Unit Definition in Science

What is a unit in science?

A yard stick
The meter, yard, inch, and centimeter are all units of length.

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By
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on October 14, 2019

A unit is any standard used for making comparisons in measurements. Unit conversions allow for measurements of a property that have been recorded using different units—for instance, centimeters to inches.

Examples

The meter is one standard of length. A liter is a standard of volume. Each of these standards can be used to compare with other measurements made using the same units.

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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Unit Definition in Science." ThoughtCo, Aug. 25, 2020, thoughtco.com/definition-of-unit-in-chemistry-605934. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 25). Unit Definition in Science. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-unit-in-chemistry-605934 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Unit Definition in Science." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-unit-in-chemistry-605934 (accessed June 1, 2023).