Unit Conversion
Physical Science
Name
Per
Date:
For metric unit conversion with the same base, use King Henry Died By Drinking Chocolate Milk
Length
Volume
Mass/Weight (on Earth)
1 mile = 5,280 ft (exact)
1 gallon
= 4 quarts (exact)
1 pound
= 16 oz (exact)
1 foot
= 12 inches(exact)
1 quart
= 2 pints (exact)
1 oz
= 28.3495g
1 inch = 2.54 cm (exact)
1 gallon
= 3.7854 liters
1 ton
= 2,000 lbs. (exact)
3
1 foot
= 30.48cm (exact)
231 in
= 1 gallon
1 kg
= 2.205 lbs.
1 ml = 1cm3 (exact)
1 Newton
= 0.2248 lbs.
Time
1 min
= 60 s (exact)
1h
= 60 min (exact)
1 h = 3,600 s (exact)
1 day
= 24 h (exact)
1 yr
= 365.242 days
For each of the following:
1. List the number of significant figures each answer should be expressed to.
2. Use only the conversion factors (and KHDBDCM) above.
1.
Show your work with the grid conversion method shown in class.
2. Be sure to round your answer to the correct number of significant figures
3. Express answers in scientific notation for any answers greater than 999 or less than 0.01.
1.
BB guns often have muzzle speeds listed in ft/s in the USA, but in m/s in Europe. If a multi-pump,
pneumatic BB gun has US specs that say it shoots at 590 ft/s what would the specs say in Europe?
590 ft 30.48 cm
1
1 ft
2.
(
)
(
)
A snail moves 0.0003481 miles what is that in mm?
0.0003481 mi 5,280 ft 30.48 cm
1
1 mi
1 ft
(
)
(
3.
)
A small bug on has a mass of 0.15g, if the bug is placed on a sensitive scale on Earth, what would
the scale read in Newtons?
0.15 g
1 oz
1 lb
1N
1
28.3495 g 16 oz 0.2248lb
(
(
)
)
For the following 4 problems, you must convert two different types of units, treat them separately (like
, the
, so treat problem as 25 m mi and 1 s h, and divide the
m conversion by the s conversion).
4.
A lake evaporates at 1,700,00 liters/year how many pints evaporate every hour (pints/h) is that?
1,700,000 liters pints; 1y h
1,700,000 l 1 gal 4 qt 2 pt
1
3.7854 l 1 gal 1 qt
then divide answers
1 y 365.242 d 24 h
1
1y
1d
(
5.
)
A machine loads 73.2 tons/day what is that in kiloNewtons/year?
73.2 tons kiloNewton; 1d y
73.2 tons 2000 lbs
1N
1
1 ton 0.2248 lbs
then divide answers
(shift 3 places to
left to go from B to K in KHDBDCM)
1d
1y
1 365.242 d
(
(
)
)
6.
Hair grows, on average, at 150mm/year, what is that in mi/h?
150mm mi; 1y h
then divide answers
150mm = 15 cm (shift decimal 1 place to left M C in
KHDBDCM)
15 cm
1 ft
1 mi
1
30.48 cm 5280 ft
1 y 365.242 d 24 h
1
1y
1d
(2 sig. fig)
7.
A motor produces 200ft∙lbs of torque, what would the specs say that car is in Europe where torque
is measured in Newton∙m (or m∙Newtons in the same order as the American way)?
200ft m; 1lb N
then multiply answers
(move
200 ft 30.48 cm
decimal 2 places to left from C B in KHDBDCM)
1
1 ft
1 lb 0.2242 N
1
1 lb
(1 sig. fig)
All standard measurements were made up at some time, some were made up based on other measurements, but in all,
people had to decide on a particular value/size. Assume there was an alien race that has the following units for length and
time. Our scientists find these and convert one of their units to our units:
Alien Length:
alien time
1 Howard = 2 Rajs
1Priya = 3.4 Benadettes
1 Howard = 5 Leonards
1 Penny = 2.5 Amy
1 Leonard = 7 Sheldons
1 Amy = 0.8 Bernadettes
1 Kripke = 3.2 Leonards
1Leslie = 3.5 Priyas
1 Raj = 1.5m
1 Beranette = 30s
8.
How long is 1 Priya in Earth seconds?
1 Priya 3.4 Bernadette
30 s
1
1 Priya
1 Bernadette
9.
(
)
If a person runs the 1500m dash, how far is the race in Kripkes?
1,500 m 1 Raj 1 Howard 5 Leonard 1 Kripke
1
1.5 m 2 Raj
1 Howard 3.2 Leonard
(
10.
)
Convert the alien speed of 253.7 Sheldon/Penny to m/s Show your work!
253.7 Sheldon m; 1Penny s
then divide answers
253.7 Sheldon 1 Leonard 1 Howard
2 Raj
1.5m
1
7 Sheldon 5 Leondard 1 Howard 1 Raj
1 Penny 2.5 Amy 0.8 Bernadette
30s
1
1 Penny
1 Amy
1 Bernadette
(
)