TOOLS, MEASUREMENT,

AND SAFETY
Chapter 1 Section 4
OBJECTIVES
 Identify tools used to collect and analyze
data

 Explain the importance of the International

System of Units

 Identify the appropriate units to use for

particular measurements
TOOLS IN SCIENCE
 Used to take measurements and analyze
data

 Stopwatches
 Meter sticks

 Balances

 Thermometers

 Calculators

 Computers
MAKING MEASUREMENTS
 The International System of Units

 Metric system was formed and developed over

the last 200 years

 Called SI units

 Expressed in multiples of 10

 Basic units: meter, gram

 Prefixes are used (ex: kilo-, milli-)

LENGTH

 Basic SI unit: meter

 1km = 1,000m
 1dm = 0.1m

 1cm = 0.01m

 1mm = 0.001m

 1μm = 0.000001m

 1nm = 0.000000001m
MASS

 The amount of matter in an object

 Basic unit for mass: kilogram (kg)

 1kg = 1,000g

 Very large objects are measured in metric

tons (=1,000kg)
VOLUME
 The amount of space that something
occupies

 The measure of the size of an object or

region in 3-D space

 Liquid volume is measured in liters (L)

 Liters are based on the meter; a cubic meter

(1m³) = 1,000 L

 1mL = 1 cm³
VOLUME OF A RECTANGULAR SHAPE

 Multiply length x width x height

DENSITY
 If you know the mass and the volume of an
object, you can determine density.

 Definition: the amount of matter in a given

volume

 Formula: D = M/V

 Derived quantity: it is found by combining

2 basic quantities (mass & volume)
TEMPERATURE
 A measure of how hot or cold something is

 A measure of the average kinetic energy of

the particles in an object

 Degrees Fahrenheit (Fº) or Celsius (Cº)

 SI units of temperature: Kelvin (K)

*(degree sign is not used for Kelvin)
TEMPERATURE COMPARISONS
 212ºF and 100ºC - water boils

 98.6ºF and 37ºC - normal body temperature

 32ºF and 0ºC - water freezes

QUICK QUIZ

 What does SI stand for?

 What is the SI unit for length?