BIOLOGY
Major94
Unit1MetricsLab.rtfBIOLOGY 102: BIOLOGY, HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT
LABORATORY
LAB 1: THE METRIC SYSTEM
Laboratory Exercises:
1) Measurements with a meter stick
2) Volume measurements
3) Temperature measurements
4) Conversion practice
Objectives:
Upon completion of these exercises a student should be able to:
1) Use a metric ruler to measure linear distances
2) Determine the volume of an object
3) Determine temperatures in degrees Celsius
4) Convert measurements from English units to metric and vice versa
Background:
Government and professional societies have urged that the US adopt the metric system in place of the English system of measurements. Although the nation as a whole has failed to embrace metrification, scientist worldwide have adopted the metric system and developed the official System International (SI). Today's exercises are designed to allow you to become familiar with the SI and to begin to develop competency in the use of metric measurements.
Table of SI Units (standard and derived)
Physical Quantity
Name of Unit
Abbreviation
Mass
Kilogram
kg
Length
Meter
m
Time
Second
s (or sometimes sec)
Temperature
Kelvin
K
Volume
Liter
L
Some Useful Conversion Factors
1 in = 2.54 cm 1 mile = 5280 ft
1 mile = 1.609 km 1 lb = 16 oz
1 meter = 1.0936 yd 1 gallon = 4 quarts
1 kg = 2.205 lb 1 qt = 2 pints
1 lb = 453.6 g 1 qt = 32 fluid ounces
1 oz = 28.3 g 1 ft = 12 in
1 fluid oz = 29.6 ml 1 yard = 3 ft
1 mL = 1 cm3
1 L = 1.057 qt
1 qt = 946.1 mL
Name: ____________________________ Lab Day and Time_______________________
Metric Prefixes
Prefix
Symbol
Numerical Value
Power of 10 equivalent
Giga
G
1,000,000,000
109
Mega
M
1,000,000
106
Kilo
k
1,000
103
Hector
h
100
102
Deka
da
10
101
------
-----
1
100
Deci
d
0.1
10-1
Centi
c
0.01
10-2
Milli
m
0.001
10-3
Micro
m
0.000001
10-6
Nano
n
0.000000001
10-9
Pico
p
0.000000000001
10-12
Unit Conversion Method
Unit conversion is used to convert a quantity measured in one system to its corresponding quantity in another system. In our case the systems in question are the English system and the metric system. For example, if 1 meter = 1.094 yards then you can say with certainty that there are 1.094 yards per meter or you can say that there is 1 meter per 1.094 yards. If you instead write this out mathematically then it looks like this:
1 meter 1.094 yards
is the same as
1.094 yards 1 meter
If you then wanted to convert 1.5 meters to yards I would set up my equation like this:
1.5 meters 1.094 yards 1.642 yards
X =
1 meter
If you get confused and do it incorrectly this happens
1.5 meters 1 meter 1.5 meters2
X =
1.094 yards 1.094 yards
because the units did not "cancel each other out".
Materials and Equipment
Meter sticks Thermometers (Celsius scale) one for each bath
Boiling water bath Ice water bath
Room temperature bath Various size cubes and or boxes (four per table)
Colored Water in graduated cylinders
Name: ____________________________ Lab Day and Time_______________________
Exercise 1: Linear Measurement
As noted in the SI unit table above, the unit for length is the meter (m). A centimeter would be equal to 1/100th of a meter. Or, in other words, it takes 100 centimeters to make a meter. The prefix milli means 1/1000th. Therefore, it takes 1000 millimeters to make a meter.
Procedure:
With a meter stick/ruler measure your height in meters. Record your result in the table below.
Next, measure the width (in inches alone) of one of the window sills in the classroom. Again, record your results on the table below.
By unit conversion, calculate the height and the width you measured and record as millimeters (mm) as centimeters (cm) as decimeters (dm) and as inches.
Show your calculations!
Length in m
Length in cm
Length in mm
Length in dm
Length in inches
Yours Height
window
Sill
Do your calculations here
Name: ____________________________ Lab Day and Time_______________________
Exercise #2: Measurement of Volume
Measure the length, width and height of a shoe box at your station and record them in cm. Calculate the volume of the box. Show your work
Length ______________
Width ______________
Height ______________
Volume ______________cm3
Name: ___________________________ Lab Day and Time_______________________
Exercise #3: Measurements of Temperature
On the Celsius scale, 0oC denotes the freezing point of water and 100oC denotes the boiling point. This compares to 32oF and 212oF respectively for the Fahrenheit scale. To convert from one scale to the other use the following equations:
oF = 9/5oC + 32 or oC = 5/9(oF-32)
Procedure
Convert the following temperatures to Fahrenheit.
BE SURE TO SHOW YOUR CALCULATIONS.
o Celsius
o Fahrenheit
Ice bath
-2
Boiling water bath
101
Room temperature water
24
Show your calculations here
Name: ___________________________ Lab Day and Time_______________________
Practice Conversion Problems
Convert the following: Show your work. Attach any additional papers.
a) 4.20 g to mg _______________
b) 11.00 in to cm _______________
c) 63.0 g to oz _______________
d) 4 lb to kg _______________
e) 12.00 gal to ml _______________
f) 45 mph is the same as __________________ kilometers per hour
g) How many liters of gasoline will a 5 gal tank hold? _______________
Which of the following is smaller (circle smallest) ?
h) 64.5 g or 64.5 kg (circle smallest)
i) 352 nm or 3.52 x 10-3 km (circle smallest)
j) 405 ml or 405l (circle smallest)
k) 300 kg or 0.0300g (circle smallest)
l) 150 ml or 0.050 l (circle smallest)
