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1.6 Conversion Tables For Units: Chapter 1 - 1
1.6 Conversion Tables For Units: Chapter 1 - 1
3/2 -1
ir)
2
-1
eliminated by writing Fr = esu of charge = erg cm = cm g s , and 40 = = 1 Fr erg
-1
cm = 1, to recover esu expressions in terms of three base units (see section 7.3 below). The
symbol Fr should be regarded as a compact representation of (esu of charge).
Conversion factors are either given exactly (when the = sign is used), or they are given to the
approximation that the corresponding physical constants are known (when the sign is used). In
the latter case the uncertainty is always less than 5 in the last digit quoted.
Chapter 1 - 1
Name
length, l
metre (SI unit)
centimetre (cgs unit)
ngstrm
micron
millimicron
x unit
fermi
inch
foot
yard
mile
nautical mile
astronomical unit
parsec
light year
light second
area, A
square metre (SI unit)
barn
acre
are
hectare
volume, V
cubic metre (SI unit)
litre
lambda
barrel (US)
gallon (US)
gallon (UK)
Symbol
m
cm
m
X
f, fm
in
ft
yd
mi
AU
pc
l.y.
Relation to SI
-2
= 10 m
-10
= 10 m
-6
= m = 10 m
-9
= nm = 10 m
-13
1.00210 m
-15
= fm = 10 m
-2
= 2.5410 m
= 12 in = 0.3048 m
= 3 ft = 0.9144 m
= 1760 yd = 1609.344 m
= 1852 m
11
= 1.496 0010 m
16
3.085 6810 m
15
9.460 52810 m
= 299 792 458 m
m
b
-28
= 10 m
2
4046.856 m
2
= 100 m
4
2
= 10 m
a
ha
m
l, L
gal (US)
gal (UK)
Chapter 1 - 2
-3
= dm = 10 m
-6
3
= l = 10 dm
3
158.987 dm
3
= 3.785 41 dm
3
= 4.546 09 dm
Name
Symbol
mass, m
kilogram (SI unit)
gram (cgs unit)
electron mass (au)
unified atomic mass
unit, daltonS
gamma
tonne
pound (avoirdupois)
ounce (avoirdupois)
ounce (troy)
grain
time, t
second (SI, cgs unit)
au of time
minute
hour
1
day
2
year
svedberg
Relation to SI
kg
g
me
u, Da
= 10 kg
-31
9.109 3910 kg
12
-27
= ma( C)/12 1.660 54010 kg
t
lb
oz
oz (trou)
gr
= g
3
= Mg = 10 kg
= 0.453 592 37 kg
28.3495 g
31.1035 g
= 64.798 91 mg
s
h/Eh
min
h
d
a
Sv
2.418 8810
= 60 s
= 3600 s
= 86 400 s
31 556 952 s
-13
= 10 s
-3
-17
(1)
Note that the day is not exactly in terms of the second since so-called leap-seconds are
added or subtracted from the day semiannually in order to keep the annual average
occurrence of midnight at 24:00 on the clock.
(2)
The year is not commensurable with the day and not a constant. Prior to 1967, when the
atomic standard was introduced, the tropical year 1900 served as the basis for the
definition of the second. For the epoch 1900.0. it amounted to 365.242 198 79 d 31
556 925.975 s and it decreases by 0.530 seconds per century. The calendar years are
exactly defined in terms of the day:
Julian year = 365.25 d
Gregorian year = 365.2425 d.
The definition in the table corresponds to the Gregorian year. This is an average based
on a year of length 365 days, with leap years of 366 days; leap years are taken either
when the year is divisible by 4 but is not divisible by 100, or when the year is divisible
by 400. Whether the year 3200 should be a leap year is still open, but this does not have
to be resolved until sometime in the middle of the 32nd century.
Chapter 1 - 3
Name
Symbol
Relation to SI
acceleration, a
SI unit
standard acceleration of
free fall
gal, galileo
ms
gn
= 9.806 65 m s
Gal
= 10 m s
force, F
3
newton (SI unit)
dyne (cgs unit)
au of force
kilogram-force
N
dyn
Eh/a0
kgf
= kg m s
-2
-5
= g cm s = 10 N
-8
8.238 7310 N
= 9.806 65 N
energy, U
joule (SI unit)
erg (cgs unit)
rydberg
electronvolt
calorie, thermochemical
calorie, international
15 C calorie
litre atmosphere
British thermal unit
J
erg
Ry
eV
calth
calIT
cal15
l atm
Btu
= kg m s
2 -2
-7
= g cm s = 10 J
-18
= Eh/2 2.179 8710 J
-19
= eV 1.602 1810 J
= 4.184 J
= 4.1868 J
4.1855 J
= 101.325 J
= 1055.06 J
Pa
atm
bar
Torr
mmHg
= N m = kg m s
= 101 325 Pa
5
= 10 Pa
= (101 325/760) Pa 133.322 Pa
-2
= 13.5951980.66510 Pa 133.322 Pa
psi
6.894 75710 Pa
W
hp
= kg m s
= 745.7 W
pressure, p
pascal (SI unit)
atmosphere
bar
torr
millimetre of mercury
(conventional)
pounds per squere inch
power, P
watt (SI unit)
horse power
(3)
-2
-2
-2
-2
-2
2 -2
-2
-1 -2
2 -3
Chapter 1 - 4
Name
Symbol
Relation to SI
JS
erg s
h = h / 2
= kg m s
-7
= 10 J s
-34
1.054 5710 J s
dynamic viscosity,
SI unit
poise
centipoise
Pa s
P
cP
= kg m s
-1
= 10 Pa s
= mPa s
kinematic viscosity, v
SI unit
stokes
m s
St
= 10 m s
thermodynamic temperature, T
kelvin (SI unit)
4
degree Rankine
K
R
= (5/9) K
entropy, S
heat capacity, C
SI unit
clausius
JK
Cl
molar entropy, Sm
molar heat capacity, Cm
SI unit
entropy unit
(4)
2 -1
-1 -1
2 -1
-4
2 -1
-1
-1
= calth/K = 4.184 J K
-1
-1
J K mol
e.u.
-1
-1
-1
-1
Chapter 1 - 5
Name
Symbol
molar volume, Vm
SI unit
amagat
m mol
amagat
plane angle,
radian (SI unit)
degree
minute
second
grade
rad
grad
radioactivity, A
becquerel (SI unit)
curie
Bq
Ci
=s
10
= 3.710 Bq
Gy
rad
= J kg
= 0.01 Gy
dose equialent
sievert (SI unit)
rem
Sv
rem
= J kg
0.01 Sv
Relation to SI
-1
-1
(5)
-1
-1
Chapter 1 - 6
Name
Symbol
Relation to SI
electric current, I
ampere (SI unit)
esu, Gau
biot (emu)
A
(10/)A
Bi
3.335 6410
= 10 A
electric charge, Q
coulomb (SI unit)
franklin (esu, Gau)
emu (abcoulomb)
proton charge (au)
charge density,
SI unit
esu, Gau
electrical potential, V,
volt (SI unit)
esu, Gau
mean international volt
US international volt
electric resistance, R
ohm (SI unit)
mean international ohm
US international ohm
C
Fr
-10
=As
-10
= (10/)C 3.335 6410 C
= 10 C
-19
-10
1.602 1810 C 4.803 2110 Fr
-3
Cm
-3
Fr cm
7 -1
-3
-4
-3
= 10 C m 3.335 6410 C m
-1
-1 -1
V
-1
erg Fr
=JC =JA s
-1
= Fr cm /40 = 299.792 458 V
= 1.00034 V
= 1.000 330 V
= V A = m kg s A
= 1.000 49
= 1.000 495
-1
-3
-2
electric field, E
SI unit
esu, Gau
Vm
=JC m
-2
4
-1
Fr cm /40 = 2.997 924 5810 V m
Vm
=JC m
-3
6
-2
Fr cm /40 = 2.997 924 5810 V m
Cm
Fr cm
D
-1
-1
-1
-2
-1
-2
-12
3.335 6410 C m
-18
-30
= 10 Fr cm 3.335 6410 C m
Chapter 1 - 7
Name
Symbol
Relation to SI
3.335 6410
T
G
= J A m = V s m = Wb m
-4
= 10 T
magnetic flux,
weber (SI unit)
maxwell (emu, Gau)
Wb
Mx
=JA =Vs
-2
-8
= G cm = 10 Wb
-14
-1
-2
-2
Cm
-2
-2
-1
magnetic field, H
(volume) magnetization, M
-1
-1
-1
=Cs m
SI unit
Am
3
-1
oersted (emu, Gau)
Oe
= 10 A m
(ir)
[But note: in practice the oersted, Oe, is only used as a unit for H = 4H; thus when
(ir)
3
-1
H = 1 Oe, H = (10 /4) A m .]
magnetic dipole moment, m,
2
SI unit
Am
-1
emu, Gau
erg G
6
Bohr magneton
B
nuclear magneton
N
=JT
2
-3
-1
= 10 A cm =10 J T
-24
-1
= eh/2me 9.274 0210 J T
-27
-1
= (me/mp)B 5.050 7910 J T
magnetizability,
SI unit
= C m kg
(6)
-2
JT
-1
-1
The Bohr magneton B is sometimes denoted BM (or B.M.), but this is not
recommended.
Chapter 1 - 8
Name
Symbol
Relation to SI
magnetic susceptibility, ,
SI unit
1
emu, Gau
1
[But note: in practice susceptibilities quoted in the context of emu or Gaussian units are
(ir)
(ir)
-6
-6
always values for = /4; thus when = 10 , = 410 .]
molar magnetic susceptibility, m
3
-1
SI unit
m mol
3
-1
-6
3
-1
emu, Gau
cm mol
= 10 m mol
3
-1
[But note: in practice the units cm mol usually imply that the irrational molar
(ir)
(ir)
-6
3
susceptibility is being quoted, m = m/4; thus, for example if m = -1510 cm
-1
-10
3
-1
mol , which is often written as '-15 cgs ppm', then m = -1.8810 m mol .]
Chapter 1 - 9