Lab: Metric System
Introduction:
The Metric System is a worldwide standard system of measurement. Scientists must be able to communicate with each other and the public. Before the Metric System, there were many non-standard measurements which varied from place to place and country to country.
The Metric System is based on units of 10. There are basic units which are in common usage: meter for length, liter for volume, and gram for mass. There are prefixes which we can attach to each unit. Please be familiar with these prefixes and how to convert between them.
Table 1. Basic Metric Prefixes
Prefix / Symbol / Number of basic units / Exponential Form and comparisonkilo / k / 1000 / 103 1000x bigger
hecto / h / 100 / 102 100x bigger
deka (or deca) / da / 10 / 101 10x bigger
Basic Unit
gram / g / 1 / 100 1
liter / L / 1
meter / m / 1
deci / d / 0.1 / 10-1
centi / c / 0.01 / 10-2
milli / m / 0.001 / 10-3
King Henry Died Unexpectedly Drinking Chocolate Milk
Purpose:
To practice using metric units in measurements with the metric ruler, graduated cylinder, and balance. In addition, to employ this equipment in calculating volume, mass and density.
Materials:
1. 150 mL beaker
2. Distilled water
3. Penny
4. Pen
5. Paper
6. Metric ruler
Procedure
1. Determine the volume of the plastic vial, and table top. in cm3. Record the measurements for the length, width, and height in data table 1.
2. Find the mass of one penny, a pen, and a piece of paper (8 ½” x 11” size) on the triple beam balance. Record in data table 2.
3. Calculate the density of distilled water (record in data table 3)
a. Mass an empty 150 mL beaker (be sure to write down the uncertain digit in the measurement!)
b. Place 100 mL of distilled water in the beaker and re-mass
c. Determine the mass of the water (subtract the empty beaker’s mass from the filled beaker’s mass)
d. Determine the density of the water. density = mass/volume (g/mL)
4. Calculate the density of distilled water (record in data table 3)
a. Mass an empty 100 mL graduated cylinder (be sure to write down the uncertain digit in the measurement!)
b. Place 100 mL of distilled water in the graduated cylinder and re-mass
c. Determine the mass of the water (subtract the empty graduated cylinder mass from the filled graduated cylinder’s mass)
d. Determine the density of the water. density = mass/volume (g/mL)
Data Tables:
Post Lab Questions:
1. Explain 3 challenges that your group had while completing this lab activity.
2. How accurate was your density calculation? The actual density of distilled water is 1.00 g/cm3 or 1.00 g/mL. (Answer by showing work below.)
a. Calculate the experimental error for your density calculation:
(Show ALL your work, including rewriting the equation!)
3. What must you remember to do when reading and recording measurements?
a. ______
b. ______
c. ______
4. What are two possible ways to improve this activity? Explain why you believe that your suggestions will help.
5. Convert 4 g into mg
6. Convert 782 m into km
7. Convert 12.4 L into mL