Convert the following to milligrams. Include units 5g = __ mg
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is 5000.
5g = 5000 mg
Explanation
This problem requires converting a unit of mass, grams (g), into a smaller unit, milligrams (mg). This is a common conversion within the metric system, which is conveniently based on powers of ten.
The key to this conversion lies in understanding the prefix “milli.” In the metric system, the prefix “milli” means one-thousandth (1/1000). Therefore, one milligram is one-thousandth of one gram. This relationship can be written as:
1 mg = 0.001 g
For practical conversion purposes, it is often easier to think about the inverse relationship: how many milligrams are in one gram? Since a milligram is a thousand times smaller than a gram, it takes 1000 milligrams to make up a single gram. This gives us the direct conversion factor:
1 gram = 1000 milligrams
To convert a value from a larger unit (grams) to a smaller unit (milligrams), you will always end up with a larger number. Think of it like converting 1 dollar into cents; you get 100 cents. Because a milligram is a much smaller unit of measurement than a gram, you need to multiply to find out how many of them fit into the larger amount.
Using the conversion factor, we can set up the calculation for the given problem:
5 g × 1000 mg/g = 5000 mg
By multiplying the initial value of 5 grams by the conversion factor of 1000, we arrive at the answer of 5000 milligrams.
This type of conversion is critically important in many scientific and medical fields. For example, dosages for medications are almost always measured in milligrams to ensure a high degree of precision and safety for the patient. In chemistry and cooking, accurate measurements are essential for achieving the desired results, making this a fundamental skill
