In the metric system the gram is used to measure the weight of small objects or small quantities while the kilogram is reserved to indicate the mass of very heavy elements. A kilogram is made up of 1,000 grams. This equivalence indicates that, to convert a weight expressed in grams into kilograms, it is simply necessary divide the number of grams by 1,000.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Mathematical Conversion
Step 1. Make a note of the number of grams to convert
Also add the unit of measurement by writing "grams" or simply "g". If you have chosen to use a calculator, you will need to type in the number to convert.
This section looks at a simple example problem to make it easier to learn the conversion mechanism. Assume you need to convert 20,000 grams to kilograms. As a first step, take note of the value to be converted by writing " 20,000 grams"on a sheet of paper.
Step 2. Divide the number under consideration by 1,000
Since a kilogram consists of 1,000 grams, to convert a value in grams into kilograms, divide it by 1,000.
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Continuing with the previous example, to convert 20,000 grams to kilos you simply divide the number by 1,000.
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20.000/1.000 =
Step 20.
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Step 3. Report the conversion result using the correct unit of measurement
Do not forget this step because it is very important to indicate the result using the correct unit of measurement. If you are doing this conversion in a school setting, you may get a lower grade if you don't report the final result by also indicating the unit of measurement. In real life it is even more important because people could use the wrong unit of measurement to value your data and therefore make a mistake that could have serious consequences.
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Continuing with the previous example, you will have to report the result of the conversion using the "kilograms" obtaining:
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- 20 kg.
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Step 4. To perform the reverse conversion you need to multiply the value expressed in kg by 1,000
Since a kilogram consists of 1,000 grams, to convert a value expressed in kilograms into grams, multiply it by 1,000. Since multiplication is the inverse mathematical operation of division, multiplying the value expressed in kilograms by the indicated coefficient you will get the equivalent in grams.
- To convert 20 kg into grams you simply have to multiply the number of kilos by 1,000 (don't forget to also report the unit of measurement of the final result):
- 20 kg × 1,000 = 20,000 g
Method 2 of 2: Use the Decimal Separator
Step 1. Start with the number expressed in grams
Believe it or not, you can convert a weight from grams to kilograms and vice versa without performing any mathematical calculations. This is possible since the metric system is a base 10 measurement system. In other words, the metric units of measurement are multiples of 10. For example, 1 centimeter is equal to 10 millimeters, 1,000 meters equals one kilometer and so on.
For example try converting 37 grams to kilograms. Start in the same way as explained in the previous method, then make a note on a piece of paper of the number you need to convert: " 37 grams".
Step 2. Now move the decimal point three places to the left
First, locate the current position of the decimal separator within the number expressed in grams. If it is an integer, the decimal separator is not shown, but it is understood that it is located on the right of the digit relative to the units. Move the decimal point three places to the left. Each time you move it one number to the left, one position counts. If the number you are converting is less than three digits, leave a blank space where there are no numbers.
- Continuing with the previous example, the decimal separator in the number 37 is placed to the right of the 7 (in other words 37 g can also be written like this 37, 0 g). Moving the separator three positions to the left you will get the following steps:
- 37,
- 3, 7
- , 37
- , _37 - note the blank space that was left in this step, as the number to convert was only two digits.
Step 3. Add a zero to each blank
To get to the final result of the conversion you cannot leave empty spaces, so to solve the problem you will have to fill them with zeros. If there is no number to the left of the decimal point, you will need to add a zero there as well.
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To complete the example conversion, you will need to insert a zero in the empty space between the decimal separator and the number 3, obtaining:
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- , 037
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- Now add the correct unit of measurement and another zero to the left of the decimal point to get the final result expressed in the correct form:
- 0, 037 kg
Step 4. To perform the inverse conversion, ie to go from kilograms to grams, you simply have to move the decimal point three places to the right
Again you will have to fill in the empty positions with zeros.
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To convert the final result of the previous example back to grams, you have to move the decimal separator to the left by three places, obtaining:
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- 0, 037
- 00, 37
- 003, 7
- 0037, - the zeroes placed on the left of the final number can be omitted as they are insignificant digits, so you can rewrite the conversion result as follows 37 g.
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Advice
- The kilogram is the basic unit of measurement of mass in the International System of Units (abbreviated to SI). The gram is a submultiple of the kilogram used in the metric system and also included in the international system of units. The gram is defined as the mass of one cubic centimeter (cm³) of water at a temperature of 4 ° C.
- In the metric system, the prefix of the name of the units of measure also indicates their magnitude. For example, the prefix "kilo" means that you are referring to 1,000 elements of the unit of measure that follows it. For example, a kilowatt is equal to 1,000 watts instead a kilogram is equal to 1,000 grams, just as 100 kilometers are equivalent to 100,000 meters.
