Final answer:
The basic unit of volume in the metric system is the liter, which is derived from the fundamental unit of length, the meter. One liter equals 1,000 cubic centimeters (1,000 cm³) or 1 decimeter cubed (1 dm³).
Step-by-step explanation:
The Basic Unit of Volume in the Metric System
The basic unit of volume in the metric system is the liter. This measurement is related to the unit of length known as the meter. Specifically, a liter (L) is defined as the volume of a cube that measures 10 centimeters (cm) on each side. Consequently, one liter is equal to 1,000 cubic centimeters (1,000 cm³), which also corresponds to 1 decimeter cubed (1 dm³). It is important to note that the mass units such as kilogram (kg) and gram (g) are distinct from volume and are used to measure the amount of matter in an object, while units like the meter (m) and centimeter (cm) measure length.
In the context of the SI metric system, a milliliter (mL) is a derived unit of volume that depends on the measure of a centimeter, as it is defined as one cubic centimeter. Therefore, 1 milliliter is equivalent to 1 cubic centimeter. The versatility of the metric system allows for the use of prefixes, enabling the expression of volume at different scales, including milliliters for small volumes and kiloliters for larger volumes.