UNITS & UNITS CONVERSION

Symbol Meaning SI units and/or value

A Area m2
BTU British Thermal Unit 1 BTU = 1055 J
CD Drag coefficient ---
CL Lift coefficient ---
CP Specific heat at constant pressure J/kgK
CV Specific heat at constant volume J/kgK
C Sound speed m/s
COP Coefficient of Performance ---
D Diameter m (meters)
E Energy J (Joules)
E Elastic modulus N/m2
E Internal energy per unit mass J/kg
F Force N (Newtons)
F Friction factor (for pipe flow) ---
G Acceleration of gravity m/s2 (earth gravity = 9.81)
Gc USCS unit’s conversion factor 32.174 lbm ft/ lbf sec2 = 1
H Convective heat transfer coefficient W/m2K
I Area moment of inertia m4
I Electric current Amps
K Boltzmann’s constant 1.380622 x 10-23 J/K
K Thermal conductivity W/mK
L Length M
M Molecular Mass kg/mole
M Moment of force N m (Newtons x meters)
M Mach number ---
M Mass Kg
m Mass flow rate kg/s
N Number of moles ---
NA Avogadro’s number (6.0221415 x 1023) ---
P Pressure N/m2
P Point-load force N
Q Heat transfer J
Q Heat transfer rate W (Watts)
 Universal gas constant 8.314 J/mole K
R Mass-based gas constant = /M J/kg K
R Electrical resistance Ohms
Re Reynolds number ---
R Radius M
S Entropy J/K
T Temperature K
T Tension (in a rope or cable) N

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T Time s (seconds)
U Internal energy J
U Internal energy per unit mass J/kg
V Volume m3
V Voltage Volts
V Shear force N
V Velocity m/s
W Weight N (Newtons)
W Work J
W Loading (e.g. on a beam) N/m
Z Thermoelectric figure of merit 1/K
Z Elevation M

 Thermal diffusivity m2/s

 Gas specific heat ratio ---
 Efficiency ---
 Strain ---
 Roughness factor (for pipe flow) ---
 Coefficient of friction ---
 Dynamic viscosity kg/m s
 Angle ---
 Kinematic viscosity = µ/ m2/s
 Poisson’s ratio ---
 Density kg/m3
 Electrical resistivity ohm m
 Normal stress N/m2
 Stefan-Boltzmann constant 5.67 x 10-8 W/m2K4
 Standard deviation [Same units as sample set]
 Shear stress N/m2
 Thickness (e.g. of a pipe wall) M

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 UNITS & UNITS CONVERSION

Base units
Type SI unit USCS unit Other conversions
Length meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft) = 1 m 1 m = 100 centimeters (cm)
= 1000 millimeters (mm)
= 39.37 inches (in)
1 kilometer (km) = 1000 m
1 mile (mi) = 5280 ft
Mass kilogram (kg) 2.205 pounds mass (lbm) 1000 grams (g) = 1 kg
= 1 kg 1 slug = 32.174 lbm
Time second (s) S 1 minute (min) = 60 s
1 hour (hr) = 60 min
Charge Coulomb Coul 1 coul = charge on 6.241506 x
(coul) 1018 electrons
Derived units
Type SI unit USCS unit Other conversions
Area (length2) 2
10.76 ft = 1 m 2
1 acre = 43,560 ft2
M2 640 acres = 1 mi2
1 hectare = 10,000 m2 = 2.471 acres

Volume m3 35.32 ft2 = 1 m3 1 ft3 = 7.48 gallons (gal)

(length3) = 28,317 cm3 (ml, cc) 1 m3
= 264.2 gal
1 liter = 0.001 m3
= 1000 cm3
= 61.02 in3
Velocity m/s 3.281 ft/s = 1 m/s 60 mi/hr = 88 ft/s
(length/time)
Acceleration m/s2 3.281 ft/s2 = 1 m/s2 1 g (standard earth gravity)
(length/time2) = 9.806 m/s2 = 32.174 ft/s2
Force = 1 Newton (N) 1-pound force (lbf) 1 dyne = 1 g cm/s2 = 10-5 N
mass  length = 1 kg m/s2 = 4.448 N
time2
Energy = 1 Joule (J) = 1 kg 1 foot-pound (ft lbf) 1 British Thermal Unit (BTU)
mass  length 2 m2/s2 = 0.7376 J = 1055 J = 778 ft lbf 1
time2 calorie (cal) = 4.184 J
1 diet calorie = 1000 cal
1 erg = 1 g cm2/s2 = 10-7 J
Power = 1 Watt (W) = 1 kg 1 horsepower (hp) 1 hp = 550 ft lbf/s
mass  length 2
m2/s3 = 746 W
time3
Pressure 1 Pascal (Pa) 1 lbf/in2 = 6899 Pa 1 standard atmosphere (atm)
2
= = 1 N/m = 101325 Pa or 101.325KPa
force/len = 10-6 N/mm2 = 14.696 lbf/in2
gth2 = 1 kg/m s2 1 bar = 105 Pa
1 Pa = 1N/m2

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 UNITS & UNITS CONVERSION

Type SI unit USCS unit Other conversions

Temperature Kelvin (K) 1.8 Rankine (R) = 1 K See notes below
Heat capacity = 1 J /kg K 1 BTU/lbm˚F (Note: that’s not a misprint, the
Energy = 1 J/kg˚C = 1 BTU/lbmR conversion factor between
mass  temperature = 1 cal/g˚C BTU/lbm˚F and cal/g˚C is
exactly 1)
Current = 1 Ampere n/a 1 milliamp (mA) = 0.001 A
charge/time (A or amp)
= 1 coul/s
Voltage = 1 Volt (V) n/a n/a
energy/charge = 1 J/coul
Capacitance = 1 Farad (f) n/a 1 microfarad (µf) = 10-6 f
coul/Volt = 1 coul/Volt 1 picofarad (pf) = 10-12 f
= 1 coul2/J
Inductance = 1 Henry (H) n/a 1 millihenry (mH) = 0.001 H
Volt / (amp/s) = 1 J s2/coul2
Resistance = Volt/amp 1 Ohm () n/a n/a
= 1 Volt/amp
= 1 J s/coul2

Temperature conversion formulae:

Kelvins (K, not ˚K) is the absolute temperature scale in SI units.
Rankines (R, not ˚R) is the absolute temperature scale in USCS units.
T (in units of ˚F) = T (in units of R) - 459.67
T (in units of ˚C) = T (in units of K) - 273.15
T (in units of ˚C) = [T (in units of ˚F) – 32]/1.8
T (in units of ˚F) = 1.8[T (in units of ˚C)] + 32

1 K of temperature change = 1˚C of temperature change

= 1.8˚F of temperature change = 1.8 R of temperature change

Revolution conversion formulae:

1 revolution = 2π radians = 360 degrees

1inch = 2.54cm
1 Guj/Yard = 3 foot
1M = 1.0989 Guj/ Yard
1M = 3.28 Foot

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 UNITS & UNITS CONVERSION

Common English Measures

Distance
Inches (in) 12 in = 1 ft
Feet (ft) 3 ft = 1 yd
Yards (yd) 1760 yd = 1 mi
Miles (mi) 1 mi = 5280 ft
Weight
Ounces (oz) 16 oz = 1 lb
Pounds (lb) 2000 lb = 1 t
Tons (t) 1t = 2000 lb
Volume
Teaspoons (tsp) 3 tsp = 1 tbsp
Tablespoons (tbsp) 1 tbsp = 3 tsp
Fluid ounces (fl oz) 8 fl oz = 1 cup
Cups (c) 2 cups = 1 pt
Pints (pt) 2pt = 1qt, 8 pt = 1 gal
Quarts (qt) 4 qt = 1 gal
Gallons (gal) 2 gal = 1 peck
Pecks 4 pecks = 1 bushel
Bushels 1 bushel = 4 pecks
Temperature
Degrees Fahrenheit (°F)
Speed
Miles per hour (mph)
Common Metric Measures
The metric system is also divided into different categories of measurement, but it has a base unit for each category. A base
unit means that that is what the category is usually (but not always) measured in, and all the other terms of measurement in
that category are built from the base unit.
Distance
Millimeter (mm) 1000 mm =1m
Centimeter (cm) 100 cm =1m
Kilometer (km) 1000 m = 1km
Weight
Milligrams (mg) 1000 mg =1g
Grams (g) base unit (1)
Kilograms (kg) 1000g = 1 kg, 1000 kg = 1 t
Metric ton (t) 1000 kg =1t
Volume
Milliliters (mL) 1000 mL =1L
Liters (L) base unit (1)

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 UNITS & UNITS CONVERSION

Temperature
Degrees Celsius (°C)
Speed
Meters per second (m/s)

Universal Measures
Time
Seconds (sec) 60 sec = 1 min
Minutes (min) 60 min = 1 hr
Hours (hr) 24 hr = 1 day
Days 7 days = 1 wk
Weeks (wk) (about) 4 wk = 1 mo
Months (mo) 12 mo = 1 yr
Years (yr) 1 yr = 365 days
Decades 1 decade = 10 yr
Centuries 1 century = 100 yr
Millennium 1 millennium = 1000 yr

Metric Prefixes
There are metric prefixes that you should memorize in order to help you determine metric measurements. They are, from
smallest to largest:
Nano n 10^-9 0.000000001 1/1000000000
Micro u 10^-6 0.000001 1/1000000
Milli m 10^-3 0.001 1/1000
Centi c 10^-2 0.01 1/100
Deci d 10^-1 0.1 1/10
Deka da 10 10
Hecto h 10^2 100
Kilo k 10^3 1000
Mega M 10^6 1000000
Giga G 10^9 1000000000
Tera T 10^12 1000000000000

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 UNITS & UNITS CONVERSION

What are some examples of scalar quantities?

Answer: - Length, Area, Volume, Work, Energy, Heat, Entropy, Power,
Density, Mass, Composition, Concentration, Diffusion coefficient,
Pressure, Tensile strain and Strength, Young’s modulus, Shear modulus, Poisson’s ratio,
Modulus of resilience, Fracture toughness, Hardness,
Temperature, Thermal conductivity and resistance, Heat capacity,
Electric charge, Charge density, Capacitance, Permittivity, Dielectric strength,
Voltage, Electric current and resistance, Electrical conductivity and resistivity,
Magnetic flux, permeability and susceptibility, self and mutual inductance,
Wavelength, Frequency, Index of refraction, Radiation intensity, Incidence angle,

What are 20 examples of vector quantities?

Answer: - 20 examples of vector quantities in physics -
1) Displacement
2) Velocity
3) Acceleration
4) Force (N), Dyne
5) Torque( Nm), (T = F.rsin𝜽), where theta = 90
6) Electric field
7) Magnetic field
8) Angular velocity
9) Linear Momentum
10) Dipole moment
11) Vector potential
12) Angular momentum
13) Weight
14) Current density
15) Thrust
16) Magnetic dipole moment
17) Magnetisation
18) Polarization
19) Electric Displacement
20) Poynting Vector

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