| Prefixes
Prefix
part of the name added to a metric unit to specify
the order of magnitude (size)
Prefixes that INCREASE size
| kilo- |
k |
Thousand |
1,000 |
103 |
| mega- |
M |
Million |
1,000,000 |
106 |
| giga- |
G |
Billion |
1,000,000,000 |
109 |
| tera- |
T |
Trillion |
1,000,000,000,000 |
1012 |
Prefixes that DECREASE size
| deci- |
d |
tenths |
0.1 |
10-1 |
| centi- |
c |
hundredths |
0.01 |
10-2 |
| milli- |
m |
thousandths |
0.001 |
10-3 |
| micro- |
µ |
millionths |
0.000 001 |
10-6 |
| nano- |
n |
billionths |
0.000 000 001 |
10-9 |
| pico- |
p |
trillionths |
0.000 000 000 001 |
10-12 |
Examples:
1 kilometer is 1,000 meters
100 centimeters is 1 meter
Equalities and Conversions
Equalities
the relationship between two units that measure the
same quantity
Examples:
|
1 m
|
=
|
10 dm
|
=
|
100 cm
|
=
|
1,000 mm
|
=
|
1,000,000 µm
|
| 1 Tg |
= |
1 x 1012 g |
| 1 GL |
= |
1 x 109 L |
| 1 Ms |
= |
1 x 106 s |
| 1 kK |
= |
1 x 103 K |
|
1 Tm
|
=
|
103
Gm
|
=
|
106
Mm
|
=
|
109
km
|
=
|
1012m
|
Conversions
Conversions for length between the US and metric (SI)
system:
2.54 cm = 1 in
1 m = 39.4 in
1 km = 0.621 mi
Conversions for volume between the US and metric (SI)
system:
1 L = 1.06 qt
1 qt = 946 mL
Conversions for mass between the US and metric (SI) system:
1 kg = 2.20 lbs
1 lb = 454 g
How are prefixes used for metric
units?
Practice Problems
Answer the following questions: |
|
| 1. |
State the correct prefix: |
|
.
| a) 1,000 grams = 1 _____gram |
b) 0.01 meter = 1 _____meter |
|
|
| c) 1 x 106
liter = 1 _____liter |
d) One billion grams = 1 _____gram |
|
|
| e) One billionth of a second = 1 _____second |
|
|
| f) 1 x 10–12
grams = 1 _____gram |
g) 1012
liters = 1 _____liter |
|
. |
|
|
