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Unit-I
Lecture Notes I
Units and conversion Factors
II Year I Sem
A physical quantity is always expressed as the product of a number and unit. The number
by itself has no meaning without units. For example if one say the weight of an object is simply
100, without units it can be 100 gms. or 100 kg. Hence the unit should be stated. Unit is a any
measure or amount used as a standard for measurement. The table-1.1 gives the different
fundamental quantities and their units. While the table 1.2 gives units of derived quantities.
Most of the physical or chemical data available in literature are expressed equivalently
with a variety of units. Operating manuals of equipment and instruments using different systems
of units are in use in process plants. It is imperative that the chemical engineering stuents or
practicing chemical engineers be well versed with the conversionof units from one system to
another. Conversion factors which relates different systems of units are given in table 1.3.For
example
Convert the heat transfer coefficient of value 100 BTU/hr.ft2 . 0F into W/m2 . 0C
Solution:
h (Heat transfer coefficient ) = (100) [(1/3.412) W] [(10.7639) m2] [(1.8) 0C]
= 567.8 W/m2 . 0C
Note: 1W = 3.412 BTU/hr
Table 1.4 gives the list of SI prefixes that are used to form decimal multiples and
submultiples of SI units. They allow very large or very small numerical values to be avoided. A
prefix directly attached to the name of the unit or a symbol to the symbol of the unit.
Table 1.1. Fundamental Quantities
Fundamental
Quantity
Unit-I
Lecture Notes I
Units and conversion Factors
System of Units
Symbolic
Abbreviation
______________________________
SI
Metric
Metre
Metre
Kilogram Kilogram
Kelvin
Celsius
Length
Mass
Temperature
Time
Electric Current
Amount of substance
Intensity
Units in
SI/mks/cgs System
Area
Square meters
Square centimeters
Cubic meters
Cubic centimeters
m2
cm2
m3
cm3
Cubic decimeters
Litres
dm3
l
m/s
Volume
Capacity
Linear
Velocity
Linear
Meter per second per
Acceleration second
Density
Specific
Volume
Force
Force
Pressures
Dimension
____________________________
fps
SI
Foot
m
Pound
kg
Fahrenheit K
Metric
m
kg
0
C
Second Second
Second
s
s
Ampere Ampere Ampere A
A
Mole
_
_
mol
_
Candela
_
_
cd
_
Table 1.2. Derived Quantities
Derived
Quantity
II Year I Sem
Abbreviated
Units
Symbol
fps
ft
lb
0
F
s
A
_
_
L
M
T
I
n
Dimension
A(S)
L
L
L3
L3
V(v)
L3
L3
1
L
V
v
u,v,
m/s2
a,g
kg/m
ML-3
g/ml
m3/kg
ML-3
L3M-1
N
kgf
(kp)
v
F
dyn
N/m2(Pa)
ML
F
ML
ML-1
Unit-I
Lecture Notes I
Units and conversion Factors
Kilogram-force or
kgf/cm2
Kilopounds per
(kp/cm2)
Square centimeter
Work/energy Joules
Ergs
Meters kilogram force
Heat/Enthalpy Joules
Power
Heat flow
Specific/
Absolute
Humidity
Relative
Humidity
Saturation
Ratio
Flow rate
J
kcal
Kilowatts
kw
Horsepowers
HP
J/s or W
kcal/h
kg/kg
Nil
Nil
Nil
Q.H
H,x
RH
Nil
kg/h
Kilocalories per
Kilogram per degree
Celsius
qm
qv
ML2
ML2
MF
2
2
ML
2
2
ML
3
2
ML
1
MF
3
2
ML
3
ML2
M 0 L0 0
M 0 L0 0
M 0 L0 0
M 1
L3 1
L3 1
l/s
C
L2T 1
L2 2T 1
kcal/(kg.deg C)
FL-2
Molar heat
erg
m/kgf
Kilocalories
II Year I Sem
cp
ML2 2 n 1T 1
Unit-I
Lecture Notes I
Units and conversion Factors
II Year I Sem
ML2 2 n 1T 1
Area:
Volume:
Capacity:
Mass:
Density:
Force:
1 m = 1.093613 yd
= 3.28084 ft
1 cm = 0.393701 in
1 km = 0.62137 miles
= 0.53996 international nautical miles
2
1 m = 10.76391 ft2
= 1.19599 yd2
2
1 cm = 0.155 in2
1 km2 = 0.386102 mile2
1 ha = 10000m2
= 2.47105 acre
= 0.003861 mile2
1 m3 = 1000 dm3 = 10001
= 35.31467 ft3
= 1.30795 yd3
= 6.2898 barrels (oil)
3
1 cm = 0.061024 in2
1 l = 0.219969 Implerial gal
= 0.264172 US gal
= 0.0353147 ft3
1 kl = 10001
= 0.00081071 acre. Ft
1 kg = 1000 g
= 2.204623 lb
1 t = 1000 kg
= 0.98421 T
= 1.102311T (short, used in USA)
= 2204.623 Ib
1 g = 15.4324 grain
1 kg/dm3 = 1 kg/l
= 70156.8 grain/imperial gal
= 58417.82 grain /US gal
3
1 g/cm = 62.42795 lb/ft3
= 10.0224 lb/imperial gal
= 8.345405 lb/us gal
= 119.8265 US gal /lb
1 N= 0.101972 kgf
= 0.224809 lbf
Energy:
Power:
Heat capacity:
Temperature:
Unit-I
Lecture Notes I
Units and conversion Factors
1 kPa = 0.010197 kgf/in2 or psi
= 0.145038 lbf/in2 or psi
1 bar = 0.1 Mpa
= 1.019716 kgf/cm2
= 14.50377 lbf/in2
1 torr (1 mm Hg) = 133.3224 pa
= 0.03937 in Hg
1 J = 0.238846 cal (IT)
= 2.777778 X 10-7kWh
= 9.478172 X 10-4 Btu (IT)
= 0.101972 kgf.m
= 0.737562 lbf.ft
= 9.869233 X 10-31.atm
1 kWh = 859.8452 kcal (lT)
= 3412.142 Btu (IT)
1 kgf.m = 7.233 lbf.ft
1 kW = 1.35962 metric hp
= 1.34102 hp (British)
= 859.8452 kcal/h
= 3412.142 Btu / h
1 (m.kgf)/s = 7.233 (ft.ibf)/s
1 J/kg.k) = 2.38846 X 10-4 kcal/(kr.deg C)
= 2.38846 X 10-4 Btu / (lb.deg F)
0
C = 5/9 ( 0F-31)
0
F = (9/5) 0C+32
Table 1.4 SI Prefixes
Factor
Prefix
Symbol
1024
1021
1018
1015
1012
109
106
103
102
101
10-1
10-2
10-3
10-6
10-9
10-12
yotta
zetta
exa
peta
tera
giga
mega
kilo
hecto
deka
deci
centi
milli
micro
nano
pico
Y
Z
E
P
T
G
M
k
h
da
d
c
m
n
p
II Year I Sem
Unit-I
Lecture Notes I
Units and conversion Factors
femto
atto
zepto
yocto
II Year I Sem
f
a
z
y