Scientific Measurement

 

     Scientists around the world use the metric system.  Even though it is not the “official” system of the United States, scientists here use it too.  There are many reasons for this.  It provides a common language to communicate findings; it is a decimal system that makes measuring easy; it is simple to convert from one unit to another; and it is based on logical standards which transcend measurements of lines, volume, mass, and temperature.  In short, it’s a great system - which is why the rest of the world adopted it long ago.

 

Measurement:             Basic Unit:                   Tool:                Original Definition:

Linear (length)              meter (m)                     ruler                  1/10000000 from N. Pole to Equator

Volume (fluids)             liter (l)                          graduate            1 cubic decimeter; also 1 kg of water

Mass                            gram (g)                       balance             1 cubic centimeter of water

Temperature                degrees Celsius (°C)     thermometer     1/100 from freezing to boiling water

 

Prefix:              Value:              Name:             Notation:         Examples:

kilo-                 1000                 thousand          1.0 x 10 3              1 kilometer = 1,000 meters

hecto-              100                   hundred            1.0 x 10 2          100 liters = 1 hectoliter

deka-               10                     ten                    1.0 x 10 1          1 dekagram = 100 decigrams

(unit)               1                       one                  1.0 x 10 0                 (meter, liter, gram)

deci-                .1                      tenth                 1.0 x 10 -1          10 decigrams = 1 gram

centi-               .01                    hundredth         1.0 x 10 -2          0.01 meter = 1 centimeter

milli-                .001                  thousandth       1.0 x 10 -3          1 milliliter = 0.001 liters

 

 

Memory Aid: King Henry Died until Drinking Chocolate Milk (K H D u D C M)

 

 

Connections: 1 gram (g) = 1 milliliter (ml) = 1 cubic centimeter (cm3) of water at 1 degree Celsius (0C)

 

 

 

 

Metric%20Conversion%20Chart

 

Linear Measurements: basic unit = meter (m)

s8m0l7image6

 

Volume Measurements: basic unit = liter (L); (note: liquids = ml, solids = cm3)

9109887_orig      muRhGzdqn8A-_49xzLmGtMzAvcDUCaV6GVCQpOpYfa0zDL-dAid6PSX4-lq99zTTMw4R8pw-_yfTInX6_SGoroJtcE3aRst5sVKIkqmiKEPtmJHtC9xUno9-

 

Mass Measurements: basic unit = gram (g)

balance 002

balance 001

 

Temperature Measurements: basic unit = degrees Celsius (0C)

 

celsius%20thermometer         hw01-fahr-celc-kelv

 

http://www.mathgoodies.com/lessons/graphs/images/line_definitions.jpgGraphing:

slide_5

Formulas:

 

Density:

density = mass / volume

D = m / v

Volume of Solid:

volume = length x width x height

V = (l)(w)(h)

Speed:

speed = distance / time

S = d / t

Acceleration:

acceleration = velocity change / time

A = (Vf – Vo) / t

Momentum:

momentum = mass x velocity

M = (m)(v)

Force:

force = mass x acceleration

F = (m)(a)

Weight:

weight = mass x gravity

w = (m)(g)

Pressure:

pressure = force / area

P = F/A

Work:

work = force x distance

W = (F)(d)

Power:

power = work / time

P = W / t

Kinetic Energy:

kinetic energy = (mass x velocity2)/2

KE = (mv2) / 2

Potential Energy:

potential energy = weight x height

PE = (w)(h)

Heat Gained / Lost:

heat = mass x Δ temp x specific heat

H = (m)(ΔT)(sp.ht.)

Ohm’s Law:

current = voltage / resistance

C = V / R

Electrical Power:

power = voltage x current

P = V / C

Electrical Energy:

energy = power x time

E = (P)(t)

Wave Speed:

speed = frequency x wavelength

S = (f)(λ)

Law of Reflection:

angle of incidence = angle of reflection

∠ i = ∠ r

 

Significant Digits:

sigCalcRules