The International System of Units (SI) is an internationally recognized system. It groups together the most commonly used units of measurement to facilitate exchanges in the scientific, technological and educational fields. The table below shows the most commonly used units of measurement in chemistry. Some of the basic units of the international system are shown in blue.
| Name of measured quantity | Name of unit of measurement | Symbol for unit of measurement |
| Area (A) |
Square centimetre
Square metre Hectare |
|cm^2|
|m^2|
|ha|
|
| Specific Heat Capacity (c) |
Joule per gram degree Celsius
Kilojoule per kilogram degree Celsius |
|J/g \cdot ^\circ C|
|kJ/kg \cdot ^\circ C|
|
| Heat (Q) | Joule | |J| |
| Concentration (C) |
Gram per litre
Mole per litre |
|g/L|
|mol/L|
|
| Distance (d) |
Millimetre
Centimetre Decimetre Metre Kilometre |
|mm|
|cm|
|dm|
|\color{blue}{m}|
|km|
|
| Energy (E) |
Joule
Kilojoule |
|J|
|kJ|
|
| Enthalpy (H) | Joule | |J| |
| Mass (m) |
Milligram
Gram Kilogram Ton |
|mg|
|g|
|\color{blue}{kg}|
|t|
|
| Molar mass (M) | Grams per mole | |g/mol| |
| Density (|\large{\rho}|) | Gram per millilitre | |g/mL| |
| Number of moles (n) | Mole | |\color{blue}{mol}| |
| Pressure (P) |
Pascal
Kilopascal Atmosphere Millimetre of mercury |
|Pa|
|kPa|
|atm|
|mm\ Hg|
|
| Solubility |
Grams per litre
Gram per 100 millilitres |
|g/L|
|g/100mL|
|
| Temperature (T) |
Degree Celsius
Degree Fahrenheit Kelvin |
|^\circ C|
|^\circ F|
|\color{blue}{K}|
|
| Time (t) |
Second
Minute Hour |
|\color{blue}{s}|
|min|
|h|
|
| Speed (v) |
Metre per second
Mole per litre second |
|m/s|
|mol/L\cdot s|
|
| Volume (V) |
Cubic centimetre
Cubic metre Millilitre Litre |
|cm^3|
|m^3|
|mL|
|L|
|
For other units of measurement, please consult the following page:
The International System of Units (SI) includes certain prefixes for multiples and submultiples of units of measurement. The symbol of the new unit of measurement formed is then made up of two symbols: that of the multiple and that of the unit of measurement.
| Prefix | Base 10 | Symbol |
| Pico | 10-12 = 0.000 000 000 001 | p |
| Nano | 10-9 = 0.000 000 001 | n |
| Micro | 10-6 = 0.000 001 | μ |
| Milli | 10-3 = 0.001 | m |
| Centi | 10-2 = 0.01 | c |
| Deci | 10-1 = 0.1 | d |
| Unit | 100 = 1 | _ |
| Deca | 101 = 10 | da |
| Hecto | 102 = 100 | h |
| Kilo | 103 = 1000 | k |
| Mega | 106 = 1 000 000 | M |
| Giga | 109 = 1 000 000 000 | G |
-
One kilometre (km) corresponds to 1 000 metres (m).
-
One centilitre (cL) corresponds to 0.01 litre (L).
-
One metre per second (m/s) is equivalent to 3.6 kilometre per hour (km/h).