http://www.ck12.org Chapter 3. Measurements
3.1 The International System of Units
Lesson Objectives
- Identify the seven base units of the International System of Units.
- Know the commonly used metric prefixes.
- Convert between the Celsius and Kelvin temperature scales.
- Understand volume and energy as combinations of SI Units.
- Distinguish between mass and weight.
Lesson Vocabulary
- energy
- International System of Units (SI)
- joule
- kinetic energy
- liter
- measurement
- scientific notation
- temperature
- weight
Check Your Understanding
Recalling Prior Knowledge
- Why is the metric system easier to use than the English system of units?
- How is scientific notation used to represent very large or very small numbers?
- What units are used to measure length, mass, and volume in the metric system?
The temperature outside is 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Your height is 67 inches and your weight is 145 pounds. All
are examples of measurements. Ameasurementis a quantity that includes both a number and a unit. If someone
were to describe the height of a building as 85, that would be meaningless. 85 meters? 85 feet? Without a unit, a
measurement does not convey enough information to be useful. In this lesson, we will begin an exploration of the
units that are typically used in chemistry.