Introduction
For Unit conversion, we need specific physical units that can be converted from one unit to another. By physical quantity, we mean any quantity that can be quantified by measurement or can be measured. Some examples of physical quantities include length, breadth, distance, speed, viscosity, velocity, temperature, etc. Some of these quantities can be easily measured using a ruler or a thermometer. On the other hand, some physical quantities require unique derived formulas for their evaluation.
So, to make our calculation easy, we often convert one of these physical quantities into different units. In this article, we will learn about the criteria for converting one quantity into various units.
Unit Conversion
Unit Conversion is simply the method of converting one unit to another. As we discussed earlier, we require some physical quantities to convert one unit to another. Moreover, knowing the relation between those two units you will interchange is necessary. For example, if you want to convert 5 metres into cm, we must know that 1 metre carries 100 centimetres. Therefore, 5 metres will have 500 centimetres.
The unit conversion can be for various types of physical quantities. Some of them are listed below.
Length Unit Conversion
Length is the physical quantity that tells us about how long anything is. The simplest and the most common method of measuring the length is using a ruler. However, measurement with a ruler holds certain limitations. For instance, the naked eye cannot see beyond 0.5 cm with a ruler. Thus, we can use other instruments like screw gauge (micrometre scale) or Vernier calliper to measure with more accuracy.
Look at the given table to know the relation between different units of length with standard units, i.e. metres.
| 1 Kilometre | 1000 metres |
|---|---|
| 1 Hectometre | 100 metres |
| 1 Decametre | 10 metres |
| 1 Decimetre | 0.1 metres |
| 1 Centimetre | 0.01 metres |
| 1 Millimetre | 0.001 metre |
| 1 Angstrom | 1 x 10-10 metres |
| 1 Mile | 1.609344 km |
| 1 Light Year | 0.946 × 1016 metres |
Time Unit Conversion
The duration or period between any two events is its time or period. The standard unit of time is second. However, we mostly use minutes, hours, days, weeks, or even years to express events with greater time. The unit conversion table for it is given below:
| 1 year | 365 days |
|---|---|
| 1 Week | 7 Days |
| 1 Day | 24 Hours |
| 1 Hour | 60 Minutes |
| 1 Minute | 60 Seconds |
Energy Unit Conversion
The ability or the capacity to do any work is referred to as energy. The SI unit is J (Joule), named after the scientist James P. Joule. This SI unit is the same as it is for Power. Erg is its CGS unit. Moreover, there are many other units for measuring energy. The relation between them is as follows:
| 1 Erg | 1×10−7 Joule |
|---|---|
| 1 Kilowatt-hour | 3.6×106 Joule |
| 1 Calorie | 4.186 Joule |
| 1 Electron Volt | 1.602×10−19 Joule |
Area Unit Conversion
The region or space enclosed in any closed shape is the area. It is usually measured in square metres/centimetres/ kilometres, depending on the area enclosed. It is also measured in hectares, acres, or square miles.
The table given below discusses the relationship between various units of the area with square metres.
| 1 acre | 4.0468 x 103 m2 |
|---|---|
| 1 sq. mile |
|
| 1 hectare | 1 x 104 m2 |
Force Unit Conversion
Any external agent capable of changing a body’s position, shape, size, or direction is the force. Force can be of many types, such as gravitational, frictional, magnetic, and mechanical. The SI (International System of units) unit of Force is N (Newton), named after the famous and renowned scientist Sir Isaac Newton. Force is measured by calculating the product of mass and acceleration. Thus, another unit is kg⋅m⋅s−2. Here, ‘Kg’ is the SI unit of mass whereas, ‘m⋅s−2’ is the SI unit of acceleration. Other units are dyne and pound.
| 1 kg⋅m⋅s-2 | 1 newton |
|---|---|
| 1 pound | 4.448 newton |
| 1 dyne | 1 x 10-5 newton |
Solved Questions on Unit Conversion
- Reeta completed her assignment in 1 day and 12 hours. Express the given time in minutes.
Solution:
As we know,
1 day= 24 hours= 1440 minutes (24 ×60)
12 hours= 720 minutes.
The total time taken by Reeta will be 1440+720
=2160 minutes
- Raman bought a farm that had an area of 7 Hectares. Express the value of 7 Hectares in sq. km.
Solution:
As we know:
1 Hectare= 0.01 Km2
7 Hectares= 0.07 Km2
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The basic rule while converting one unit to another is that we need to divide while converting any smaller unit to a larger one. On the other hand, we multiply while converting any larger unit into a smaller one. The SI unit that represents the electric current is Ampere. Moreover, the standard or the Si unit representing the voltage will be Volts or V. 1 Km= 1000 m; Thus, 90 Km= 90000 metres. The metre is the SI, and a centimetre is the CGS (Centimetre-Gram-Second) unit of length. Unit Conversion FAQs
What are the basic criteria for unit conversion?
In which unit electric current and voltage is measured?
How many metres are present in 90 Km?
State the SI and CGS unit of length.
