Problem 1.

1 Express the fractions

1
3
and
2
3
to three
signicant digits.
Solution:
1/3 = 0.3333. . = 0.333
2/3 = 0.6666. . = 0.667
Problem 1.2 What is the value of e (the base of the
natural logarithms) to ve signicant digits?
Solution:
The value of e is 2.718281828. . . . Record the rst ve digits, and
round the last digit to the nearest integer. The result is e = 2.7183 to
ve signicant digits.
Problem 1.3 A machinist drills a circular hole in a
panel with radius r = 5 mm. Determine the circumfer-
ence C and area A of the hole to four signicant digits.
Solution:
C = 2r = 10 = 31.42 mm
A = r
2
= 25 = 78.54 mm
2
Problem 1.4 The opening in a soccer goal is 24 ft
wide and 8 ft high. Use these values to determine its
dimensions in meters to three signicant digits.
Solution:
The conversion between feet and meters, found inside the front cover
of the textbook, is 1 m = 3.281 ft. The goal width,
w = 24 ft
_
1 m
3.281 ft
_
= 7.3148 m = 7.31 m.
The goal height is given by
h = 8 ft
_
1 m
3.281 ft
_
= 2.438 m = 2.44 m.
Problem 1.5 The central span of the Golden Gate
Bridge is 1280 m long. What is its length in miles
to three signicant digits?
Solution:
(1280 m)
_
39.37 in
1 m
__
1 ft
12 in
__
1 mi
5280 ft
_
= 0.7953. . mi = 0.795 mi
Problem 1.6 Suppose that you have just purchased
a Ferrari F355 coupe and you want to know whether
you can use your set of SAE (U.S. Customary Units)
wrenches to work on it. You have wrenches with widths
w = 1/4 in., 1/2 in., 3/4 in., and 1 in., and the car has nuts
with dimensions n = 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm,
and 25 mm. Dening a wrench to t if w is no more than
2% larger than n, which of your wrenches can you use?
n
Solution:
Convert the metric size n to inches, and compute the percentage dif-
ference between the metric sized nut and the SAE wrench. The results
are:
5 mm
_
1 inch
25.4 mm
_
= 0.19685.. in,
_
0.19685 0.25
0.19685
_
100
= 27.0%
10 mm
_
1 inch
25.4 mm
_
= 0.3937.. in,
_
0.3937 0.5
0.3937
_
100 = 27.0%
15 mm
_
1 inch
25.4 mm
_
= 0.5905.. in,
_
0.5905 0.5
0.5905
_
100 = +15.3%
20 mm
_
1 inch
25.4 mm
_
= 0.7874.. in,
_
0.7874 0.75
0.7874
_
100 = +4.7%
25 mm
_
1 inch
25.4 mm
_
= 0.9843.. in,
_
0.9843 1.0
0.9843
_
100 = 1.6%
A negative percentage implies that the metric nut is smaller than the
SAE wrench; a positive percentage means that the nut is larger then
the wrench. Thus within the denition of the 2% t, the 1 in. wrench
will t the 25 mm nut. The other wrenches cannot be used.
Problem 1.7 The orbital velocity of the International
Space Station is 7690 m/s. Determine its velocity in
km/hr and in mi/hr to three signicant digits.
Solution:
_
7690
m
s
__
1 m
1000 m
__
3600 s
1 hr
_
= 27,684 = 27,700
m
hr
_
7690
m
s
_
_
39.37 in
1 m
__
1 ft
12 in
__
1 mi
5280 ft
__
3600 s
1 hr
_
= 17,202. . = 17,200 mi/hr
Problem1.8 High-speedbullet trains beganrunning
between Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, in 1964. If a bullet
train travels at 240 km/hr, what is its velocity in mi/hr to
three signicant digits?
Solution:
Convert the units using Table 1.2. The results are:
240
_
m
hr
_
_
1 mile
5280 ft
__
1 ft
0.3048 m
__
1000 m
1 m
_
= 149.12908 . . .
_
mile
hr
_
= 149
_
mile
hr
_
Problem 1.9 In December 1986, Dick Rutan and
Jeana Yeager ew the Voyager aircraft around the world
nonstop. They ew a distance of 40,212 km in 9 days,
3 minutes, and 44 seconds.
(a) Determine the distance they ew in miles to three
signicant digits.
(b) Determine their average speed (the distance own
divided by the time required) in kilometers per hour,
miles per hour, and knots (nautical miles per hour)
to three signicant digits.
Solution:
Convert the units using Table 1.2.
(a) 40,212 m
_
1000 m
1 m
__
1 ft
0.3048 m
__
1 mile
5280 ft
_
= 24,987 mi = 25,000 mi
(b) The time of ight is
9 days 3 min 44 sec =
_
(9)(24)+
_
3
60
_
+
_
44
3600
__
hours
=216.062 hours.
The average speed is
_
40,212 m
216.062 hours
_
= 186.11
m
hr
. Converting,
_
186.11
m
hr
_
_
1 mile
1.609 m
_
= 115.7
mi
hr
= 116
mi
hr
, or
_
186.11
m
hr
_
_
1 nautical mile
1.852 m
_
= 100.49 knots
= 100 knots to three signicant digits.
Problem 1.10 Engineers who study shock waves
sometimes express velocity in millimeters per micro-
second (mm/s). Suppose the velocity of a wavefront is
measured and determined to be 5 mm/s. Determine its
velocity: (a) in m/s; (b) in mi/s.
Solution:
Convert units using Tables 1.1 and 1.2. The results:
(a) 5
_
mm
s
__
1 m
1000 mm
__
10
6
s
1 s
_
= 5000
_
m
s
_
.
Next, use this result to get (b):
(b) 5000
_
m
s
__
1 ft
0.3048 m
__
1 mi
5280 ft
_
= 3.10685 . . .
_
mi
s
_
= 3.11
_
mi
s
_
Problem1.11 The kinetic energy of a particle of mass
m is dened to be
1
2
mv
2
, where v is the magnitude of
the particles velocity. If the value of the kinetic energy
of a particle at a given time is 200 when mis in kilograms
and v is in meters per second, what is the value when m
is in slugs and v is in feet per second?
Solution:
_
200
kg-m
2
s
2
__
0.0685 slug
1 kg
__
1 ft
0.3048 m
_
2
= 147.46 = 147
slug-ft
2
s
2
Problem 1.12 The acceleration due to gravity at sea
level in SI units is g = 9.81 m/s
2
. By converting units,
use this value to determine the acceleration due to gravity
at sea level in U.S. Customary units.
Solution:
Use Table 1.2. The result is:
g = 9.81
_
m
s
2
__
1 ft
0.3048 m
_
= 32.185 . . .
_
ft
s
2
_
= 32.2
_
ft
s
2
_
Problem 1.13 A furlong per fortnight is a facetious
unit of velocity, perhaps made up by a student as a satir-
ical comment on the bewildering variety of units engi-
neers must deal with. A furlong is 660 ft (1/8 mile). A
fortnight is 2 weeks (14 days). If you walk to class at
2 m/s, what is your speed in furlongs per fortnight to
three signicant digits?
Solution:
Convert the units using the given conversions. Record the rst three
digits on the left, and add zeros as required by the number of tens in
the exponent. The result is:
_
5
ft
s
__
1 furlong
660 ft
__
3600 s
1 hr
__
24 hr
1 day
__
14 day
1 fortnight
_
=
_
9160
furlongs
fortnight
_
Problem 1.14 The cross-sectional area of a beam is
480 in
2
. What is its cross-section in m
2
?
Solution:
Convert units using Table 1.2. The result:
480 in
2
_
1 ft
12 in
_
2
_
0.3048 m
1 ft
_
2
= 0.30967 . . . m
2
= 0.310 m
2
Problem1.15 At sea level, the weight density (weight
per unit volume) of water is approximately 62.4 lb/ft
3
.
1 lb = 4.448 N, 1 ft = 0.3048 m, and g = 9.81 m/s
2
.
Using only this information, determine the mass density
for water in kg/m
3
.
Solution:
Get wt. density in N/m
3
rst.
_
62.4
lb
ft
3
__
4.448 N
1 lb
__
1 ft
0.3048 m
_
3
= 9801.77
N
m
3
(carry extra signicant gures till endthen round)
weight = mass g
mass =
weight
g
_
9801.77
N
m
3
__
s
2
9.81 m
_
= 999
_
N-s
2
m
__
1
m
3
_
= 999 kg/m
3
Problem1.16 Apressure transducer measures a value
of 300 lb/in
2
. Determine the value of the pressure in
pascals. A pascal (Pa) is one newton per meter squared.
Solution:
Convert the units using Table 1.2 and the denition of the Pascal unit.
The result:
300
_
lb
in
2
__
4.448 N
1 lb
__
12 in
1 ft
_
2
_
1 ft
0.3048 m
_
2
= 2.0683 . . . (10
6
)
_
N
m
2
_
= 2.07(10
6
) Pa
Problem 1.17 A horsepower is 550 ft-lb/s. A watt
is 1 N-m/s. Determine the number of watts generated
by (a) the Wright brothers 1903 airplane, which had a
12-horsepower engine; (b) a modern passenger jet with
a power of 100,000 horsepower at cruising speed.
Solution:
Convert units using inside front cover of textbook derive the conversion
between horsepower and watts. The result
(a) 12 hp
_
746 watt
1 hp
_
= 8950 watt
(b) 10
5
hp
_
746 watt
1 hp
_
= 7.46(10
7
) watt
Problem 1.18 In SI units, the universal gravitational
constant G = 6.67 10
11
N-m
2
/kg
2
. Determine the
value of G in U.S. Customary units.
Solution:
Convert units using Table 1.2. The result:
6.67(10
11
)
_
N-m
2
kg
2
__
1 lb
4.448 N
__
1 ft
0.3048 m
_
2
_
14.59 kg
1 slug
_
2
= 3.43590 . . . (10
8
)
_
lb-ft
2
slug
2
_
= 3.44(10
8
)
_
lb-ft
2
slug
2
_
Problem1.19 If the earth is modeled as a homogenous
sphere, the velocity of a satellite in a circular orbit is
v =

gR
2
E
r
,
where R
E
is the radius of the earth and r is the radius of
the orbit.
(a) If g is in m/s
2
and R
E
and r are in meters, what are
the units of v?
(b) If R
E
= 6370 km and r = 6670 km, what is the
value of v to three signicant digits?
(c) For the orbit described in Part (b), what is the value
of v in mi/s to three signicant digits?
Solution:
For (a), substitute the units into the expression and reduce:
(a)

_
g
_
m
s
2
_
(R
E
m)
2
(rm)
=
_
gR
2
E
r
_
m
3
ms
2
_
= v
_
m
s
_
Hence, the units are m/s
For (b), substitute the numerical values into the expression, using
g = 9.81
_
m
s
2
_
.
v =

_
_
9.81
m
s
2
_
_
(6370 m)
_
10
3 m
m
__
2
(6670 m)
_
10
3 m
m
_
=
_
59.679 . . . (10
6
)
_
m
s
_
= 7.7252 . . . (10
3
)
_
m
s
_
(b) v = 7730
_
m
s
_
For (c), convert units using Table 1.2. The result:
(c) v = 7730
_
m
s
__
1 ft
0.3048 m
__
1 mile
5280 ft
_
= 4.803 . . .
_
mile
s
_
= 4.80
_
mile
s
_
Problem 1.20 In the equation
T =
1
2
I
2
,
the term I is in kg-m
2
and is in s
1
.
(a) What are the SI units of T?
(b) If the value of T is 100 when I is in kg-m
2
and is
in s
1
,
what is the value of T when it is expressed in
U.S. Customary base units?
Solution:
For (a), substitute the units into the expression for T:
(a) T =
_
1
2
_
(I kg-m
2
)(s
1
)
2
=
kg-m
2
s
2
For (b), convert units using Table 1.2. The result:
(b) 100
_
kg-m
2
s
2
__
1 slug
14.59 kg
__
1 ft
0.3048 m
_
2
= 73.7759 . . .
_
slug-ft
2
s
2
_
= 73.8
_
slug-ft
2
s
2
_
Problem 1.21 The aerodynamic drag force D exerted
on a moving object by a gas is given by the expression
D = C
D
S
1
2
v
2
,
where the drag coefcient C
D
is dimensionless, S is
reference area, is the mass per unit volume of the gas,
and v is the velocity of the object relative to the gas.
(a) Suppose that the value of D is 800 when S, , and
v are expressed in SI base units. By converting
units, determine the value of D when S, , and v
are expressed in U.S. Customary units.
(b) The drag force Dis in newtons when the expression
is evaluated in SI base units and is in pounds when
the expression is evaluated in U.S. Customary base
units. Using your result frompart (a), determine the
conversion factor from newtons to pounds.
Solution:
For (a), we just carry out the conversion unit by unit. We get:
(a) 800( m
2
)
_
kg
m
3
__
m
s
_
2
= 800
_
kg m
s
2
_
= 800
_
0.0685 slug
1 kg
__
3.281 ft
1 m
__
1
s
2
_
= 180
_
slug ft
s
2
_
(b) From (a), 800 N = 180 lb. Hence, 1 N = 0.225 lb.
Problem 1.22 The pressure p at a depth h below the
surface of a stationary liquid is given by
p = p
s
+h,
where p
s
is pressure at the surface and is a constant.
(a) If p is in newtons per meter squared and h is in
meters, what are the units of ?
(b) For a particular liquid, the value of is 9810 when
p is in newtons per meter squared and h is in meters.
What is the value for when p is in pounds per foot
squared and h is in feet?
Solution:
The units of h are the same as the units of P. Thus, in units
_
N
m
2
_
= ( m)
units of N/m
3
We must convert 9810
N
m
3
to
lb
ft
3
_
9810
N
m
3
__
1 lb
4.448 N
__
0.3048 m
1 ft
_
3
= 62.4 lb/ft
3
Problem 1.23 The acceleration due to gravity is
1.62 m/s
2
on the surface of the moon and 9.81 m/s
2
on the surface of the earth. A female astronauts mass
is 57 kg. What is the maximum allowable mass of her
spacesuit and equipment if the engineers dont want the
total weight on the moon of the woman, her spacesuit
and equipment to exceed 180 N?
Solution:
Find the mass which weighs 180 N on the moon.
m =
w
g
=
180 N-s
2
1.62 m
= 111.1 kg
This is the total allowable mass. Thus, the suit & equipment can have
mass of
m
S/E
= 111.1 kg 57 kg = 54.1 kg
Problem 1.24 A person has a mass of 50 kg.
(a) The acceleration due to gravity at sea level is g =
9.81 m/s
2
. What is the persons weight at sea level?
(b) The acceleration due to gravity on the moon is g =
1.62 m/s
2
. What would the person weigh on the
moon?
Solution:
Use Eq (1.6).
(a) We = 50 kg
_
9.81
m
s
2
_
= 490.5 N = 491 N, and
(b) Wmoon = 50 kg
_
1.62
m
s
2
_
= 81 N.
Problem 1.25 The acceleration due to gravity at sea
level is g = 9.81 m/s
2
. The radius of the earth is
6370 km. The universal gravitation constant is G =
6.67 10
11
N-m
2
/kg
2
. Use this information to deter-
mine the mass of the earth.
Solution:
Use Eq (1.3) a =
Gm
E
R
2
. Solve for the mass,
m
E
=
gR
2
G
=
(9.81 m/s
2
)(6370 m)
2
_
10
3 m
m
_
2
6.67(10
11
)
_
N-m
2
kg
2
_
= 5.9679 . . . (10
24
) kg = 5.97(10
24
) kg
Problem 1.26 A person weighs 180 lb at sea level.
The radius of the earth is 3960 mi. What force is exerted
on the person by the gravitational attraction of the earth
if he is in a space station in orbit 200 mi above the surface
of the earth?
Solution:
Use Eq (1.5).
W =mg
_
R
E
r
_
2
=
_
W
E
g
_
g
_
R
E
R
E
+H
_
2
=W
E
_
3960
3960 + 200
_
2
=(180)(0.90616) = 163 lb
Problem 1.27 The acceleration due to gravity on the
surface of the moon is 1.62 m/s
2
. The radius of the moon
is R
M
= 1738 km.
Determine the acceleration due to gravity of the moon at
a point 1738 km above its surface.
Strategy: Write an equation equivalent to Eq. (1.4) for
the acceleration due to gravity of the moon.
Solution:
Use Eq (1.4), rewritten to apply to the Moon. . . a = g
M
_
R
M
r
_
2
a =(1.62 m/s
2
)
_
R
M
R
M
+R
M
_
2
= (1.62 m/s
2
)
_
1
2
_
2
= 0.405 m/s
2
Problem 1.28 If an object is near the surface of the
earth, the variation of its weight with distance from the
center of the earth can often be neglected. The acceler-
ation due to gravity at sea level is g = 9.81 m/s
2
. The
radius of the earth is 6370 km. The weight of an object
at sea level is mg, where m is its mass. At what height
above the earth does the weight decrease to 0.99 mg?
Solution:
Use a variation of Eq (1.5).
W = mg
_
R
E
R
E
+h
_
2
= 0.99 mg
Solve for the radial height,
h = R
E
_
1

0.99
1
_
= (6370)(1.0050378 1.0)
= 32.09 . . . m = 32,100 m = 32.1 m
Problem 1.29 The centers of two oranges are 1 m
apart. The mass of each orange is 0.2 kg. What gravita-
tional force do they exert on each other? (The universal
gravitational constant is G = 6.67 10
11
N-m
2
/kg
2
.)
Solution:
Use Eq (1.1) F =
Gm
1
m
2
r
2
. Substitute:
F =
(6.67)(10
11
)(0.2)(0.2)
1
2
= 2.668(10
12
) N
Problem 1.30 At a point between the earth and the
moon, the magnitude of the earths gravitational accel-
eration equals the magnitude of the moons gravitational
acceleration. What is the distance from the center of
the earth to that point to three signicant digits? The
distance from the center of the earth to the center of
the moon is 383,000 km, and the radius of the earth is
6370 km. The radius of the moon is 1738 km, and the
acceleration of gravity at its surface is 1.62 m/s
2
.
Solution:
Let r
Ep
be the distance from the Earth to the point where the gravita-
tional accelerations are the same and let r
Mp
be the distance from the
Moon to that point. Then, r
Ep
+ r
Mp
= r
EM
= 383,000 m. The
fact that the gravitational attractions by the Earth and the Moon at this
point are equal leads to the equation
g
E
_
R
E
r
Ep
_
2
= g
M
_
R
M
r
Mp
_
2
,
where r
EM
= 383,000 m. Substituting the correct numerical values
leads to the equation
9.81
_
m
s
2
__
6370 m
r
Ep
_
2
= 1.62
_
m
s
2
__
1738 m
r
EM
r
Ep
_
2
,
where r
Ep
is the onlyunknown. Solving, we get r
Ep
= 344,770m =
345,000 m.