The metric system is a fundamental tool for measuring physical quantities, and understanding the conversion of units within it is crucial for accuracy. Each metric unit is a combination of a base unit and a prefix, with each succeeding unit being 10 times larger than the previous one. Let's explore some examples to better comprehend this concept.
Now, let's consider a different scenario:
If we want to express 12 cm in hm, we know that cm stands for centimeters and hm stands for hectometers. Converting from cm to hm yields:
So far, we have only converted units with the same base units. Next, let's see how to convert derived units composed of multiple base units.
To refresh your knowledge on fundamental and derived quantities, refer to our article on physical quantities.
When converting units, it is essential to express the unit to be converted as a combination of its fundamental units. Then, replace each fundamental unit with its corresponding value in the desired unit and evaluate the obtained value and its magnitude to obtain the converted value.
Let's see this in action with an example:
Convert 8 m³ to cm³.
As shown in the example above, 1 m³ is equivalent to 10^6 cm³. It is a common error to assume that 1 m³ equals 100 cm³, so take caution when converting cubic units.
Here's another example:
Convert 90 km/h to m/s.
As seen in the above example, 1 km/h is equivalent to 5/18 m/s. This is a commonly used conversion value, and it can be utilized directly in exams without conversion.
Now, let's apply our knowledge to a real-life problem:
A car travels 108 km in 2 hours. What is its speed in m/s?
Key Takeaways:
Q: How do you convert metric units of volume?
A: To convert fluid capacity units to solid volume units, you can utilize the conversion 1 liter = 1000 cm³.
Q: How do you convert metric units of capacity?
A: To convert fluid capacity units to solid volume units, you can use the conversion 1 liter = 1000 cm³.