Metric System and Conversions

Our major topic the last two days of class has been the metric system and why we use it in science.  We read from our textbooks yesterday about how important it is for scientists all over the world to use the same system of measurement.  Following the universal standards for measurements allows us to replicate experiments and obtain more consistent results across the globe.

The metric system is also much easier to use than English measurements.  12 inches in a foot, 3 feet in a yard, and 5,280 feet in a mile are all difficult conversions that require memorization and the use of a calculator.  In the metric system, we can easily convert between milliliters and kiloliters by simply moving decimal points around.  This is because the metric system is formed around powers of ten.  (This is a cool video demonstrating Powers of Ten.)

We practiced doing some conversions in class together today.  It seemed like most of you remembered quite a bit from middle school.  We will do more independent practice on Friday.  If you would like to see another explanation of how to do conversions, watch this video.

At this point, you should be comfortable with the terms base unit and prefix as well as being able to identify a majority of them.  If not, come talk to me and we'll figure it out together.

I have a feeling we will move through this next little bit of content pretty quickly, so be ready for a bigger quiz next Monday.

Journal Question #1: What is displacement?  How do you use it?  Draw a picture of the procedure.

Journal Question #2: How many centimeters are in a meter?