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Quizzes > Science

What Did Gabriel Mouton Invent? A Quick Physics Quiz

Quick quiz to test your knowledge of the origin of the metric system. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Ali MohamedUpdated Aug 24, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
paper art illustration of ruler compass gears unit conversion arrows metric symbols quiz banner on golden yellow background

Use this quiz to learn what Abbe Gabriel Mouton invented and why it matters to the metric system and unit conversions. Along the way, you can review physics history with who introduced inertia, try an inventions and inventors quiz, and practice basics with a forces and motion quiz. Short questions, clear answers, and instant results.

What invention is Abbe Gabriel Mouton best known for?
Metric system
Telescope
Barometer
Steam engine
Abbe Gabriel Mouton is credited with proposing a decimal-based system of measurement that laid the groundwork for the modern metric system. His 1670 proposal argued for divisions of the Earth's meridian into units using powers of ten, influencing later scientists. This approach streamlined unit conversions and standardized measurements internationally.
What is the base unit of length in the metric system?
Mile
Foot
Yard
Metre
In the International System of Units (SI), the metre is defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. It serves as the fundamental unit for measuring length and forms the basis for other derived units.
Which metric prefix denotes 10?³?
Micro-
Milli-
Kilo-
Centi-
The prefix 'milli-' comes from the Latin word 'mille' meaning thousand, and in the metric system it denotes a factor of one thousandth, or 10?³. It is commonly used in measurements like milligram (mg) and millimeter (mm).
How many grams are in 1 kilogram?
1,000
10
10,000
100
The prefix 'kilo-' means one thousand in the metric system, so one kilogram equals 1,000 grams. This direct decimal relationship simplifies many mass conversions.
Which unit is used to measure electric current in SI?
Watt
Ohm
Ampere
Volt
The ampere, named after André-Marie Ampère, is the SI base unit for electric current. It quantifies the flow of electric charge per second.
What is the SI base unit for time?
Second
Hour
Day
Minute
The second is the SI base unit for time, defined by the transition frequency of cesium atoms. It is the standard by which other time intervals are measured.
Which metric prefix represents one million times the base unit?
Nano-
Micro-
Mega-
Milli-
The prefix 'mega-' denotes a factor of 10?, or one million times the base unit. It is used in units like megawatt (MW) and megabyte (MB).
In the metric system, volume is commonly measured in which unit?
Litre
Second
Metre
Gram
While the SI derived unit for volume is the cubic metre (m³), the litre (L) is widely used for everyday measurements of liquids and gases. One litre is equal to one cubic decimetre.
How many centimetres are in 2.5 metres?
0.25
250
2,500
25
Since one metre equals 100 centimetres, 2.5 metres is 2.5 × 100 = 250 cm. The metric system's base-10 structure makes such conversions straightforward.
What is 5 newtons in dynes?
50
50,000
500,000
5,000
One newton equals 100,000 dynes, as the dyne is 10?? N. Therefore, 5 N is 5 × 100,000 = 500,000 dynes.
The metric system divides units by powers of what number?
12
2
10
16
The defining feature of the metric system is its base-10 structure, where prefixes indicate powers of ten. This uniform scaling simplifies calculations and unit conversions.
If a force of 10 N acts on a mass of 2 kg, what is the acceleration?
2 m/s²
20 m/s²
0.2 m/s²
5 m/s²
Newton's second law states F = m·a, so a = F/m. Here, a = 10 N ÷ 2 kg = 5 m/s².
Which metric prefix means 10??
Kilo-
Mega-
Giga-
Tera-
The prefix 'giga-' stands for 10?, or one billion times the base unit, used in fields like computing (gigabyte) and physics (gigahertz).
According to Mouton's proposal, the metre was defined as one ten-millionth of which distance?
Distance from equator to North Pole
Distance from Greenwich to Paris
Circumference of the Earth
Length of a Roman mile
Mouton suggested the metre should be one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along a meridian. This tied the unit to a natural, reproducible standard.
In SI, which unit measures luminous intensity?
Lux
Nit
Lumen
Candela
The candela is the SI base unit for luminous intensity, representing the luminous power emitted by a source in a particular direction.
Which SI base unit measures amount of substance?
Mole
Candela
Second
Ampere
The mole is the SI base unit for the amount of substance, defined by Avogadro's number of elementary entities.
Which system uses centimetre, gram and second as its base units?
SI
FPS
MKS
CGS
The CGS system (centimetre-gram-second) is an older metric variant that uses cm, g, and s as base units, unlike SI which uses metre, kilogram, and second.
Convert 3.6 kilometres per hour to metres per second.
0.1 m/s
10 m/s
0.72 m/s
1 m/s
To convert km/h to m/s, divide by 3.6. Thus, 3.6 km/h ÷ 3.6 equals 1 m/s.
The SI unit of pressure is the pascal. What is one pascal equal to?
1 kg/m³
1 W/m²
1 J/m³
1 N/m²
By definition, one pascal is one newton of force applied over one square metre (N/m²). It is the SI derived unit for pressure.
Mouton suggested dividing each degree of a circle into how many decimal minutes?
100
1,000
90
60
In his decimal angle system, Mouton proposed each degree be divided into 100 decimal minutes (and each minute into 100 decimal seconds), replacing the traditional sexagesimal division.
What is the metric unit of energy in SI?
Joule
Newton
Calorie
Watt
The joule (J) is the SI derived unit for energy, equal to one newton-metre. It quantifies work, heat, and other forms of energy transfer.
In mechanics, which law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction?
Conservation of Momentum
Newton's Third Law
Newton's First Law
Newton's Second Law
Newton's Third Law of Motion states that for every force exerted by one body on another, there is an equal and opposite force exerted back. This principle underlies many mechanical interactions.
Which technique did Mouton propose to standardize volume measurements?
Burette calibration
Mass-flow meter
Water displacement
Decimal division of a cube
Mouton suggested creating a cubic container and dividing its sides decimally so that volume units corresponded to simple fractions of that cube, aligning with his overall decimal metric proposals.
In Mouton's 1670 memoir, he recommended dividing the meridional quadrant into 100 equal parts, leading to how many decimal degrees in a full circle?
360
1000
100
400
By dividing each quadrant into 100 decimal degrees, Mouton's system yields 400 degrees for a full 360° circle (4 quadrants × 100). This centesimal angular measure influenced later gradian systems.
Convert 10 pound-force to newtons (approximate).
98 N
0.445 N
22.5 N
44.5 N
One pound-force is defined as 4.44822 newtons, so 10 lbf is 10 × 4.44822 ? 44.48 N. This conversion is important for comparing imperial and SI force units.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Mouton's Metric Innovation -

    Identify what Abbe Gabriel Mouton invented - the original decimal-based measurement concept that laid the groundwork for the modern metric system.

  2. Explain the Roots of the Metric System -

    Explain how Mouton's ideas influenced the development of standardized metric units and how they differ from older measurement systems.

  3. Apply Unit Conversion Techniques -

    Apply unit conversion methods between metric units (such as meters, grams, and liters) and other systems to solve real”world measurement problems.

  4. Solve Basic Mechanics Questions -

    Solve scored quiz questions on mechanics, including force, motion, and energy calculations, to reinforce core physics principles.

  5. Analyze Quiz Performance -

    Analyze your quiz results to identify strengths and gaps in your understanding of unit conversions, metric basics, and mechanics.

  6. Evaluate Your Physics Knowledge -

    Evaluate your overall mastery of key physics concepts covered in the quiz and build confidence in tackling future measurement challenges.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Abbe Gabriel Mouton's Decimal System -

    Ever wondered "what did Abbe Gabriel Mouton invent"? He introduced a decimal-based measurement system in 1670. By proposing to divide the Earth's meridian into ten million parts to define a unit of length, he laid the groundwork for the metre.

  2. Defining the Metre and Metric Fundamentals -

    Building on Mouton's idea, the metre was later defined as one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the Equator. Grasping this Earth-meridian basis helps you understand why metric units scale so neatly by powers of ten.

  3. Mastering Metric Prefixes with a Mnemonic -

    Metric prefixes (kilo-, hecto-, deca-, base, deci-, centi-, milli-) follow a strict tenfold pattern. A fun mnemonic - "King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk" - helps you recall kilo through milli; for example, 5 km×1000 m/km=5000 m.

  4. Converting Angles: Decimal Minutes and Seconds -

    Abbe Gabriel Mouton's vision also included decimal minutes and seconds for angles, a concept still used when converting between degrees, minutes, seconds and decimal degrees. For instance, 30° 45′ becomes 30 + 45/60 = 30.75° in decimal form.

  5. Applying Mechanics with Metric Units -

    Newton's second law, F = m·a, is simplest in metric units: mass in kilograms and acceleration in meters per second squared. If a 3 kg object accelerates at 4 m/s², you get F = 3×4 = 12 N - unit consistency guaranteed!

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