Conversion Factors

DIMENSION METRIC METRIC/ENGLISH

Acceleration 1 m/s2 = 100 cm/s2 1 m/s2 = 3.2808 ft/s2
1 ft/s2 = 0.3048* m/s2
Area 1 m2 = 104 cm2 = 106 mm2 = 10−6 km2 1 m2 = 1550 in2 = 10.764 ft2
1 ft2 = 144 in2 = 0.09290304* m2
Density 1 g/cm3 = 1 kg/L = 1000 kg/m3 1 g/cm3 = 62.428 lbm/ft3 = 0.036127 lbm/in3
1 lbm/in3 = 1728 lbm/ft3
1 kg/m3 = 0.062428 lbm/ft3
Energy, heat, work, 1 kJ = 1000 J = 1000 N ⋅ m = 1 kPa ⋅ m3 1 kJ = 0.94782 Btu
and specific energy 1 kJ/kg = 1000 m2/s2 1 Btu = 1.055056 kJ
1 kWh = 3600 kJ = 5.40395 psia ⋅ ft3 = 778.169 lbf ⋅ ft
1 Btu/lbm = 25,037 ft2/s2 = 2.326* kJ/kg
1 kWh = 3412.14 Btu
Force 1 N = 1 kg ⋅ m/s2 = 105 dyne 1 N = 0.22481 lbf
1 kgf = 9.80665 N 1 lbf = 32.174 lbm ⋅ ft/s2 = 4.44822 N
1 lbf = 1 slug ⋅ ft/s2
Length 1 m = 100 cm = 1000 mm = 106 µm 1 m = 39.370 in = 3.2808 ft = 1.0926 yd
1 km = 1000 m 1 ft = 12 in = 0.3048* m
1 mile = 5280 ft = 1.6093 km
1 in = 2.54* cm
Mass 1 kg = 1000 g 1 kg = 2.2046226 lbm
1 metric ton = 1000 kg 1 lbm = 0.45359237* kg
1 ounce = 28.3495 g
1 slug = 32.174 lbm = 14.5939 kg
1 short ton = 2000 lbm = 907.1847 kg
Power 1 W = 1 J/s 1 kW = 3412.14 Btu/h = 1.341 hp
1 kW = 1000 W = 1 kJ/s = 737.56 lbf ⋅ ft/s
1 hp‡ = 745.7 W 1 hp = 550 lbf ⋅ ft/s = 0.7068 Btu/s
= 42.41 Btu/min = 2544.5 Btu/h
= 0.74570 kW
1 Btu/h = 1.055056 kJ/h
Pressure or stress, 1 Pa = 1 N/m2 1 Pa = 1.4504 × 10−4 psi
and pressure 1 kPa = 103 Pa = 10−3 MPa = 0.020886 lbf/ft2
expressed as 1 atm = 101.325 kPa = 1.01325 bar 1 psi = 144 lbf/ft2 = 6.894757 kPa
a head = 760 mm Hg at 0°C 1 atm = 14.696 psi
= 1.03323 kgf/cm2 = 29.92 inches Hg at 30°F
1 mm Hg = 0.1333 kPa 1 inch Hg = 13.60 inches H2O = 3.387 kPa
Specific heat 1 kJ/kg ⋅ °C = 1 kJ/kg ⋅ K 1 Btu/lbm ⋅ °F = 4.1868 kJ/kg ⋅ °C
= 1 J/g ⋅ °C 1 Btu/lbmol ⋅ R = 4.1868 kJ/kmol ⋅ K
1 kJ/kg ⋅ °C = 0.23885 Btu/lbm ⋅ °F
= 0.23885 Btu/lbm ⋅ R
Specific volume 1 m3/kg = 1000 L/kg 1 m3/kg = 16.02 ft3/lbm
= 1000 cm3/g 1 ft3/lbm = 0.062428 m3/kg
Temperature T(K) = T(°C) + 273.15 T(R) = T(°F) + 459.67 = 1.8T(K)
ΔT(K) = ΔT(°C) T(°F) = 1.8 T(°C) + 32
ΔT(°F) = ΔT(R) = 1.8* ΔT(K)
Velocity 1 m/s = 3.60 km/h 1 m/s = 3.2808 ft/s = 2.237 mi/h
1 mi/h = 1.46667 ft/s
1 mi/h = 1.6093 km/h
Viscosity, dynamic 1 kg/m ⋅ s = 1 N ⋅ s/m2 = 1 Pa ⋅ s = 10 poise 1 kg/m ⋅ s = 2419.1 lbm/ft ⋅ h
= 0.020886 lbf ⋅ s/ft2
= 0.67197 lbm/ft ⋅ s

* Exact conversion factor between metric and English units.

‡ Mechanical horsepower. The electrical horsepower is taken to be exactly 746 W.

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CONVERSION FACTORS

DIMENSION METRIC METRIC/ENGLISH

Viscosity, kinematic 1 m2/s = 104 cm2/s 1 m2/s = 10.764 ft2/s = 3.875 × 104 ft2/h
1 stoke = 1 cm2/s = 10−4 m2/s 1 m2/s = 10.764 ft2/s
Volume 1 m3 = 1000 L = 106 cm3 (cc) 1 m3 = 6.1024 × 104 in3 = 35.315 ft3
= 264.17 gal (U.S.)
1 U.S. gallon = 231 in3 = 3.7854 L
1 fl ounce = 29.5735 cm3 = 0.0295735 L
1 U.S. gallon = 128 fl ounces
Volume flow rate 1 m3/s = 60,000 L/min = 106 cm3/s 1 m3/s = 15,850 gal/min = 35.315 ft3/s
= 2118.9 ft3/min (CFM)

* Exact conversion factor between metric and English units.

Some Physical Constants

PHYSICAL CONSTANT METRIC ENGLISH
Standard acceleration of gravity g = 9.80665 m/s2 g = 32.174 ft/s2
Standard atmospheric pressure Patm = 1 atm = 101.325 kPa Patm = 1 atm = 14.696 psia
= 1.01325 bar = 2116.2 lbf/ft2
= 760 mm Hg (0°C) = 29.9213 inches Hg (32°F)
= 10.3323 m H2O (4°C) = 406.78 inches H2O (39.2°F)
Universal gas constant Ru = 8.31447 kJ/kmol ⋅ K Ru = 1.9859 Btu/lbmol ⋅ R
= 8.31447 kN ⋅ m/kmol ⋅ K = 1545.37 ft ⋅ lbf/lbmol ⋅ R

Commonly Used Properties

PROPERTY METRIC ENGLISH
Air at 20°C (68°F) and 1 atm
Specific gas constant* Rair = 0.2870 kJ/kg ⋅ K Rair = 0.06855 Btu/lbm ⋅ R
= 287.0 m2/s2 ⋅ K = 53.34 ft ⋅ lbf/lbm ⋅ R
= 1716 ft2/s2 ⋅ R
Specific heat ratio k = cp /cv = 1.40 k = cp /cv = 1.40
Specific heats cp = 1.005 kJ/kg ⋅ K cp = 0.2400 Btu/lbm ⋅ R
= 1005 m2/s2 ⋅ K = 186.8 ft ⋅ lbf/lbm ⋅ R
cv = 0.7180 kJ/kg ⋅ K = 6009 ft2/s2 ⋅ R
= 718.0 m2/s2 ⋅ K cv = 0.1715 Btu/lbm ⋅ R
= 133.5 ft ⋅ lbf/lbm ⋅ R
= 4294 ft2/s2 ⋅ R
Speed of sound c = 343.2 m/s = 1236 km/h c = 1126 ft/s = 767.7 mi/h
Density 𝜌 = 1.204 kg/m3 𝜌 = 0.07518 lbm/ft3
Viscosity 𝜇 = 1.825 × 10−5 kg/m ⋅ s 𝜇 = 1.227 × 10−5 lbm/ft ⋅ s
Kinematic viscosity 𝜈 = 1.516 × 10−5 m2/s 𝜈 = 1.632 × 10−4 ft2/s

Liquid water at 20°C (68°F) and 1 atm

Specific heat (c = cp = cv) c = 4.182 kJ/kg ⋅ K c = 0.9989 Btu/lbm ⋅ R
= 4182 m2/s2 ⋅ K = 777.3 ft ⋅ lbf/lbm ⋅ R
= 25,009 ft2/s2 ⋅ R
Density 𝜌 = 998.0 kg/m3 𝜌 = 62.30 lbm/ft3
Viscosity 𝜇 = 1.002 × 10−3 kg/m ⋅ s 𝜇 = 6.733 × 10−4 lbm/ft ⋅ s
Kinematic viscosity 𝜈 = 1.004 × 10−6 m2/s 𝜈 = 1.081 × 10−5 ft2/s

* Independent of pressure or temperature.

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