This lesson consists of providing you with a Self-Tutorial of the basic units used in measurement. These are the ones I discuss: Units of Time, Units of Length (Metric and U.S.), Units of Area (Metric and U.S.), Units of Volume (Metric and U.S.), Units of Mass (Metric and U.S.), Units of Liquid Capacity (Metric and U.S.), Units of Dry Capacity (Metric and U.S.), and other miscellaneous Units. Conversion Formulas and Abbreviations are also listed.
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The basic unit of time is the Second, defined as9,192,631,770 oscillations of the atom of cesium-133.
1 minute = 60 seconds
1 hour = 60 minutes
1 day = 24 hours
1 week = 7 days
1 fortnight = 2 weeks = 14 days (or nights)
1 month 30 days 4 weeks
1 year = 365 days = 52 weeks = 12 months
1 leap year = 366 days
1 decade = 10 years
1 century = 100 years
1 millennium = 1000 years
F ABBREVIATIONS F
3
UNITS OF LENGTH
F METRIC SYSTEM F
F The Meter is the basic unit of measurement of length. It is defined as
the total distance a beam of light would travel in
of a second.
To get an idea of this length, it is approximately equal to just over
times the width of a letter size page of paper:
Page==========
Page==========
Page==========
Page==========
Page==========
← 1 meter →
Assuming the following represents a meter:
1 decimeter =
meter
A better view of this portion is…
1 decimeter
1 centimeter =
decimeter =
meter
4
1 millimeter =
centimeter =
decimeter =
meter
Another look at this:
Keep in mind:
1 meter =
Y Here are units larger than a meter:
1 decameter = 10 meters
1 hectometer = 100 meters
5
F U.S. CUSTOMARY SYSTEM F
=Imperial Units (United Kingdom) are NOT covered in this lesson,only the American System. Also, not all units are discussed, justthe more typical ones.
The Yard is the basic unit of measurement of length. It isdefined as 0.9144 meters.
1 inch =
foot =
yard
1 foot = 12 inches =
yard
1 yard = 3 feet = 36 inches
1 mile = 1760 yards = 5280 feet
F CONVERSIONS F
Here are the most typical formulas to convert units from one system toanother. Most values are approximate, unless otherwise noted. I willprovide one example of how to use them. This is meant more as areference. More manipulations of units are done in other Lessons.
F METRIC SYSTEM FThe Kilogram is the basic unit of measurement of mass.It is defined as the mass of a certain cylinder made ofplatinum–iridium kept in Sèvres, France.
It is called the International Prototype Kilogram.
[
1 milligram =
gram
1 gram =
kilogram
1 kilogram = 1000 grams
1 metric ton = 1000 kilograms = How I usually feel after a big lunch!
F U.S. CUSTOMARY SYSTEM F
The Pound is the basic unit of measurement of mass.It is defined to be 0.45359237 kilograms. <Exactly>
1 ounce =
pound
1 pound = 16 ounces
1 ton = 2000 pounds <Also called the short ton>
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F CONVERSIONS F
0.035274 × grams = ounces
28.349523 × ounces = grams
2.204623 × kilograms = pounds
0.45359237 × pounds = kilograms <exactly>
0.9071874 × short tons = metric tons1.102312 × metric tons = short tons
F ABBREVIATIONS F
ounce = oz pound = lb <lower case of LB>
15
UNITS OF LIQUID CAPACITY
F METRIC SYSTEM F
The Liter is the basic unit of measurement ofcapacity (both liquid and dry). It is the volume of1 kilogram of water under specific scientificconditions.
1 milliliter =
liter = 1 cubic centimeter
1 liter = 1000 milliliters = 1 cubic decimeter
1 kiloliter = 1000 liters = 1 cubic meter
F U.S. CUSTOMARY SYSTEM F
F The Gallon is the basic unit of measurement of liquid capacity. It isequal to 231 cubic inches.
F The Degree is used as the basic unit of temperature; however, there areseveral temperature scales commonly used. Two will be discussed here:Fahrenheit and Celsius.
Degrees Fahrenheit: Math Symbol: F<Read: “degrees Fahrenheit”>
212°F→
180 degrees
32°F→
← Boiling point of water
← Freezing point of water
Degrees Celsius: Math Symbol: C<Read: “degrees Celsius”>
100°C→
100 degrees
0°C→
← Boiling point of water
← Freezing point of water
21
Y If you are given degrees Celsius (C) and want degrees Fahrenheit (F),use this formula to convert the values:
Y If you are given degrees Fahrenheit (F) and want degrees Celsius (C),use this formula to convert the values:
Examples of these conversions will be done in another Lesson.