This document provides instructions for an activity involving metric conversions in medical scenarios. It includes 4 scenarios asking students to convert between units like mg/dL to g/L for cholesterol, grams to kilograms for weight, and revolutions per minute to revolutions per second for centrifuge speed. Correct unit conversions are crucial in medicine to ensure proper dosages and measurements, as incorrect conversions could lead to overdoses, insufficient treatment, or improper diagnostic results.

1. Inorganic Chemistry: Chapter 1 - Matter,
Energy, and Measurement
Introductory slide for a presentation about using metric conversions in medical scenarios to practice unit conversions and their relevance.

2. Activity: Metric Conversions in
Medical Scenarios
This activity provides practice with metric conversions in medical scenarios. Accurate unit
conversions are crucial in medical settings to ensure proper medication dosages and laboratory
measurements. Incorrect conversions can lead to medication overdoses, insufficient treatments,
and improper diagnostic results.

3. “"To practice converting units in the metric
system and understand its relevance in a
medical context."”
INSTRUCTIONS

4. Instructions
• Perform metric conversions for each
scenario
• Answer the questions at the end

5. Scenario 1

6. Scenario 2
To convert a cholesterol level from mg/dL to g/L, we first
need to know the patient's cholesterol level, which is given
as 200 mg/dL. Then we can use the conversion factor that 1
mg/dL is equivalent to 0.01 g/L. So we take the patient's
cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL and multiply it by the
conversion factor 0.01 g/L / 1 mg/dL. This gives us a final
cholesterol level of 2 g/L for the patient.

7. Scenario 3
A newborn's weight is recorded as 3000 grams. To convert this to kilograms,
we divide by 1000 since 1 kg = 1000 g. Therefore, 3000 g / 1000 = 3 kg. This
infant's weight in kilograms is 3 kg.

8. Scenario 4
To convert centrifuge speed from revolutions per minute (rpm)
to revolutions per second (rps), use the following calculation:
5000 rpm x 1 min/60 sec = 83.33 rps.

9. Answer the question:
1. Why is it crucial to have accurate conversions in medical
settings?
2. What could go wrong if an incorrect unit is used in a
medication dosage or laboratory measurement?

10. Grading Criteria
• Correctness and completeness of unit
conversions: 70%
• Answers to the questions: 30%

11. ANSWER KEY

12. Discussion Questions
Accuracy in Medicine
Accurate conversions are crucial in
medicine to ensure proper dosages of
medications and accurate
measurements in lab tests.
Medication Errors
Incorrect conversions could lead to over
or under-dosing of medications, causing
patient harm or lack of efficacy.
Diagnostic Errors
Incorrect lab test conversions could lead
to missed diagnoses or unnecessary
procedures.
Standardization
Using standard metric units creates consistency and reduces
errors in the medical field.
Double Checking
Medical professionals should always double check conversions to
prevent potentially life-threatening mistakes.