Systems of Medication Measurement

Question 1

Metric System

Answer 1

Each basic unit of measurement is organized into units of 10. Multiplying or dividing by 10 forms secondary units. In multiplication the
decimal point moves to the right; in division the decimal moves to the left.

basic units of measurement in the metric system

• meter (length)
• liter (volume)
• gram (weight)

For medication calculations only use the volume and weight units.

Gram = g or GM
Liter = l or L
Milligram = mg
Milliliter = mL

leading zero is always placed in front of a
decimal (e.g., use 0.25, not .25)

Never use a trailing zero (i.e., a zero after a decimal point) (e.g., use 5, not 5.0)

Question 2

deci-

Answer 2

(1/10 or 0.1)

Question 3

centi-

Answer 3

(1/100 or 0.01)

Question 4

milli-

Answer 4

(1/1000 or 0.001)

Question 5

deka-

Answer 5

(10)

Question 6

hecto-

Answer 6

(100)

Question 7

kilo-

Answer 7

(1000)

Question 8

1 mL Metric

Answer 8

15 drops (gtt) Household

Question 9

5 mL Metric

Answer 9

1 teaspoon (tsp) Household

Question 10

15 mL Metric

Answer 10

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Household

Question 11

30 mL Metric

Answer 11

2 tablespoons (tbsp) Household

Question 12

240 mL Metric

Answer 12

1 cup (c) Household

Question 13

480 mL (approximately 500 mL) Metric

Answer 13

1 pint (pt) Household

Question 14

960 mL (approximately 1 L) Metric

Answer 14

1 quart (qt) Household

Question 15

3785 mL (approximately 4 L) Metric

Answer 15

1 gallon (gal) Household

Question 16

Solutions

Answer 16

When a solid is dissolved in a fluid, the
concentration is in units of mass per units of volume (e.g., g/L, mg/mL).

concentration of a solution can be expressed as a percentage. e.g. example, a 10% solution is 10 g of solid dissolved in 100 mL of solution. A
proportion also expresses concentrations. A ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ solution represents a
solution containing 1 g of solid in 1000 mL of liquid or 1 mL of liquid
mixed with 1000 mL of another liquid.