METRIC SYSTEM 



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METRIC SYSTEM 



volumes under its own title. The measure used 

 'for long distances is the kilometer, which is 

 about three-fifths of a mile. We say, for in- 

 stance, that Versailles is nineteen and one-half 

 kilometers from Paris. 



The Unit of Surface. The unit of surface is 

 the square meter, that is, the area of a square 

 each of whose sides is one meter. The multi- 

 ples and subdivisions go by the square of ten, 

 which is a hundred ; thus, one square dekameter 

 is equal to one hundred square meters, and one 

 square decimeter is one-hundredth part of a 

 square meter. The are, which has 100 square 

 meters, and its multiple, the hektare, which has 

 100 ares, or 10,000 square meters, are used for 

 ordinary land measurements. For measuring 

 large areas, such as countries or provinces, the 

 square kilometer is used. 



The Unit of Volume. The unit of volume is 

 the cubic meter, that is, a cube of which each 

 edge is one meter. The multiples and sub- 

 divisions go by the cube of ten, which is a 

 thousand; thus, one cubic dekameter is equal 

 to one thousand cubic meters, and one cubic 

 decimeter is equal to one-thousandth part of a 

 cubic meter. When used for measuring wood, 

 the cubic meter is called a stere. 



The Unit of Capacity. The unit of capacity 

 is the liter, which contains the quantity of one 

 cubic decimeter of distilled water at its greatest 

 density, that is at the temperature of 39.2 F. 

 and at sea level. The liter is used for meas- 

 uring liquids, such as milk, wine, and so on, 

 and also for small fruit. For grain, vegetable% 

 and liquids in casks the usual measure is the 

 hektoliter. 



The Unit of Weight. The unit of weight is 

 the gram, which is the weight of one cubic cen- 

 timeter of distilled water at its greatest* density, 

 that is, at the temperature of 39.2 F. at sea 

 level. One thousand cubic centimeters, which 

 make one cubic decimeter, contain the capacity 

 of one liter and weigh one thousand grams, or 

 a kilogram. For weighing usual articles the 

 kilogram is used; for heavy articles the ton, 

 which has one thousand kilograms. Another 

 example will further show the simple inter- 

 relation that exists between all the units of the 

 metric system." Thus, one thousand kilograms, 

 or a ton, is equivalent to one thousand cubic 

 decimeters, or a cubic meter, and to one thou- 

 sand liters, or a kiloliter. The United States 

 five-cent piece weighs five grams, and has a 

 diameter of two centimeters. One silver half- 

 dollar weighs twelve and one-half grams. 

 Forty dollars of United States silver subsidiary 



money weigh one kilogram. For fine scientific 

 weights the unit adopted is the microgram, 

 which is a thousandth part of a milligram, or 

 a millionth part of a gram. Since 1913 the 

 carat, the usual weight for measuring diamonds 

 and other precious stones, has also been stand- 

 ardized. The new international carat weighs 

 200 milligrams, and is therefore one-fifth of a 

 gram. The usual old carat had a weight of 

 205.3 milligrams. 



Tables. The following are the tables of the 

 metric system: 



Measures of Length 



Amyriameter (Mm) =10,000 meters 

 A kilometer (Km) = 1,000 meters 

 Ahektometer (Hm) = 100 meters 

 A dekameter (Dm) = 10 meters 



A Meter 



A decimeter (dm) = 0.1 of a meter 

 A centimeter (cm) = 0.01 of a meter 

 A millimeter (mm) 0.001 of a meter 



Surface" Measures 



A square kilometer ( km2 ) = 1 , 000,000 square meters 

 A square hektometer or 



hektare (ha) = 10,000 square meters 

 A square dekameter or 



are (a) 100 square meters 



A Square Meter 

 A square decimeter (dm2) 0.01 of a square 



mile 

 A square centimeter (cm 2 ) = 0.0001 of a square 



mile 

 A square millimeter (mm-) =0.000001 of a square 



mile 



Cable Measures 



A cubic hektometer = 1,000,000 cubic meters 

 A cubic dekameter = 1,000 cubic meters 



Cubic Meter 

 A cubic decimeter (dm3) = 



A cubic centimeter (cm3) = 



0.001 of a cu- 

 bic meter 

 0.000,001 of a cu- 

 bic meter 



A cubic millimeter (mm3) =0.000,000,001 of a cu- 

 bic meter 



Measures of Capacity 

 Ahektoliter (hi) =100 liters 

 A dekaliter (dal) = 10 liters 



Liter 



A deciliter (dl) = 0.1 liter 

 A centiliter (cl) = 0.01 liter 

 A milliliter (ml) = 0.001 liter 



Measures of Weight 



Aton(t) = 1,000 kilogranu 



A kilogram (kg) =1,000 grams 

 A hektogram (hg) = 100 grams 

 A dekagram (dg) = 10 grams 



Gram 



A decigram (dg) = 0.1 gram 



A centigram (eg) = 0.01 gram 



A milligram (mg) = 0.001 gram 



