The Metric System
In the United States, we use the standard system of measurement such as feet, cups, Fahrenheit, and pounds. In most other countries around the world the metric system is used. Because scientists must share information worldwide, they use the metric system. Because the metric system is based on multiples of ten, it is fairly easy to use. Also, all common measurements use common prefixes, and each multiple of ten uses a common prefix, which is shown in the following charts.
Now that you can see the prefixes, you can figure out the suffixes.
Suffix:
|
What it measures:
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Examples:
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-meter
|
length
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centimeter, meter, kilometer
|
-gram
|
weight or mass
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milligram, gram, kilogram
|
-liter
|
volume
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milliliter, liter, kiloliter
|
Now that you know the prefixes and suffixes, you can put together measurements. For example, a Kiloliter is equal to 1,000 liters and a millimeter is equal to 1/1,000 meter.
The one measurement that doesn't fit this pattern is the Metric system's measurement for temperature, Celsius. It is easy to remember because the freezing point of water is zero degrees Celsius and the boiling point of water in one hundred degrees Celsius.
The one measurement that doesn't fit this pattern is the Metric system's measurement for temperature, Celsius. It is easy to remember because the freezing point of water is zero degrees Celsius and the boiling point of water in one hundred degrees Celsius.
Now that you have learned the metric measurements, practice your new skills with the worksheets on the next page.