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Conversion Factors and Unit Cancellation

This document discusses unit conversion and dimensional analysis. It provides examples of converting between units like feet to inches, centimeters to meters, and days to seconds. The key steps are to identify the conversion factor between units and set up a proportion to solve using unit cancellation. Calculations involving multiple units require converting all units to a common unit before performing operations.

Uploaded by

AKo Si NikKo
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© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
162 views

Conversion Factors and Unit Cancellation

This document discusses unit conversion and dimensional analysis. It provides examples of converting between units like feet to inches, centimeters to meters, and days to seconds. The key steps are to identify the conversion factor between units and set up a proportion to solve using unit cancellation. Calculations involving multiple units require converting all units to a common unit before performing operations.

Uploaded by

AKo Si NikKo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Conversion Factors

and
Unit Cancellation
A physical quantity must include:

Number + Unit
Calculation Corner: Unit Conversion

1 foot = 12 inches
Calculation Corner: Unit Conversion

1 foot = 12 inches

1 foot
= 1
12 inches
Calculation Corner: Unit Conversion

1 foot = 12 inches

1 foot
= 1
12 inches

12 inches
= 1
1 foot
Calculation Corner: Unit Conversion

1 foot 12 inches
12 inches 1 foot
“Conversion factors”
Calculation Corner: Unit Conversion

1 foot 12 inches
12 inches 1 foot
“Conversion factors”

12 inches
3 feet = 36 inches
( )( 1 foot )
How many cm are in 1.32 meters?

equality: 1 m = 100 cm (or 0.01 m = 1 cm)


applicable conversion factors:

______
1m or 100 cm
______
100 cm 1m

(
X cm = 1.32 m ______ )
100 cm = 132 cm
1m

We use the idea of unit cancellation


to decide upon which one of the two
conversion factors we choose.
How many meters is 8.72 cm?

equality: 1 m = 100 cm
applicable conversion factors:

______
1m or 100 cm
______
100 cm 1m

(1m
X m = 8.72 cm ______
100 cm )
= 0.0872 m

Again, the units must cancel.


How many feet is 39.37 inches?

equality: 1 ft = 12 in
applicable conversion factors:

______
1 ft or ______
12 in
12 in 1 ft

X ft = 39.37 in ( )
____
1 ft
12 in
= 3.28 ft

Again, the units must cancel.


How many kilometers is
15,000 decimeters?

( )(
1m
X km = 15,000 dm ____
10 dm
1 km
______
1,000 m )
= 1.5 km
How many seconds
is 4.38 days?

( )(
24 h
X s = 4.38 d ____
1d
60 min
_____
1h )( ) 60 s
____
1 min
= 378,432 s

If we are accounting for significant


figures, we would change this to… 3.78 x 105 s
Simple Math
with
Conversion Factors
Example Problem

Measured dimensions of a rectangle:


length (L) = 9.70 cm
width (W) = 4.25 cm

Find area of rectangle.


A=L.W L

= (9.70 cm)(4.25 cm)

2.
= 41.2 cm cm
W
Convert 41.2 cm2 to m2.
1m
X m2 = 41.2 cm2 ______
100 cm ( )
= 0.412 m2 WRONG!

= 0.412 cm.m

Recall that… 41.2 cm2 = 41.2 cm.cm

X m2 = 41.2 cm.cm
(1m
______
100 cm )( 1m
______
100 cm )
= 0.00412 m2

( )
2
X m2 = 41.2 cm2 1m
______ = 0.00412 m2
100 cm
Convert 41.2 cm2 to mm2.

Recall that… 41.2 cm2 = 41.2 cm.cm

X mm2 = 41.2 cm.cm 10


(mm
_____
1 cm
)( 10 mm
_____
1 cm
)
= 4,120 mm2
2

(
X mm2 = 41.2 cm2 10 mm
_____
1 cm
) = 4,120 mm2
Measured dimensions of a rectangular solid:
Length = 15.2 cm
Width = 3.7 cm
Height = 8.6 cm H
Find volume of solid. W
L
V=L.W.H
= (15.2 cm)(3.7 cm)(8.6 cm)

3
= 480 cm
Convert to m3.
cm.cm.cm
1m
X m3 = 480 cm32 _____
100 cm ( )( 1m
_____
100 cm )( 1m
_____ =
100 cm )
or
3
1m
X m3 = 480 cm3 _____
100 cm ( ) = 0.000480 m3

or

( )
3
X m3 = 480 cm3 _________
1m = 4.80 x 10-4 m3
1000000 cm3
Convert to m3...
Measured dimensions of a rectangular solid:
Length = 15.2 cm 0.152 m
Width = 3.7 cm 0.037 m
Height = 8.6 cm 0.086 m H

Find volume of solid. W


L
V=L.W.H
= (0.152 m)(0.037 m)(0.086 m)

= 0.000480 m3
Convert to mm3.
By what factor do mm and cm differ?
1 cm = 10 mm 10

By what factor do mm2 and cm2 differ?


(1 cm)22==100
1 cm mm)2 2
(10 mm 100

By what factor do mm3 and cm3 differ?


cm)33==1000
1 cm
(1 mm33
(10 mm) 1,000

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