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Dr. Ahmed Faiq Al-Alawy
Chapter 1
Dimensions, Units, and Their Conversion
1.1 Units and Dimensions
Dimensions are our basic concepts of measurement such as length, time, mass, temperature, and so on; units are the means of expressing the dimensions, such as feet or centimeters for length, and hours or seconds for time. In this lectures you will use the two most commonly used systems of units:
1. SI , formally called Le Systeme Internationale d’Unites, and informally called SI or more often (redundantly) the SI system of units. 2. AE , or American Engineering system of units. Dimensions and their respective units are classified as fundamental or derived: Fundamental (or basic) dimensions/units are those that can be measured independently and are sufficient to describe essential physical quantities. Derived dimensions/units are those that can be developed in terms of the fundamental dimensions/units. Tables 1.1 and 1.2 list both basic, derived, and alternative units in the SI and AE systems. Figure 1.1 illustrates the relation between the basic dimensions and some of the derived dimensions. One of the best features of the SI system is that (except for time) units and their multiples and submultiples are related by standard factors designated by the prefix indicated in Table 1.3.
1.2 Operations with Units
The rules for handling units are essentially quite simple:
1.2.1 Addition, Subtraction, Equality You can add, subtract, or equate numerical quantities only if the associated units of the quantities are the same. Thus, the operation 5 kilograms + 3 joules cannot be carried out because the units as well as the dimensions of the two terms are different. The numerical operation 10 pounds + 5 grams can be performed (because the dimensions are the same, mass) only after the units are transformed to be the same, either pounds, grams, or ounces, or some other mass unit.
Dr. Ahmed Faiq Al-Alawy
Table 1.1 SI Units
Table 1.2 American Engineering (AE) System Units
Dr. Ahmed Faiq Al-Alawy The operation indicated by 1 ft + 3 s has no meaning since the dimensions of the two terms are not the same. In the case of 1 hp + 300 watts the dimensions are the same (energy per unit time), but the units are different. You must transform the two quantities into like units, such as horsepower or watts, before the addition can be carried out. Since 1 hp = 746 watts, 746 watts + 300 watts = 1046 watts
1.3 Conversion of Units and Conversion Factors
The procedure for converting one set of units to another is simply to multiply any number and its associated units by ratios termed conversion factors to arrive at the desired answer and its associated units. If a plane travels at twice the speed of sound (assume that the speed of sound is 1100 ft/s), how fast is it going in miles per hour? We formulate the conversion as follows
Example 1. (a) Convert 2 km to miles. (b) Convert 400 in.^3 /day to cm^3 /min. Solution (a) One way to carry out the conversion is to look up a direct conversion factor, namely 1.61 km = 1 mile:
Another way is to use conversion factors you know
In part (b) note that not only are the numbers in the conversion of inches to centimeters raised to a power, but the units also are raised to the same power.
Dr. Ahmed Faiq Al-Alawy
Example 1. An example of a semiconductor is ZnS with a particle diameter of 1.8 nanometers. Convert this value to (a) dm (decimeters) and (b) inches. Solution
In the AE system the conversion of terms involving pound mass and pound force deserve special attention. Let us start the discussion with Newton’s Law:
Where: F = force C = a constant whose numerical value and units depend on those selected for F, m, and a m = mass a = acceleration In the SI system in which the unit of force is defined to be the Newton (N) when 1 kg is accelerated at 1 m/s^2 , a conversion factor C = 1 N/(Kg)(m)/s^2 must be introduced to have the force be 1 N:
Because the numerical value associated with the conversion factor is 1 , the conversion factor seems simple, even nonexistent, and the units are ordinarily ignored. In the AE system an analogous conversion factor is required. If a mass of 1 1bm is hypothetically accelerated at g ft/s^2 , where g is the acceleration that would be caused by gravity (about 32.2 ft/s^2 depending on the location of the mass), we can make the force be 1 1bf by choosing the proper numerical value and units for the conversion factor C:
Dr. Ahmed Faiq Al-Alawy Example 1. In biological systems, production rate of glucose is 0.6 μg mol/(mL)(min). Determine the production rate of glucose for this system in the units of lb mol/(ft^3 )(day). Solution Basis: 1 min
1.4 Dimensional Consistency (Homogeneity)
The concept of dimensional consistency can be illustrated by an equation that represents the pressure/volume/temperature behavior of a gas, and is known as van der Waals’s equation.
Inspection of the equation shows that the constant a must have the units of [(pressure)(volume)^2 ] for the expression in the first set of parentheses to be consistent throughout. If the units of pressure are atm and those of volume are cm^3 , a will have the units of [(atm)(cm)^6 ]. Similarly, b must have the same units as V , or in this particular case the units of cm^3.
Example 1. Your handbook shows that microchip etching roughly follows the relation
where d is the depth of the etch in microns (micrometers, μm) and t is the time of the etch in seconds. What are the units associated with the numbers 16.2 and 0.021? Convert the relation so that d becomes expressed in inches and t can be used in minutes. Solution Both values of 16.2 must have the associated units of microns ( μm ). The exponential must be dimensionless so that 0.021 must have the associated units of s−.
Dr. Ahmed Faiq Al-Alawy
Nondimensional Groups : As you proceed with the study of chemical engineering, you will find that groups of symbols may be put together, either by theory or based on experiment, that have no net units. Such collections of variables or parameters are called dimensionless or nondimensional groups. One example is the Reynolds number (group) arising in fluid mechanics.
where D is the pipe diameter, say in cm; ν is the fluid velocity, say in cm/s; ρ is the fluid density, say in g/cm^3 ; and μ is the viscosity, say in centipoise, units that can be converted to g/(cm)(s). Introducing the consistent set of units for D , ν , ρ , and μ into Dνρ / μ , you will find that all the units cancel out so that the numerical value of 1 is the result of the cancellation of the units.
Example 1. Explain without differentiating why the following differentiation cannot be correct:
where x is length and a is a constant. Solution Observe that x and a must have the same units because the ratio x^2 / a^2 must be dimensionless (because 1 is dimensionless). Thus, the left-hand side of the equation has units of 1/ x (from d/dx ). However, the right-hand side of the equation has units of x^2 (the product of ax ). Consequently, something is wrong as the equation is not dimensionally consistent.
Dr. Ahmed Faiq Al-Alawy
5. The dimensions are not the same. 6. A conversion factor in the American Engineering system of units. 7. Yes. 8. lbf is force and lbm is mass, and the dimensions are different. 9. The unit is not legal in SI. 10. In SI the magnitudes of many of the units are scaled on the basis of 10, in AE. Consequently, the units are often ignored in making conversion in SI. 11. (a) 1 lbf in the AE system of units; (b) yes; (c) no. 12. 1000 kg. 13. All additive terms on the right-hand side of an equation must have the same dimensions as those on the left-hand side. 14. All of the units cancel out. 15. Yes. 16. (a) Divide by the radius or diameter; (b) divide by the total time to empty the tank, or by a fixed unit of time.
Problems
1. Classify the following units as correct or incorrect units in the SI system: a. nm b. K c. sec d. N/mm e. kJ/(s)(m3) 2. Add 1 cm and 1 m. 3. Subtract 3 ft from 4 yards. 4. Divide 3 m1.5^ by 2 m0.5. 5. Multiply 2 ft by 4 lb. 6. What are the value and units of gc in the SI system? 7. Electronic communication via radio travels at approximately the speed of light (186, miles/second). The edge of the solar system is roughly at Pluto, which is 3.6 × 109 miles from Earth at its closest approach. How many hours does it take for a radio signal from Earth to reach Pluto? 8. Determine the kinetic energy of one pound of fluid moving in a pipe at the speed of 3 feet per second. 9. Convert the following from AE to SI units: a. 4 lbm/ft to kg/m b. 1.00 lbm/(ft^3 )(s) to kg/(m^3 )(s) 10. Convert the following 1.57 × 10−2^ g/(cm)(s) to lbm/(ft)(s) 11. Convert 1.1 gal to ft^3.
Dr. Ahmed Faiq Al-Alawy
12. Convert 1.1 gal to m^3. 13. An orifice meter is used to measure the rate of flow of a fluid in pipes. The flow rate is related to the pressure drop by the following equation
Where u = fluid velocity p = pressure drop 1force per unit area^2 ρ = density of the flowing fluid c = constant What are the units of c in the SI system of units?
14. The thermal conductivity k of a liquid metal is predicted via the empirical equation
where k is in J/(s)(m)(K) and A and B are constants. What are the units of A and B?
Answers:
1. (a), (d), (e) are correct. 2. Change units to get 101 cm. 3. Change units to get 9 ft. 4. 1.5 m. 5. 8 (ft)(lb). 6. 1, dimensionless. 7. 5.38 hr. 8. 0.14 (ft) (lbf). 9. a. 5.96 kg/m; b. 16.0 kg/(m^3 )(s) 10. 1.06 * 10-3^ lbm/(ft)(s) 11. 0.15 ft^3 12. 4.16 * 10-3^ m^3. 13. c is dimensionless 14. A has the same units as k ; B has the units of T
Dr. Ahmed Faiq Al-Alawy
Problem 4
Dr. Ahmed Faiq Al-Alawy
