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Fundamental Concepts and Definitions - Prefix Factor Symbol Prefix Factor Symbol

The document discusses prefixes and factors used for converting between units of measurement for various physical quantities. It provides a table with conversion factors for units of length, mass, force, pressure, and energy. It then discusses the concept of continuum in classical thermodynamics, where substances are treated as continuous at the macroscopic level when the scale of analysis is large compared to intermolecular spacing, but a microscopic approach is needed at very small scales.

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33 views1 page

Fundamental Concepts and Definitions - Prefix Factor Symbol Prefix Factor Symbol

The document discusses prefixes and factors used for converting between units of measurement for various physical quantities. It provides a table with conversion factors for units of length, mass, force, pressure, and energy. It then discusses the concept of continuum in classical thermodynamics, where substances are treated as continuous at the macroscopic level when the scale of analysis is large compared to intermolecular spacing, but a microscopic approach is needed at very small scales.

Uploaded by

kprasannan
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
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Fundamental Concepts and Definitions Prefix deca hecto kilo mega giga tera peta exa Factor 10 102

103 106 109 1012 1015 1018

____________________________________________ Prefix deci centi milli micro nano pico femto atto Factor 101 102 103 106 109 1012 1015 1018 Symbol d c m n p f a

Symbol da h k M G T P E

The conversion table for one unit into the other is given in table 1.3. Table 1.3 Unit conversion table 1 ft 1 in 1 lb 1 lbf 1 lbf/in2 1 bar 1 ft. lbf 1 Btu 1Btu/lb 1 ft3/lb = = = = = = = = = = = 0.3048 m 1 ft2 0.0254 m 1 in2 453.6 gm 1 lb 4.45 N 1 kgf 6.989 kN/m2 = 0.0689 bar = 703 kgf/m2 105 N/m2 = 14.5038 1bf/in2 = 0.9869 atm 1.0197 kgf/cm2 1.356 Joules 778.16 ft. lbf = 1.055 kJ 2.326 kJ/kg 0.0624 m3/kg, 1 Cal = 0.09290 m2 = 6.45 cm2 = 0.4536 kg = 9.81 N

= 4.18 J

1.3 CONCEPT OF CONTINUUM


In Macroscopic approach of thermodynamics the substance is considered to be continuous whereas every matter actually comprises of myriads of molecules with intermolecular spacing amongst them. For analyzing a substance in aggregate it shall be desired to use laws of motion for individual molecules and study at molecular level be put together statistically to get the influence upon aggregate. In statistical thermodynamics this microscopic approach is followed, although it is often too cumbersome for practical calculations. In engineering thermodynamics where focus lies upon the gross behaviour of the system and substance in it, the statistical approach is to be kept aside and classical thermodynamics approach be followed. In classical thermodynamics, for analysis the atomic structure of substance is considered to be continuous. For facilitating the analysis this concept of continuum is used in which the substance is treated free from any kind of discontinuity. As this is an assumed state of continuum in substance so the order of analysis or scale of analysis becomes very important. Thus, in case the scale of analysis is large enough and the discontinuities are of the order of intermolecular spacing or mean free path then due to relative order of discontinuity being negligible it may be treated continuous. In the situations when scale of analysis is too small such that even the intermolecular spacing or mean free path are not negligible i.e. the mean free path is of comparable size with smallest significant dimension in analysis then it can not be considered continuous and the microscopic approach for analysis should be followed. For example, whenever one deals with highly rarefied gases such as in rocket flight at very high altitudes or electron tubes, the concept of continuum of classical thermodynamics

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