SI Base/ Fundamental Units

Measurement

A. BASE/FUNDAMENTAL QUANTITIES
Definition: A base or fundamental quantity is a quantity that stand on its
own and is not a product from the combination of other
quantities.

The International System of Units (abbreviated SI from systeme

internationale , the French version of the name) is a scientific method of
expressing the magnitudes or quantities of important natural phenomena.
There are seven base units in the system, from which other units are derived.
This system was formerly called the meter-kilogram-second (mks) system.

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B. DERIVED QUANTITIES
Definition: A derived quantity is a quantity that is a product from the
combination of base quantities.

Examples:

Name of Derived Quantity Symbol Formula SI Unit

1. Area A A=PxL m2
2. Volume V V=PxLxT m3
3. Velocity v v=s/t ms-1
4. Acceleration a a = ∆v / t ms-2
5. Density ρ ρ=m/V kgm-3
6. Pressure p p=F/A Nm-2 or pascal
(Pa)
7. Work W W=Fxs Nm or joule (J)
8. Power P P=W/t Js-1 or watt (W)
9. Energy E E = mc2 J

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C. UNIT CONVERSION OF BASE AND DERIVED QUANTITIES
Prefix of multiplication factor is used for a very large or small value of
quantity so that it could be written briefly and easily understood.

Multiplication
Prefix(symbol) Numerical Value Examples
Factor
tera ( T ) 1012 1000000000000 2 TN (teranewton)
giga ( G ) 109 1000000000 5 Gm (gigameter)
mega ( M ) 106 1000000 13 MW (megawatt)
kilo ( k ) 103 1000 18 kg (kilogram)
↑
centi ( c ) 10-2 0.01 55 cm (centimeter)
↓
mili ( m ) 10-3 0.001 24 mm (milimeter)
micro ( µ ) 10-6 0.000001 89 µm (micrometer)
nano ( n ) 10-9 0.000000001 17 nm (nanometer)
pico ( p ) 10-12 0.000000000001 21 m (picometer)

D. EXAMPLES OF UNIT CONVERSION FOR BASE QUANTITIES

1. LENGTH
Example 1:
The distance of Kota Bharu city to Kuala lumpur city is 474 km. Find the
distance in the units of meter and centimetre.
Solution:
1 km = 1000 m(103m), 1 m = 100 cm(102 cm)
474 km = 474 km x 1000 m = 474 000 m = 4.74 x 10 5 m
1 km

474 km = 4.74 x 105 m x 102 cm = 4.74 x 107 cm

1m

Example 2:
A student is 160 cm tall. Determine his height in kilometre and
millimetre.
Solution:
1 km = 1000 m(103 m), 1 m = 100 cm(102 cm), 1cm = 10 mm
160 cm = 160 cm x 1 m__ x 1 km = 1.6 x 10 2 x 10-5 = 1.6 x 10-3 km
10 cm
2 10 m
3

160 cm = 160 cm x 10 mm = 1600 mm

1 cm

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 Example 3:
The distance from planet Earth to Sun is 1.5 x 10 8 km. Find the distance
in megameter(Mm)?
Solution:
1 Mm = 106 m, 1 km = 103 m

1.5 x 108 km = 1.5 x 108 km x 103 m x 1 Mm = 1.5 x 105 Mm

1 km 106 m

2. MASS
Example 1:
A bag of cement has a mass of 50 kg. Convert the unit to gram(g)?
Solution:
1 kg = 1000 g(103 g)

50 kg = 50 kg x 1000 g = 50 000 g = 5.0 x 10 4 g

1 kg

Example 2:
A wooden block has a mass of 380 g. Convert the unit to kilogram(kg)?
Solution:
380 g = 380 g x 1 kg__ = 0.38 kg
1000 g
Example 3:
The mass of a lorry is 2 tons. Determine its mass in gram(g)?
Solution:

1 ton = 1000 kg(103 kg), 1 kg = 1000 g(103 g)

2 ton = 2 ton x 103 kg x _103 g_ = 2 x 106 g

1 ton 1 kg

3. TIME
Example 1:
Convert 8 hours to minute?
Solution:
1 h = 60 minutes, 1minute = 60 s

8 hr = 8 hr x 60 minutes = 480 minutes

1 hr

8 hr = 480 min x 60 s = 28 800 s

1 min

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 Example 2:
Convert 300 seconds to hour?
Solution:
300 s = 300 s x 1 hr = 0.083 hr
3600 s

Example 3:
An aeroplane took off from Kuala Lumpur airport at 1400 hours and
arrived at New Delhi airport at 1830 hours. Calculate the duration of the
journey in minute and second?
Solution:
Duration, t = 1830 – 1400 = 4 hr 30 min

t = (4 x 60 minutes) + 30 minutes = 240 + 30 = 270 minutes

and, t = 270 min x 60 s = 16 200 s

1 min

EXERCISE 1

A. Write the correct abbreviation for each metric unit.

1) Kilogram _____ 4) Milliliter _____ 7) Kilometer _____

2) Meter _____ 5) Millimeter _____ 8) Centimeter _____

3) Gram _____ 6) Liter _____ 9) Milligram _____

B. Conversion Challenge:

1) 2000 mg = _______ g 6) 5 L = _______ mL 11) 16 cm = _______ mm

2) 104 km = _______ m 7) 198 g = _______ kg 12) 2500 m = _______ km

3) 480 cm = _____ m 8) 75 mL = _____ L 13) 65 g = _____ mg

4) 5.6 kg = _____ g 9) 50 cm = _____ m 14) 6.3 cm = _____ mm

5) 8 mm = _____ cm 10) 5.6 m = _____ cm 15) 120 mg = _____ g

C. Compare using <, >, or =.

16) 63 cm _____ 6 m 17) 5 g _____ 508 mg 18) 1,500 mL _____ 1.5 L

19) 536 cm _____ 53.6 dm 20) 43 mg _____ 5 g 21) 3.6 m _____ 36 cm

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 EXERCISE 2

Choose the best answer.

1. Which of the following measurements can be shown with this metric ruler?

A. centimeters
B. Kilogram
C. Celsius
D. milliliters

2. The unit of measure for length in the metric system is the _____ .
A. liter
B. gram
C. meter
D. gallon

3. A thousand grams is called a _____ .

A. milligram
B. decagram
C. gram
D. kilogram

4. A _____ is an example of a unit of volume.

A. centimeter
B. cubic centimeter
C. square centimeter

5. Which units are metric measurements of mass?

A. Meters
B. Liters
C. Newtons
D. Grams

6. There are _____ centimeters in 1 meter.

A. 1
B. 10
C. 100
D. 1000

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7. Convert 10.56 cm to mm.
A. 105.6 mm
B. 1056 mm
C. 1.056 mm
D 0.1056 mm

8. There are _____ milligrams in 1 gram.

A. 1
B. 10
C. 100
D. 1000

9. How many centimeters are in 3 meters?

A. 1/300
B. ⅓
C. 3
D. 300
E. 3000

10. One hectometer is equivalent to how many meters?

A. 10
B. 100
C. 1
D. 0.01

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