Some help with Si Unit conversions

In summary, unit conversions can be done by multiplying the quantity you want to convert by a "1" fraction that has the desired units in the numerator and the units you want to cancel out in the denominator. This method can be used for both converting units in the numerator and the denominator.
  • #1
Yusufzai
2
0
Some help with Si Unit conversions :)

Homework Statement



762 Mg/m to ng/µm

Homework Equations



Si unit conversions


The Attempt at a Solution



How do I know where to place the variables? Can someone give me a tut or written explantion on how to do this?
 
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  • #2


Yusufzai said:

Homework Statement



762 Mg/m to ng/µm

Homework Equations



Si unit conversions


The Attempt at a Solution



How do I know where to place the variables? Can someone give me a tut or written explantion on how to do this?

Welcome to the PF.

Yes, there is a very straightforward way to do unit conversions. But first, you need to be careful to be precise in what you are asking. Are you really wanting to convert from Megagrams/m to nanograms/um? Or did you mean to write milligrams/nm to miccrograms/um. Megagrams is not a unit that is used very much.


In either case, the trick is to multiply the quantity you want to convert units on by "1". But you make it a very special "1".

To convert 5m/s to km/s, you multiply by 1 = 1km/1000m

5m/s * 1 = 5m/s * 1km/1000m = 0.005km/s

To convert 2km/s to m/s, you multiply by 1 = 1000m/1km

2km/s * 1 = 2km/s * 1000m/1km = 2000m/s

You carry the units along in the equation, and cancel like units that show up in the numerator and the denominator. So when you are figuring out the form of the "1" fraction that you want to multiply by, put the units you want to end up with in the numerator, and the ones you want to cancel out in the denominator.

Makes sense?


EDIT -- Also, when you want to convert units in the denominator, you follow the analogous procedure. Just keep multiplying by an appropriate "1" fraction to be able to cancel out the old units and be left with the new units in the position you want them in the fraction.
 
Last edited:

Related to Some help with Si Unit conversions

1. How do I convert from one SI unit to another?

To convert from one SI unit to another, you can use conversion factors. These are numerical values that relate one unit to another. For example, to convert from kilograms (kg) to grams (g), you can use the conversion factor 1 kg = 1000 g. Simply multiply your original value by the conversion factor to get the equivalent value in the desired unit.

2. Can I convert between SI units and non-SI units?

Yes, you can convert between SI units and non-SI units. However, you will need to use conversion factors that relate the non-SI unit to a SI unit. For example, to convert from inches (in) to centimeters (cm), you can use the conversion factor 2.54 cm = 1 in. Again, multiply your original value by the conversion factor to get the equivalent value in the desired unit.

3. What is the difference between a base unit and a derived unit?

A base unit is a unit that is defined independently of other units and serves as the basis for all other units. These include units such as meter (m) for length, kilogram (kg) for mass, and second (s) for time. Derived units, on the other hand, are created by combining base units. For example, the unit for speed, meters per second (m/s), is a derived unit as it combines the base units for length and time.

4. How do I convert between different prefixes in SI units?

To convert between different prefixes in SI units, you can use the fact that each prefix represents a power of 10. For example, to convert from millimeters (mm) to centimeters (cm), you can move the decimal point three places to the left as there are 3 zeros in the prefix milli. So 10 mm = 1 cm. Similarly, to convert from centimeters to meters (m), you would move the decimal point two places to the left as there are 2 zeros in the prefix centi.

5. Can I convert between SI units and imperial units?

Yes, you can convert between SI units and imperial units. However, you will need to use conversion factors that relate the imperial unit to a SI unit. For example, to convert from pounds (lb) to kilograms (kg), you can use the conversion factor 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg. Again, multiply your original value by the conversion factor to get the equivalent value in the desired unit.

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