APPENDIX Some Metric Measurements Used in Ecology
William D. Bowman
University of Colorado
Sally D. Hacker
Oregon State University
| Measures of | Unit | Equivalents | Metric → English conversion |
| Length | meter (m) | base unit | 1 m = 39.37 inches = 3.28 feet |
| kilometer (km) | 1 km = 1000 (103) m | 1 km = 0.62 miles | |
| centimeter (cm) | 1 cm = 0.01 (10-2) m | 1 cm = 0.39 inches | |
| millimeter (mm) | 1 mm = 0.1 cm = 10-3 m | 1 mm = 0.039 inches | |
| micrometer (μm) | 1 μm = 0.001 mm = 10-6 m | ||
| nanometer (nm) | 1 nm = 0.001 μm = 10-9 m | ||
| Area | square meter (m2) | base unit | 2 1 m = 1.196 square yards |
| hectare (ha) | 1 ha = 10,000 m2 | 1 ha = 2.47 acres | |
| Volume | liter (L) | base unit | 1 L = 1.06 quarts |
| bgcolor=white>milliliter (ml) | 1 ml = 0.001 L = 10-3 L | 1 ml = 0.034 fluid ounces | |
| microliter (μl) | 1 μl = 0.001 ml = 10-6 L | ||
| Mass | gram (g) | base unit | 1 g = 0.035 ounces |
| kilogram (kg) | 1 kg = 103 g | 1 kg = 2.20 pounds | |
| teragram (Tg) | 1 Tg = 1012 g | ||
| petagram (Pg) | 1 Pg = 1015 g | ||
| milligram (mg) | 1 mg = 10-3 g | ||
| microgram (μg) | 1 μg = 10-6 g | ||
| picogram (pg) | 1 pg = 10-12 g | ||
| Temperature | degree Celsius (°C) | base unit | °C = 5∕9 (°F - 32) |
| 0°C = 32°F (water freezes) | |||
| 100°C = 212°F (water boils) | |||
| 20°C = 68°F (“room temperature”) | |||
| Pressure | Megapascal (MPa) | 1 MPa = 145 psi (pounds per square inch) | |
| Energy | joule (J) | 1 J ≈ 0.24 calorie = 0.00024 kilocalorie* |
- A calorie is the amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1°C.
The kilocalorie, or nutritionist’s calorie, is what we commonly think of as a calorie in terms of food.
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