Order the four units from smallest to largest. – 1. 2. 3. 4. base unit – 1. 2. 3. 4. kilounit – 1. 2. 3. 4. megaunit – 1. 2. 3. 4. milliunit
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To order the four units from smallest to largest, we must understand what each prefix means in terms of the base unit.
Prefixes and Their Meanings:
- Milli- means 1/1,000 or 0.001 of a base unit.
- Base unit represents 1 unit (e.g., meter, gram, liter).
- Kilo- means 1,000 times the base unit.
- Mega- means 1,000,000 times the base unit.
Values in Numbers:
- Milliunit = 0.001
- Base unit = 1
- Kilounit = 1,000
- Megaunit = 1,000,000
Order from Smallest to Largest:
- Milliunit
- Base unit
- Kilounit
- Megaunit
Explanation
Understanding metric prefixes is essential for comparing units. Each prefix represents a specific power of ten relative to the base unit. For example, in the metric system, the base unit can be any standard measurement such as a meter for length, a gram for mass, or a liter for volume. Prefixes like milli-, kilo-, and mega- are added to the base unit to indicate smaller or larger amounts.
Milli- means a thousandth of a unit. So if you have 1 milliunit, you only have 0.001 of the base unit. This is the smallest among the options.
The base unit has no prefix and represents the standard single unit, which is larger than a milliunit but smaller than both kilounit and megaunit.
Kilo- means 1,000 times the base unit. For example, 1 kilometer equals 1,000 meters. Thus, a kilounit is 1,000 times greater than the base unit and much larger than a milliunit.
Mega- represents 1,000,000 times the base unit. For instance, 1 megawatt equals 1,000,000 watts. This is the largest among the four units being compared.
When we place these in order from the smallest to the largest in terms of magnitude, the correct sequence is: milliunit < base unit < kilounit < megaunit. This ordering is consistent regardless of the type of base unit, whether it is length, mass, or volume.
