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The Metric System of Measurements

Base Units

Meter (m) for length: The length of the path traveled by light in a vacuum during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second.

Kilogram (kg) for mass: Equal to the mass of the international prototype of the kilogram.

Second (s) for time: The duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium 133 atom.

Ampere (A) for electric current: A constant current which, if maintained in two straight parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible circular cross-section, and placed 1 meter apart in a vacuum, would produce between these conductors a force equal to 2 x 10-7 newton per meter of length.

Kelvin (K) for thermodynamic temperature: The fraction 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of water.

Candela (cd) for luminous intensity: A source that emits monochromatic radiation of frequency 540 x 1012 hertz and that has a radiant intensity in that direction of 1/683 watt per steradian.

Mole (mol)
for quantity of matter: The amount of substance of a system which contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 0.012 kilogram of carbon 12.

 

Non-SI Units Commonly Used

Ångström (Å) for measure of displacement: Equal to 0.0000000001 meter (10-10m). Used to express wavelengths of visible light, UV light, gamma rays, and x-rays.

Liter (L) for volume: Equal to 1000 cm3.

 

SI Derived Units

Derived Quantity Name
Symbol
Expression in Terms of
Other SI Units
Expression in Terms of
SI Base Units
plane angle radian rad - m·m-1=1 
solid angle steradian sr - m2·m-2=1
frequency hertz Hz - s-1
force newton N - m·kg·s-2
pressure, stress pascal Pa N/m2 m-1·kg·s-2
energy, work, quantity of heat joule J Nm m2·kg·s-2
power, radiant flux watt W J/s m2·kg·s-3
electric charge, quantity of electricity coulomb C - s·A
electric potential, difference, electromotive force volt V W/A m2·kg·s-3·A-1
capacitance farad F C/V m-2·kg-1·s4·A2
electric conductance siemens A/V m-2·kg-1·s3·A2
electric resistance ohm W V/A m2·kg·s-3·A-2
magnetic flux weber Wb Vs m2·kg·s-2·A-1
magnetic flux density tesla T Wb/m2 kg·s-2·A-1
inductance henry H Wb/A m2·kg·s-2·A-2
Celsius temperature degree Celsius °C - K
luminous flux lumen lm cd·sr m2·m-2·cd = cd
illuminance lux lx lm/m2 m2·m-4·cd = m-2·cd
activity (of a radionuclide) becquerel Bq - s-1
absorbed dose, specific energy (imparted), kerma gray Gy J/kg m2·s-2
dose equivalent sievert Sv J/kg m2·s-2
catalytic activity katal kat - s-1mol

 

SI Prefixes
Prefix   Symbol Factor
Decimal
Yocto Septillion y 10-24  
0.000000000000000000000001
Zepto Sextillion z 10-21  
0.000000000000000000001
Atto Quintillionth a 10-18  
0.000000000000000001
Femto Quadrillionth 10-15  
0.000000000000001
Pico Trillionth 10-12  
0.000000000001
Nano Billionth 10-9  
0.000000001
Micro  Millionth µ  10-6   
0.000001
Milli Thousandth 10-3   
0.001
Centi Hundredth c 10-2   
0.01
Deci  Tenth 10-1   
0.1
Base Unit One   100
1
Deca  Ten da  101 
10
 
Hecto Hundred 102 
100
 
Kilo Thousand 103 
1 000
 
Mega Million 106 
100 0000 
 
Giga Billion 109 
1000 000 000 
 
Tera Trillion 1012
1000 000 000 000 
 
Peta Quadrillion 1015 
1 000 000 000 000 000
 
Exa Quintillion 1018 
1 000 000 000 000 000 000 
 
Zetta Sextillionth 1021 
1 000 000 000 000 000 000 000
 
Yotta Septillionth 1024
1 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 
 

 

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