Useful Conversion

Conversion Factors Factors

- Imperial to Metric (Approximate)
MULTIPLY COLUMN “A” BY COLUMN “B” TO OBTAIN COLUMN “C”
THIS TABLE MAY BE USED IN TWO WAYS: ALTERNATIVELY
DIVIDE COLUMN “C” BY COLUMN “B” TO OBTAIN COLUMN “A”
A B C A B C
REMARKS REMARKS
MuLTIPLY BY TO OBTAIN MuLTIPLY BY TO OBTAIN

AREA: Symbol m² Square inches 645.16 mm² REMARKS POWER: Symbol W Btu per hour (Btu/hr) 0.2931 W
Square feet .0929 m² horsepower (hp) 0.7457 kW
The SI unit of AREA Square yards 0.836 m² The SI unit of POWER is the WATT. ton of refrigeration 3.517 kW
is the SQUARE METRE acre 4047 m²
hectare (ha) 10000 m²
PRESSURE: Symbol Pa Ibf/in2 6.895 kPa
DENSITY:Symbol kg/m³ Ib/in³ 27.68 t/m³ The SI unit of PRESSURE or stress is the kip/in2 (1000 psi) 6.895 MPa
The SI unit of DENSITY Ib/ft³ 16.02 kg/m³ NEWTON PER SQUARE METRE which Ibf/ft2 47.88 Pa
is the kilogram per cubic metre. Ib/yd³ 0.5933 kg/m³ has been given the name PASCAL. kgf/cm2 98.07 kPa
bar 100 kPa
ENERGY: Symbol J 1. ELECTRICAL ENERGY 1 N/m² = 1 Pa = 0.000145 Ibf/in²
The SI unit of energy kilowatt hour (kW.h) 3.6 MJ
is the joule. A pascal is the pressure or stress which Vertical column (head) of
2. HEAT ENERGY arises when a force of one newton is water.
1 J = 1 N.m British thermal unit applied uniformly over an area of one (H2Oat20°C) 9.79 kPa
(Btu) 1.055 kJ square metre. metres of water 2.984 kPa
A joule is the energy Btu/gal 0.2321 kJ/L tt feet of water
expended or the work Btu/ft3 37.26 kJ/m³ orr (vacuum) 0.1333 kPa
done when a force of 1 mm Hg. (mercury) 0.1333 kPa
one newton moves the 1 in. Hg.(mercury) 3.386 kPa
point of application a 3. MECHANICAL ENERGY
atmosphere (atm) 101.325 kPa
distance of one metre foot poundal
microns 0.133 Pa
in the direction of ft.pdl .04214 J
that force. inch pound-force
in.lbf 0.1130 J TORQUE: Symbol N.m Poundal-foot
foot pound-force (Moment of force) pdl.ft .04214 N.m
ft.lbf 1.356 J The SI unit of TORQUE is the NEWTON pound-force inch
foot ton force METRE. The NEWTON METRE is the Ibf.inch 0.1130 N.m
ft.tonf 3.037 kJ work done when a force of one Ibf.inch 1.152 kgf .cm
metre kilogram newton moves the point of application pound-force feet
force m.kgf 9.807 J a distance of one metre in the direction Ibf .ft 1.356 N.m
of that force. Ibf.ft 13.83 kgf .cm
ton-force feet
1 N.m = 1 J tonf.ft 3.037 kN.m
FORCE: Symbol N Poundal (pdl) 0.1383 N kilogram-force
(NEWTON) kgf.m 9.807 N.m
The SI unit of FORCE kgf .cm 0.09807 N.m
(kg.m/s²) has been given Pound-force (lbf) 4.448 N
the special name - NEWTON. VELOCITY: Symbol m/s ft. per second (ft/s) 0.3048 m/s
The newton is the force The SI unit of VELOCITY is the METRE ft. per minute
which when applied to ton-force (tonf) 9.964 kN PER SECOND (f t/m in) 0.00508 m/s
a body having a mass of miles per hour 0.4470 m/s
one kilogram, causes an miles per hour 1.609 km/h
acceleration of one metre *kilogram-force (kgf) 9.807 N
per second per second
in the direction of VOLUME: CAPACITY: Symbol m³ DRY:
application of the force. *also known as kilopond The SI unit of VOLUME is the cubic inch (in³) 16387 mm3
(kp) CUBIC METRE. cubic foot (ft³) 0.02832 m3
cubic yard (yd³) 0.7646 m3
FORCE PER UNIT LENGTH pounds-force per inch (lbf/ 175.1 N/m
the Sl unit is NEWTON in)
PER METRE: pounds-force per foot 14.59 N/m litre (L) tt 1000000 mm³
Symbol N/m (lbf/ft) litre (L) tt 0.001 m³
ton-force per foot 32.69 kN/m gallons (Imp) 0.004546 m³
NOTE: tt IMPERIAL LIQUID
(ton/ft) Capital “L” is now the legal preferred fluid ounce 28.41 millilitre (ml)
symbol for litre in Australia. pint (20fl.oz) 568.3 millilitre (ml)
LENGTH: Symbol m inches 25.4 millimetres (mm) quart (2 pints) 1.137 litre (L) tt
The SI unit of LENGTH is the METRE. feet 0.3048 metres (m) gallon (Imp) 4.546 litre (L) tt
yards 0.9144 metres (m) gallon (US) 3.785 litre (L) tt
chain 20.12 metres (m) litre (water 4°C) 1.000 kilogram (kg)
mile 1609 metres (m) Imp. gallons (water 20°C) 4.536 kilograms (kg)
mile 1.609 kilometres (km)
VOLUME: RATE OF FLOW. Imp. gal. per minute
MASS: Symbol kg ounce 28.35 grams (g) Symbol m³/s (gal/min) .0000758 m³/s
The SI unit of MASS is the pound 0.4536 kilograms (kg) The SI unit of VOLUME RATE OF FLOW Imp. gal. per minute 0.272765 m³/hr.
KILOGRAM. slug 14.59 kg is the CUBIC METRE PER SECOND. Imp. gal. per minute .0758 litre per second (L/s)
ton (2240 lb) 1016.05 kg
short ton (2000 lb) 907.2 kg cubic ft. per minute .000472 m³/s
ton (2240 lb) 1.016 tonne (t) cubic ft. per minute 0.472 litre per second (L/s)
pounds per foot (lb/ft) 1.488 kg/m 1 m³ = 1 kL
pounds per yard (lb/vd) 0.4961 kq/m SUNDRY ITEMS: miles per gallon 0.3540 km per litre
gallons per mile 2.825 litres per km

TEMPERATURE
The SI unit of TEMPERATURE is the KELVIN – Symbol K
For most practical purposes of temperature measurement and most calculations involving temperatures, degree Celcius, symbol ° C will be used
DEGREES: FAHRENHEIT TO CELCIUS DEGREES: CELCIUS TO FAHRENHEIT
( ° F – 32 ) x 5/9 = ° C ( ° C x 9/5 ) + 32 = ° F

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