5 Units of Measurements

3.
1 Using and Expressing Measurements >
Chapter 2
Measurements in Science
• Precision and Accuracy

• Significant Figures
• Scientific Notation
• Units of Measurements
1 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements >
UNITS OF MEASUREMENTS
Learning Objective
At the end of the lesson, the students
should be able to:
1. identify different sources of errors in
measurements
2. identify basic and derived quantities
and their units of measurements; and
3. determine the density of liquids and
solids
2
3
4
5
6
3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Units of Measurements
• The standards of measurement

used in science are those of the
metric system.
All metric units are based on

multiples of 10. As a result, you
can convert between units
easily.

• The metric system was originally

established in France in 1795.
• The International System of Units

(abbreviated SI after the French name, Le
Système International d’Unités) is a
revised version of the metric system.
• The SI was adopted by international

agreement in 1960.

Fundamental SI Units
• There are seven SI base
Name of
units. Quantity
Unit
Symbol
Length meter m
• From these base units,
Mass kilogram kg
all other SI units of
Temperature kelvin K
measurement can be
Time second s
derived.
Amount of
mole mol
substance
• Derived units are
Luminous
used for intensity
candela cd
measurements such Electric
as volume, density, ampere A
current
and pressure.
10
11
This chart shows all metric –

imperial (and imperial –
metric) system conversions.
They each involve a certain
number of sig figs.
Metric - to – metric and

imperial –
to – imperial conversions are
exact quantities.
Examples:
16 ounces = 1 pound
exact
relationships
1 kg = 1000 g
12
Units of Length
• In SI, the basic unit of length, or linear
measure, is the meter (m).
• All measurements of length can be

expressed in meters.
• For very large and very small lengths,

however, it may be more convenient to
use a unit of length that has a prefix.

Units of Length
The table below lists the prefixes in common use.
Commonly Used Metric Prefixes
Prefix Symbol Meaning Factor
mega M 1 million times larger than the unit it precedes 106
kilo k 1000 times larger than the unit it precedes 103
deci d 10 times smaller than the unit it precedes 10-1
centi c 100 times smaller than the unit it precedes 10-2
milli m 1000 times smaller than the unit it precedes 10-3
micro μ 1 million times smaller than the unit it precedes 10-6
nano n 1 billion times smaller than the unit it precedes 10-9
pico p 1 trillion times smaller than the unit it precedes 10-12

Units of Length
• For example, the prefix milli- means 1/1000
(one-thousandth), so a millimeter (mm) is
1/1000 of a meter, or 0.001 m.
• For large distances, it is most appropriate to

express measurements in kilometers (km).
• The prefix kilo- means 1000, so 1 km

equals 1000 m.

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How many millimeters are there in 3.0 ft?
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Units of Volume
• The space occupied by any sample of
matter is called its volume.
• You calculate the volume of any cubic or

rectangular solid by multiplying its length
by its width by its height.
• The unit for volume is thus derived from

the units of length.

Units of Volume
• The SI unit of volume is the amount of space
occupied by a cube that is 1 m along each
edge.
• This volume is a cubic meter (m3).
• A more convenient unit of volume for everyday

use is the liter, a non-SI unit.
• A liter (L) is the volume of a cube that is 10

centimeters (10 cm) along each edge.
• (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm = 1000 cm3 = 1 L).
Units of Volume
• A smaller, non-SI unit of volume is the
milliliter (mL); 1 mL is 1/1000 of a liter.
• Thus, there are 1000 mL in 1 L.
• Because 1 L is defined as 1000 cm3, 1 mL

and 1 cm3 are the same volume.
• The units milliliter and cubic centimeter are

thus used interchangeably.
Units of Volume
These figures give you some idea of
the relative sizes of a liter and a
milliliter.
1L
1 mL

Units of Volume
• There are many devices for measuring liquid
volumes, including graduated cylinders,
pipets, burets, volumetric flasks, and
syringes.
• The volume of substances will change with

temperature, so accurate volume-measuring
devices are calibrated at a given temperature—
usually 20 degrees Celsius (20°C), which is
about normal room temperature.

Units of Volume
The relationships among common metric units of
volume are shown in the table below.
Metric Units of Volume
Unit Symbol Relationship Example
Liter L base unit quart of milk ≈ 1 L
Milliliter mL 103 mL = 1 L 20 drops of water ≈ 1 mL

Cubic
cm3 1 cm3 = 1 mL cube of sugar ≈ 1 cm3
centimeter
Microliter μL 103 μL = 1 L crystal of table salt ≈ 1 μL

26
27
Units of Mass
• The mass of an object is measured in
comparison to a standard mass of 1 kilogram
(kg), which is the basic SI unit of mass.
• Mass is the actual amount of matter that a

substance contains, while weight is a measure
of the gravitational attraction exerted by the
center of gravity upon a body.
• Mass can be measured using a platform balance.

Units of Mass
The relationships among units of mass are
shown in the table below.
Metric Units of Mass

Unit Symbol Relationshi Example
p
Kilogram
kg 1 kg = 103 g small textbook ≈ 1 kg
(base unit)
Gram g 1 g = 10-3 kg dollar bill ≈ 1 g
Milligram mg 103 mg = 1 g ten grains of salt ≈ 1 mg
Microgram μg 106 μg = 1 g particle of baking powder ≈ 1 μg

Units of Energy
• The capacity to do work or to produce heat is
called energy.
• The SI unit of energy is the joule (J), named

after the English physicist James Prescott
Joule (1818–1889).
• A common non-SI unit of energy is the calorie.
• One calorie (cal) is the quantity of heat that

raises the temperature of 1 g of pure water
by 1°C.
Units of Energy
• Conversions between joules and calories

can be carried out using the following
relationships.
1 J = 0.2390 cal
1 cal = 4.184 J
• A kilojoule is 1000 joules; a kilocalorie is

1000 calories.

Units of Temperature
• Temperature is a measure of how hot or
cold an object is.
• An object’s temperature determines the

direction of heat transfer.
• When two objects at different

temperatures are in contact, heat moves
from the object at the higher temperature
to the object at the lower temperature.
• Temperature is measured by a device called
thermometer.
• Temperature scales have two fixed points: the

boiling point of water (212 ℉, 100℃ and 373 K)
and the freezing point of water (32 ℉, 0℃ and 273
K).
• William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (1824-1907)

invented a scale of absolute temperature, where at
absolute zero, an object contains absolutely no heat.

• The zero point of the Kelvin scale

corresponds to -273℃ and to -
459.67℉.
• Absolute zero is the temperature at

which all motion of particulate matter
stops.

• The figure below compares the Celsius, Fahrenheit and Kelvin
scales.
• The zero point on the Kelvin scale, 0 K, or absolute zero, is
equal to 273.15℃ and 32℉.

5 ∘
∘C = × ( F − 32)
9
K = ∘ C + 273.15
9
∘F = °C + 32
5

Dimensional Analysis:
Interconversion by the Factor Unit Method
• The term, “dimensional analysis,” refers to

a procedure that yields the conversion of
units, and follows the general formula:
 Desired _ Units 
Given _ Units  = Desired _ Units
 Given _ Units 
conversion factor
37
• Advantages of learning/using dimensional
analysis for problem solving:
• Reinforces the use of units of measurement
• You don’t need to have a formula for solving
most problems
How many moles of H2O are present in

27.03g H2O?
38
Changing from one unit to another is based on developing
a relationship between different units expressing the
same physical parameter. The following examples
illustrate the use of the factor-unit method.
Sample Problem 1:
Convert 310 pounds to kilograms. Round off your answer
to the correct number of significant figures.
1 pound (lb) = 454 grams (g)
1000 grams (g) = 1 kilograms (kg)
Answer: 1.4 x 102 kg

Sample Problem 2:
Calculate the number of milligrams in 2
metric tons.
1 metric ton (t) = 2204.62 pounds (lbs)
1 pound (lb) = 454 grams (g)
1000 milligrams (mg) = 1 gram (1)
Answer: 2 x 109 mg

Sample Problem 3:
Convert 70.0 miles to centimeters.
1 mile (mi) = 5280 feet (ft)
1 foot (ft) = 12 inches (in)
1 inch (in) = 2.54 centimeters (cm)
Answer: 1.1 x 107 cm

Sample Problem 4:
Calculate the number of seconds in 3
days.
Answer: 3 x 105 s

Derived units involve

measuring more than one
parameter, resulting in a
combination of basic units.
Dervied Units
Speed or
Pressure Density
Velocity
1 atm = 101.325 Pa = 760 mmHg = 760 torr Units: Units:
= 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi) kg/m3 m/s
1 bar = 100 000 Pa = 0.9869 atm g/cm3 km/hr
1 Pa = 1 N/m2 g/mL mi/hr

Unit of Pressure
• Pressure is force applied per unit area.

Force N
P = =
Area m 2
• The pressure exerted by air in the
atmosphere as a result of its mass and
gravitational attraction is called
atmospheric pressure.

Unit of Pressure
• It is expressed in units of force per

unit area.
• The SI unit for force is the Newton (N)
and 1 N/m2 is called Pascal (Pa).
• Another unit of pressure is the
atmosphere (atm) and the bar.
• Atmospheric pressure is measured
using the barometer.

Units of Density
• The relationship between an object’s mass and
its volume tells you whether it will float or sink.
• This relationship is called density.
• Given a mixture of two substances, the less

dense will float and the denser one will sink.
• It is expressed as units of mass divided by

units of volume, e.g., g/cm3, kg/m3, or lbs/in3.
Density = mass
volume
Units of Density
This figure compares the density of four

substances: lithium, water, aluminum, and lead.
Increasing density (mass per unit volume)
10 g 10 g 10 g 10 g
19 cm3 10 cm3 3.7 cm3 0.88 cm3
0.53 g/cm3 1.0 g/cm3 2.7 g/cm3 11 g/cm3

Units of Density
Density is an intensive property that

depends only on the composition of a
substance, not the size of the sample.

Units of Density
• Because of differences in
density, liquids separate
into layers. Corn oil
Water
• As shown at right, corn
oil floats on top of water
because it is less dense. Corn syrup
• Corn syrup sinks below

water because it is more
dense.
Densities of Some Common Materials

Solids and Liquids Gases
Density at Density at
Material Material
20°C (g/cm3) 20°C (g/L)
Gold 19.3 Chlorine 2.95
Mercury 13.6 Carbon dioxide 1.83
Lead 11.3 Argon 1.66
Aluminum 2.70 Oxygen 1.33
Table sugar 1.59 Air 1.20
Corn syrup 1.35–1.38 Nitrogen 1.17
Water (4°C) 1.000 Neon 0.84
Corn oil 0.922 Ammonia 0.718
Ice (0°C) 0.917 Methane 0.665
Ethanol 0.789 Helium 0.166
Gasoline 0.66–0.69 Hydrogen 0.084
3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Density Examples
Example 1. A gas fills a volume of 1200. mL and

has a mass of 1.60 g. What is the density of the
gas?
m = 1.60 g = 0.00133 g/mL

D= 1200. mL
V
Example 2. A cube of pure silver measures 2.0

cm on each side. The density of silver is 10.5
g/cm3. What is the mass of the cube?
V = L× H × W = 2.0 cm x 2.0 cm x 2.0 cm = 8.0 cm3
m = D× V = 8.0 cm3 x 10.5 g/cm3 = 84. g

51
3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Density Examples
Example 3: The density of air is 1.25 x 10-3 g/cm3. What

is the mass of air in a room that is 5.00 meters long, 4.00
meters wide and 2.2 meters high?
V = L× H × W
V = 5.0 m x 4.0 m x 2.2 m = 44 m3 Hmm, not so helpful.
V = 500. cm x 400. cm x 220 cm = 44000000 cm3
D= m m = D× V
V
m = (4.4 x 107 cm3) x (1.25 x 10-3 g/cm3) = 55000 g or 55 kg
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Units of Specific Gravity

• Specific gravity is the density of a substance
compared with the density of water at a given
temperature.
density of substance at a given temperature
Specific Gravity=
density of water at the same temperature
• Generally, density and specific gravity are

numerically equal, but specific gravity has no unit.
• For solids and liquids, density is expressed as

g/mL, lb/ft3, or lb/gal. For gases, the unit used is
g/L. In the SI, the unit used for solids, liquids, and
gases is kg/m3.
3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Specific Gravity Examples
Example 1. Calculate the density of a metal with

a mass of 5.85 g and a volume of 1.45 mL.
m 5.85 g
D= = 1.45 mL
= 4.03 g/mL
V
Example 2. Calculate the specific gravity of the

metal at 20℃, given the density of water at 20℃ is
0.95 g/mL.
4.03 g/mL
specific gravity at 20℃ = = 4.24
0.95 g/mL
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3.1 Using and Expressing Measurements > Specific Gravity Examples
Example 3. Calculate the mass in grams of 250

mL of ether at 25℃. The density of ether at 25℃ is
0.71 g/mL.
Density = mass
volume
mass = density x volume= (0.71 g/mL)(250 mL) = 1.8 x 102 g
55

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3.

1 Using and Expressing Measurements >

• Precision and Accuracy

1 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

• The standards of measurement

All metric units are based on

7 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

• The metric system was originally

• The International System of Units

• The SI was adopted by international

8 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

This chart shows all metric –

Metric - to – metric and

• All measurements of length can be

• For very large and very small lengths,

13 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

14 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

• For large distances, it is most appropriate to

• The prefix kilo- means 1000, so 1 km

15 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

How many millimeters are there in 3.0 ft?

• You calculate the volume of any cubic or

• The unit for volume is thus derived from

20 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

• This volume is a cubic meter (m3).

• A more convenient unit of volume for everyday

• A liter (L) is the volume of a cube that is 10

• Thus, there are 1000 mL in 1 L.

• Because 1 L is defined as 1000 cm3, 1 mL

• The units milliliter and cubic centimeter are

23 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

• The volume of substances will change with

24 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

Metric Units of Volume

Unit Symbol Relationship Example

Liter L base unit quart of milk ≈ 1 L

Milliliter mL 103 mL = 1 L 20 drops of water ≈ 1 mL

25 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

• Mass is the actual amount of matter that a

• Mass can be measured using a platform balance.

28 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

Metric Units of Mass

29 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

• The SI unit of energy is the joule (J), named

• A common non-SI unit of energy is the calorie.

• One calorie (cal) is the quantity of heat that

• Conversions between joules and calories

• A kilojoule is 1000 joules; a kilocalorie is

31 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

• An object’s temperature determines the

• When two objects at different

• Temperature scales have two fixed points: the

• William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (1824-1907)

33 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

• The zero point of the Kelvin scale

• Absolute zero is the temperature at

34 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

35 Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.