Unit 2: Lesson 2 Scientific Tools and Measurement

Unit 2 Lesson 2 Scientific Tools and Measurement
For Good Measure

What is measurement?
• The ability to describe an observation is

important.
• A description is a statement that reports what has

been observed.
• A measurement is a description that includes a

number and a unit.
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Why do we use standard units of measurement?
• Measurements were once based on body parts,

such as arms and feet.
• This was not accurate because body parts vary in

size from person to person.
• Using standard units makes it possible for a

person in one place to work with the same
quantity as someone kilometers away.

Why do we use standard units of measurement?
• Standard units allow scientists to repeat one

another’s experiments.
• Experiments must be repeatable to determine if

the results are valid.

What is the International System of Units?
• The modern metric system is called the International

System of Units (SI).
• The SI units are the language for all scientific

measurements.
• There are seven base units used to express the

different quantities: length, mass, time,
temperature, amount of substance, electric current,
and light intensity.

What are the advantages of using the SI?
• SI measurements provide a common international

language for scientists to use to share and compare
observations and results.
• Changing from one unit to another is easier in SI

than other systems because most SI units are based
on the number 10.
• Conversions in non-SI systems, such as converting

from feet to miles, are more complicated.

Made to Measure
What are the SI units?
• Length, mass, time, and temperature are the

most commonly used quantities.
• Meter is the unit of length. Length is measured

with a meterstick, ruler, or measuring tape.
• Kilogram is the unit for mass. Mass is measured

with a balance.


• Second is the unit for time. Time is measured
using a stopwatch.
• Kelvin is the unit for temperature. Temperature is

measured using a thermometer.


• Some units are derived units. A derived unit is
calculated from a base unit.
• Volume is the amount of space something occupies.

The SI unit for volume is the cubic meter (m3).
Volume is measured using graduated cylinders and
beakers.
• Liquid volume is expressed in liters (L), which is not

an SI unit. One milliliter (ml) is equal to one cubic
centimeter (cm3).


• Weight is the measurement of the gravitational
force on an object. The SI unit for weight is the
newton (N).
• Weight is measured using a spring scale and

depends on the object’s mass.
• Measurements such as density must be calculated.

Density is calculated by dividing an object’s mass
by its volume.

How can we make very large or small measurements easy to

work with?
• A prefix is one or more letters or syllables added to

the beginning of a word to change its meaning.
• SI uses prefixes to express an SI unit that is larger

or smaller than the base unit.
• Kilo- means 1,000 times, so a kilogram is 1,000

grams.
• Milli- indicates 1/1,000 times, so a millimeter is

1/1,000 of a meter.


work with?
• Scientific notation is a short way of representing

very large numbers or very small numbers.
• Numbers in scientific notation are written in the form

a × 10b.
• The value of a is usually a number between 1 and 10.
• Locate the decimal point and move it to the left or

right until it is immediately before or after the
numeral that becomes a.


work with?
• The exponent b tells how many places the decimal

point is moved.
• If the decimal moves to the left, b is positive. If the

decimal moves to the right, b is negative.
• The speed of light is 300,000,000 m/s. In scientific

notation, this converts to 3 × 108 m/s.

Why are accuracy and precision important?
• Accuracy is a description of how close a

measurement is to the true value of the quantity
being measured.
• The smaller the difference between the

measurement and the true value, the more accurate
the measurement is.

• Precision is the exactness of a measurement.
• A precise measurement is repeatable and reliable.
• If a high precision measurement is repeated, the

number obtained will be the same or very nearly the
same.

• How do these diagrams represent accuracy and

precision?

Why do scientists sometimes estimate measurements?
• People make estimations when doing everyday tasks

such as rearranging furniture.
• Scientists may estimate to see if the data they

collected is reasonable.
• Scientists may also estimate to determine which tool

is best suited for making the measurements they
need.

Tools of the Trade

How are tools used in science?
• Scientists use different tools to perform

experiments.
• Hot plates can be used to increase the

temperature of a substance.
• Test tubes are common containers for holding

samples of materials. Test-tube racks hold test
tubes upright.

How are tools used in science?

• Pipettes can be used to transfer liquids.
• Lab journals or notebooks and pencils are tools that

scientists use to record data and observations.
• A hand lens, compound microscope, or electron

microscope can be used to magnify small objects.
• Digital cameras are also used to record images of

objects and environments to observe at a later time.

How are computers and technology used by scientists?
• The use of science for practical purposes is called

technology. New technology leads to new
discoveries.
• Calculators and computers allow scientists to

compute, display, analyze, record, and model data.
They even help scientists to publish their findings.
• Probeware, which is a measuring tool linked to a

computer, can be used to obtain and display the
values of a quantity for long-term study.

Unit 2: Lesson 2 Scientific Tools and Measurement

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Unit 2 Lesson 2 Scientific Tools and Measurement

Unit 2 Lesson 2 Scientific Tools and Measurement

For Good Measure

• The ability to describe an observation is

• A description is a statement that reports what has

• A measurement is a description that includes a

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Why do we use standard units of measurement?

• Measurements were once based on body parts,

• This was not accurate because body parts vary in

• Using standard units makes it possible for a

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Why do we use standard units of measurement?

• Standard units allow scientists to repeat one

• Experiments must be repeatable to determine if

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

What is the International System of Units?

• The modern metric system is called the International

• The SI units are the language for all scientific

• There are seven base units used to express the

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

What are the advantages of using the SI?

• SI measurements provide a common international

• Changing from one unit to another is easier in SI

• Conversions in non-SI systems, such as converting

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

• Length, mass, time, and temperature are the

• Meter is the unit of length. Length is measured

• Kilogram is the unit for mass. Mass is measured

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

What are the SI units?

• Kelvin is the unit for temperature. Temperature is

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

What are the SI units?

• Volume is the amount of space something occupies.

• Liquid volume is expressed in liters (L), which is not

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

What are the SI units?

• Weight is measured using a spring scale and

• Measurements such as density must be calculated.

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

How can we make very large or small measurements easy to

• A prefix is one or more letters or syllables added to

• SI uses prefixes to express an SI unit that is larger

• Kilo- means 1,000 times, so a kilogram is 1,000

• Milli- indicates 1/1,000 times, so a millimeter is

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

How can we make very large or small measurements easy to

• Scientific notation is a short way of representing

• Numbers in scientific notation are written in the form

• The value of a is usually a number between 1 and 10.

• Locate the decimal point and move it to the left or

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

How can we make very large or small measurements easy to

• The exponent b tells how many places the decimal

• If the decimal moves to the left, b is positive. If the

• The speed of light is 300,000,000 m/s. In scientific

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Why are accuracy and precision important?

• Accuracy is a description of how close a

• The smaller the difference between the

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Why are accuracy and precision important?