Mass tells us how much matter is in an object. Think of it as the “weight” of a backpack that doesn’t change when you move it to the moon. The SI unit is the \$\text{kg}\$.
Length measures distance. A meter is roughly the length of a school ruler or the height of a standard doorframe. The SI unit is the \$\text{m}\$.
Time measures how long something lasts. A second is the time it takes for a light bulb to flicker once. The SI unit is the \$\text{s}\$.
Current measures how many electrons flow through a conductor per second. Imagine a river of tiny charged particles. The SI unit is the \$\text{A}\$.
Temperature measures how hot or cold something is. Kelvin is the absolute scale starting at absolute zero, the coldest possible temperature. The SI unit is the \$\text{K}\$.
| Quantity | Symbol | Unit | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass | \$m\$ | \$kg\$ | A 1 kg rock |
| Length | \$l\$ | \$m\$ | A 1 m ruler |
| Time | \$t\$ | \$s\$ | 1 second |
| Current | \$I\$ | \$A\$ | 0.06 A light bulb |
| Temperature | \$T\$ | \$K\$ | 273.15 K (0 °C) |
Remember the units! Always write the unit after the number, e.g., 5 kg not just 5.
Check the symbol. Mass is \$m\$, length \$l\$, time \$t\$, current \$I\$, temperature \$T\$.
Use SI prefixes. 1 kg = 1000 g, 1 m = 100 cm. Knowing these helps you convert quickly.
Practice unit conversions. Convert between metric units and imperial units to feel comfortable with numbers.
Good luck – you’ve got this! 🚀