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Appendix A has three parts. Part 1 deals with the metric UNITS OF MASS (WEIGHT)
system, Part 2 discusses the Système International d’Unités
(SI units), and Part 3 presents conversion factors for clinical Use the following conversions for common units of mass
hematology and clinical chemistry. (weight) and volume. For example, 1 ounce 0.06 pound.
Two ounces would therefore equal 2 0.06 0.12 pound,
and 16 ounces 0.96 pound (16 0.06).
➤ PART 1 • The Metric System
➤ UNITS OF MASS (WEIGHT)
Most measurements in science are expressed in terms of the
metric system. This system uses units that are related to one an- EQUIVALENT EQUIVALENT
other by a power of 10. The prefix centi- means one-hundredth, METRIC UNIT METRIC UNITS ENGLISH UNITS
milli- means one-thousandth, and kilo- is derived from a word kilogram (kg) 1000 g 35.3 oz;
1,000,000 mg 2.2046 lb
that means one thousand. In the following sections, we show gram (g) 0.001 kg
the relationship between metric units and English units of 1000 mg 0.353 oz
measurement that are relevant to the material presented in this milligram (mg) 0.000001 kg
book. 0.001 0.0000353 oz
➤ UNITS OF LENGTH
➤ UNITS OF VOLUME
EQUIVALENT EQUIVALENT
METRIC UNIT METRIC UNITS ENGLISH UNITS EQUIVALENT EQUIVALENT
meter (m) 100 cm; 1000 mm 39.37 in; METRIC UNIT METRIC UNITS ENGLISH UNITS
3.28 ft; 1.09 yd liter (L) 1000 mL 1.057 qt
centimeter (cm) 0.01 m; 10 mm 0.3937 in milliliter (mL) 0.001 L 0.001057 qt
millimeter (mm) 0.001 m; 0.1 cm 0.03937 in or cubic centimeter (cc)
➤ TEMPERATURE
To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius: °C (°F 32) 1.8
To convert Celsius to Fahrenheit: °F (1.8 °C) 32
On the Fahrenheit scale, water freezes at 32°F and boils at 212°F.
On the Celsius scale, water freezes at 0°C and boils at 100°C.
1052 APPENDIXES
➤ UNITS OF SPEED
MPH KM HR1 M S1 MPH KM HR1 M S1
1 1.6 0.47 11 17.7 5.17
2 3.2 0.94 12 19.3 5.64
3 4.8 1.41 13 20.9 6.11
4 6.4 1.88 14 22.5 6.58
5 8.0 2.35 15 24.1 7.05
6 9.6 2.82 16 25.8 7.52
7 11.2 3.29 17 27.4 7.99
8 12.8 3.76 18 29.0 8.46
9 14.4 4.23 19 30.6 8.93
10 16.0 4.70 20 32.2 9.40
Terminology and Units of Measurement Force: That which changes or tends to change the state
The American College of Sports Medicine suggests that the of rest or motion in matter (unit: newton).
following terminology and units of measurement be used in Speed: Total distance traveled per unit of time (unit: me-
scientific endeavors to promote consistency and clarity of ters per second).
communication, and to avoid ambiguity. The terms defined Velocity: Displacement per unit of time. A vector quan-
below utilize the units of measurement of the Système Inter- tity requiring that direction be stated or strongly implied (unit:
national d’Unités (SI units). meters per second or kilometers per hour).
Exercise: Any and all activity involving generation Work: Force expressed through a distance but with no
of force by the activated muscle(s) that results in disruption limitation on time (unit: joule or kilojoule). Quantities of en-
of a homeostatic state. In dynamic exercise, the muscle may ergy and heat expressed independently of time should also be
perform shortening (concentric) contractions or be over- presented in joules. The term “work” should not be employed
come by external resistance and perform lengthening (ec- synonymously with muscular exercise.
centric) contractions. When muscle force results in Power: The rate of performing work; the derivative of
no movement, the contraction should be termed static or work with respect to time; the product of force and velocity
isometric. (unit: watt). Other related processes such as energy release
Exercise intensity: A specific level of maintenance of and heat transfer should, when expressed per unit of time, be
muscular activity quantified in terms of power (energy ex- quantified and presented in watts.
penditure or work performed per unit of time), isometric force Torque: Effectiveness of a force to produce axial rotation
sustained, or velocity of progression. (unit: newton meter).
Endurance: The time limit of a person’s ability to main- Volume: A space occupied, for example, by a quantity of
tain either a specific isometric force or a specific power level fluid gas (unit: liter or milliliter). Gas volumes should be in-
involving combinations of concentric or eccentric muscular dicated as ATPS, BTPS, or STPD.
contractions. Amount of a substance: The amount of a substance is
Mass: A quantity of matter of an object, a direct measure frequently expressed in moles. A mole is the quantity of a
of the object’s inertia (note: mass weight acceleration chemical substance that has a weight in mass units (e.g.,
due to gravity; unit: gram or kilogram). grams) numerically equal to the molecular weight, or that in
Weight: The force with which a quantity of matter is at- the case of a gas has a volume occupied by such a weight un-
tracted toward Earth by normal acceleration of gravity (tradi- der specified conditions. One mole of a respiratory gas is
tional unit: kilogram). equal to 22.4 liters at STPD.
Energy: The capability of producing force, performing
work, or generating heat (unit: joule or kilojoule).
APPENDIX A • The Metric System and Conversion Constants in Exercise Physiology 1053
➤ PART 2 • SI Units the SI, and leading journals in nutrition, health, and exercise
The uniform numerical value system is known as the Système science now require that laboratory data be presented in SI
International d’Unités, or its abbreviation, SI. SI was devel- units. The information in this appendix has been summarized
oped through international cooperation to create a universally from a detailed description about the SI published in the fol-
acceptable system of measurement. SI ensures that units of lowing article:
measurement are uniform in concept and style. The SI system
permits quantities in common use to be more easily com- Young DS. Implementation of SI units for clinical laboratory data. Style
specifications and conversion tables. Ann Intern Med 1987;106:114.
pared. Many scientific organizations endorse the concept of
➤ SI CONVERSION TABLE FOR COMMON VALUES IN CLINICAL HEMATOLOGY AND CLINICAL CHEMISTRY
PRESENT
REFERENCE SI SI SUGGESTED
INTERVALS PRESENT CONVERSION REFERENCE UNIT SIGNIFICANT MINIMUM
COMPONENT (EXAMPLES) UNIT FACTOR INTERVALS SYMBOL DIGITS INCREMENT
Hemoglobin (B)
Mass concentration
—female 12.0–15.0 g/dL 10 120–150 g/L XXX 1 g/L
—male 13.6–17.2 g/dL 10 136–172 g/L XXX 1 g/L
Substance conc. Hb [Fe]
—female 12.0–15.0 g/dL 0.6206 7.45–9.30 mmol/L XX.XX 0.05 mmol/L
—male 13.6–17.2 g/dL 0.6206 8.45–10.65 mmol/L XX.XX 0.05 mmol/L
Alkaline phosphatase (S) 30–120 U/L 0.01667 0.5–2.0 kat/L X.X 0.1 kat/L
Amino acid nitrogen (P) 4.0–6.0 mg/dL 0.7139 2.9–4.3 mmol/L X.X 0.1 mmol/L
Amino acid nitrogen (U) 50–200 mg/24 h 0.07139 3.6–14.3 mmol/d X.X 0.1 mmol/d
Androstenedione (S)
—male 18 y 0.2–3.0 g/L 3.492 0.5–10.5 mmol/L XX.X 0.5 nmol/L
—female 18 y 0.8–3.0 g/L 3.492 3.0–10.5 nmol/L XX.X 0.5 nmol/L
Bilirubin, total (S) 0.1–1.0 mg/dL 17.10 2–18 mol/L XX 2 mol/L
Calcium (S)
—male 8.8–10.3 mg/dL 0.2495 2.20–2.50 mmol/L X.XX 0.02 mmol/L
—female
50 y 8.8–10.0 mg/dL 0.2495 2.20–2.50 mmol/L X.XX 0.02 mmol/L
—female 50 y 8.8–10.2 mg/dL 0.2495 2.20–2.56 mmol/L X.XX 0.02 mmol/L
Calcium (U), normal diet
250 mg/24 h 0.02495
6.2 mmol/d X.X 0.1 mmol/d
Cholesterol (P)
—
29 y
200 mg/dL 0.02586
5.20 mmol/L X.XX 0.05 mmol/L
—30–39 y
225 mg/dL 0.02586
5.85 mmol/L X.XX 0.05 mmol/L
—40–49 y
245 mg/dL 0.02586
6.35 mmol/L X.XX 0.05 mmol/L
— 50 y
265 mg/dL 0.02586
6.85 mmol/L X.XX 0.05 mmol/L
Ferritin (S) 18–300 ng/mL 1.00 18–300 g/L XX0 10 g/L
Glucose (P)—fasting 70–110 mg/dL 0.05551 3.9–6.1 mmol/L XX.X 0.1 mmol/L
Hemoglobin (B)
—male 14.0–18.0 g/dL 10.0 140–180 g/L XXX 1 g/L
—female 11.5–15.5 g/dL 10.0 115–155 g/L XXX 1 g/L
Insulin (P,S) 5–20 U/mL 7.175 35–145 pmol/L XXX 5 pmol/L
5–20 mU/L 7.175 35–145 pmol/L XXX 5 pmol/L
0.20–0.84 g/mL 172.2 35–145 pmol/L XXX 5 pmol/L