THE METRIC

SYSTEM
and Conversion
Constants
In Exercise Physiology
Contents of this
The following topics will be discussed within the report:

Report
The Metric
Definition and brief description
System
Units of Weight Tables and Values
Terminology and
Units of Terms and their definitions
Measurement
A Brief Introduction, Definition, Nomenclature and
SI Units Guidelines
Table of contents
0
The Metric System
1
0
Units of Weight
2
0 Terminology and Units of
3 Measurement
0
SI Units
4
Introductio
n
The metric system is the system of measurement used by scientists to
express mass, length, and volume. In an effort to standardize terms for
the measurement of energy, force, work, and power, scientists have
developed a common system of terminology called System
International (SI) units.
In exercise physiology, physiologists are also in need of these different
metric system conversions to help them in determining right amounts
and values that they need to analyze a patient.
01
The Metric
System
Definition and Brief Description
Terms to Remember
Exercise Physiology
Exercise physiology is a Exercise Physiologist
specialization within the field of Exercise physiologists are responsible
kinesiology. These medical for conditioning clients to higher
professionals study the body’s levels of physical fitness and
responses to physical activity as improved health, while staying tuned
well as how the body adapts to into safety issues that can be
physical activity over time. associated with single session
exercise.
 What is the
significance of the
metric system?
Most measurements in science are expressed in terms of the metric system. This
system uses units that are related to one another by some power of 10. The
prefix centi means one-hundredth, milli means one-thousandth, and kilo is
derived from a word that means one thousand. In the following sections, we
show the relationship between metric units and English units of measurement
that are relevant
to the material presented in this book.
Example
Mr. Gomez is an exercise physiologist and has a new client who is
obese. In order to perform a diagnosis, he needs to find out the
client’s weight in terms of grams from kilograms. With this he
needs to use a conversion factor. His client’s weight in kilograms is
125. What is his weight in grams?
1 kilogram = 1000 grams or (10^3)
Therefore,
126 kilograms × 1000 grams/kilogram = 126,000 grams
Table for Unit of Length

This table shows metric units with their prefixes and their equivalent English and
metric conversions.
You can also use a Metric
Conversion Chart
02
Units of
Weight
Tables and Values
Importance of Units of
Weight in Exercise
Physiology
Exercise Physiology has a lot to do with weights as it is one of
the physical characteristics that are commonly needed in order
to perform a diagnosis on a patient. That is why conversions
and units are needed depending on the purpose of the weight
taken.
For example, body weight (a force) is commonly given in kilograms, the
unit for mass. To avoid confusion in the calculation of work, the term
kilopond (kp) is used as the force unit, representing the effect of gravity on
a mass of 1 kilogram. Using the preceding example, work may be
expressed in kilopond-meters (kpm). In the preceding example, the 10-kg
weight is considered 10-kg force (or 10 kiloponds), which when moved
through 2 m, results in work of 20 kpm. Since 1 kpm is equal to 9.81 J
(see Table 1.3), the work performed is 196.2 J (20 kpm × 9.81 J/kpm).
Table for Unit of Weight

This table shows metric units with their prefixes and their equivalent English and
metric conversions.
Here are other Table of
Units commonly used
Work, Energy and Power
Work is defined as the product of force and the distance through which that force
acts:
Work = Force × Distance

Power is the term used to describe how much work is accomplished per unit of
time. The SI unit for power is the watt (W) and is defined as 1 joule per second
Power = Work/ Time

Energy is the ability to perform work. Energy can neither be created nor
destroyed, and it can only be transformed from one form to another. The unit of
Energy is the same as of Work, i.e. Joules. Energy is found in many things, and
thus there are different types of energy.
Table for Units of Work,
Energy and Power

Exercise physiology is the study of the body’s responses to physical activity.

These responses include changes in metabolism and in physiology of
different areas of the body like the heart, lungs, and muscles, and structural
changes in cells. On which, work, energy and power are three of the most
important components that are always mentioned in this field.
03
Terminology and
Units of
Measurement
Terms and their definitions
The American College of Sports Medicine (www.acsm.org/) suggests
that
the following terminology and units of measurement be used in
scientific
endeavors to promote consistency and clarity of communication and to
avoid ambiguity. The following terms are defined using the units of
measure
ment of the Système International d’Unités (SI units).
 Terms to
ExerciseRemember
Any and all activity involving generation of
force by the activated muscle(s) that results Exercise Intensity
in disruption of a homeostatic state. In
A specific level of maintenance or
dynamic exercise, the muscle may perform
muscular activity that can be
shortening (concentric) contractions or be
quantified in terms of power
overcome by external resistance and
perform lengthening (eccentric) (energy expenditure or work
contractions. When muscle force results in performed per unit of time),
no movement, the contraction should be isometric force sustained, or
termed static or isometric. velocity of progression.
 Energy
The capability of producing force,
Endurance performing
work, or generating heat (unit: joule or
The time limit of a kilojoule). Mass
person’s ability to maintain
either a specific isometric A quantity of matter of an object; a
force or a specific power direct measure of the object’s inertia
level involving (note: Mass =Weight /Acceleration
combinations of concentric Weight due to gravity; unit: gram or
kilogram).
or eccentric
muscular contractions. The force with which a quantity of
matter is attracted toward Earth by
normal acceleration of gravity
(traditional unit: kilogram).
 Force

Speed That which changes or tends to change the

state of rest or motion in matter (unit:
Newton).
Total distance traveled
per unit of time (unit:
Work
meters per second). Force expressed through a distance
but with no limitation on time (unit:
joule or kilojoule). Quantities of
Velocity energy and heat expressed
independently of time should also be
Displacement per unit of time. A vector presented in joules. The term work
quantity requiring that direction be stated should not be used synonymously
or strongly implied (unit: meters per second with muscular exercise.
or kilometers per hour).
 Power
The rate of performing work; the derivative of
Torque work with respect to time; the product of
force and velocity (unit: watt). Other related
Effectiveness of a force to processes, such as energy release and heat
produce axial rotation (unit: transfer, should, when expressed per unit of
Newton meter). time, be quantified and presented in watts
 Amount of
Volume Substance
A space occupied, for example, by a The amount of a substance is
quantity of fluid or gas (unit: liter or frequently expressed in moles. A mole is
milliliter). Gas volumes should be the quantity of a chemical substance that
indicated as ATPS, BTPS, or STPD. has a weight in mass units (e.g., grams)
numerically equal to the molecular weight
or that, in the case of a gas, has a volume
occupied by such a weight under specified
conditions. One mole of a respiratory gas
is equal to 22.4 L at STPD.
04
SI Units
A Brief Introduction, Definition,
Nomenclature and Guidelines
What is the SI Unit of
Measurement?
The uniform numerical value system is known as the Système
International d’Unités (SI units). SI was developed through
international cooperation to create a universally acceptable
system of measurement. SI ensures that units of measurement
are uniform in concept and style. The SI system permits
quantities in common use to be more easily compared.
What is the significance
of the SI Unit of
Measurement?
Many scientific organizations endorse the concept of the SI, and
leading journals in nutrition, health, and exercise science now
require that laboratory data be presented in SI units. The
information in this appendix has been summarized from a detailed
description about the SI published in the following article: Young,
D.S.: Implementation of SI units for clinical laboratory data. Style
specifications and conversion tables
Implications of SI Unit in
Exercise Physiology
For SI units in exercise physiology, the term body weight is properly
referred to as mass (kg), height should be referred to as stature (m),
second is sec, minute is min, hour is h, week is wk, month is mo, year
is y, day is d, gram
is g, liter is L, hertz is Hz, joule is J, kilocalorie is kCal, ohm is V, pascal
is Pa, revolutions per minute is rpm, volt is V, and watt is W. These
abbreviations or symbols are used for the singular and plural forms.
Example of Application
SI Unit Table 1

This table shows definitions of the Common SI units used, the units’
derivations and derived forms.
 SI Unit Table 2

This table shows the base unit (commonly used) of the

7 Physical Quantities used in mathematics and science.
SI Unit Table 3

This table shows

the guidelines
on the usage of
these different
SI Units,
including do’s
and don’ts in
writing them.
Thank You!
For Listening