Measurement in Terms of Volume: Metric System

Hello,

So far, we have learned units of the metric system in terms of length, including meters, millimeters, centimeters, kilometers, yards, feet, and inches.  Today, we are going to be learning units of the metric system in terms of volume.  Volume is defined as the amount of space that an object or substance takes up measured in cubic units.  The basic unit of volume is the liter, just as with length, we had the basic unit of length being the meter.

We will define 6 prefixes that contain liter, and then we will learn how to convert from each.

Prefixes of the Liter:


1.) Kiloliter ; kilo = 1000 liters
2.) Hectoliter ; hecto = 100 liters
3.) Decaliter ; deca = 10 liters
4.) Deciliter ; deci = 1/10 liters
5.) Centiliter ; centi = 1/100 liters
6.) Milliliter ; milli = 1/1000 liters

Notice the pattern above; as we move down from 1 through 6, the unit is one-tenth as large as the previous unit.  If we memorize these prefixes, it is very easy to convert from one unit to the other.  Let's practice converting each to liters and vice versa.

Examples:   


1.) 20 hectoliters = ? liters
2.) 14 kiloliters = ? liters 
3.) 4 liters = ? milliliters
4.) 32 liters = ? decaliters
5.) 2 Centiliters = ? liters
6.) 45 liters = ? milliliters 
7.) 8 deciliters = ? liters
8.) 50 kiloliters = ? liters
9.) 5 liters = ? decaliters
10.) 6 hectoliters = ? liters

Solutions:


1.) 20 hectoliters = 2000 liters ; 20 x 100 = 2000
2.) 14 kiloliters = 14000 liters ; 14 x 1000 = 14000
3.) 4 liters = 0.004 liters ; (1/1000) x 4 = 0.004
4.) 32 liters = 3.2 decaliters ; 32/10 = 3.2
5.) 2 centiliters = 0.02 liters ; (1/100) x 2 = 0.02
6.) 45 liters = 45000 milliliters ; 45/(1/1000) = 45000
7.) 8 deciliters = 0.8 liters ; (1/10) x 8 = 0.8
8.) 50 kiloliters = 50000 liters ; 50 x 1000 = 50000
9.) 5 liters = 0.5 deciliters ; 5/10 = 0.5
10.) 6 hectoliters = 600 liters ; 6 x 100 = 600

Get it? The following links will help you practice with these conversions:

1.) worksheet to help you practice converting from milliliters to liters and vice versa
2.) Answer key to worksheet 1
3.) Worksheet: a nice review of conversions involving length and volume
4.) Answer key to worksheet 2

This link below will help reiterate units of length and volume

4.) Charts for units of length and volume

This link below is meant to be fun: Metric word search =) Do not cheat and look at the answers at the bottom of the page, try it yourself first:

5.) Metric Word Search with Solutions at the Bottom of the Page