Table of Contents
- 1 Does a conversion factor change the value of a measurement?
- 2 What happens to the actual measurement when a conversion factor is used?
- 3 Is multiplying by a unit conversion factor the same as or different from multiplying by 1?
- 4 How do conversion factors affect the number of significant figures in your answers for the calculations above?
- 5 Does using conversion factors in dimensional analysis change the amount of the material you start with in a question?
- 6 When multiplying by a conversion factor the units in the denominator of the conversion factor should be?
Does a conversion factor change the value of a measurement?
A conversion factor is a number used to change one set of units to another, by multiplying or dividing. When a conversion is necessary, the appropriate conversion factor to an equal value must be used. For example, to convert inches to feet, the appropriate conversion value is 12 inches equal 1 foot.
What does not change when using a conversion factor?
Note: Unit conversion factors are always equal to 1. Therefore, when we multiply any measurement by a unit conversion factor, we are not changing the value of the measurement, only the units.
What happens to the actual measurement when a conversion factor is used?
When a measurement is multiplied by a conversion factor, the numerical value is generally changed, but the actual size of the quantity measured remains the same. The scale of the micrograph is in nanometers.
What is the conversion factor?
A conversion factor is a ratio (or fraction) which represents the relationship between two different units. A conversion factor is ALWAYS equal to 1. Here are some examples of conversion factors: All these conversion factors are equal to 1. If it doesn’t seem obvious at first, think about it for a second.
Is multiplying by a unit conversion factor the same as or different from multiplying by 1?
Because the numerator and denominator of a conversion factor are equal, multiplying any quantity by a conversion factor is equivalent to multiplying by the number 1 and so does not change the intrinsic value of the quantity.
Why do conversion factors not change the value of the number converted?
Conversion factors A conversion factor is used to change the units of a measured quantity without changing its value. Because of the identity property of multiplication, the value of a quantity will not change as long as it is multiplied by one.
How do conversion factors affect the number of significant figures in your answers for the calculations above?
Exact numbers that appear in many conversion factors do not affect the number of significant figures; otherwise, the normal rules of multiplication and division for significant figures apply.
When a given value is multiplied by the conversion factor does the actual amount of the given value change?
Does using conversion factors in dimensional analysis change the amount of the material you start with in a question?
When a given measurement is multiplied by an appropriate conversion factor, the numerical value changes, but the actual size of the quantity measured remains the same.
How do you calculate conversion factors?
The same length is 0.3048 meters, and it is also 30.48 centimeters.
- To convert 10 feet to inches, multiply 10 times 12 (the conversion factor) = 120 inches.
- To convert 10 feet to yards, multiply 10 x 1/3 = 3.3333 yards (or 3 1/3 yards)
- To convert 10 feet to meters, multiply 10 x .3048 = 3.048 meters.
When multiplying by a conversion factor the units in the denominator of the conversion factor should be?
The conversion factor should be selected so that the units in the original quantity cancel with one of the units in the factor. 3. Conversion factors are relationships used to express the same quantity in different units.
When multiplying by a conversion factor How do you determine which unit belongs in the numerator and which in the denominator?