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Physics · Glossary

What is The scientist’s starter kit?

Definition 37.3 Primary & Middle School Physics · Chapter 37 — Measurement in Science: Units and Instruments

The world has agreed on common units, one family per quantity:

  1. length: the metre (m\mathrm{m}), with its offspring the kilometre (1 km=1000 m1\,\mathrm{km} = 1000\,\mathrm{m}), centimetre (100 cm=1 m100\,\mathrm{cm} = 1\,\mathrm{m}) and millimetre (1000 mm=1 m1000\,\mathrm{mm} = 1\,\mathrm{m});
  2. mass: the kilogram (kg\mathrm{kg}), with the gram (1 kg=1000 g1\,\mathrm{kg} = 1000\,\mathrm{g}) and milligram (1000 mg=1 g1000\,\mathrm{mg} = 1\,\mathrm{g});
  3. time: the second (s\mathrm{s}), with the minute (1 min=60 s1\,\mathrm{min} = 60\,\mathrm{s}) and hour (1 h=60 min=3600 s1\,\mathrm{h} = 60\,\mathrm{min} = 3600\,\mathrm{s});
  4. temperature: the degree Celsius (∘C{}^{\circ}\mathrm{C});
  5. volume of liquids: the litre (L\mathrm{L}), which we measure out in the next chapter.
The measurer’s toolkit: length, volume, mass, temperature and time, each with its own instrument and its own unit.
The measurer’s toolkit: length, volume, mass, temperature and time, each with its own instrument and its own unit.

Examples

Example 37.4 (Converting like a scientist)

Conversions are rides on the decimal staircase. 2.35 m2.35\,\mathrm{m} in centimetres: multiply by 100100 — the point slides two places right: 235 cm235\,\mathrm{cm}. 4500 g4500\,\mathrm{g} in kilograms: divide by 10001000: 4.5 kg4.5\,\mathrm{kg}. Time is the rebel of the family — its steps are 6060, not 1010: 2.5 min2.5\,\mathrm{min} is not 250250 seconds but 2×60+30=150 s2 \times 60 + 30 = 150\,\mathrm{s}. Respect the rebel.

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