CHAPTER 63

Units and Conversion Factors

Shuhong Wang
DuPont Dow Elastomers L.L.C., One Innovation Way, Suite 400, Newark, DE 19711

TABLE 63.1. SI prefixes.

Multiplication factor Prefix Symbol

1 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 ¼ 1024 yotta Y
1 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 ¼ 1021 zetta Z
1 000 000 000 000 000 000 ¼ 1018 exa E
1 000 000 000 000 000 ¼ 1015 peta P
1 000 000 000 000 ¼ 1012 tera T
1 000 000 000 ¼ 109 giga G
1 000 000 ¼ 106 mega M
1 000 ¼ 103 kilo k
100 ¼ 102 hecto h
10 ¼ 101 deca da
0.1 ¼ 10
1 deci d
0.01 ¼ 10
2 centi c
0.001 ¼ 10
3 milli m
0.000 001 ¼ 10
6 micro m
0.000 000 001 ¼ 10
6 nano n
0.000 000 000 001 ¼ 10
9 pico p
0.000 000 000 000 001 ¼ 10
15 femto f
0.000 000 000 000 000 001 ¼ 10
18 atto a
0.000 000 000 000 000 000 001 ¼ 10
21 zepto z
0.000 000 000 000 000 000 000 001 ¼ 10
24 yocto y

TABLE 63.2. SI base and supplementary units. TABLE 63.3. Derived units of SI that have special names.

Quantity SI unit SI symbol Quantity Unit Symbol Formula

Length meter m Absorbed dose gray Gy J/kg

Mass kilogram kg Conductance siemens S A/V
Time second s Electric capacitance farad F C/V
Electric current ampere A Electric charge coulomb C As
Thermodynamic temperature kelvin K Electric potential volt V W/A
Amount of substance mole mol Electric resistance ohm V V/A
Luminous intensity candela cd Energy, work, heat joule J Nm
Plane angle radian rad Force newton N (kg m)=s2
Solid angle steradian sr Frequency hertz Hz 1/s

1057
1058 / CHAPTER 63

TABLE 63.3. Continued. TABLE 63.4. Continued.

Quantity Unit Symbol Formula Quantity Unit Symbol

Illuminance lux lx lm=m2 Heat capacity joule per kelvin J/K

Inductance henry H Wb/A Luminance candela per square cd=m2
Luminous flux lumen lm cd sr meter
Magnetic flux weber Wb Vs Magnetic-field ampere per meter A/m
Magnetic-flux density tesla T Wb=m2 strength
Pressure, stress, vacuum pascal Pa N=m2 Molar energy joule per mole J/mol
Power, radiant flux watt W J/s Molar entropy joule per mole-kelvin J/(mol K)
Molar heat capacity joule per mole-kelvin J/(mol K)
Moment of force newton-meter Nm
TABLE 63.4. Additional commonly derived SI units. Permeability henry per meter H/m
Permittivity farad per meter F/m
Quantity Unit Symbol Radiance watt per sq. meter- W=(m2 sr)
steradian
Acceleration (linear) meter per second m=s2 Radiant intensity watt per steradian W/sr
squared Specific-heat joule per kilogram-kelvin J/(kg K)
Acceleration radian per second rad=s2 capacity
(angular) squared Specific energy joule per kilogram J/kg
Area square meter m2 Specific entropy joule per kilogram-kelvin J/(kg K)
Concentration mole per cubic meter mol=m3 Specific volume cubic meter per m3 =kg
Current density ampere per square A=m2 kilogram
meter Surface tension newton per meter N/m
Density (mass) kilogram per cubic meter kg=m3 Thermal conductivity watt per meter-kelvin W/(m K)
Electric-charge coulomb per cubic meter C=m3 Velocity (angular) radian per second rad/s
density Velocity (linear) meter per second m/s
Electric-field strength volt per meter V/m Viscosity (dynamic) pascal-second Pa s
Energy density joule per cubic meter J=m3 Viscosity (kinematic) sq. meter per second m2 =s
Entropy joule per kelvin J/K Volume cubic meter m3

TABLE 63.5. Some quantities and units commonly used in polymer science.

Quantity Notation Commonly used unit

Second and third virial coefficient A2 ,A3 mol cm3 =g2

Chain transfer constant for monomer Cm —
Chain transfer constant for solvent Cs —
Chain transfer constant for polymer Cp —
Characteristic ratio C1 —
Diffusion coefficient D 1/s
Tensile storage compliance D’ 1/Pa
Tensile loss compliance D ’’ 1/Pa
Complex tensile compliance D* 1/Pa
Young’s modulus E Pa
Tensile storage modulus E’ Pa
Tensile loss modulus E ’’ Pa
Complex tensile modulus E* Pa
Shear modulus G Pa
Shear storage modulus G’ Pa
Shear loss modulus G ’’ Pa
Complex shear modulus G* Pa
Free energy of mixing DGm kJ/mol
Enthalpy of mixing DHm kJ/mol
 UNITS AND CONVERSION FACTORS / 1059

TABLE 63.5. Continued.

Quantity Notation Commonly used unit

Shear compliance J 1/Pa

Shear storage compliance J’ 1/Pa
Shear loss compliance J ’’ 1/Pa
Complex shear compliance J* 1/Pa
Molecular weight per cross-linked unit Mc g/mol
Number average molecular weight Mn g/mol
Molecular weight of a polymer chain unit Mo g/mol
Viscosity average molecular weight Mv g/mol
Weight average molecular weight Mw g/mol
z-average molecular weight Mz g/mol
Refractive index n —
Reactivity ratio of monomer A rA —
Permeability coefficient P cm3 cm=(cm2 s Pa)
Mean-square end-to-end distance < r2 > A2
Unperturbed mean-square end-to-end distance < r 2 >0 A2
Radius of gyration s A
Sedimentation coefficient S 1/s
Solubility coefficient S cm3 =(cm3 Pa)
Configurational entropy Sconf kJ/(mol K)
Entropy of mixing DSm kJ/(mol K)
Brittleness temperature TB 8C
Crystallization temperature Tc 8C
Temperature of fusion Tf 8C
Glass transition temperature Tg 8C
Melting temperature Tm 8C
Supercooling DT 8C
Molar volume v cm3 =mol
Volume fraction of species i vi —
Weight fraction of species i wi —
Mole fraction of species i xi —
Number average degree of polymerization xn —
Weight average degree of polymerization xw —
z-average degree of polymerization xz —
Elongation, linear deformation a —
Shear strain g —
Birefringence D —
Solubility parameter d (MPa)1=2
Loss angle d rad
Tensor strain « —
Apparent viscosity, dynamic viscosity h0 Pa s
Complex viscosity h Pa s
Intrinsic viscosity [h] ml/g
Theta temperature u 8C
Thermal conductivity k W/(m K)
Deformation ratio l —
Poisson ratio y —
Osmotic pressure p,P Pa
Stress s Pa
Shear stress t Pa
Relaxation time t s
Retardation time t0 s
Flory–Huggins parameter x,j —
1060 / CHAPTER 63

TABLE 63.6. Conversion factors for commonly used qualities.

Acceleration m=s2 km/(hr s) mil/(hr s) ft=s2 cm=s2

(linear)
1 3.600 2.237 3.281 1:000  102
Acceleration rad=s2 rad=min2 revol=s2 revol/(min s) revol=min2
(rotational)
1 3:600  103 1:592  10
1 9.549 5:730  102
Area m2 sq. in. sq. ft sq. yd area
1 1:550  103 1:076  10 1.196 1:000  10
2
Coefficient kg/(m3 K) kg/(m3  C) kg/(cm3  C) g/(cm3 8C) lb/(cu. ft 8F)
of expansion
1 1.000 1:000  10
6 1:000  10
3 3:468  10
2
Concentration kg=m3 (or g/l) grains/gal(US) grains/gal(UK) ppm lb/gal(US)
(mass/volume)
1 5:842  101 7:016  101 1:001  103 8:345  10
4
Concentration mol=m3 kmol=m3 (lb mol)/gal(US) (lb mol)/gal(UK)
(mole/volume)
1 1:001  10
3 8:345  10
3 1:002  10
2
Density (mass) kg=m3 lb/cu. ft lb/cu. in. lb/gal(UK) lb/gal(US)
1 6:243  10
2 3:613  10
5 1:002  10
2 8:345  10
3
Electric charge C (or A s) Electronic charge Statcoulomb
1 6:241  1018 2.998109
Energy, heat, J (or N m) kcal Btu kgf m erg
work
1 2:388  10
4 9:478  10
4 1:020  10
1 1:000  107
Force N kgf lbf dyn tonf(US)
1 1:020  10
1 2:248  10
1 1:000  105 1:124  10
4
Luminous cd candle(UK) carcel unit hefner unit lumen/steradian
intensity
1 9:600  10
1 1:041  10
1 1.111 1.000
Length m in. ft yd mil angstrom
1 3:937  101 3.281 1.094 3:937  104 1:000  1010
Mass kg lb ton(UK) ton(US) once
1 2.205 9:842  10
4 1:102  10
3 3:527  101
Power W (or J/s) Btu/h HP(UK) erg/s kcal/hr
1 3.412 1:341  10
3 1:0  107 8:598  10
1
Pressure, Pa (or N=m2 ) bar atm torr (or mmHg) psi (or lbf/sq. in)
vacuum, stress
1 1:0  10
5 9:869  10
6 7:501  10
3 1:450  10
4
Surface tension N/m lbf/in. kgf/m dyn/cm
1 5:710  10
3 1:020  10
1 1:0  103
Temperature K 8C þ 273.15 8F þ 459.67 R
1 1.000 1.800 1.800
Thermal W/(m K) kcal/(m h 8C) Btu/(ft h 8F) Btu/(in. h 8F) Btu in./(sq. ft h 8F)
conductivity
1 8:598  10
1 5:778  10
1 4:815  10
2 6.933
Time s min h (or hour) day year (365day)
1 1:667  10
2 2:778  10
4 1:157  10
5 3:171  10
8
Torque Nm N cm dyne cm kgf m in. lbf
1 1:000  102 1:000  107 1:02  10
1 8.851
Velocity (linear) m/s km/h mile/h ft/min ft/s
1 3.600 2.237 1:969  102 3.281
Viscosity Pa s (or N s/m2 ) poise centipoise dyne s/cm2 g/(cm s)
(dynamic)
1 1:000  101 1:000  103 1:000  101 1:000  101
Viscosity m2 =s cm2 =s stoke sq. ft/s sq. ft/hr
(kinematic)
1 1:000  104 1:000  104 1:076  101 3:875  104
Volume m3 l(or litre) cu. in. gal(US) gal(UK)
1 1:000  103 6:102  104 2:642  102 2:200  102
 UNITS AND CONVERSION FACTORS / 1061

TABLE 63.7. General data and constants.

Quantity Symbol and equation Value

Atomic mass unit 1u ¼ 10
3 kg mol
1 L
1 1:66057  10
27 kg

Avogadro’s number L,Na 6:02204  1023 mole
1
Bohr magneton mB ¼ eh=2me 9:27408  10
24 J T
1
Bohr radius a0 ¼ a=4pR1 5:29177  10
11 m
Boltzmann constant k ¼ R/L 1:38066  10
23 J K
1
Electronic charge e 1:60219  10
19 C
Electron magnetic moment me 9:284832  10
24 J T
1
Electron mass me 9:10953  10
31 kg
Electronvolt eV 1:60219  10
19 J
Faraday constant F ¼ Le 9:64846  104 C mole
1
Gravitational constant G 6:6720  10
11 N m2 kg
2
Gyromagnetic ratio of proton gp 2:67520  108 s
1 T
1
Neutron mass mn 1:67495  10
27 kg
Nuclear magneton mN ¼ eh=2mp 5:05082  10
27 J T
1
Permeability of vacuum m0 4p  10
7 H m
1
Permittivity of vacuum «N ¼ (m0 c2 )
1 8:85418782  10
12 F m
1
Planck constant h 6:62618  10
34 Js
h ¼ h=2p 1:0545887  10
34 Js
Proton mass mp 1:67265  10
27 kg
Rydberg constant R1 ¼ m20 me e 4 c 3 =8h3 1:09737  107 m
1
Speed of light in vacuum c 2:99792  108 m s
1
Universal/molar gas constant R 8.31441 J K
1 mol
1
1.98717 cal K
1 mol
1
Standard molar volume of ideal gas V0 ¼ RT0 =P0 2:241383  10
2 m3 mol
1

TABLE 63.8. Greek alphabet.

A a alpha N n nu
B b beta J j xi
G g gamma O o omicron
D d delta P p pi
E « epsilon P r rho
Z z zeta S s sigma
H h eta T t tau
Q u theta Y y upsilon
I i iota F f phi
K k kappa X x chi
L l lambda C c psi
M m mu V v omega