units of measurement
Meters, grams, seconds
Units of measurement are standardized quantities used to express physical properties—length, mass, time, temperature, volume.
The metric system uses meters, grams, and liters; the imperial system uses feet, pounds, and gallons.
Scientific work requires precise units: The experiment measured force in newtons.
Conversion between systems remains a common source of error and confusion.
Weight, strike, or kennel
Thousand meters
- mile5,280 feet
- meterDevice that measures usage
- light-yearAstronomical distance measure
- parsecInterstellar length measure
furlong · league · yard · foot · inch · centimeter · millimeter · nanometer
Unit smaller than minute
month · year · millisecond · microsecond · nanosecond · decade · century · millennium
Base unit of mass
- meterDevice that measures usage
- literVolume measurement unit
- gramMetric mass unit
- centimeterMetric length unit
millimeter · kilometer · milligram · hectare · decibel · candela · ampere · mole
Volume measurement unit
- gallonLiquid volume unit
- milliliterCubic centimeter equivalent
- quartLiquid volume measure
- pintLiquid volume unit
cup · tablespoon · teaspoon · barrel · bushel · deciliter · centiliter · acre-foot
Adjusting for measurement accuracy
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
- standardizationImplementing uniform technical specifications
- accuracyDegree of correctness
- toleranceWillingness to accept difference
uncertainty · SI · conversion · standard · notation · constant
Measure of relative size
- rulerOne who governs
- gaugeStandard of measurement
- caliperTool measuring thickness or diameter
- thermometerHeat-measuring instrument
odometer · speedometer · barometer · altimeter · hygrometer · protractor · micrometer · yardstick
Metric temperature unit
- FahrenheitScale freezing at thirty-two
- KelvinScottish masculine name
- degreeUnit of measurement
- thermometerHeat-measuring instrument
pound
Weight, strike, or kennel
yard · mile · acre · ounce · furlong · stone · quart · pint · cup · tablespoon
kilometer
Thousand meters
- mile5,280 feet
- meterDevice that measures usage
- light-yearAstronomical distance measure
parsec · furlong · league · yard · foot · inch · centimeter · millimeter · nanometer · angstrom
second
Unit smaller than minute
week · month · year · millisecond · microsecond · nanosecond · decade · century · millennium · fortnight
kilogram
Base unit of mass
ton · stone · milligram · microgram · carat · grain · tonne · dram · pennyweight · catty
kilogram
Base unit of mass
centimeter · millimeter · kilometer · milligram · hectare · decibel · candela · ampere · mole · pascal
liter
Volume measurement unit
- gallonLiquid volume unit
- milliliterCubic centimeter equivalent
- quartLiquid volume measure
pint · cup · tablespoon · teaspoon · barrel · bushel · deciliter · centiliter · acre-foot · hogshead
calibration
Adjusting for measurement accuracy
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
- standardizationImplementing uniform technical specifications
- accuracyDegree of correctness
tolerance · uncertainty · SI · conversion · standard · notation · constant
scale
Measure of relative size
thermometer · odometer · speedometer · barometer · altimeter · hygrometer · protractor · micrometer · yardstick · manometer
Celsius
Metric temperature unit
- FahrenheitScale freezing at thirty-two
- KelvinScottish masculine name
- degreeUnit of measurement
units of measurementraw numbers
approximations · gut feelings · ballpark figures · ratios · percentages
units of measurementrule of thumb
Practical approximation, not strict
measure, measured, measuring, measurement, units, measurable, immeasurable, measurer, measureless