UNIT 1

UNITS AND DIMENSIONS

Unit is any measure or amount used as a standard for measurement. It is a means of the
measurable extent of a physical quantity. The derived unit is a combination of primary units.
The derived quantity is a combination of two or more primary dimensions. Their units are a
combination of primary units.
TABLE 1
PRIMARY DIMENSIONS AND UNITS IN DIFFERENT SYSTEM OF UNITS
Quantity

Units

Symbol

Dimension

FPS

MKS

CGS

FPS

CGS

CGS

Length

Foot

metre

centimeter

ft

cm

Mass

Pound

kilogram

Gram

lb

kg

Time

Second

second

Second

Temperature

Fahrenheit

Celsius

Celsius

TABLE 2
DERIVED UNITS IN SI
Quantity

Units (symbolic abbreviation in bracket)

Dimension

SI

MKS/CGS

FPS

(based on
SI)

Area

square metre
(m2)

square centimetre
(cm2)

square feet (ft2)

L2

Volume

cubic metre
(m3)

cubic centimetre
(cm3), litre (L)

cubic feet (ft3)

L3

Density

kilograms per
cubic metre

grams per cubic

centimetre (g cm-3)

pounds per cubic

foot (lb ft -3)

ML-3

grams per second

pounds per hour

MT-1

(g s-1)

(lb h-1)

(kg m-3)
Mass flow
rate

Quantity

kilogram per
second (kg s-1)

Units (symbolic abbreviation in bracket)

Dimension
(based on SI)

SI

MKS/CGS

FPS

Molar flow
rate

moles per second (mol s-1)

moles per second

(mol s-1)

pounds per hour (lb

h-1)

nT-1

Volumetric
flow rate

cubic metres per second

cubic
centimetres per
second (cm3 s-1) ,
litre per second
(L s-1)

cubic feet per hour

L3T-1

(m3 s-1)

(ft3 h-1)

Mass flux

moles per square metre per

second
(mol s-1 m-2)

moles per square

metre per second
(mol s-1 m-2)

pound moles per

hour per square
foot (lb-mol h-1 ft-2)

nT-1L-2

Force

newton (N)

kilogram-force
(kgf )

pound force (lbf)

MLT-2

Pressure

newton per square metre or

pascal (N m-2 or Pa)

kilogram force
per square
centimetre (kgf
cm-2)

pound force per

square foot (lb ft-2)

ML-1T-2

Quantity

Units (symbolic abbreviation in bracket)

Dimension
(based on SI)

Energy

SI

MKS/CGS

FPS

joule (j)

metre kilogram force

foot pound force (ft

lbf)

ML2T-2

(m kgf)
Power

watts or joules per

second (W or J s-1)

horse power (HP)

foot pound force per

second (ft lb s-1)

ML2T-3

Heat,
Enthalpy

Joules (J ) British

kilocalories (Kcal )

Thermal Unit (Btu)

ML2T-2

Heat capacity

joules per
kilogram per
degree kelvin (J
kg-1 K-1)

kilocalories per
kilogram per degree
celsius (kcal kg-1 0C-1)

Btu per pound per

degree Fahrenheit
(Btu lb-1 0F-1)

L2T-2K-1

Molar heat
capacity

Joules per mole

per degree kelvin
(J mol-1 K-1)

Kilocalories per mole

per degree celsius
(kcal mol-1 0C-1)

Btu per pound per

degree Farenheit

ML2T-2K-1N-1

joules per square

metre per second
(J s-1 m-2 W m-2 )

kilocalories per hour

per square metre
(kcal h-1 m-2)

Btu per hour per

square foot (Btu h-1
ft-2)

Heat flux

(Btu lb mol-1 0F-1)

MT-3

Conversion factors
1) Length: 1ft = 12 inches
1 inch = 2.54 cm, 1ft = 30.48 cm, 1 yard= 36 inch = 3 feet, 1 mile=1.609
km
2) Mass: 1 kg = 1000 g,
1 lb = 453.59 g = 0.45359 kg
1 ton = 1000 kg
3) Temperature: K= C+ 273
C= 5/9 (F-32)
R = F + 460
4) Pressure: 1 bar = 1x105 N/m2 = 750 mmHg
1 N/m2 = 1 Pa
1atm = 1.01325 x 105 N/m2 = 760 mmHg = 33.91ft water = 14.696 psi =
29.92 inches Hg
1 mm Hg = 1 torr
5) Force: 1 kgf = 9.806 N
6) Energy: 1 calorie =4.184 J
1 Btu = 252 calorie
1 J = 1 kgm2/s2 = 107 erg
1 Btu =1055 J
7) Volume: 1cc = 1 ml
1 L = 1000 cc
8) Power: 1 Hp = 745.7 W. 1W = 1J/s. 1 W = 1 N.m
9) Density: 1 g/cc = 1000 kg/m3 = 1 kg/L
Value of Universal gas constant
R= 8.314 J/(gmol.K)
= 1.987 (cal/gmol.K)
= 0.082 atm.L/(gmol.K)
= 8.314 m3Pa/(gmol.K)
= 8.314 m3KPa/(kgmol.K)

Temperature scale:
1) C= R

2) C= K
3)

C =1.8 F

4)

K =1.8 R

Pressure scale:
1) Absolute pressure = gauge pressure + atmospheric pressure
2) Absolute pressure = gauge pressure + barometric pressure
3) Absolute pressure = atmospheric pressure vacuum pressure