Question

Write the abbreviation for each of the following units: a. milligram b. deciliter c. kilometer d. picogram e. microliter f. nanosecond

Short answer

a. mg, b. dL, c. km, d. pg, e. µL, f. ns

Step-by-step solution

Milligram

Identify the abbreviation for milligram. 'Milli' is a prefix indicating one thousandth (1/1,000) and 'gram' is a unit of mass. The abbreviation is 'mg'.

Deciliter

Identify the abbreviation for deciliter. 'Deci' is a prefix indicating one tenth (1/10) and 'liter' is a unit of volume. The abbreviation is 'dL'.

Kilometer

Identify the abbreviation for kilometer. 'Kilo' is a prefix indicating one thousand (1,000) and 'meter' is a unit of length. The abbreviation is 'km'.

Picogram

Identify the abbreviation for picogram. 'Pico' is a prefix indicating one trillionth (1/1,000,000,000,000) and 'gram' is a unit of mass. The abbreviation is 'pg'.

Microliter

Identify the abbreviation for microliter. 'Micro' is a prefix indicating one millionth (1/1,000,000) and 'liter' is a unit of volume. The abbreviation is 'µL'.

Nanosecond

Identify the abbreviation for nanosecond. 'Nano' is a prefix indicating one billionth (1/1,000,000,000) and 'second' is a unit of time. The abbreviation is 'ns'.

Key concepts

Units of Measurement

Units of measurement are standardized quantities used to express and compare physical properties like mass, volume, and length.
These include grams, liters, and meters.
Each unit has a specific purpose and is standardized for accuracy.

In the metric system, common units of measurement include:

• Gram (g): used to measure mass.
• Liter (L): used to measure volume.
• Meter (m): used to measure length.

Standardizing units ensures everyone uses the same reference, which is essential for communication and collaboration in science and education.

Metric Prefixes

Metric prefixes are used to modify base units by powers of ten to make quantities easier to understand and work with.
They help to scale units up or down by factors of ten.

Some common metric prefixes include:

• Milli-: Indicates a factor of one thousandth (1/1,000). For example, 1 milligram (mg) is 0.001 grams.
• Deci-: Indicates a factor of one tenth (1/10). For example, 1 deciliter (dL) is 0.1 liters.
• Kilo-: Indicates a factor of one thousand (1,000). For example, 1 kilometer (km) is 1,000 meters.
• Pico-: Indicates a factor of one trillionth (1/1,000,000,000,000). For example, 1 picogram (pg) is 0.000000000001 grams.
• Micro-: Indicates a factor of one millionth (1/1,000,000). For example, 1 microliter (µL) is 0.000001 liters.
• Nano-: Indicates a factor of one billionth (1/1,000,000,000). For example, 1 nanosecond (ns) is 0.000000001 seconds.

Using these prefixes, we can easily represent both very large and very small quantities in a more readable form.

Scientific Notation

Scientific notation is a method of writing very large or very small numbers conveniently by combining coefficients and powers of ten.
It simplifies calculations and makes the data more manageable.

In scientific notation, a number is expressed as:
\(\text{{Number}} = \text{{Coefficient}} \times 10^{\text{{Exponent}}}\)
For example:

• A nanosecond (ns) can be written as \(1 \times 10^{-9} \text{{ seconds}}\).
• A kilometer (km) can be written as \(1 \times 10^{3} \text{{ meters}}\).
• A picogram (pg) can be written as \(1 \times 10^{-12} \text{{ grams}}\).

This notation allows scientists to easily read and work with extremely large or small numbers, which is common in fields like physics and astronomy.