General Properties



General Properties of Metrics Name ___________________

Properties of matter are a method of generally describing an object. Without giving too much information we can describe the object if it’s large or small, its color or if it is heavy or light. It is with these vague descriptions we can begin to form a picture of what the object looks like.

Probably the first and most general of all properties is size. How big is it? How do we measure it? At this point we are faced with a problem. Which measurement system do we use? Do we use the standard American system that measures things in inches, feet and miles or do we use the Metric System, which measures things in centimeters, meters and kilometers? If you are like the rest of the world and science community you will select the Metric System.

Although thought to be English in origin by most people, actually it was the French who developed it. The word meter is Greek in origin from the word metrin meaning to measure. The meter was actually defined to be one ten millionth of the meridian, which passes through Paris form the North Pole to the Equator.

Today the International Standard (SI) of a meter is defined as the wavelength in a vacuum of the orange-red line of the spectrum of Krypton-86’s wavelength. A wavelength is the measurement from the top of one wave to the next.

We are more familiar with the following metric breakdown.

Kilo Hecto Deca Meter deci centi milli

1000 100 10 1 0.1 0.01 0.001

It is important to know and understand that any value in the metric system can remain the same, equal, simply by moving the decimal point to the left or right because it is based on the number 10.

For example:

1 meter = 10 decimeters is you move the decimal one place to the right

1 meter = .001 Kilometers if you move the decimal 3 places to the left

So by knowing this, when an object is measured it can be converted to any part of the Metric system by simply moving the decimal point to the left or right depending where your position was to start off and where you need to end.

Again knowing this system (Kilo Hecto Deca Meter deci centi milli) you can change any Metric number.

If you are given 15 centimeters and asked to change it to Decameters move the decimal to the left 3 places. Your answer should be .015 Decameters.

Work on the following problems. Convert them as you are asked to an also state how many places and in which direction you moved the decimal point.

15 Meters = __________centimeters

12 kilometers = ___________Meters

1.42 millimeters = _________ Meters

0.514 centimeters = __________ Decameters

.142 Hectometers = __________decimeters

1Meter = ________ cm = ________ mm

15,001 dm = ___________ Dm

15,001 dm = ___________ Km

One of the more confusing parts of understanding the Metric system is how it can be changed in the American system and vice versa. The main conversin fact you need to know when changing inches into centimeters or the other way around is that 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters.

Therefore if you need to know how many centimeters are in 6 inches, simply ____________________ the 6 by 2.54 and your answer should be__________________ centimeters.

If this is true than explain how you would determine how many centimeters are in one foot. _________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________

The problem of measurement becomes more difficult when you measure a given object with a ruler and your results are recorded in mixed numbers rather than whole numbers. You need to remember that every inch on a ruler is broken down into eight or sixteen equal parts.

It is these fractions of an inch which need to be converted into a decimal before you can change them into the Metric system. The fractions are converted into a decimal by dividing the bottom number of the fraction into the top number. To keep everything uniform stop at the second number after the decimal.

For example: If given the mixed number 1 7/16 and you were asked to convert the fraction into a decimal, divide the number 7 by 16. You should come up with .43 so the decimal equivalent of 1 7/16’s is 1.43

If you were than asked to convert 1.43 inches into centimeters, multiply it times 2.54 and you should get an answer of 3.63 centimeters.

Convert the following measurements from mixed numbers to decimals than to centimeters.

MIXED NUMBER DECIMAL CENTIMETER

9 ¾ inches _________ _____________

11 5/8 inches _________ _____________

1 2/16 inch _________ _____________

7 15/16 inches _________ _____________

____________ _________ 15

____________ _________ 142

____________ 9.75 _____________

_____________ _________ 30.48

_____________ _________ 15.78 M

9/16 _________ ____________

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