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Ch.1 - Chemical Tools: Experimentation & Measurement
Chapter 1, Problem 38a

What SI units are used for measuring the following quanti-ties? For derived units, express your answers in terms of the six fundamental units. (a) Mass

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Identify the SI base unit for mass, which is the kilogram (kg).
Understand that mass is one of the seven fundamental quantities in the International System of Units (SI).
Recall that the kilogram is the only SI base unit with a prefix (kilo-) as part of its name.
Note that derived units are combinations of the seven fundamental units, but mass itself is a fundamental unit, so it is expressed simply as kg.
Conclude that the SI unit for mass is the kilogram (kg), and it does not need to be expressed in terms of other fundamental units.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

SI Units

The International System of Units (SI) is a standardized system of measurement used globally in science and engineering. It consists of seven base units, including the meter for length, kilogram for mass, second for time, ampere for electric current, kelvin for temperature, mole for the amount of substance, and candela for luminous intensity. Derived units are formed from these base units to measure other quantities.
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Mass

Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object, typically expressed in kilograms (kg) in the SI system. It is a fundamental property of physical objects and is invariant regardless of location, unlike weight, which can change due to gravitational forces. Understanding mass is crucial for calculations in chemistry, physics, and engineering.
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Derived Units

Derived units are combinations of the base SI units used to measure quantities that are not covered by the base units alone. For example, the unit of force, the newton (N), is derived from the base units as kg·m/s². Recognizing how to express derived units in terms of fundamental units is essential for accurate scientific communication and calculations.
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