SI Measurements

        Metric Prefixes

Prefix

Symbol

Factor of Base Unit
giga- G       1 000 000 000
mega- M                   1 000 000
kilo- k                               1 000
hecto- h                                  100
deka- da                                       10
deci- d                                           0.1
centi- c                                           0.01
milli- m                                           0.001
micro- m                                           0.000 001
nano- n                                           0.000 000 001
pico- p                                           0.000 000 000 001

Nice visual display of Powers of Ten (a view from outer space to the inside of an atom) viewed by powers of 10!

        Mass

            1 kilogram (kg)      =      SI base unit of mass

            1 gram (g)              =        0.001 kg

            1 milligram (mg)    =        0.000 001 kg

            1 microgram (mg)  =       0.000 000 001 kg

        Length

            1 kilometer  (km)      =      1 000 m

            1 meter (m)              =        SI base unit of mass

            1 centimeter (cm)    =        0.01 m

            1 millimeter (mm)    =        0.001 m

            1 microgram (mm)  =       0.000 001 m

            1 nanometer (nm)    =    0.000 000 001 m

            1 picometer (pm)    =    0.000 000 000 001 m

        Area

            1 square kilometer (km2)    =        100 hectacres (ha)

            1 hectacre (ha)                     =        10 000 square meters (m2)

            1 square meter (m2)            =        10 000 square centimeters (cm2)

            1 square centimeter (cm2)    =        100 square millimeters (mm2)

        Volume

            1 liter (L)            =    common unit for liquid volume (not SI)

            1 cubic meter (m3)    =    1000 L    =    1 kiloliter (kL)

            1 milliliter (mL)            =    0.001 L        =        1 cubic centimeter (cm3  or  cc)

        Reading a Vernier