UNIVERSITY OF MINDANAO

College of Engineering Education

Chemical Engineering Program

Physically Distanced but Academically Engaged

Self-Instructional Manual (SIM) for Self-Directed Learning (SDL)

Course/Subject: BCHE 111/L – CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERS

Name of Author: Engr. Jay Carlo S. Aguilar

THIS SIM/SDL MANUAL IS A DRAFT VERSION ONLY; NOT FOR

REPRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE OF ITS INTENDED USE.
THIS IS INTENDED ONLY FOR THE USE OF THE STUDENTS WHO ARE
OFFICIALLY ENROLLED IN THE COURSE/SUBJECT.
EXPECT REVISIONS OF THE MANUAL.
 College of Engineering Education
2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

Table of Contents

Big Picture 1 ..................................................................................................................................... 6

Big Picture in Focus: ULO1a ............................................................................................................. 6
Metalanguage ........................................................................................................................... 6
Essential Knowledge ................................................................................................................. 6
Self-Help.................................................................................................................................. 15
Let’s Check .............................................................................................................................. 16
Let’s Analyze ........................................................................................................................... 16
In a Nutshell ............................................................................................................................ 16
Keywords Index....................................................................................................................... 16
References .............................................................................................................................. 16
Big Picture in Focus: ULO1b .......................................................................................................... 17
Metalanguage ......................................................................................................................... 17
Essential Knowledge ............................................................................................................... 19
Self-Help.................................................................................................................................. 66
Let’s Check .............................................................................................................................. 67
Let’s Analyze ........................................................................................................................... 67
In a Nutshell ............................................................................................................................ 67
Keywords Index....................................................................................................................... 67
References .............................................................................................................................. 67
Course Schedule ..................................................................................................................... 71
Big Picture 2 ................................................................................................................................... 72
Big Picture in Focus: ULO2a ........................................................................................................... 72
Metalanguage ......................................................................................................................... 72
Essential Knowledge................................................................................................................ 73
Self-Help.................................................................................................................................. 84
Let’s Check .............................................................................................................................. 84
Let’s Analyze ........................................................................................................................... 84
In a Nutshell ............................................................................................................................ 84
Keywords Index....................................................................................................................... 85
References .............................................................................................................................. 85
Big Picture in Focus: ULO2b .......................................................................................................... 86
Metalanguage ......................................................................................................................... 86
 College of Engineering Education
2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

Essential Knowledge................................................................................................................ 87
Self-Help.................................................................................................................................. 94
Let’s Check .............................................................................................................................. 94
Let’s Analyze ........................................................................................................................... 95
In a Nutshell ............................................................................................................................ 95
Keywords Index....................................................................................................................... 95
References .............................................................................................................................. 95
Big Picture in Focus: ULO2c ........................................................................................................... 97
Metalanguage ......................................................................................................................... 97
Essential Knowledge................................................................................................................ 97
Self-Help................................................................................................................................ 112
Let’s Check ............................................................................................................................ 112
Let’s Analyze ......................................................................................................................... 112
In a Nutshell .......................................................................................................................... 112
Keywords Index..................................................................................................................... 113
References ............................................................................................................................ 113
Big Picture in Focus: ULO2d ........................................................................................................ 114
Metalanguage ....................................................................................................................... 114
Essential Knowledge.............................................................................................................. 115
Self-Help................................................................................................................................ 127
Let’s Check ............................................................................................................................ 127
Let’s Analyze ......................................................................................................................... 127
In a Nutshell .......................................................................................................................... 128
Keywords Index..................................................................................................................... 128
References ............................................................................................................................ 128
Course Schedule ................................................................................................................... 131
Big Picture 3 ................................................................................................................................. 132
Big Picture in Focus: ULO3a ......................................................................................................... 132
Metalanguage ....................................................................................................................... 132
Essential Knowledge.............................................................................................................. 134
Self-Help................................................................................................................................ 140
Let’s Check ............................................................................................................................ 140
Let’s Analyze ......................................................................................................................... 140
In a Nutshell .......................................................................................................................... 141
 College of Engineering Education
2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

Keywords Index..................................................................................................................... 141

References ............................................................................................................................ 141
Big Picture in Focus: ULO3b ........................................................................................................ 143
Metalanguage ....................................................................................................................... 143
Essential Knowledge.............................................................................................................. 144
Self-Help................................................................................................................................ 157
Let’s Check ............................................................................................................................ 157
Let’s Analyze ......................................................................................................................... 157
In a Nutshell .......................................................................................................................... 158
Keywords Index..................................................................................................................... 158
References ............................................................................................................................ 158
Big Picture in Focus: ULO3c ......................................................................................................... 161
Metalanguage ....................................................................................................................... 161
Essential Knowledge.............................................................................................................. 162
Self-Help................................................................................................................................ 172
Let’s Check ............................................................................................................................ 172
Let’s Analyze ......................................................................................................................... 172
In a Nutshell .......................................................................................................................... 172
Keywords Index..................................................................................................................... 173
References ............................................................................................................................ 173
Course Schedule ................................................................................................................... 174
Big Picture 4 ................................................................................................................................. 175
Big Picture in Focus: ULO4a ......................................................................................................... 175
Metalanguage ....................................................................................................................... 175
Essential Knowledge ............................................................................................................. 177
Self-Help................................................................................................................................ 185
Let’s Check ............................................................................................................................ 186
Let’s Analyze ......................................................................................................................... 186
In a Nutshell .......................................................................................................................... 187
Keywords Index..................................................................................................................... 187
References ............................................................................................................................ 187
Big Picture in Focus: ULO4b ........................................................................................................ 190
Metalanguage ....................................................................................................................... 190
Essential Knowledge ............................................................................................................. 191
 College of Engineering Education
2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

Self-Help................................................................................................................................ 205
Let’s Check ............................................................................................................................ 205
Let’s Analyze ......................................................................................................................... 206
In a Nutshell .......................................................................................................................... 206
Keywords Index..................................................................................................................... 207
References ............................................................................................................................ 207
Big Picture in Focus: ULO4c ......................................................................................................... 209
Metalanguage ....................................................................................................................... 209
Essential Knowledge ............................................................................................................. 210
Self-Help................................................................................................................................ 220
Let’s Check ............................................................................................................................ 220
Let’s Analyze ......................................................................................................................... 220
In a Nutshell .......................................................................................................................... 221
Keywords Index..................................................................................................................... 222
References ............................................................................................................................ 222
Big Picture in Focus: ULO4d ........................................................................................................ 225
Metalanguage ....................................................................................................................... 225
Essential Knowledge ............................................................................................................. 227
Self-Help................................................................................................................................ 236
Let’s Check ............................................................................................................................ 237
Let’s Analyze ......................................................................................................................... 237
In a Nutshell .......................................................................................................................... 238
Keywords Index..................................................................................................................... 238
References ............................................................................................................................ 238
Course Schedule ................................................................................................................... 239

Course Outline: BCHE 111/L – CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERS
Course Coordinator:
Email:
Student Consultation:
Mobile:
Phone:
Effectivity Date:
Mode of Delivery:
Time Frame:
Student Workload:
Requisites:
Credit:
Attendance Requirements:
Course Outline Policy
Areas of Concern
Contact and Non-contact Hours
College of Engineering Education
2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133
Engr. Jay Carlo S. Aguilar
jaguilar@umindanao.edu.ph
Done by online (LMS), text, emails or calls
09510320892
2961084 local 133
August 2, 2021
Blended (On-Line with face to face or virtual
sessions)
108 Hours (Lecture+Laboratory)
Expected Self-Directed Learning
None
4 units (3 units lecture, 1 unit laboratory)
A minimum of 95% attendance is required at all
scheduled Virtual or face to face sessions.
Details
This 4-unit course self-instructional manual is designed
for blended learning mode of instructional delivery with
scheduled face to face or virtual sessions. The
expected number of hours will be 108 including the face
to face or virtual sessions, and laboratory. The face to
face sessions shall include the summative assessment
tasks (exams) since this course is crucial in the licensure
examination for engineers.
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 College of Engineering Education
2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

Assessment Task Submission Submission of assessment tasks shall be on 3rd, 5th, 7th
and 9th week of the term. The assessment paper shall
be attached with a cover page indicating the title of the
assessment task (if the task is performance), the
name of the course coordinator, date of submission and
name of the student. All submissions should be done
through Blackboard. It is also expected that you already
paid your tuition and other fees before the submission of
the assessment task.

If the assessment task is done in real time through the

features in the Blackboard Learning Management
System, the schedule shall be arranged ahead of time by
the course coordinator.

Penalties for Late The score for an assessment item submitted after the
Assignments/Assessments designated time on the due date, without an approved
extension of time, will be reduced by 5% of the possible
maximum score for that assessment item for each day or
part day that the assessment item is late.

However, if the late submission of assessment paper has

a valid reason, a letter of explanation should be
submitted and approved by the course coordinator. If
necessary, you will also be required to present/attach
evidences.

Return of Assignments/ Assessment tasks will be returned to you two (2) weeks
Assessments after the submission. This will be returned by email or via
Blackboard portal.

For group assessment tasks, the course coordinator will

require some or few of the students for online or virtual
sessions to ask clarificatory questions to validate the
originality of the assessment task submitted and to ensure
that all the group members are involved.
Assignment Resubmission You should request in writing addressed to the course
coordinator his/her intention to resubmit an assessment
task. The resubmission is premised on the student’s
failure to comply with the similarity index and other
reasonable grounds such as academic literacy standards
or other reasonable circumstances e.g.
illness, accidents financial constraints.

2

Re-marking of Assessment Papers
and Appeal
Grading System
Preferred Referencing Style
Student Communication
Contact Details of the Dean
College of Engineering Education
2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133
You should request in writing addressed to the program
coordinator your intention to appeal or contest the score
given to an assessment task. The letter should explicitly
explain the reasons/points to contest the grade. The
program coordinator shall communicate with the
students on the approval and disapproval of the
request.
If disapproved by the course coordinator, you can elevate
your case to the program head or the dean with the
original letter of request. The final decision will come from
the dean of the college.
All culled from BlackBoard sessions and traditional
contact
Course discussions/exercises – 30%
1st formative assessment – 10%
2nd formative assessment – 10%
3rd formative assessment – 10%
All culled from on-campus/onsite sessions (TBA):
Final exam – 40%
Submission of the final grades shall follow the usual
University system and procedures.
IEEE
You are required to create a umindanao email account
which is a requirement to access the BlackBoard portal.
Then, the course coordinator shall enroll the
students to have access to the materials and resources
of the course. All communication formats: chat,
submission of assessment tasks, requests etc. shall be
through the portal and other university recognized
platforms.
You can also meet the course coordinator in person
through the scheduled face to face sessions to raise
your issues and concerns.
For students who have not created their student email,
please contact the course coordinator or program head.
Dr. Charlito L. Canesares
Email: clcanesares@umindanao.edu.ph
Phone: 09562082442
3

Contact Details of the Program
Head
Students with Special Needs
Online Tutorial Registration
Help Desk Contact
Library Contact
College of Engineering Education
2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133
Engr. Ramiro Emerson Amon
Email: ramiro_amon@umindanao.edu.ph
Phone: 09630706903
Students with special needs shall communicate with the
course coordinator about the nature of his or her special
needs. Depending on the nature of the need, the course
coordinator with the approval of the program coordinator
may provide alternative assessment tasks or extension of
the deadline of submission of assessment tasks. However,
the alternative assessment tasks should still be in the
service of achieving the desired course learning
outcomes.
Platforms such as Google Meet and Zoom (whichever is
convenient) will be used for video conference. Kindly
create an account ahead of time.
CEE
Jessica Dagohoy
cee@umindanao.edu.ph
09562082442
082-2272902
GSTC
Ronadora E. Deala, RPsy, RPm, RGC, LPT
ronadora_deala@umindanao.edu.ph
09212122846
Silvino P. Josol
gstcmain@umindanao.edu.ph
09060757721
LIC
Brigida E. Bacani
library@umindanao.edu.ph
09513766681
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 College of Engineering Education
2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

Course Information – see/download course syllabus in the Black Board LMS

CC’s Voice: Hello engineer in the making! Welcome to this course BCHE 111/L:
Chemistry for Engineers. This course deals with core concepts of
chemistry which are important in the practice of engineering profession
which includes generation of energy, the chemistry of engineering
materials, the chemistry of the environment and a special topic specific
to an engineering field of expertise.

CO CO stands for Course Outcomes. These are the skills that students are
expected to demonstrate at the end of the course to pass the subject. The
following are the COs of BCHE 111/L:
CO 1. Demonstrate understanding of chemistry in relation to the
generation of energy, the chemical principles and concepts of structures
and bonding of common engineering materials, and the chemical
processes that take place in the environment.
CO 2. Conduct experiments in relation to the models and concepts learned
in class.

Let us begin!

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2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

Big Picture 1

Week 1-3: Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO): At the end of the unit, you are
expected to

a. Perform conversion of units

b. demonstrate understanding of the concepts of chemical safety.

Big Picture in Focus: ULO1a. perform conversion of units.

Metalanguage

In this section, the most essential principles and concepts relevant to the study of
chemical safety to demonstrate ULO1a will be reviewed. Please refer to these
definitions in case you will encounter difficulty in understanding educational concepts.

Dimension are physical quantities that can be measured (e.g. length,

volume)
Units are arbitrary names that correlate to particular dimensions to
make the measurement relative to an agreed upon definition
(e.g. meter, liter)
Conversion Factor a number used to change one set of units to another, by
multiplying or dividing
Scientific Notation a way of expressing numbers that are too large or too small to
be conveniently written in decimal form

Essential Knowledge

STANDARDS AND MEASUREMENT

Communication sometimes requires a method of expressing sizes that are

easily understood. The measurements are used in calculations to obtain other related
quantities. Measurement in simple cases means comparing a thing with a standard to
see how many times as big it is. It is important to have standards that are precisely
defined and that are used in common by people involved in trade, science, and
industry.

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2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

This section points out the importance of taking a measurement, both in the
laboratory and in day–to–day life. Weight, volume, and temperature are examples of
variable measured by chemists.

Reading a Measuring Device

There are two ways that devices can indicate a value: digital and non-digital.
1. The digital device (shown below) gives the mass of the object in grams.

Laboratory workers record this value as the mass of the object.

2. Many devices in a laboratory are non-digital.

An example of this is the ruler below. The line measures between 3 &
4. The black lines are the calibration lines. How can this value become more
accurate (closer to the true value)?

1 2 3 4

The ruler reads between 3.5 and 3.6, but the value seems closer to
3.6. It seems reasonable to call it 3.59. The statement below is the fundamental rule
of measurement.

“When recording a reading from a digital measuring device, record all the
digits shown. When recording a reading from a non-digital device, write down
all the digits that are known with certainty plus one that is estimated.”

Significant Figures

Not all of the figures in a value are always “significant”; that is, they are not
always included in the actual measured value.

The following are rules on how to deal with significant digits when rounding
numbers & using scientific notation.
1. Rounding

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 College of Engineering Education
2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

Rounding is the removal of digits in a number when it is necessary to express

the number with fewer digits. When these digits have been dropped, the final digit
must be “rounded”, either up or down, as shown below:
A. Rounding down: If the number just after the last significant figure (or
digit) is less than 5, the significant figure is rounded down (or as the
text states, not rounding up). For example,
54.623 rounded to 4 digits would be 54.62

B. Rounding up: If the number just after the last significant figure (or digit)
is greater than 5, the significant figure is rounded up:
54.528 rounded to 4 digits would be 54.53

C. Even/Odd Rule: This is only used occasionally & is one of two ways
that are used in dealing with the number after the last significant figure
being equal to 5. Round the five so the last figure is even. For example,
54.625 rounded to 4 digits would be 54.62
54.635 rounded to 4 digits would be 54.64
Examples:
Round the following measurements. Report the answer with the proper units.
a. 107.77 degrees Celsius to 4 digits Þ 107.8°C
b. 6.53300 grams to 5 digits Þ 6.5330 g
c. 28.6 grams/milliliter to 2 digits Þ 29 g/mL
d. 48.67305 nanometers to 6 digits Þ 48.6730 nm

2. Scientific Notation

Scientific notation is used as a way to make expressing numbers more

manageable.
• A number expressed in scientific notation has a value multiplied by 10 to
some power.
1000 = 1 x 103
The value is “1”. This is multiplied by 103, or 10 x 10 x 10 = 1000.
So 1 x 1000 = 1000
2000 = 2 x 103
5400 = 5.4 x 103

Just as numbers greater than one can be converted to scientific notation,

numbers less than one can also be converted into scientific notation. Keep in mind
that 10 – 1 = 1/10 = 0.1.
0.001 = 1 x 10 – 3
The value is “1”. This is multiplied by 10 – 3, or 0.1 x 0.1 x 0.1 = 0.001. So 1 x
0.001 = 0.001.

When expressing numbers in scientific notation, it is preferable to keep the

value between 1 and 10 as was done in the previous three cases.

Examples:

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 College of Engineering Education
2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

Express the following numbers in scientific notation.

1. 9,200,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Þ 9.2 x 1024
2. 73400000 Þ 7.34 x 107
3. 0.000048 Þ 4.8 x 10 – 5
4. 0.000000006688 Þ 6.688 x 10 – 9

3. Rules for the Number of Significant Figures

Recording data measurements to the proper number of
significant figures gives others who look at the data a sense of how accurate
the readings were. When manipulating data, carry significant figures forward
in different ways depending on the mathematics that are done.
1. Any non-zero digit is significant.
56.783 has 5 significant figures.
2. Any zero located between two numbers is significant.
402.6 has 4 significant figures.
3. Any zero to the left of non-zero digits is not significant unless it is covered
by #2.
0.06034 has 4 significant digits.
4. Any zero to the right of non-zero digits and also to the right of a decimal
point is significant.
812.90 has 5 significant figures.
5. Any zero to the right of non-zero digits & to the left of a decimal point (&
not covered by #2) may, or may not be, significant, depending on whether
the zero is placeholder or was actually part of a measurement. To be as
clear as possible, express such values using scientific notation.
The number 150900 has either 4, 5, or 6 significant figures. However, if
the scientist expresses the data point like this:
1.5090 x 105, then the number has 5 significant figures (Rule #4).

Examples:
Give the number of significant figures in each of the following values:
a. 69.4703 mL Þ 6 significant figures
b. 0.00071 g Þ 2 significant figures; the leading zeros are not important
c. 0.03300 s Þ 4 significant figures; the trailing zeros are important

A physical quantity is any number that is used to describe a physical phenomenon

quantitatively.

Fundamental (or base) quantities are the simplest types of quantities and cannot
be reduced further.
Quantity Unit
1. Length, L Meter, m
2. Mass, m, or Weight, W Kilogram, kg
3. Time, t Second, s
4. Temperature, T Kelvin, K
5. Electric current, I Ampere, A

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2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

Table 2. 6. Amount of substance, n Mole, mol

7. Luminous intensity Candela, cd

Derived quantities are based on combinations of the fundamental quantities.

Ex. 1. velocity, L/t Þ m/s ; km/h
2. volume, L3 Þ m3; cm3; ft3
3. area, L2 Þ m2; yd2
4. density, m/V Þ g/cm3; kg/m3; lb/ft3

A system of units is a complete set of units, both fundamental and derived, for all
kinds of quantities.
1. English system
2. Metric system (SI)

The Metric System

The metric system, or International System (SI, from (Systemé Internationale), is a

decimal system of units for measurements of mass, length, time, and other physical
quantities. It is built around a set of standard units and uses factors of 10 to express
larger or smaller numbers of these units, & prefixes are added to the names of the
units. These prefixes represent multiples of 10, making the metric system a decimal
system of measurements.
The metric system is superior to the English system in the area of
interrelationships between units because it is less complicated being a decimal
unit system. In this system, conversion from one unit size to another can be
accomplished by moving the decimal point to the right or left at an appropriate
number of places. It is founded on 7 base units and 2 supplementary units (see
Table 2 above). The various units for a quantity are always related by factors of
ten.
The metric system is currently used by most of the countries in the world, not
only in scientific and technical work but also in commerce and industry.

Powers (or factors) of ten is used to express very large or very small numbers,
more conveniently, in an abbreviated form. This is done by the use of prefixes (see
Table 3).

Conversions between and within the system of units can be made by use of a very
few conversion factors.

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 College of Engineering Education
2nd Floor, BE Building
Matina Campus, Davao City
Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

Conversion factors (cf) are the factors that relate 2 different units of the same
quantity (unit1 and unit2).

Important equation for conversion: unit2 = unit1 (conversion factor)

Where: unit1 = is the given unit
unit2 = is the desired unit

The conversion factor must accomplish 2 things:

1. it must cancel (or eliminate) the original unit1, &
2. must introduce the new unit2 ¾ the unit wanted in the answer.
Ex: the conversion factor 1 km = = 103m = 1000 m can be written into 2
ways:
1 km 1000 m
or
1000 m 1 km

Table 3. Table below shows the names, symbols, and numerical values of the
prefixes.

Prefix Symbol Numerical Value Power of 10 equivalent

exa E 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 1018
peta P 1,000,000,000,000,000 1015
tera T 1,000,000,000,000 1012
giga G 1,000,000,000 109
mega M 1,000,000 106
kilo k 1,000 103
hecto h 100 102
deka da 10 101
Base unit ¾ 1 100
deci d 0.1 10 – 1
centi c 0.01 10 – 2
milli m 0.001 10 – 3
micro µ 0.000001 10 – 6
nano n 0.000000001 10 – 9
pico p 0.000000000001 10 – 12
femto f 0.000000000000001 10 – 15
atto a 0.000000000000000001 10 – 18

Some Common Conversion Factors

I Length
1 kilometer (km) = 0.6214 mile (mi)
1 meter (m) = 100 centimeter (cm) = 39.37 inches (in) = 3.28 feet (ft)
1 mile (mi) = 5280 feet (ft) = 1760 yards (yd) = 1.6093 km = 1609.3 m
1 inch (in) = 2.54 cm = 25.4 mm
1 yard (yd) = 3 feet (ft) = 0.9146 m
1 feet (ft) = 12 inches (in)

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Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

1 angstrom (Å) = 10 – 10 m

II Mass/Weight
1 kilogram (kg) = 2.205 pounds (lb)
1 pound (lb) = 453.6 g = 0.4536 kg
1 pound (lb) = 16 oz
1 oz = 28.35 g
1 metric ton (T) = 1000 kg = 2205 lb
1 US short ton = 907 kg = 2000 lb
1 British long ton = 1016 kg = 2240 lb ;
1 atomic mass unit (u) = 1.6606 x 10 – 27 kg
III Volume
1 liter (L) = 1000 milliliter (mL) = 10 – 3 m3 = 1 dm3
= 1.06 quarts (qt) = 0.0353 cubic ft (ft3)
1 mL = 1 cubic cm (cc or cm3)
1 US gallon (gal) = 3.785 L
1 US gallon (gal) = 4 quarts (qt) = 8 pints (pt)
1 quart (qt) = 32 fluid ounces (fl oz) = 0.946 liter (L)
1 fl. oz. = 29.6 mL
1 ft3 = 28.32 ; 1 m3 = 35.3 ft3

IV Area
1 yd2 = 0.836 m2 ; 1 cm2 = 0.155 in2 ; 1 km2 = 1.196 x 10 6 yd2
1 acre = 4840 yd2 = 4046.556 m2
1 hectare (ha) = 2.471 acres = 10,000 m2

V Energy
1 calorie (cal) = 4.184 joules (J)
1 British Thermal Unit (BTU) = 252 cal = 1055 J

VI Pressure
1 Pascal (Pa) = 1 kg/m•s2 ; 1kPa = 1000 Pa
1 atmosphere (atm) = 760 torr = 760 mm Hg = 101,325 Pa = 14.7 in Hg

Mass and Weight

Before introducing the base unit used to define mass, consider one important
issue, distinguishing the difference between weight and mass. Weight & mass are
not the same.

Mass measures the amount of matter in an object/substance; it is constant

throughout the universe.

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Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

Weight measures the effect the gravity (attraction from another body) on an object. It
is related to mass (since it acts on it), yet weight varies from one planet & star to
another, because different objects pose different gravitational (attractive) forces on
the same mass. Therefore, the weight of an object will vary depending on where it is.

Volume, as used, is the amount of space occupied by matter. The most common
instruments or equipment for measuring volume of liquids are the graduated
cylinder, volumetric flask, burette, pipette, and syringe.

A liter, L, is usually defined as a cubic decimeter (1 dm3) of water at 4°C.

DENSITY

Density, r, indicates the amount of mass per volume of a specific substance.

• Such a measurement is very helpful because two different
substances rarely have the exact same density. Therefore,
density can be used to distinguish unknown substances
from one another & help in identifying them.
• is given by the equation
•
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠, 𝑚 𝑚
𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦, 𝜌 = =
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒, 𝑉 𝑉

Alternate forms:
!
𝑉= "
or 𝑚 = 𝜌𝑉

The density of water at 4°C is 1.0000 g/mL or 1.0000 g/cm3 or 1000.00 kg/m3 or
62.4 lb/ft3.

Densities for liquids and solids are usually represented in terms of g/mL or
g/cm3. The density of gases, however, is expressed in terms of g/L.

The specific gravity (sp gr) of a substance is the ratio of the density of that substance
to the density of another substance, usually water at 4°C. The specific gravity tells us
how many times as heavy a liquid, a solid, or a gas is as compared to the reference
material. Since the density of water at 4°C is 1.00 g/mL, the specific gravity of a solid
or liquid is the same as its density in g/ml without the units.

𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒
𝑆. 𝐺. 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 =
𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟

Alternate form:

𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 = (𝑆. 𝐺. 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒)(𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟)

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When an insoluble solid object is dropped into water, it will sink or float,
depending on its density. If the object is less dense than water, it will float, displacing
a mass of water equal to the mass of the object. If the object is more dense than
water, it will sink, displacing a volume of water equal to the volume of the object.
This information can be utilized to determine the volume (and density) of irregularly
shaped objects.

Table 4. Densities of Some Selected Materials

Liquids and Solids Gases

Substance Density Substance Density
(g/mL at 20°C) (g/mL at 0°C)
Wood (Douglas fir) 0.512 Hydrogen 0.090
Ethyl alcohol 0.789 Helium 0.178
Vegetable oil 0.91 Methane 0.714
Water (4°C) 1.000 Ammonia 0.771
Sugar 1.59 Neon 0.90
Glycerin 1.26 Carbon monoxide 1.25
Karo Syrup 1.37 Nitrogen 1.251
Sulfuric acid 1.84 Air 1.293
Sulfur 2.07 Oxygen 1.429
Salt 2.16 Hydrogen chloride 1.63
Aluminum 2.70 Argon 1.78
Silver 10.5 Carbon dioxide 1.963
Lead 11.34 Chlorine 3.17
Mercury 13.55
Gold 19.3
Note: For comparing densities the density of water is the reference for solids and
liquids; air is the reference for gases.

TEMPERATURE SCALES

Temperature is a measure of the hotness or coldness of an object. It is that property

of matter that determines the direction of heat transfer. Heat can flow only from a
body at a higher temperature to one at a lower temperature. Temperature does not
measure the amount of heat present in an object/substance.

The temperature of an object is measured by one of the four scales,

§ Celsius (or Centigrade)
§ Fahrenheit
§ Kelvin
§ Rankine
Scientists everywhere measure temperature in terms of the Celsius scale.
Though not an SI unit, the Celsius scale may be used with SI units. The Celsius
scale divides the range between the freezing point (0°C) & boiling point(100°C) of
water into 100degrees. The Fahrenheit scale, which is the most commonly used

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Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

scale in the United States outside the laboratory, defines the normal freezing &
boiling points of water to be exactly 32°F & 212°F, respectively.

Thermometer is the most common instrument used for measuring temperature.

Comparison of the Three Temperature Scales

Conversion of Temperature Scales

(a) from Celsius to Fahrenheit

(b) from Fahrenheit to Celsius

T°C = 59 (T°F - 32)

Absolute Scales
T° R = T°F + 460 TK = T° C + 273

Self-Help: You can also refer to the sources below to help you
further understand the lesson.

Serway, R. (2014). Physics for Scientist and Engineers with Modern Physics (9th
ed) Australia: Cengage Learning.

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Telefax: (082)296-1084
Phone No.: (082)300-5456/300-0647 Local 133

Let’s Check
For #s 1-3, round the following measurements. Report the answer with the proper
units.
1. 7.8177 rounded to the nearest tenth
2. 1.0643 rounded to the nearest hundredth
3. 3.8781 rounded to the nearest thousandth
4. Write 13.378162 correct to 4 significant digits.
5. Write 75.378212 correct to 3 significant digits/figures.

Let’s Analyze
Express the following numbers in scientific notation. (Note: When expressing
numbers in scientific notation, it is preferable to keep the value between 1 and 10 as
was done in the previous three cases.)
1. 1,181,995
2. 10,279,191
3. 873,490,238
4. 2,348,992,374
5. 49,810,823,012

In a Nutshell
1. Convert 312 oC to oR.
2. Convert 2.5 meters to yards.
3. Convert 4 liters to cm3.
4. Convert 149 cm2 to in2.
5. Convert 510 oR to K.

Keywords Index
Dimension Units
Conversion Factor Scientific Notation

References
Masterton, W. et al. (2018). Chemistry for Engineering Students (Philippine Edition).
Quezon City, Philippines: C&E Publishing, Inc.

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