix list below?

G_ _?_ _k h da U d c m_ _µ_ _n

Please click the following link of your choice. A. L B. M C. m D. s E. There is nothing missing.

Quick Quiz 1

Capital M is missing from the list. Capital M stands for mega.


Continue. Restart this section.

That is correct

You got the idea!

Capital M is missing from the list. Capital M stands for mega.

Remember the pneumonic: Grab My kittens hiding down under dads car motor mu

now!


Continue. Restart this section.

Sorry


Pick ONE metric prefix list that is complete and in the correct order. Don’t forget your pneumonic.

A. g__m__k h da Unit d c m__µ__n

B. G__M__k h d Unit da c m__µ__n

C. G__M__ h k da Unit d c m__µ__n

D. G__M__k h da Unit d c m__µ__n

Quick Quiz 2

That is not the correct choice.


Retry quick quiz 2. Start at the beginning of this section again. Find out the answers and move on.

Sorry


You are well on your way to being a metric conversion guru!

This choice needed to have capital g and m. g__m__k h da Unit d c m__µ__n

This choice had da and d reversed. G__M__k h d Unit da c m__µ__n This choice had the k and h reversed. G__M__ h k da Unit d c m__µ__n Press play to continue.

Yes!


What are the base unit symbols we will use? Don’t forget your pneumonic.


A. G M k h B. m g L s C. d c m µ D. M g l s

Quick Quiz 3

The correct answer was: m g L s Because my grandma Loves stew.


Redo this section for extra practice. Continue to the next section.

Way to Go!

You got the idea!

Click anywhere to see the answers.

A. G M k h B. m g L s C. d c m µ D. M g l s

Sorry

This is the beginning of the prefix list not the base units.

This is the end of the prefix list not the base units.

This has the correct letters but the M should be m and l should be L.

Correct. Because my grandma Loves stew.


You will write out the prefixes as a single list of letters like this. Including the __ spaces.


This pneumonic will help you. Grab My kittens hiding down under dads car motor mu now! To remember the base units try this. my grandma Loves stew (for meters, grams, Litres, and seconds)

Recap


g, m, L, s

Recall: Have you ever wondered what a giga, mega, or a micro

meant? The prefix giga has the symbol G and it represents 1

000 000 000 x the base unit it is attached to. G is found on the far left of our prefix list.

The prefix mega has the symbol M and it represents 1 000 000 x the base unit it is attached to. M is found second in from the left of our prefix list.

The prefix micro has the symbol µ and represents 1/1 000 000 or 0. 000 001 (1 millionth) of the base unit it is attached to. µ is found second in from the right of our prefix list.

Now You Know


Metric conversion can be broken into simple steps.

If you follow these steps you will be able to do any conversion correctly every time .

The first step in metric conversion is using your prefix list to find out how far apart the two units are that you need to convert.

Lets look at converting 5476 mg to kg To see how to use the prefix list press play.

Part 3: Metric Conversion


Recall: Using the list to convert 5476 mg to kg


This is your essential conversion tool. We use this to find out how far apart two

prefixes are. How many steps from mg to kg? Click anywhere to see the animation. It is 6 steps to the left

Step 1: Moving on the Prefix List

123456


StartEnd

g, m, L, s

Example 1: Convert 95.1 km into cm We will take this first one slow.

1. Write out the metric prefix list, including the base Units underneath.


2. Determine the location of the given unit prefix on the list.

The given unit is km so the prefix is k Click once to see it on the list.

3. Determine the location of the desired unit prefix on the list The desired unit is cm so the prefix is c Click once to see it on the list.

Lets start converting.


Start Endg, m, L, s


4. Now count the moves along the prefix list from starting prefix to ending prefix

(km to cm). Note the direction of motion (right or left). Click once to see the animation. From k to c is 5 moves to the right.

Converting example 1 Cont.


1 2 3 4 5

g, m, L, s

95.1 km =__________________cm

5. Determine the location of the decimal of the given measurement and move the decimal, on the given value, the same number of steps and in the same direction as found in step 4 (5 to the right).

Click once to see animation 6. Rewrite the value in the space provided with the new decimal

location. Fill in empty spots with zeros.

7. Check: Any non zero numbers never change in the final value. The decimal has been written in the new location. Are all the zero’s included and necessary?

Converting example 1 Answered.Decimal

5 to the right

=9 510 000..


0 0 0 0

or

1. Write out the prefix list 2. Find the starting prefix and the Final

prefix. 3. Count the moves from start to finish

including direction. 4. Move the decimal on the original value

the same as on the prefix list in step 3.

Recap in short steps:


Convert 8900 dg = ___________ kg Click to advance the steps. G_ _ M_ _ k h da Unit d c m_ _ µ_ _ n

Move the decimal 4 to the left. Where is the decimal? After the last zero. Final Answer 8900 dg = ___0.8900_____ kg

Let’s Try Together

StartEnd1234

Decimal here.Move to here.


g, m, L, s

Convert 0.599 s = ___________ µs Click to advance the steps.

G_ _ M_ _ k h da Unit d c m _ _ µ_ _ n

Move the decimal 6 to the right. Final Answer 0.599 s = _599 000.______ µs Notes: Fill in extra moves with zeros. Each _ _ counts as a move.

Let’s Try Again

Start Move to here.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Decimal Move here

Press play to continue

0 0 0

g, m, L, s

Convert Each of the Following: 755 dm = __________ mm 789 kg = ___________ dag 0.543 ms = ___________ ns 5598 L =__________ ML 0.0014 m =__________ mm Click to advance the answers! Did you try first? How did you Do?

Quick Quiz You Try


75 50078.9543 000

0.005 5981.4

Given the following list of Conversions find out which are right and which are wrong.

Correct any that are wrong. 755 cm = ____75.5____ mm 8900 dg = _____0.89___ kg 0.599 s = __599 00_____ µs 5598 daL =__55.98___ ML 0.0014 m =___1.42____ mm Click to advance through the answers. Did you try first?

Quick Quiz You Fix

Fix= 7550IncorrectCorrectCorrect

Fix= 0.005598IncorrectFix = 1.4Incorrect


In a 355 mL pop can there are 0.355 L. The sun’s radius of 0.6955 Gm = 695 500 km The smallest wavelength of light that can be

seen by humans is 380 nm = 0.380 mm. A pumpkin seed with a mass of 250 mg =

0.250 g which = 0.000 250 kg. As a result of the 2011 Japanese earthquake

there has been 1.8 µs subtracted from the Earth day. We have lost 0.000 000 018 s off of the day.

Now You Know.



I would like to redo from the start. I would like to redo from part 2 (Prefix list). I would like to redo this section (Converting)

. I will come back another day.

You Are Done

Good Bye

metric conversion tutorial

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metric unit

base d

following link

metric prefixes larger

common metric prefixes

base units

base unit lthis