The units of measurement are the units that are used to represent physical quantities like length, mass, temperature, current, area, volume, intensity, etc. We use different measurement units to represent the magnitude of the physical quantities including the traditional units, the Metric System of units, the imperial system of units, and US customary units. Units of measurement have also evolved and played a crucial role from the early ages till the present. We use the measuring units to compare how large or small a physical quantity is as compared to the basic standard quantity.
In this article, we shall explore the concept of metric and imperial units of measurement. We will also discuss the various measurement units used for measuring length, mass, time, temperature, and volume. Generally, we measure almost everything around us in our daily lives such as how many hours we have worked and slept, the amount of water we drink, our body weight, height, distance traveled on foot and by car. We shall solve various examples using the different units of measurement for a better understanding of the concept.
| 1. | What are Units of Measurement? |
| 2. | Metric Units of Measurement |
| 3. | Imperial Units of Measurement |
| 4. | Units of Measurement for Length |
| 5. | Units of Measurement for Mass |
| 6. | Units of Measurement for Volume |
| 7. | Units of Measurement for Temperature |
| 8. | Units of Measurement for Time |
| 9. | Units of Measurement Chart |
| 10. | FAQs on Units of Measurement |
What are Units of Measurement?
The units of measurement are the collection of standard and other units that are used to measure various physical quantities. We have been using different units to measure these quantities like length, mass, volume, current, temperature, etc. from the early ages. These units of measurement have evolved since then and we have different systems of measurement now which are more convenient and easy to use.
In the early days, when we didn't have any proper tools to measure the physical quantities, we use some informal methods and units of measurement. For example, we used the body parts to measure the length such as hand span, foot span, arm span, cubit, pace, etc. Since the body parts vary from person to person, these methods of measurement did not give very accurate results. So, gradually better units of measurement were invented.
As a result, the metric system, also known as the International System of Units (called the SI units - the modern form of the metric system), the Imperial system, and US customary units were standardized across the world as the units of measurement to get more accurate results.
Metric Units of Measurement
The metric units of measurement in mathematics are standard units defined to measure length, height, weight, area, and capacity (volume). It is based on the decimal system as it includes numbers in powers of 10. The modern form of the metric units are called the SI units and are accepted worldwide. Each unit has a universally recognized size. Let us see some of the commonly used SI units in the table below.
SI Units of Measurement
SI units of measurement are units of the international system of units, also known as the metric system which is used across the world and each unit has a standard measure.
| Physical Quantity | SI Unit of Measurement | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Meter | m |
| Mass | Kilogram | kg |
| Temperature | Kelvin | K |
| Time | Second | s |
| Capacity/Volume | Litre | L |
| Current | Ampere | A |
| Amount of Substance | Mole | mol |
Unit of Measurement List
The table above shows the SI units but we use other units as well to measure the given physical quantities. Let us list some of the commonly used to units of measurement below:
- Length - kilometer, meter, centimeter, millimeter
- Mass - kilogram, gram, milligram
- Capacity - kilolitre, litre, milliliter, centilitre
- Time - Minute, Hour, Second, Days, Week, Month, Year
- Temperature - Kelvin, Celsius, Fahrenheit
All the above units for a specific physical quantity can be expressed in terms of each other using the conversion of the units of measurement.
Imperial Units of Measurement
Imperial units of measurement are the units from the British Imperial System (System of Weights and Measures used in Great Britain). As we discussed the metric units, the imperial system uses different units to measure the physical quantities like length, mass, volume, and area. Let us go through imperial units of measurement in the table below:
| Physical Quantity | Imperial Units |
|---|---|
| Length | foot, inch, yard, mile |
| Mass | ounce, pound, stone, ton |
| Capacity | gallon, pint, quart, fluid ounce |
Note: The imperial units of measurement can be expressed in terms of the metric units and vice-versa as they are standard units.
Units of Measurement for Length
Length is a physical quantity that gives the measure of how long an object is. There are different aspects of measuring length such as distance covered, height, etc. Units of measurement for all the physical quantities belong to the same category. Each unit of measuring length can be expressed in terms of each other using the conversion method as these units have a standard value. Let us see the commonly used metric and imperial units of measurement of length below along with their relations with one another.
| System | Units of Measurement | Conversion |
|---|---|---|
| Metric Units | Centimeter (cm) | 1 cm = 10 mm |
| Meter (m) | 1 m = 100 cm | |
| Kilometer (km) | 1 km = 1000 m | |
| Millimeter (mm) | 1 mm = 0.001 m | |
| Imperial Units | Foot (feet) | 1 foot = 12 inch |
| Inches (inch) | 1 inch = 0.83333 feet | |
| Mile | 1 mile = 5280 feet | |
| Yard | 1 yard = 3 feet = 36 inch |
Units of Measurement for Mass
Mass is a physical quantity that tells how heavy or light an object is. It is also commonly called the weight of the object. The SI unit of mass is the kilogram (kg). The table below shows the different and commonly used units of measuring mass in the metric and imperial systems along with their conversions:
| System | Units of Measurement | Conversion |
|---|---|---|
| Metric Units | Milligram (mg) | 1 mg = 0.001 g |
| Gram (g) | 1 g = 1000 mg | |
| Kilogram (kg) | 1 kg = 1000 g | |
| Imperial Units | Ounce (oz) | 1 oz = 0.0625 lb |
| Pound (lb) | 1lb = 16 oz | |
| Ton | 1 ton = 2000 lbs |
Please note that there are other units of measurement of mass that are used such as tonnes, stone, microgram imperial ton, etc. The above table shows the commonly used units only.
Units of Measurement for Volume
Volume, also known as the capacity, gives the amount of space that an object occupies or the maximum space the object has. The SI unit of volume is litre (L). We can also express the units of measuring volume in terms of cubic length units such as centimeter cube (cm3), meter cube (m3), etc. Let us go through some of the commonly used units of measurement of volume in the table below:
| System | Units of Measurement | Conversion |
|---|---|---|
| Metric Units | Millilitre (ml) | 1 m = 0.001 l |
| Litre (l) | 1 l = 1000 ml | |
| Kilolitre (kl) | 1 kl = 1000 l | |
| Cubic Centimeter (cm3) | 1 l = 1000 cm3 | |
| Imperial Units | Fluid ounce (fl. oz.) | 1 fl. oz. = 1/20 pt |
| Gallon (gal) | 1gal = 128 fl. oz. | |
| Pint (pt) | 1 pt = 16 fl. oz. |
Units of Measurement for Temperature
Temperature is a physical quantity that describes how hot or cold an object or the weather is. We have mainly three units of measurement of temperature, Celsius, Kelvin, and Fahrenheit. Kelvin is the SI unit of measuring temperature. The table given below shows the different units of measuring temperature and their conversion.
| Units of Measurement | Conversion |
|---|---|
| Celsius (C) | 0°C = 273.15 K = 32°F |
| Kelvin (K) | 0 K = -273. 15°C = -459.57°F |
| Fahrenheit (F) | 0°F = -17.778°C =255.372 K |
Generally, for the conversion of temperature, we use the formula C/5 = (F - 32) / 9 = (K - 273.15) / 5. This formula helps to express the temperature in different units.
Units of Measurement of Time
Time is a measure that tells about the time taken to complete a process, travel from one point to another. It is an ongoing process of continuous events. We measure time in three units, seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years. The table given below describes these units and their relation with each other.
| Units of Measurement | Conversion |
|---|---|
| Second (s) | 1 s = 1/60 min |
| Minute (min) | 1 min = 60 s |
| Hour (hr) | 1 hr = 60 min = 3600 s |
| Day | 1 day = 24 hr |
| Week | 1 week = 7 days |
| Month | 1 month = 4 weeks |
| Year | 1 year = 12 months |
These units of measurement of time are standard and are followed all across the world.
Units of Measurement Chart
Now that we have discussed the different units of measurement used across different systems of measurement, let us summarize the units in a chart below for a quick review:
| Quantity | Units of Measurement |
|---|---|
| Length | Meter, Kilometer, Centimeter, Millimeter, Feet, Yard, Inch, Mile |
| Mass | Gram, Milligram, Kilogram, Ounce, Pound, Ton |
| Volume | Litre, Millilitre, Kilolitre, Gallon, Pint, Fluid Ounce |
| Time | Second, Minute, Hour, Day, Month, Week, Year |
| Temperature | Kelvin, Celsius, Fahrenheit, |
Important Notes on Units of Measurement
- The units of measurement are the units that are used to represent physical quantities like length, mass, temperature, current, area, volume, intensity, etc.
- We use two systems of units of measurement - metric and imperial.
- In the early days, hand span, arm span, and foot span were used as units of measurement.
☛ Related Topics:
- Feet to Inches
- How Long is a Meter
- Length Conversion
FAQs on Units of Measurement
What are the Units of Measurement in Math?
The units of measurement are the units that are used to represent physical quantities like length, mass, temperature, current, area, volume, intensity, etc. We use different measurement units to represent the magnitude of the physical quantities including the traditional units, the Metric System of units, the imperial system of units, and US customary units.
What are the 7 Basic Units of Measurement?
The 7 basic units of measurement are:
- Length - Meter (m)
- Mass - Kilogram (kg)
- Capacity - Litre (L)
- Electric Current - Ampere (A)
- Amount of Substance - Mole (mol)
- Luminous Intensity - Candela (cd)
- Temperature - Kelvin (K)
What are the Units of Measurement in the Metric System?
The standard units of measurement for specific physical quantities used in the metric system are:
- Length - Meter
- Mass - Kilogram
- Volume - Litre
How to Convert Units of Measurement of Temperature?
We can convert the units of measurement of temperature using the formula C/5 = (F - 32) / 9 = (K - 273.15) / 5, where C - Celsius, F - Fahrenheit, K - Kelvin
What are the 3 Systems of Units of Measurement?
The 3 systems of units of measurement are Metric System, Imperial System, and the US customary system.
What are Units of Measurement Used for?
We use different measurement units to represent the magnitude of the physical quantities including the traditional units, the Metric System of units, the imperial system of units, and US customary units.
Why are Standard Units of Measurement Needed?
In the early days, people used body parts to measure the length such as hand span, foot span, arm span, cubit, pace, etc. Since the body parts vary from person to person, these methods of measurement did not give very accurate results. So, standard units of measurement were invented.
What are the Different Units of Measurement for Length?
The commonly used units of measurement for length are meter, centimeter, kilometer, millimeter, decimeter, decameter, etc.
What are Imperial Units of Measurement?
Imperial units of measurement are the units from the British Imperial System (System of Weights and Measures used in Great Britain). These units are used to measure length, volume, mass, area, etc.
What are Metric Units of Measurement?
The metric units of measurement in mathematics are standard units defined to measure length, height, weight, area, and capacity (volume). The modern form of the metric units are called the SI units and are accepted worldwide.
FAQs
What are examples of units to measure mass? ›
The Metric System of Measurements uses the mass units: gram (g), kilogram (kg) and tonne (t).
What are the units of length mass? ›The SI unit of length is metre (m), the SI unit of mass is kilogram (kg), and the SI unit of time is second (s).
What are example units of length? ›The basic units for length or distance measurements in the English system are the inch, foot, yard, and mile. Other units of length also include the rod, furlong, and chain.
How do you measure the mass? ›1: An analytical balance makes very sensitive mass measurements in a laboratory, usually in grams. Other common units of mass are the gram and the milligram. A gram is 1/1000th of a kilogram, meaning that there are 1000g in 1kg. A milligram is 1/1000th of a gram, so there are 1000mg in 1g.
What is unit of weight and mass? ›The SI base unit of mass is kilogram. The unit of measurement for weight is Newton. It is same as that of force. For example, an object with a mass of one kilogram has a weight of about 9.8 newtons on the surface of the Earth. The SI unit of force is the newton, symbol N.
What is length mass? ›Length, mass and time are the three main and basic quantities in measurement. These three units of measurement form the mks system in the metric system. Measurement of the particular material is the weight of the material. Measurements in physics are expressed in units for every specific measurement.
What are the 7 units of length? ›The metric system includes kilometer, hectometer, decameter, meter, decimeter, centimeter, and millimeter.
What is mass in length? ›What is Mass per Unit Length? The mass per unit length is the linear density of a one-dimensional substance such as a wire or thread. Its practical application is in measuring the weight of threads and yarns in the textile industry.
What are the 10 unit of measurement? ›- Length - meter (m)
- Time - second (s)
- Amount of substance - mole (mole)
- Electric current - ampere (A)
- Temperature - kelvin (K)
- Luminous intensity - candela (cd)
- Mass - kilogram (kg)
The basic unit of length in the metric system is the meter. All units of length in the metric system are derived from the meter. The prefix “centi-“means one hundredth.
What are the most common units of mass? ›
In the metric system of measurement, the most common units of mass are the gram and kilogram.
What are the measurements of length? ›Some of the commonly used units for measuring length are centimeters, millimeters, meters, inches, feet, yards, feet, etc. Some of the units to measure mass are pounds, ounces, kilograms, grams, centigrams, milligrams, etc.
How do you write units of length? ›- Sentences and measurements. NEVER begin any sentence with digits or symbols or units. ...
- Space between digit and unit. When writing a measured unit, the numerical value comes first, followed by a space, followed by the unit. ...
- Units as adjectives. ...
- foot or feet. ...
- gallon. ...
- inches. ...
- kelvin. ...
- kiloohm, kilohm, kilo-ohm, kilo ohm.
Mass denotes the amount an object weighs. To find the mass we use a balance or weights. The units used in the metric system to denote mass are gram (g) and kilogram (kg). They are related as 1 kg = 1000 g or 1000 g = 1 kg.
What are examples of mass? ›Mass can be best understood as the amount of matter present in any object or body. Everything we see around us has mass. For example, a table, a chair, your bed, a football, a glass, and even air has mass. That being said, all objects are light or heavy because of their mass.
What is an example of mass and weight? ›Mass is a measure of all the matter that makes up an object, and weight how much gravity is acting upon an object. Since we're on Earth and used to measuring things on Earth with Earth's gravity, if your mass is 50 kg, we say that you weigh 50kg. A scale on Earth would read 50kg, or 110lbs.
Why do we measure mass? ›Mass is important to measure because it will measure the amount of force it will take to move the object. Mass is often measured by measuring an unmeasured object with standardized forms of measurements such as milligrams, grams and kilograms.
What is the small unit of mass? ›The basic unit of mass in the metric system is the gram.
What is mass and volume? ›A: Volume is the amount of space a three-dimensional object occupies and it is measured in cubic units. Two examples of cubic units are cm3 or in3. Mass on the other hand is a measure of how much matter is in an object. Mass is often measured by how much something weighs (in units like pounds or kilograms).
What is the mass of an object? ›Mass is the total amount of matter, or "stuff," in an object. Weight is the force of gravity on an object. Mass always stays the same, but weight can change depending on how much gravity is acting upon an object. Stats. Mass: how much matter, or stuff, something has inside it.
What is an example of length and mass? ›
A measure of amount of matter that contain an object is mass. Example :- length of scale , length of rectangle , length of triangle etc. Example :- Table , chair , football, Even air also have mass.
How do you measure mass and length? ›- In science, length may be measured with a metric ruler using SI units such as millimeters and centimeters.
- Scientists measure mass with a balance, such as a triple beam balance or electronic balance.
- In science, the volume of a liquid might be measured with a graduated cylinder.
Length is used to measure the size of something. Weight or mass is used to measure how heavy something is.
What are the 11 units of time? ›- nanoseconds.
- microsecond.
- millisecond.
- second.
- kiloseconds.
- century.
- day.
- decade.
From smallest to largest, the metric units of length are millimetres (mm), centimetres (cm), metres (m) and kilometres (km). There are 10 mm in 1 cm, 100 cm in 1 m and 1000 m in 1 km. The metric units of length are used in all countries except the USA, Liberia and Myanmar.
How many units are there? ›There are seven fundamental units in the SI system of units which are mass, length, time, temperature, electric current, mole and luminous intensity.
What is an example of mass and volume? ›Mass is the amount of matter an object contains, while volume is how much space it takes up. Example: A bowling ball and a basketball are about the same volume as each other, but the bowling ball has much more mass. To be precise when using measurement terms, make sure you know the difference between mass and weight.
What is mass per length called? ›Linear density is the measure of a quantity of any characteristic value per unit of length. Linear mass density (titer in textile engineering, the amount of mass per unit length) and linear charge density (the amount of electric charge per unit length) are two common examples used in science and engineering.
Is mass measured in length? ›Mass is an intrinsic property of matter and is measured in kilograms. The mass of a bird is a constant. A 15-gram bird is 15 grams, whether measured on the Earth, the Moon, or Mars. Weight is a measure ofthe force of gravity on a physical object and is measured in newtons.
What are the measurements in order? ›Length, width, height, depth.
What are standard units of measure? ›
What is a Standard Unit of Measurement? The standard unit of measurement is a value that is fixed and cannot be changed. It is needed to have uniformity in measurement. The measurement is measured as feet, inches, and pounds in the United States and meters, centimetres, and kilograms in the metric system.
What is the biggest unit of length? ›- Parsec or parallactic second refers to the distance at which an arc of length equal to one astronomical unit subtends an angle of one second at a point.
- 1 parsec = 3 . 1 × 10 16 m = 3 . 26 light-years.
- 1 parsec is equivalent to 206265 AU and hence parsec is the largest unit of length.
The Egyptian cubit, the Indus Valley units of length referred to above and the Mesopotamian cubit were used in the 3rd millennium BC and are the earliest known units used by ancient peoples to measure length.
What are the four units of mass? ›In science, mass is measured in metric system units using kilogram (a thousand grams), grams, centigrams (hundredth of grams), and milligrams (thousandth of grams).
What is the unit of measurement of length mass and volume? ›The metric system is a system of measurement that uses the meter, liter, and gram as base units of length (distance), capacity (volume), and weight (mass) respectively. To measure smaller or larger quantities, we use units derived from the metric units.
What are the 3 types of measurement? ›You can see there are four different types of measurement scales (nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio).
What are the 5 types of measurements? ›- Indirect method of measurement.
- Direct method of measurement.
- Fundamental method of measurement.
- Substitution method of measurement.
- Comparison method of measurement.
| Quantity measured | Unit | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| Length, width, distance, thickness, girth, etc. | metre | m |
| kilometre | km | |
| Mass (“weight”)* | milligram | mg |
| gram | g |
We often use the words 'mass' and 'weight' interchangeably, but they mean quite different things. Your mass is the same no matter where you go in the universe; your weight, on the other hand, changes from place to place.
What is mass answer? ›mass, in physics, quantitative measure of inertia, a fundamental property of all matter. It is, in effect, the resistance that a body of matter offers to a change in its speed or position upon the application of a force. The greater the mass of a body, the smaller the change produced by an applied force.
What is mass simple answer? ›
What is Mass? Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object. Mass is usually measured in grams (g) or kilograms (kg). Mass measures the quantity of matter regardless of both its location in the universe and the gravitational force applied to it.
What are the mass measurements from smallest to largest? ›The most commonly used units of mass are kilogram, gram, and milligram. Of the three units, the kilogram is the largest and the milligram is the smallest. The prefix “kilo” means a thousand and “milli” means one-thousandths. A gram is the basic unit of mass.
What are examples of kilograms and grams? ›Gram (g) – The gram is used for measuring intermediate amounts. For example, 100 grams of butter, 250 grams of cheese, 500 grams of peas, sugar, flour, etc. Kilogram (kg) – The Kilogram is used for measuring larger amounts. For example, 1 kilogram of potatoes, 10 kilogram of bananas, 25 kilogram of rice, etc.
What units are used to measure weight mass and volume? ›What is Metric? The metric system uses units such as meter, liter, and gram to measure length, liquid volume, and mass, just as the U.S. customary system uses feet, quarts, and ounces to measure these.
What units are used for mass measurements quizlet? ›The units for mass are kilograms and the unit for weight is Newtons.
What size is a mass? ›Mass is a measurement of how much matter is in an object. Mass is a combination of the total number of atoms, the density of the atoms, and the type of atoms in an object. Mass is usually measured in kilograms which is abbreviated as kg.
What is the lowest unit of mass? ›The basic unit of mass in the metric system is the gram.
What is an example of a gram? ›Grams is a unit of measurement used to measure very light objects. For example, a small metal paperclip has a mass of around 1 gram. Other objects with a mass of about 1 gram are a stick of gum and a dollar bill.
What are 5 things measured in grams? ›- a quarter of a teaspoon of sugar.
- a cubic centimeter of water.
- a paperclip.
- a pen cap.
- a thumbtack.
- a pinch of salt.
- a piece of gum.
- the weight of any US bill.
Some things that weigh 1 kg are: A liter of water. A 1 kg bag of sugar. A 1 kg bag of rice.
What are 10 units of measurement? ›
- Length - meter (m)
- Time - second (s)
- Amount of substance - mole (mole)
- Electric current - ampere (A)
- Temperature - kelvin (K)
- Luminous intensity - candela (cd)
- Mass - kilogram (kg)
| Length | Mass |
|---|---|
| Measure of distance from one endpoint to another is Length. | The measure of the weight of an object is Mass. |
| The length measuring one dimensional. | The mass measuring amount of something in three dimensional. |
A balance is used to measure mass.
Which is not a unit to measure mass? ›Hence, millilitre (ml) is an unit of measurement of volume, and not that of mass.
Which of the following is a unit to measure mass of an object? ›Kilogram (kg) is the fundamental SI mass unit.