The document discusses the metric system and metric conversions. It provides background on the metric system, noting that it is decimalized and uses prefixes like kilo- and milli-. It then contrasts the metric and U.S. customary systems, and discusses the importance of accurate conversions between the two. Examples of errors caused by conversion mistakes in transportation, medical applications, and space travel are given to highlight the importance of understanding both systems. The lab objectives are to practice measuring, converting within and between systems, and rounding measurements.

1. Lab One: Measurement and
Metric Conversions

2. Metric System
The metric system is a
decimalized system of
measurement.

3. Metric System
Since the 1960s the International
System of Units ("Système
International d'Unités" in French,
hence "SI") has been the
internationally recognized standard
metric system.

4. Metric units
are widely
used around
the world for
personal,
commercial
and scientific
purposes.
Metric System

5. A standard set
of prefixes in
multiples of ten
may be used to
derive larger
and smaller
units.
Metric System

6. The Metric and Customary
Systems of Measurement
In today’s global
environment, metric
measurements are
prominent in
workplaces,
consumer products,
and news reports.

7. Almost every other
country in the world
uses the metric system
of measurement.
Three nations have not officially adopted the International System of Units as
their primary or sole system of measurement: Burma, Liberia, and the
United States.

8. The European Union, Japan, and Korea have
passed legislation limiting international commerce
to products measured in metric units.
Countries by Date of Metrication

9. If the United States is to continue
to play a leading role in
international business, using
metric measurement is imperative
and U.S. workers at all levels must
be knowledgeable about the
Système Internationale (SI), the
international name for the metric
system.
The Metric and Customary
Systems of Measurement

10. Cargo errors - The confusion
between pounds (mass) and
kilograms sometimes means that
aircrafts are overloaded. "the
shipper's weights had been in
kilograms, not pounds, and that,
as a result, the aircraft was more
than 30,000 pounds overweight".
Importance of Conversion…

11. Importance of Conversion…
Gimli Glider — In 1983 a
Boeing 767 jet ran out of fuel in
mid-flight because of two
mistakes in figuring the fuel
supply of Air Canada's first
aircraft to use metric
measurements.

12. Medical errors - Medical errors
in the US are sometimes
attributed to the confusion
between grains and grams. A
patient received phenobarbital 0.5
grams instead of 0.5 grains (0.03
grams) after the prescriber
misread the prescription.
Importance of Conversion…

13. Mars Climate Orbiter — In 1999
NASA lost a $125 million Mars
orbiter because one engineering
team used metric units while
another used US customary units
for a calculation.
Importance of Conversion…

14. Metric System
• One of the goals of the metric system is
to have a single unit for any physical
quantity.

15. • Another important
one is not needing
conversion factors
when making
calculations with
physical quantities.
Metric System

16. • All lengths and distances are measured in
meters, or thousandths of a meter
(millimeters), or thousands of meters
(kilometers), and so on.
Metric System

17. • There are not different units with different conversion
factors, such as inches, feet, yards, fathoms, rods,
chains, furlongs, miles, nautical miles, leagues, etc.
Metric System

18. • Multiples and submultiples are related to the
fundamental unit by factors of powers of ten, so
that one can convert by simply moving the
decimal place: 1.234 meters is 1234 millimeters,
0.001234 kilometers, etc.
– The use of fractions, such as 2⁄7 of a meter, is not
prohibited, but uncommon, as it is generally not
necessary.
Metric System

19. • The US uses the
English System of
measurement.
– Not even the
English use the
English system
anymore.
Metric System

20. Metric System
• The rest of the world, especially scientists, use
the metric system, or System International (SI).
• Since we are in the US, your lab manual uses
both systems.
– We need to be familiar and comfortable using both
systems.
– We also need to be able to convert units from one
system to another.

21. Measurement and Metric
Conversions
You will work with topographic maps
You will have to measure distance
Answers will be based on distance you measure
Objective: learn good techniques first

22. You will be measuring in inches and centimeters
You will need to convert to useful units like feet
and meters and miles or kilometers
Measurement and Metric
Conversions

23. You will also need to convert from the English
system of measurement to the System
International or the Metric System and from SI
to English.
Measurement and Metric
Conversions

24. Materials
Ruler
Calculator

25. Objectives
• Practice measuring
• Practice converting within a system
• Practice converting between systems
• Practice rounding

26. Measuring Distance
Rulers have inches and centimeters
Inches are divided into 16ths
Centimeters are divided into 10ths, which are
millimeters
See the first picture
• A 6/16
• B 12/16
• C 5/10
• D 2 cm or 20 mm

27. Converting Fractions into Decimals
Divide the numerator (top number) into the
denominator (bottom number)
When we measure, we get fractions, but when
we have to work with our measurements, like
conversions, it is easier to work with decimals.

28. Problem 1
Measure lines 1, 2, and 3
Express your measured distance as a fraction,
then convert your answer to a decimal.

29. Problem 2
Measure lines 4, 5, and 6
Express your answers first in fractions of
centimeters, then convert to a decimal, and
finally express your answer in millimeters.

30. Converting Units of Measurement
Multiply original unit of measure by conversion
factor.
1 foot =12 inches
So
5 feet X 12 = 60 inches

31. Conversion Factors
1 foot = 12 inches
1 mile = 5,280 feet = 63,360 inches
1 gallon = 4 quarts
1 meter = 100 centimeters = 1,000 millimeters
1 kilometer = 1,000 meters
1 kilometer = 100,000 centimeters = 1,000,000
millimeters

32. Problems 3 - 10
Convert measurements within systems

33. Conversion Factors
1 mile = 1.6 kilometers
1 kilometer = .621 miles
1 kilogram = 2.205 pounds
1 pound = .454 kilograms
1 liter = 1.057 quarts
1 quart = .946 liters

34. Temperature Conversions
Use the following formulas to make conversions
between Celsius and Fahrenheit
F = (C × 1.8) + 32
C = (F – 32) ÷ 1.8

35. Problems 11 - 20
Convert between systems
Use conversion factors
Use temperature conversion formulas

36. Precision and Rounding
Rule for geography lab:
Always round to the nearest tenth, or one
decimal place.
Why?
Because we cannot be more precise than 1/10 of
a centimeter.

37. Problems 21 - 34 (30)
Round numbers to the nearest tenth, hundredth,
and whole number.

38. Precision and Rounding
Rule for geography lab:
Always round to the nearest tenth, or one
decimal place.
Why?
Because we cannot be more precise than 1/10 of
a centimeter.

39. Rounding
• Often numbers are not exact
• Is 3.2571429 correct or useful number?

40. Rounding
• No…
– It is usually implied that the greater number of
digits more precise.
• Not always

41. – Distance measurement is only accurate to
tenths of centimeters, so a final answer
should be no than one decimal point.
Rounding

42. Rounding
• If the first digit to be dropped is less than
5, leave the preceding digit.
• If the digit is greater than 5, increase the
preceding digit by one.
– Example: 6.74 = 6.7
• Example: 6.75 = 6.8