Combination of Units

In other physics problems, some quantities have units which are combinations of the
units, and likewise require conversion.

Example: (speed)

1. What is the speed of an automobile in meter per second which travels 12 kilometers in
three hours?

Conversion Factors:
1 hr = 3600 s
1 km = 1000 m

Given: Solution:
12km
∆ d = 12 km S=
3 hrs
∆ t = 3 hrs
4 km 1hr 1000 m m
S= x x = 1.11
hr 3600 s 1 km s
Find:
S in m / s S = 4 Km / hr

∆d
Formula: S=
∆t

2. Express the density (d) in g/cm 3 of a 1.5 – kg object whose volume (V) is 0.027 m 3.

Conversion Factors:
1 m2 = 106 cm3
1 kg = 1000 g

Given: Solution:
1.5 kg kg
m = 1.5 kg d= 3 = 55.56
0.027 m m3
V = 0.027 m3
3
kg 1m 1000 g
d = 55.56 3 x 3 x =
m 6
10 cm 1 kg
0.055 g
3
cm
Find
d in g/cm

Formula
 m
d=
v