Conversion of Units

Table of Contents

What is Conversion of Units?

Conversion of units is the process of changing the units of a quantity from one system to another. The process can be accomplished by using a conversion factor, which is a number that relates the two systems of measurement. For example, the conversion factor between inches and centimeters is 2.54, which means that there are 2.54 centimeters in every inch. To convert from inches to centimeters, you would multiply the quantity by 2.54. To convert from centimeters to inches, you would divide the quantity by 2.54.

Introduction and SI Base Units

An introduction to the SI base units, and how they are used to measure physical quantities.

Examples of an Instance Where Conversion of Units of Measurement is Used:

In the scientific community, it is common to use the metric system of measurement. This system is based on the metric prefixes that are used to denote multiples of 10. For example, the prefix kilo- means 1000 and the prefix milli- means 1/1000. In the metric system, all measurements are base 10. This means that when a number is multiplied by 10, the unit of measurement is increased by a power of 10. For example, if you have a measurement of 1 meter, and you multiply it by 10, you would have a measurement of 10 meters. If you then multiply it by 10 again, you would have a measurement of 100 meters.
In the U.S. customary system of measurement, all measurements are base 12. This means that when a number is multiplied by 12, the unit of measurement is increased by a power of 12. For example, if you have a measurement of 1 inch, and you multiply it by 12, you would have a measurement of 12 inches. If you then multiply it by 12 again, you would have a measurement of 144 inches.

Unit Conversion Chart for Mass:

1 slug = 14.59 kg
1 ounce = 28.35 grams
1 ton = 1,000 kg