Metric Units

Unit measurement conversion flow chart
Figure 1. Unit measurement conversion flow chart.

Table 1. Unit names, symbols and conversions (Length, Mass, Fluid)

Unit type Unit name Unit symbol Conversion
Length micrometres µm 1 000µm = 1mm
  millimetres mm 10mm = 1cm
  centimetres cm 1 000cm = 1m
  kilometre km 1 000m = 1km
Mass micrograms µg 1 000µg = 1mg
  milligrams mg 1 000mg = 1g
  grams g 1 000g = 1kg
  kilograms kg 1 000kg = 1t
 
Fluid volume microlitres µL 1 000µL = 1mL
  millilitres mL 1 000mL = 1L
  litres L 1 000L = 1kL
  kilolitres kL

Table 2. Factors for multiplication

Multiplying Factor Value Prefix Symbol
One million 1 x 106 Mega- M
One thousand 1 x 103 Kilo- k
One tenth 1 x 10 Deci- d
One hundredth 1 x 10-2 Centi- c
One thousandth 1 x 10-3 Mili- m
One millionth 1 x 10-6 Micro- µ

 

 

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