INCHEM

211

Department of Chemical Engineering

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 MODULE 2:
MEASUREMENTS IN CHEMISTRY

UNIT FIVE – UNIT FACTORS AND UNIT CONVERSIONS

ENGAGE ENGAGE ENGAGE ENGAGE ENGAGE ENGAGE

INTRODUCTION
Throughout the course we use an approach called dimensional analysis
as an aid in problem solving. In dimensional analysis we carry units through all
calculations. Units are multiplied together, divided into each other or
“cancelled”. Dimensional analysis will help ensure that the solutions to problems
yield the proper units. Moreover, dimensional analysis provides a systematic way
of solving many numerical problems and of checking our solutions for possible
errors.

The key to using dimensional analysis is the correct use of conversion

factors to change one unit into another. But before proceeding to the main
topic, test yourself first if you are already familiarized on converting units by
doing the practice problems below:

EXERCISE NO. 1

Perform the following conversions and express your answers with right
number of significant figures:
a.) 0.076 L to mL
b.) 5.0 x 10-8 m to nm
c.) 345 km to m
d.) 345 km to cm
e.) 3 hr to sec
f.) 345 kg to g
g.) 345 kg to lb

You can easily answer the problems above if you know your conversion
factors. If not, you must have to carefully read and understand the next section.

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 EXPLORE EXPLORE EXPLORE EXPLORE EXPLORE EXPLORE

CONVERSION FACTOR
A conversion factor is a fraction whose numerator and denominator are
the same quantity expressed in different units. For example, 2.54 cm and 1 in.
are the same length, 2.54 cm = 1 in. This relationship allows us to write two
conversion factors:

2.54 cm 1 in.
and
1 in. 2.54 cm

The first of these factors is used when we want to convert inches to

centimeters. For example, the length in centimeters of an objects is 8.50 in. long
is given by
Desired unit

2.54 cm
Number of centimeters = 8.50 in = 21.6 cm
1 in.

Given unit

Note that the units of inches in the denominator of the conversion factor
cancel the units of inches in the data we were given (8.50 inches). The
centimeters in the numerator of the conversion factor become the units of the
final answer. In general, the units simply multiply and divide as follows:

desired unit
Given unit x = desired unit
given unit

If the desired units are not obtained in a calculation, then an error must
have been made somewhere. Careful inspection of units often reveals the
source of the error.

The table for conversion of units is provided below.

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 COMMON CONVERSION FACTORS

Physical Conversion Factor Physical Conversion Factor

Quantity Quantity
Mass (M) 1 kg 2.204 lbm Force 1N 1 kg-m/s2
2.2 lbm 1x105 dyne
1000 g 1 lbf 4.4482 N
1g 1000 mg 32.174 ft-lbm/s2
1 short ton 2000 lbm (poundals)
1 long ton 2240 lbm Pressure 1 atm 750 mmHg at 0oC
1 metric 1000 kg ( = 13.5951 g/cm3)
ton (tonne) 2200 lbm 29.92 in Hg at 32oF
1 slug 32.174 lbm 14.7 lbf/in2
Length (L) 1m 3.28 ft 101 325 N/m2 (Pa)
100 cm 33.899 ft H20 at 39.1oF
1000 mm 1.01325 bar
1 ft 30.48 cm 760 torr
12 inch 1 bar 100 kPa
1 in 2.54 cm 1x105 Pa
1 yard 3 ft Work/Energy 1 BTU 252 cal
1 mile 5280 ft 1054.4 J
1 fathom 6 ft 778 ft-lbf
1 Angstrom 1x10-10 m 10.409 L-atm
Volume 1 liter 1000 cm3 1 Joule 1 N-m
1 m3 1000 liter (J) 1x107 erg
1 ft3 7.481 gal 1 erg 1 dyne-cm
1 gal 3.7853 liter 1 cal 4.184 J
4 quarts(qt)
1 quart 2 pints
Area 1 hectare 10 000 m2
1 acre 43 560 ft2
If you are not able to answer the exercise above, try again using this table for
conversion factors.

EXPLAIN EXPLAIN EXPLAIN EXPLAIN EXPLAIN EXPLAIN

USING TWO OR MORE CONVERSION FACTORS

We can use more than one conversion factor in the solution of a problem.
For example, suppose we want to know the length in inches of an 8.00 m rod.
The table above doesn’t give the relationship between meters and inches. It
does give the relationship between centimeters and inches, though, and we

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 know that 1 in. = 2.54 cm. Thus, we can convert first from meters to centimeters,
and then from centimeters to inches:

Length in inches = length in m factor converting m to cm factor converting cm to in.

The relationship between meters and centimeters gives us the first

conversion factor. Because we need to cancel meters, we write the meters in
the denominator:

100 cm
1m

We then use the relationship 2.54 cm = 1 in. to write the second

conversion factor with the desired units, inches in the numerator:

1 in.
2.54 cm

Thus, we have
100 cm 1 in.
Number in inches = 8.00 m = 315 in.
1m 2.54 cm

CONVERSIONS INVOLVING VOLUME

The conversion factors previously noted convert from length to length or,
more generally, from one unit of a given measure to another unit of the same
measure. We also have conversion factors that convert from one measure to a
different one. The density of a substance, for example, can be treated as a
conversion factor between mass and volume. Suppose that we want to know
the mass in grams of two cubic inches (2.00 in3) of gold, which has a density of
19.3 g/cm3.

The density gives us the following factors:

19.3 g 1 cm3
and
1 cm3 19.3 g

Because the answer we want is a mass in grams, we can see that we will
use the first of these factors, which has mass in grams in the numerator. To use
this factor, however, we must first relate cubic centimeters to cubic inches. We
know the factor for converting from inches to centimeters, and the cube of this
gives us the desired conversion factor.

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 3
2.54 cm 2.54 3 cm3
=
1 in. 1 3 in3

Notice that both the numbers and the units are cubed. Applying our
conversion factors, we can now solve the problem:

3
3
2.54cm 19.3 g
Mass in grams = 2.00 in = 633 g
1 in. 1 cm3

The final answer is reported to three significant figures, the same number
of significant figures as is in 2.00 and 19.3.

EXERCISE NO. 2

1. Perform the following conversions. Express your answers in four decimal

places.

a.) 0.076 L to mL
b.) 16.2 ft to m
c.) 5.44 qt to mL
d.) 23.5 yd3 to m3
f.) 7.85 g/mL to kg/m3

2. Doctors recommend to drink 8 glasses of water a day. If you drink from

a 1L water bottle everyday, does it meet the recommended water intake?
Assume that a glass holds 8 ounces. Note: 1oz(ounce)= 28.57mL. Explain
your answer.

3. A tank can hold up 100 gallons of water, how many hours will it take, in
hours, to fill a half empty tank if a water delivery pumps 1L every 15
seconds ?

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 ELABORATE ELABORATE ELABORATE ELABORATE

Formative Assessment (Graded Assignment)

1. Your car’s fuel consumption is approximately 22 miles/gallon, if
you currently have 25L of fuel in your tank do you need to stop
for gas along the road if you want to travel from Manila to
Baguio? Explain your answer. (The distance from Manila to
Baguio is 205km).

2. A container has a length of 5 ft, a width of 10 ft, and a depth

of 2ft. Will it be enough to hold 10kg of water? Justify your
answer. Assume the density of water to be 1g/mL.

3. A piece of land costs Php 273,000 per square meter. Will a Php
1B be enough to buy 1 hectare of said land? Why or why not?

4. A faucet releases water at a rate of 1m3/min, how long , in

hours, will it take to completely fill a rectangular container 1ft ×
1ft × 2ft?

EVALUATE EVALUATE EVALUATE EVALUATE

You have reviewed some important concepts for Unit Factors and Unit
Conversions and acquired additional and new knowledge on some important
advancement. You should be able to apply these concepts.

Module 2 Evaluative Assessment on DATE via Google Classroom

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 References:
Brown, Le May & Bursten. (1997). Chemistry, The Central Science, 7th Ed.
USA: Prentice Hall International.

www.khanacademy.org

www.study.com

ANSWERS TO EXERCISES:
EXERCISE NO. 1:
a.) 76 mL
b.) 50 nm
c.) 345 000 m
d.) 3.45 x 107 m
e.) 10 800 sec
f.) 345 000 g
g.) 760.4 lb

EXERCISE NO. 2:
1. a.) 76.000 mL
b.) 4.9390 m
c.) 5 148.0080 mL
d.) 17.9808 m3
e.) 7 800 kg/m3

2. No. Since a glass of water holds 8 oz and you need 8 glasses of water a day,
in total you would need to consume 64 oz of water everyday, after using the
conversion factor provided that would be equal to 1,828.48mL. Converting
1,828.48mL to liter would result to 1.82848L which is greater than your 1L daily
consumption.

3. It will take approximately 0.7885 hours to fill the half empty tank.

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