Metric System Basics

Metric System Basics Only a few areas of the world still use the

English measurement system U.S. Myanmar Liberia

Problems Metric mishap caused loss of NASA orbiter September 30, 1999 CNN NASA lost a $125 million Mars orbiter because a Lockheed Martin

engineering team used English units of measurement while NASAs team used the metric system for a key spacecraft operation.

The units mismatch prevented navigation information from transferring between the Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft team in at Lockheed Martin in Denver and the flight team at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Lockheed Martin helped build, develop and operate the spacecraft for NASA. Its engineers provided navigation commands for Climate Orbiters thrusters in English units although NASA has been using the metric system predominantly since at least 1990.

Metric (SI) vs. American Measurements Metric (SI) System

Grams Meters Liters Celsius http://en.wikipedia.or

g/wiki/United_States_customary_units

American System Pounds Ounces Feet Inches Yards Miles Gallons Cups Teaspoon Quarts Pints Fahrenheit

Metric System BasicsMost of the world uses the metric

system (95%) Why use the metric system?

1. To have a single unit for every physical quantity2. MUCH EASIER: Based on units of 10

Metric System Basics The metric system is based on a base unit

that corresponds with a certain type of measurement Length = meters (m) Volume = liters (L) Mass or weight = grams (g)

Which is bigger?

Prefixes

k: kilo = 1 thousand base units(x1000)

h: hecto = 1 hundred base units(x100)

D: deca = ten base units(x10)

d: deci = 1 tenth of a base unit(÷10)

c: centi = 1 hundredth of a base unit(÷100)

m: milli = 1 thousandth of a base unit(÷1000)

Metric Conversions

Metric Conversions

Metric Olympics Categories1. Frisbee Toss (meters)2. Guess your partner’s weight

(in kg )3. Bean grab (grams) 4. Volume guess (milliliters)5. Ball Roll (meters)6. Popsicle Stick Flip (meters)

Measuring Volume Volume: the amount of space occupied by an

object Rectangle: length x width x height Liquid Volume: 1 liter = decimeter cubed

(dm³)

Measuring Matter Density: a measure of how tightly packed

molecules are in an object d = mass / volume

Measuring Temperature Temperature: a measure

of how hot or cold something is

Celsius Scale Freezing point of water is 0º

C Boiling Point of water is 100º

C Kelvin Scale (SI unit of

temperature) Usually used in astronomy Absolute Zero (0K) = -273 K:

the coldest possible temperature