Why are square units used to measure area and cubic units used to measure volume in the SI system?

• A. Because area and volume are both measured in one dimension.
• B. Because SI units require all measurements to be in cubic units.
• C. Because area is measured in two dimensions and volume in three dimensions.
• D. Because square units are more precise than cubic units for all measurements.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that area and volume represent different types of measurements: area measures the extent of a surface, while volume measures the space occupied by an object.
2. Recall that area is a two-dimensional measurement, meaning it involves length and width. Therefore, its units are squared, such as square meters (\(m^{2}\)), to reflect these two dimensions.
3. Recognize that volume is a three-dimensional measurement, involving length, width, and height (or depth). Hence, its units are cubed, such as cubic meters (\(m^{3}\)), to account for all three dimensions.
4. Note that the use of square units for area and cubic units for volume directly corresponds to the number of dimensions involved in the measurement, which is why these units are appropriate in the SI system.
5. Conclude that the correct reasoning is that area is measured in two dimensions and volume in three dimensions, which explains the use of square and cubic units respectively.