3.2 The International System of Units 3.

2
Connecting to Your World
1 FOCUS
“Are we there yet?” You may Guide for Reading
have asked this question during a long road trip with family or friends. To
Key Concepts
Objectives
find out how much farther you have to go, you can read the roadside signs
• Which five SI base units do 3.2.1 List SI units of measurement
that list destinations and their distances. In the chemists commonly use?
signs shown here, however, the distances are • What metric units are
and common SI prefixes.
listed as numbers with no units attached. Is commonly used to measure 3.2.2 Distinguish between the mass
length, volume, mass,
Carrieton 44 kilometers or 44 miles away? temperature, and energy? and weight of an object.
Without the units, you can’t be sure. When 3.2.3 Convert between the Celsius
Vocabulary
you make a measurement, you must assign
International System of Units (SI) and Kelvin temperature scales.
the correct units to the numerical value. meter (m)
Without the units, it is impossible to liter (L)
communicate the measurement clearly to kilogram (kg) Guide for Reading
others. gram (g)
weight Build Vocabulary L2
temperature
Measuring with SI Units Celsius scale Word Parts Have students predict the
All measurements depend on units that serve as reference standards. The Kelvin scale meanings of the SI prefixes deci, centi,
standards of measurement used in science are those of the metric system. absolute zero and milli from their knowledge of the
The metric system is important because of its simplicity and ease of use. All energy
words decimal, century, and millennium.
metric units are based on multiples of 10. As a result, you can convert joule (J)
calorie (cal) L2
between units easily. The metric system was originally established in Reading Strategy
France in 1795. The International System of Units (abbreviated SI, after the Reading Strategy
French name, Le Système International d’Unités) is a revised version of the Summarizing As you read about
Preview Have students look at Tables
metric system. The SI was adopted by international agreement in 1960. SI units, summarize the main ideas 3.1, 3.3., 3.4, and 3.5. Ask students to
in the text that follows the red and
There are seven SI base units, which are listed in Table 3.1. From these base
blue headings.
list any metric units with which they
units, all other SI units of measurement can be derived. The five SI are already familiar.
base units commonly used by chemists are the meter, the kilogram, the
kelvin, the second, and the mole.
All measured quantities can be reported in SI units. Sometimes, how- 2 INSTRUCT
ever, non-SI units are preferred for convenience or for practical reasons. In
this textbook you will learn about both SI and non-SI units.

Table 3.1 Have students study the photograph

SI Base Units and read the text that opens the sec-
tion. Ask, Do any of the signs list a
Quantity SI base unit Symbol
measurement? (No. The signs show
Length meter m
only numbers. A measurement contains
Mass kilogram kg
Temperature kelvin K both a number and a unit.) How can
Time second s you determine what units are implied
Amount of substance mole mol by the signs? (A library or Internet search
Luminous intensity candela cd will show that the names on the signs are
Electric current ampere A
towns in Australia, which adopted SI in
1970. The numbers on the signs represent
Section 3.2 The International System of Units 73
distances in kilometers.)

Section Resources
Print Technology
• Guided Reading and Study Workbook, • Interactive Textbook with ChemASAP,
Section 3.2 Problem-Solving 3.17, Assessment 3.2
• Core Teaching Resources, Section 3.2 • Go Online, Section 3.2
Review, Interpreting Graphics
• Transparencies, T27–T30
• Small-Scale Chemistry Lab Manual,
Labs 3, 4, 5

Scientific Measurement 73
Section 3.2 (continued) Table 3.2
Commonly Used Metric Prefixes
Measuring with SI Units Prefix Meaning Factor
Discuss L2
mega (M) 1 million times larger than the unit it precedes 106
Explain that with the exception of those kilo (k) 1000 times larger than the unit it precedes 103
working in the sciences, the United deci (d) 10 times smaller than the unit it precedes 101
States is the only country not using the centi (c) 100 times smaller than the unit it precedes 102
metric system as a routine method of milli (m) 1000 times smaller than the unit it precedes 103
measurement. Ask, What are some micro (µ) 1 million times smaller than the unit it precedes 106
examples of applications in which the nano (n) 1000 million times smaller than the unit it precedes 109
pico (p) 1 trillion times smaller than the unit it precedes 1012
metric system is used in the United
States. (Acceptable answers include
35-mm film; meter distances in track and Units and Quantities
field; the dimensions of tools (wrenches) As you already know, you don’t measure length in kilograms or mass in cen-
and hardware (bolts); power rating in timeters. Different quantities require different units. Before you make a
watts of appliances, and road signs.) measurement, you must be familiar with the units corresponding to the
quantity that you are trying to measure.
Units and Quantities Units of Length Size is an important property of matter. In SI, the basic
Use Visuals L1 unit of length, or linear measure, is the meter (m). All measurements of
length can be expressed in meters. (The length of a page in this book is
Table 3.2 Discuss with students how about one-fourth of a meter.) For very large and very small lengths, how-
SI prefixes are always in increments of ever, it may be more convenient to use a unit of length that has a prefix.
ten and can be expressed using scien- Table 3.2 lists the prefixes in common use. For example, the prefix milli-
tific notation. Ask, What does the pre- means 1/1000 (one-thousandth), so a millimeter (mm) is 1/1000 of a meter,
or 0.001 m. A hyphen (-) measures about 1 mm.
fix kilo mean? (The prefix kilo means For large distances, it is usually most appropriate to express measure-
1000 times larger than the unit it pre- ments in kilometers (km). The prefix kilo- means 1000, so 1 km equals
cedes.) How is this prefix represented 1000 m. A standard marathon distance race of about 42,000 m is more con-
in scientific notation? (103) How veniently expressed as 42 km (42
1000 m). Common metric units of
much larger is the prefix centi com- length include the centimeter, meter, and kilometer. Table 3.3 summa-
Length of rizes the relationships among metric units of length.
pared to the prefix micro? Show stu- 5 city blocks ≈ 1km
dents how to make this comparison by
writing the following on the board: Table 3.3
centi/micro = 10–2/10–6 Metric Units of Length
= 10–2 – (–6) Unit Relationship Example
=10(–2 + 6) Kilometer (km) 1 km  103 m length of about five city blocks ≈ 1 km
=104 Meter (m) base unit height of doorknob from the floor ≈1m
Remind students that in dividing num- Decimeter (dm) 101 dm  1 m diameter of large orange ≈ 1 dm
bers in scientific notation, the expo- Centimeter (cm) 102 cm  1 m width of shirt button ≈ 1 cm
nent of the denominator is subtracted Millimeter (mm) 103 mm  1 m thickness of dime ≈ 1 mm
from the exponent of the numerator. Micrometer (µm) 106 µm  1 m diameter of bacterial cell ≈ 1 µm
Explain that the prefix centi is 104, or Nanometer (nm) 109 nm  1 m thickness of RNA molecule ≈ 1 nm

10, 000, times larger than the prefix

micro.

74 Chapter 3

74 Chapter 3
 Discuss L2
Point out that data can be reported
accurately in various related units (mm,
cm, m), but it is best to choose the unit
closest in scale to the object being
measured.
• The unit of mass most often used by
chemists is the gram—not the kilo-
a b c gram. Kilograms of chemicals are too
large for laboratory experiments.
• The density of most gases is mea-
Units of Volume The space occupied by any sample of matter is called sured in grams per liter; the densities
its volume. You calculate the volume of any cubic or rectangular solid by
of most solids and liquids are mea-
multiplying its length by its width by its height. The unit for volume is thus
derived from units of length. The SI unit of volume is the amount of space
sured in grams per cubic centimeter.
occupied by a cube that is 1 m along each edge. This volume is a cubic Figure 3.6 These photographs • The milliliter is the most common unit
above give you some idea of the of volume used by chemists. The
meter (m3). An automatic dishwasher has a volume of about 1 m3.
relative sizes of some different
A more convenient unit of volume for everyday use is the liter, a non-SI units of volume. a The volume cubic meter is much too large a vol-
unit. A liter (L) is the volume of a cube that is 10 centimeters (10 cm) along of 20 drops of liquid from a med– ume for most laboratory experiments.
each edge (10 cm
10 cm
10 cm  1000 cm3  1 L). A decimeter (dm) is icine dropper is approximately
equal to 10 cm, so 1 L is also equal to 1 cubic decimeter (dm3). A smaller 1 mL. b A sugar cube is 1 cm on
non-SI unit of volume is the milliliter (mL); 1 mL is 1/1000 of a liter. Thus each edge and has a volume of
1 cm3. Note that 1 mL is the same
TEACHER Demo
there are 1000 mL in 1 L. Because 1 L is defined as 1000 cm3, 1 mL and
1 cm3 are the same volume. The units milliliter and cubic centimeter are as 1 cm3. c A gallon of milk
thus used interchangeably. Common metric units of volume include
has about twice the volume of a Volume Measurements L2
2-L bottle of soda.
the liter, milliliter, cubic centimeter, and microliter. Table 3.4 summarizes Calculating How many cubic Purpose To introduce students to
the relationships among these units of volume. centimeters are in 2 liters? laboratory equipment used to measure
There are many devices for measuring liquid volumes, including gradu-
volume
ated cylinders, pipets, burets, volumetric flasks, and syringes. Note that the
volume of any solid, liquid, or gas will change with temperature (although Materials sets of Erlenmeyer flasks,
the change is much more dramatic for gases). Consequently, accurate buret, graduated cylinder, beaker, and
volume-measuring devices are calibrated at a given temperature—usually volumetric flask; water; food coloring
20 degrees Celsius (20°C), which is about normal room temperature.
Safety Have students wear goggles to
Checkpoint What is the SI unit of volume? emphasize safety in the laboratory.
Procedure Before the demonstration,
fill the glassware with water and add a
Table 3.4 few drops of food coloring. Place the
Metric Units of Volume sets at various stations around the class-
room. Assign groups of students to
Unit Relationship Example
each station. As students inspect the
Liter (L) base unit quart of milk ≈1L
glassware, explain that beakers, Erlenm-
Milliliter (mL) 103 mL  1 L 20 drops of water ≈ 1 mL
Cubic centimeter (cm3) 1 cm3  1 mL cube of sugar ≈ 1 cm3
eyer flasks, and graduated cylinders are
Microliter (µL) 106 µL  1 L crystal of table salt ≈ 1 µL
used to measure approximate volumes.
Volumetric flasks and burets allow mea-
surements that are more precise. Ask,
What is the appropriate instrument
Section 3.2 The International System of Units 75 to use to measure a large volume,
such as a 1 L, accurately? (Students
should choose the volumetric flask.)
Expected Outcome Students should
Facts and Figures be able to select the appropriate glass-
SI Units of Distance and Time ware when presented with the volu-
In 1790, with the establishment of the metric The definitions of these and other base units metric parameters for an experiment.
system, the French became the first to adopt have since become more precise. The meter
measurement standards that were close to is now defined as thedistance traveled by
being precise. The meter was defined as one light in a vacuum in1/299,792,458 of a sec-
ten-millionth of the distance from the equa- ond. The second is now defined in terms of Answers to...
tor to the North Pole along the meridian that the number of cycles of radiation given off
Figure 3.6 2000 cm3
passes through Paris. The second was by a specific isotope of the element cesium.
defined as 1/86,400 of the average day.
Checkpoint cubic meter (m3)

Scientific Measurement 75
Section 3.2 (continued)
CLASS Activity
Mass of a Penny L2
Purpose To provide practice in weigh-
ing groups of objects
Materials balance with a precision of
at least 0.01 g, sets of 10 pennies each
separated according to minting dates
between 1970 and the present. (Be
sure that sets include pre- and post-
1982 minting dates.)
Safety Have student wear goggles
when weighing the pennies.
Procedure Have students weigh three
five-penny samples from each set of
pennies and record their data. Have
students calculate the average mass of
a penny and plot the average mass ver-
sus the year it was minted.
Expected Outcome Students should
observe slight variations in mass from
year to year due to chance error, and a
dramatic decrease in mass between
1982 and 1983. (Pennies minted before
1982 are mostly copper. Pennies minted
after 1982 are mostly zinc, which is less
dense than copper.) Ask students to
propose a hypothesis for their findings.
(Acceptable answers include a change in
the composition of the penny.) Have stu-
dents maintain their graph, results, and
hypothesis for future reference in
Section 3.4.
Use Visuals L1
Figure 3.8 Have students inspect the
three thermometers shown. Ask, Which
thermometer is the most precise?
(liquid-in-glass thermometer) Which is
the least precise? (bimetallic strip ther-
mometer) Which probably measures
the greatest range of temperatures?
(bimetallic strip thermometer)
Differentiated Instruction
Less Proficient Readers
Have students search magazines and news-
papers for examples of SI units. Have them
report seasonal day/night temperature
ranges for their countries of origin.
76 Chapter 3
Table 3.5
Metric Units of Mass
Unit Relationship Example
Kilogram (kg) (base unit) 1 kg  103 g small textbook ≈ 1 kg
Gram (g) 1g  103 kg dollar bill ≈1g
Milligram (mg) 103 mg 1g ten grains of salt ≈ 1 mg
Microgram (µg) 106 µg 1g particle of baking powder ≈ 1 µg
Units of Mass The mass of an object is measured in comparison to a
standard mass of 1 kilogram (kg), which is the basic SI unit of mass. A kilo-
gram was originally defined as the mass of 1 L of liquid water at 4°C. A cube
of water at 4°C measuring 10 cm on each edge would have a volume of 1 L
and a mass of 1000 grams (g), or 1 kg. A gram (g) is 1/1000 of a kilogram; the
mass of 1 cm3 of water at 4°C is 1 g. Common metric units of mass
include the kilogram, gram, milligram, and microgram. The relationships
among units of mass are shown in Table 3.5.
You can use a platform balance to measure the mass of an object. The
object is placed on one side of the balance, and standard masses are added
to the other side until the balance beam is level. The unknown mass is
equal to the sum of the standard masses. Laboratory balances range from
very sensitive instruments with a maximum capacity of only a few milli-
grams to devices for measuring quantities in kilograms. An analytical bal-
ance is used to measure objects of less than 100 g and can determine mass
to the nearest 0.0001 g (0.1 mg).
The astronaut shown on the surface of the moon in Figure 3.7 weighs
one sixth of what he weighs on Earth. The reason for this difference is that
the force of gravity on Earth is about six times what it is on the moon.
Weight is a force that measures the pull on a given mass by gravity. Weight,
a measure of force, is different from mass, which is a measure of the quan-
tity of matter. Although the weight of an object can change with its loca-
tion, its mass remains constant regardless of its location. Objects can thus
become weightless, but they can never become massless.
Checkpoint How does weight differ from mass?
Figure 3.7 An astronaut’s
weight on the moon is one sixth
as much as it is on Earth. Earth
exerts six times the force of
gravity as the moon.
Inferring How does the astro-
naut’s mass on the moon
compare to his mass on Earth?
76 Chapter 3
L1 Gifted and Talented L3
Have students research the efforts to make
the metric system standard in the United
States. Who has promoted the change? What
progress has been made? What obstacles
remain?
 Discuss L2
Have students compare the freezing
point of water on the Celsius and
Kelvin temperature scales (0°C and
273.15 K) Ask, What temperature scale
has its zero point at absolute zero?
(the Kelvin scale) Why do you think sci-
entists use more than one tempera-
a b ture scale? (Acceptable answers include
that one scale may be more convenient
Units of Temperature When you hold a glass of hot water, the glass than the other depending on what is
feels hot because heat transfers from the glass to your hand. When you hold being measured; for example, extremely
an ice cube, it feels cold because heat transfers from your hand to the ice low temperatures are all negative num-
cube. Temperature is a measure of how hot or cold an object is. An object’s bers when expressed in degrees Celsius
temperature determines the direction of heat transfer. When two objects at c but positive when expressed in kelvins.)
different temperatures are in contact, heat moves from the object at the
higher temperature to the object at the lower temperature.
Figure 3.8 Thermometers are
Almost all substances expand with an increase in temperature and used to measure temperature.
contract as the temperature decreases. (A very important exception is water.) a A liquid-in-glass thermometer
These properties are the basis for the common liquid-in-glass thermome- contains alcohol or mineral
ter. The liquid in the thermometer expands and contracts more than the spirits. b A dial thermometer
volume of the glass, producing changes in the column height of liquid. Fig- contains a coiled bimetallic strip.
c A Galileo thermometer
ure 3.8 shows a few different types of thermometers.
contains several glass bulbs that Download a worksheet on Temper-
Several temperature scales with different units have been devised.
are calibrated to sink or float
Scientists commonly use two equivalent units of temperature, the
depending on the temperature. ature Scales for students to com-
degree Celsius and the kelvin. The Celsius scale of the metric system is The Galileo thermometer shown plete, and find additional support
named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701–1744). It uses uses the Fahrenheit scale, which
two readily determined temperatures as reference temperature values:
for NSTA SciLinks.
sets the freezing point of water at
the freezing point and the boiling point of water. The Celsius scale sets the 32°F and the boiling point of
freezing point of water at 0°C and the boiling point of water at 100°C. The water at 212°F.
distance between these two fixed points is divided into 100 equal intervals,
or degrees Celsius (°C).
Another temperature scale used in the physical sciences is the Kelvin,
or absolute, scale. This scale is named for Lord Kelvin (1824–1907), a Scot-
tish physicist and mathematician. On the Kelvin scale, the freezing point of
water is 273.15 kelvins (K), and the boiling point is 373.15 K. Notice that
with the Kelvin scale, the degree sign is not used. Figure 3.9 on the next
page compares the Celsius and Kelvin scales. A change of one degree on
the Celsius scale is equivalent to one kelvin on the Kelvin scale. The zero
point on the Kelvin scale, 0 K, or absolute zero, is equal to 273.15°C. For For: Links on Temperature
Scales
problems in this text, you can round 273.15°C to 273°C. Because one Visit: www.SciLinks.org
degree on the Celsius scale is equivalent to one kelvin on the Kelvin scale, Web Code: cdn-1032
converting from one temperature to another is easy. You simply add or
subtract 273, as shown in the following equations.

K  °C  273
°C  K  273

Section 3.2 The International System of Units 77

Facts and Figures Answers to...

Figure 3.7 The astronaut’s mass is
Near Absolute-Zero Temperatures
the same both on Earth and in
The coldest temperature achieved so far in
space.
a laboratory is one-half nanokelvin, that is
0.000 000 000 5 K above absolute zero.
Checkpoint Weight is a
Compare this temperature to the “cold
temperature of outer space,” which is force that measures the pull on a
about 2.7 K. given mass by gravity. The weight of
an object can change with its loca-
tion. Its mass remains constant
regardless of its location.

Scientific Measurement 77
Section 3.2 (continued)
Use Visuals
Figure 3.9 Ask, Can the 10-K temper-
ature change from 30 K to 40 K be
read on either of these thermome-
ters? (no)
Sample Problem 3.4
Answers
16. –196 °C
17. melting point: 1234 K; boiling
point: 2485 K
Practice Problems Plus
The boiling point of water on top of
Mount Everest is 343 K, while at the
bottom of Death Valley, California,
water boils at 373.3 K. Express these
temperatures in degrees Celsius.
(Mount Everest: 7.0 × 101°C; Death Val-
ley: 1.00 × 102°C)
Math Handbook
For a math refresher and practice,
direct students to algebraic equa-
tions, page R69.
78 Chapter 3
Figure 3.9 These thermometers Celsius
show a comparison of the Celsius
and Kelvin temperature scales.
L1 Note that a 1°C change on the 100
divisions
Celsius scale is equal to a 1 K
change on the Kelvin scale.
0°C 100°C
Interpreting Diagrams What
is a change of 10 K equivalent to Freezing point Boiling point
of water of water
on the Celsius scale?
273.15 K 373.15 K
100
Kelvin divisions
SAMPLE PROBLEM 3.4
L2
Converting Between Temperature Scales
Normal human body temperature is 37°C. What is that temperature in
kelvins?
Analyze List the known and the unknown.
Known
• Temperature in °C ⫽ 37°C
Unknown
• Temperature in K ⫽ ? K
Use the known value and the equation K ⫽ °C ⫹ 273 to calculate the
temperature in kelvins.
Math Handbook Calculate Solve for the unknown.
Substitute the known value for the Celsius temperature into the equa-
For help with algebraic tion and solve.
equations, go to page R69.
K ⫽ °C ⫹ 273
⫽ 37 ⫹ 273 ⫽ 310 K
Evaluate Does the result make sense?
You should expect a temperature in this range, since the freezing point
of water is 273 K and the boiling point of water is 373 K; normal body
temperature is between these two values.
Practice Problems
16. Liquid nitrogen boils at 77.2 K. 17. The element silver melts at
Problem-Solving 3.17 What is this temperature in 960.8°C and boils at 2212°C.
Solve Problem 17 with the help
degrees Celsius? Express these temperatures in
of an interactive guided tutorial.
kelvins.
with ChemASAP
78 Chapter 3
 3 ASSESS
Evaluate Understanding L2
Write the following chart on the board.
Student’s Magnitude SI Unit
age 1.6 K
body
temp. 6.2 × 101 kg
height 3.1 × 102 m
mass 4.8 × 108 s
Units of Energy Figure 3.10 shows a house equipped with solar panels. Figure 3.10 Photoelectric
The solar panels convert the radiant energy from the sun into electrical panels convert solar energy Have students match the appropriate
energy that can be used to heat water and power appliances. Energy is the into electricity. magnitude and SI unit in columns II
capacity to do work or to produce heat. and III, with the item in column I.
Like any other quantity, energy can be measured. The joule and the (4.8 × 108 s, 3.1 × 102 K, 1.6 m, 6.2 × 101 kg)
calorie are common units of energy. The joule (J) is the SI unit of energy. It is
named after the English physicist James Prescott Joule (1818–1889). One Reteach L1
calorie (cal) is the quantity of heat that raises the temperature of 1 g of pure
Review Tables 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5 with stu-
water by 1°C. Conversions between joules and calories can be carried out
using the following relationships. dents. Display each on an overhead
projector and review the SI base unit
1 J  0.2390 cal 1 cal  4.184 J
listed in each table, pronunciations of
the derived units, and the use of the
prefixes to determine the numerical
3.2 Section Assessment relationships between the base unit
and the derived units.
18. Key Concept Which five SI base units are 26. Surgical instruments may be sterilized by heat-
commonly used in chemistry? ing at 170°C for 1.5 hr. Convert 170°C to kelvins. Elements Handbook
19. Key Concept Which metric units are com- 27. State the relationship between joules and
monly used to measure length, volume, mass, calories.
temperature, and energy? Group 7A Boiling
20. Name the quantity measured by each of the seven
Element Point (K)
SI base units and give the SI symbol of the unit. Handbook
Fluorine (F) 85 K
21. What is the symbol and meaning of each prefix? Boiling Points Look up the boiling points of the first
a. milli- b. nano- four elements in Group 7A on page R32. Convert
Chlorine (Cl) 238 K
c. deci- d. centi- these temperatures into kelvins. Bromine (Br) 332 K
22. List the following units in order from largest to
Iodine (I) 457 K
smallest: m3, mL, cL, µL, L, dL.
23. What is the volume of a paperback book 21 cm
tall, 12 cm wide, and 3.5 cm thick?
Assessment 3.2 Test
24. State the difference between mass and weight. yourself on the concepts in
25. State the relationship between degrees Celsius Section 3.2.
and kelvins. with ChemASAP

Section 3.2 The International System of Units 79

If your class subscribes to the Inter-
active Textbook, use it to review key
concepts in Section 3.2.

Section 3.2 Assessment with ChemASAP

18. m, kg, K, s, mol 22. m3, L, dL, cL, mL, µL

19. length: cm, m, km; volume: L, mL, cm3, µL; 23. 8.8 × 102 cm3
mass: kg, g, mg, µm; temperature: °C, K; 24. Mass is a measure of the amount of mat-
energy: J, cal ter in an object. Weight is a measure of
20. length (m), mass (kg), temperature (K), time the force of gravity on an object.
(s), amount of substance (mol), luminous 25. °C = K – 273
intensity (cd), electric current (A) 26. 443 K
21. a. m; 10–3 of the unit b. n; 10–9 of the unit 27. 1 J = 0.2390 cal Answers to...
c. d; 10–1 of the unit d. c; 10–2 of the unit Figure 3.9 10°C

Scientific Measurement 79