
- Metric Units of Measurement
- Home
- Choosing Metric Measurement Units
- Measuring Length to the Nearest Centimeter
- Measuring Length to the Nearest Millimeter
- Metric Distance Conversion with Whole Number Values
- Metric Mass or Capacity Conversion with Whole Number Values
- Metric Distance Conversion with Decimal Values
- Metric Conversion with Decimal Values: Two-Step Problem
- Time Unit Conversion with Whole Number Values
- Introduction to Adding Time
- Introduction to Elapsed Time
- Converting between Metric and U.S. Customary Unit Systems
Metric Mass or Capacity Conversion with Whole Number Values
The basic metric units are grams for mass or weight, and liters for volume or capacity. In metric system of units, different units convert into one another rather easily, with one milliliter equaling one cubic centimeter and one gram being the weight of one cubic centimeter of water.
Milligrams and milliliters are small units of weight and capacity respectively.
Pharma drugs and pharma liquids are usually measured in milligrams and milliliters.
Bigger units of weight and capacity are centigrams and centiliters and then grams and liters. 1 gram = 1000 milligrams and 1 liter = 1000 milliliters.
Still bigger units are kilograms and kiloliters.
1 kilogram = 1000 grams; 1 kiloliter = 1000 liters
The tables below help in converting between these various metric units of weight and capacity.

Fill in the blank to make the conversion true.
57 kilogram = ____grams
Solution
Step 1:
1 kg = 1000 gm
Step 2:
57 kg = 57 × 1000 = 57000 gm
So, 57 kg = 57000 gm
Fill in the blank to make the conversion true.
2000 milliliters = ____liters
Solution
Step 1:
1000 milliliter = 1 liter; 1 ml = 1/1000 l
Step 2:
2000 ml = 2000 × 1/1000 l = 2 liters
So, 2000 ml = 2 liters
Fill in the blank to make the conversion true.
5000 milligram = ____gram
Solution
Step 1:
1000 mg = 1 g; 1 mg = 1/1000 g
Step 2:
5000 mg = 5000 × 1/1000 = 5 g
So, 5000 mg = 5 g