Exercises SI units

Dr. Walt Volland revised June 29, 2013

 Answers on next page

1. What is the SI base unit for measuring mass?
2. A kilogram bag of coffee is the same as how many pounds?
3. What is the body weight in pounds for a child who weighs 20 kilograms?
4. Are the sizes of the Kelvin and Celcius degrees the same?
5. State a reason why you think time units are the same in all three measurement systems.
6. The metric system and the SI units have the same origins. They are based on the "age of reason" during the period 1780-1800. This is roughly the same period as the American and French revolutions. Give aone reason why the newly independent American colonies of Britain did not adopt the metric system as quickly as the French and European countries.
7. Name the SI base units for measuring the following quantities mass, temperature, length, and time.
8. Name the base unit for measuring time in the SI and metric system.

9. Which of the following matches the prefix for 1,000,000?

a. micro b. milli c. mega d. kilo e. centi-

 

10. Which of the following multiples matches the prefix nano-?
a. 0.01 b. 1000 c. 0.000000001 d. 0.000001

 

11. Which of the following is a derived unit?
a. meters b. seconds c. pounds d. miles/hour
12. Which is smaller a millimeter or a centimeter?

13. Identify the smaller prefix in the following pairs.

milli-or nano- kilo- or micro- centi- or giga- d. mega- or kilo-
 

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