Introducing… The Metric System! By Miss Musich and Mrs. Gergel.

Introducing…The Metric System!

By Miss Musich and Mrs. Gergel

What is the Metric System?

“The metric system is an international decimalized system of measurement, first adopted by France in 1791, that is the common system of measuring units used by most of the world.”

Based around the idea of 10

From Wikipedia

Who invented the Metric System?

French Commander Napoleon locked away all scientists and mathematicians and wouldn’t let them out until they developed a simple form of measurement that could be used everywhere in Europe.

Do We Use the Metric System?

USA is one of the only countries to not use the metric system for EVERYTHING!

We do, however, use the metric system for scientific measurement!

Length!

Length ~ The measurement of an object from end to end.

In order to measure length, we use tools such as a Meter stick, a ruler, or measuring tape.

Length!

The unit we use for measuring length is: Meters

You might see meters, centimeters, millimeters, etc. Abbreviation: m

Volume!

Volume ~ The amount of space an object takes up.

In order to measure volume we use tools such as a Graduated Cylinder or a beaker. You will need to find the meniscus when measuring for volume when using a graduates cylinder.

Volume!

The unit we use for measuring volume is: Liters

You might see liters, milliliters, or kiloliters, etc. Abbreviation: L

Mass!

Mass ~ The amount of matter, or “stuff” in an object.

In order to measure mass, we use a tool called a Triple Beam Balance. Sometimes we can use a Spring scale.

Mass!

The unit we use for measuring mass is: Grams

You might see grams, hectograms, kilograms, etc. Abbreviation: g

Time!

Time ~ A period or interval.

In order to measure time, we use a tool called a stopwatch. We can also use a clock!

Time!

The unit we use for measuring time is: Seconds

You might see seconds, centiseconds, kiloseconds, etc. Abbreviation: sec.

Temperature!

Temperature ~ A measure of how warm or cold an object is.

In order to measure temperature, we use a tool called a thermometer.

Temperature!

The unit we use for measuring temperature is: Degrees Celsius or Degrees Centigrade.

You will not use Fahrenheit in science class. Abbreviation: ˚C.