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Dimensions
A dimension is a category that represents a physical quantity such as mass, length, time, momentum, force, acceleration, and energy. To simplify matters, engineers express dimensions using a limited set that are called primary dimensions. Table 1.2 lists one common set of primary dimensions. Table 1.2 Dimension Length Mass Time Temperature Electric current Amount of light Amount of matter PRIMARY DIME SIO S Symbol L M T i C Unit (SI) meter (m) kilogram (kg) second (s) kelvin (K) ampere (A) candela (cd) mole (mol)
Secondary dimensions such as momentum and energy can be related to primary dimensions by using equations. For example, the secondary dimension force is expressed in primary dimensions by using Newton's second law of motion, F = ma. The primary dimensions of acceleration are L/T2, so (1.1) In Eq. 1.1, the square brackets mean dimensions of. This equation reads the primary dimensions of force are mass times length divided by time squared. Note that primary dimensions are not enclosed in brackets.
Units
While a dimension expresses a specific type of physical quantity, a unit assigns a number so that the dimension can be measured. For example, measurement of volume (a dimension) can be expressed using units of liters. Similarly, measurement of energy (a dimension) can be expressed using units of joules. Most dimensions have multiple units that are used for measurement. For example, the dimension of force can be expressed using units of newtons, pounds-force, or dynes.
Unit Systems
In practice, there are several unit systems in use. The International System of Units (abbreviated SI from the
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French Le Systme International d'Units) is based on the meter, kilogram, and second. Although the SI system is intended to serve as an international standard, there are other systems in common use in the United States. The U.S. Customary System (USCS), sometimes called English Engineering System, uses the pound-mass (lbm) for mass, the foot (ft) for length, the pound-force (lbf) for force, and the second (s) for time. The British Gravitational (BG) System is similar to the USCS system that the unit of mass is the slug. To convert between pounds-mass and kg or slugs, the relationships are
Thus, a gallon of milk, which has mass of approximately 8 lbm, will have a mass of about 0.25 slugs, which is about 3.6 kg. For simplicity, this text uses two categories for units. The first category is the familiar SI unit system. The second category contains units from both the USCS and the BG systems of units and is called the Traditional Unit System.
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