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Watch: Difference between grams and kilograms

Let's visit to the vets to find out the difference between grams and kilograms.

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Why do we measure mass?

Did you know?

Measuring mass comes in handy all the time. Whenever you bake or cook, you have to use scales to weigh the ingredients. If you didn鈥檛 use the correct amount of flour in a cake, it would not taste nice!

When measuring mass, you use grams and kilograms.

1000 g = 1 kg

When you鈥檙e reading scales, you have to look really carefully at the intervals (divisions) between the numbers. This is so you can identify which numbers they represent.

The scales tell you whether you are reading grams or kilograms.

Did you know?
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Example 1

Take a look at the scales below.

Scales showing 750 g

When reading scales, the first thing you have to do is look at the intervals. What are the divisions going up in?

The larger intervals go up in hundreds. You can also see there is a smaller interval in between each hundred. This must be worth 50 g since it is the halfway point between hundreds.

The arrow on the dial is pointing at the smaller division between 700 g and 800 g, so the mass of the fruit must be 750 g

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Example 2

This time, the scales are in kilograms.

Scales showing 2300 g

The arrow is between 2 kg and 3 kg, but what do the intervals represent?

The kilograms are split up into 10 divisions, so each one must represent 100 g, since 10 lots of 100 g is 1 kg.

The arrow is on the third division after 2 kg, so the weight of the potatoes is 2kg 300g

What would 2 kg 300 g be in just grams?

2 kg is the same as 2000 g. So:

2000 g + 300 g = 2300 g

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Example 3

A scales with no pointer

How would you draw an arrow to represent the mass of 7 kg and 800 g?

First thing to do is work out what the smaller divisions represent in-between the whole kilograms.

The kilograms are split up into 10 divisions, so each one must represent 100g.

Now, you have to find the 8th division after 7kg and draw an arrow to represent 7kg 800g.

Like this:

Scales showing 7 kg and 800 g
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Activities

Quiz

Test yourself with this quiz on grams and kilograms.

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More on Weight and mass

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