Metric Unit Conversion Table (Chemistry &

Physics)
1. Metric Concepts & Rules
Base Units

Quantity Unit Symbol

Length meter m
Mass gram g
Volume liter L
Time second s
Temperature kelvin K

Metric Prefixes

Prefix Symbol Power of 10 Example

kilo k 10³ 1 km = 1000 m
hecto h 10² 1 hL = 100 L
deka da 10¹ 1 dam = 10 m
BASE — 10⁰ m, g, L
deci d 10⁻¹ 1 dL = 0.1 L
centi c 10⁻² 1 cm = 0.01 m
milli m 10⁻³ 1 mg = 0.001 g
micro µ 10⁻⁶ 1 µm = 10⁻⁶ m
nano n 10⁻⁹ 1 nm = 10⁻⁹ m

How to Move Between Prefixes

 Changing large → small: multiply

 Changing small → large: divide
 The number of steps = difference in exponent

Examples:

 km → m = ×10³
 m → mm = ×10³
 mg → g = ÷10³

2. Core Conversion Rules

Length

Conversion Rule
1 m = 100 cm × 100
1 m = 1000 mm × 1000
1 km = 1000 m × 1000

Example:
3.6 km → m = 3.6 × 1000 = 3600 m

Mass

Conversion Rule
1 g = 1000 mg × 1000
1 kg = 1000 g × 1000

Example:
7.2 g → mg = 7.2 × 1000 = 7200 mg

Volume

Conversion Rule
1 L = 1000 mL ×1000

Example:
0.25 L → mL = 0.25 × 1000 = 250 mL

Temperature

Conversion Equation
°C → K K = °C + 273.15
K → °C °C = K − 273.15

Examples:
25°C = 298.15 K
310 K = 36.85°C

Energy
Conversion Rule
1 kJ = 1000 J ÷1000

Example:
4500 J = 4.5 kJ

3. Unit Factor Method

Use conversion factors written as fractions:

Value × Desired unit = Given unit

Example:

12 cm × 1 m = 0.12 m

4. Area & Volume Conversions

Square Units (Area)

Square the conversion factor:

 1 m = 100 cm
 → 1 m² = 10,000 cm²

Example:
2 m² → cm² = 2 × 10,000 = 20,000 cm²

Cubic Units (Volume)

Cube the conversion factor:

 1 m = 100 cm
 → 1 m³ = 1,000,000 cm³

Example:
3 m³ → cm³ = 3 × 1,000,000 = 3,000,000 cm³

5. Density Conversions
Density = mass ÷ volume
Convert mass and volume separately.
Key equivalence:
1 g/mL = 1000 kg/m³

Worked Examples
1. Convert 4.5 km → m

km → m = × 1000
Answer: 4500m

2. Convert 720 mg → g

mg → g = ÷ 1000
Answer: 0.72g

3. Convert 3.2 L → mL

L → mL = × 1000
Answer: 3200mL

4. Convert 2 m² → cm²

1 m² = 10,000cm²
2 × 10,000 = 20,000cm²

More Solved Questions

A. Length Conversions
1. Convert 825 cm → m

825cm × 100cm
1m = 8.25m

Answer: 8.25 m

2. Convert 0.054 km → m

0.054 km × 1000 = 54m

Answer: 54 m

3. Convert 4500 mm → cm
mm → cm = ÷10

4500 ÷ 10 = 450cm

Answer: 450cm

B. Mass Conversions
4. Convert 0.82 kg → g

kg → g = × 1000

0.82 × 1000 = 82 g

Answer: 820 g

5. Convert 5600 mg → g

mg → g = ÷ 1000

5600 ÷ 1000 = 5.6g

Answer: 5.6g

C. Volume Conversions
6. Convert 4.75 L → mL

L → mL = × 1000

4.75 × 1000 = 4750mL

Answer: 4750mL

7. Convert 325 mL → L

mL → L = ÷ 1000

325 ÷ 1000 = 0.325L

Answer: 0.325 L

D. Temperature Conversions
8. Convert 68°C → K

K = °C + 273
= 68 + 273 = 341K

Answer: 341K

9. Convert 302 K → °C

°C = K − 273
= 302 – 273 = 29°C

Answer: 29°C

E. Area and Volume (Square & Cubic Units)

10. Convert 3.5 m² → cm²

1 m² = 10,000cm²

3.5 × 10,000 =35,000 cm2

Answer: 35,000cm²

11. Convert 0.004 m³ → cm³

1 m³ = 1,000,000cm³

0.004 × 1,000,000 = 4000cm³

Answer: 4000cm³

F. Density Conversions
12. Convert 1.25 g/mL → kg/m³

1 g/mL = 1000 kg/m³

1.25 g/mL×1000=1250 kg / m3

Answer: 1250 kg/m³

G. Multi step Problems

13. Convert 7.5 km → cm

km → m → cm

7.5 km × 1000 = 7500m

= 7500m × 100 = 750,000cm

Answer: 750,000 cm

14. Convert 250,000 mg → kg

mg → g → kg

250,000 ÷ 1000 = 250 g

250 ÷ 1000 = 0.25 kg

Answer: 0.25 kg

Part 2: Assessment Questions

Length

1. Convert 12.5 km → m
2. Convert 480 cm → m
3. Convert 925 mm → cm
4. Convert 0.003 km → cm

Mass

5. Convert 0.35 kg → g
6. Convert 7200 mg → g
7. Convert 0.085 g → mg

Volume

8. Convert 4.2 L → mL
9. Convert 650 mL → L
10. Convert 0.008 L → mL

Temperature

11. Convert 12°C → K

12. Convert 298 K → °C
Area & Volume

13. Convert 6 m² → cm²

14. Convert 0.2 m³ → cm³

Density / Multi step

15. Convert 1.12 g/mL → kg/m³

16. Convert 18.5 kg → mg
17. Convert 0.0035 km → mm

What Is Relative Atomic Mass (Ar)?

Relative atomic mass (Ar) is the weighted average mass of all the isotopes of an element,
compared to 1/12 of the mass of a carbon -12 atom.

we simplify it to: Relative atomic mass = average mass of all the isotopes, taking into
account how common each isotope is.

Key Idea You MUST Remember

Elements have isotopes.
Isotopes = atoms of the same element with the same number of protons, but different
numbers of neutrons.

Because the isotopes have different masses and different abundances (how common they are),
we must calculate a weighted average.

Method Formula
Ar = (mass of isotope 1 × % abundance) + (mass of isotope 2 × % abundance) / 100

Why Divide by 100?

Because percentages always add up to 100%.

Simplified Steps
1. Multiply each isotope’s mass by its percentage abundance.
2. Add all the results.
3. Divide by 100 to get the average mass.
Example 1 (Easy): Chlorine
Chlorine has two isotopes:

Isotope Mass Abundance

Cl-35 35 75%
Cl-37 37 25%

Step-by-step:

1. Multiply mass × abundance

 35 × 75 = 2625
 37 × 25 = 925

2. Add results

2625 + 925 = 3550

3. Divide by 100

3550 ÷100 = 35.5

Ar of chlorine = 35.5

(This is why chlorine on the periodic table is 35.5.)

Example 2: Magnesium
Natural magnesium has three isotopes:

Isotope Mass Abundance

Mg-24 24 79%
Mg-25 25 10%
Mg-26 26 11%

Step by step:

1. Multiply

 24 × 79 = 1896
 25 × 10 = 250
 26 × 11 = 286
2. Add:

1896 + 250 + 286 =2432

Divide:
2432 ÷ 100 = 24.32

Ar of magnesium = 24.3 ≈ 24

Example 3 (Very Simple): If an element has

only 1 isotope
Example: Fluorine

F-19 is 100% abundance.

Calculation:

19×100 =1900
= 1900 ÷100 =19

Ar of fluorine = 19

If an element has only one isotope, its Ar = that isotope’s mass.

How to Calculate Relative Atomic Mass of

the First 20 Elements
For many of the first 20 elements, you don’t actually need to calculate Ar from isotopes
because the exam often gives you the isotope information in the question.

But here’s how it works:

Element Has multiple isotopes? Atomic number

Hydrogen Yes Ar = 1.0 (some deuterium)
Helium No Ar = 4
Lithium Yes Ar ≈ 6.9 (approximately = 7)
Beryllium No Ar = 9
Boron Yes Ar ≈ 10.8 (approximately = 11)
Carbon Yes Ar = 12
Nitrogen No Ar = 14
Element Has multiple isotopes? Atomic number
Oxygen Yes Ar = 16
Fluorine No Ar = 19
Neon Yes Ar ≈ 20
Sodium No Ar = 23
Magnesium Yes Ar = 24
Aluminum No Ar = 27
Silicon Yes Ar = 28
Phosphorus No Ar = 31
Sulfur Yes Ar = 32.
Chlorine Yes Ar = 35.5
Argon Yes Ar = 40
Potassium Yes Ar = 39
Calcium Yes Ar = 40

Example Question & workings

Question: An element X has two isotopes: X-10 (80% abundant) and X-11 (20% abundant).
Calculate its relative atomic mass.

Working:

10 × 80 = 800
11 × 20 = 220

Add: 800 + 220 = 1020

Divide: 1020 ÷ 100 = 10.2

Ar = 10.2

Practice Questions
Try these & answers included.

Q1. Element Y has two isotopes: Y-24 (60%) and Y-26 (40%).
Find Ar.

Answer:
(24×60 + 26×40) ÷100
= (1440 + 1040) ÷100
= 24.8
Q2. Sulfur has isotopes: S-32 (95%) and S-34 (5%).
Find Ar.

Answer:
(32×95 + 34×5) ÷100
= (3040 + 170) ÷100
= 32.1

Q3. Element Z has isotopes:

Z- 14 (99.5%), Z -15 (0.5%).

Find Ar.

Answer: (14 × 99.5 + 15× 0.5) ÷100

= (1393 + 7.5) ÷100
= 14.005 ≈ 14.0

Assessment questions to solve

These involve simple 2 isotope calculations.

1. Element X has two isotopes:

X-20 (90%) and X-22 (10%).

Calculate its relative atomic mass.

2. Chlorine has two isotopes:

Cl-35 (75%) and Cl-37 (25%).

Calculate the relative atomic mass of chlorine.

3. Element Y has:

Y-10 (50%) and Y-11 (50%).

Calculate Ar.

4. Neon has isotopes:

Ne-20 (92%) and Ne-22 (8%).

Calculate Ar.

5. Bromine has isotopes:

Br-79 (51%) and Br-81 (49%).
Calculate Ar.

These involve 3 isotopes or slightly trickier values.

6. Magnesium has isotopes:

Mg-24 (79%), Mg-25 (10%), Mg-26 (11%).

Calculate relative atomic mass.

7. Silicon has isotopes:

Si-28 (92%), Si-29 (5%), Si-30 (3%).

Calculate Ar.

8. Element Q has isotopes:

Q-14 (98.0%), Q-15 (2.0%).

Calculate Ar.

9. Element R has isotopes:

R-40 (80%), R-41 (15%), R-42 (5%).

Calculate Ar.

10. Potassium has isotopes:

K-39 (93%), K-41 (7%).

Calculate Ar.