• Force (F) - Newton's law states that "the acceleration of a

particular body is directly proportional to the resultant force

acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass."

𝐹 𝑚𝑎
a ∝ 𝐹=
𝑚 𝑘
where: F- force (lbf, kgf, N)
a- acceleration (ft/s², m/s²)
m- mass (𝑘𝑔𝑚 , 𝑙𝑏𝑚 )
k- proportionality constant, “k” is often ignored because of
its usual value, 1, but here it’s not always 1.
• System of units where k is unity but not
dimensionless.

𝑚𝑎 𝑘𝑔𝑚 ∙ 𝑚 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔 ∙ 𝑓𝑡
k= =1 2
= 1
𝐹 𝑁 ∙ 𝑠 𝑙𝑏𝑓 ∙ 𝑠 2
• If the same word was used for mass and force in a
given system, is neither unity nor dimensionless.
𝑚𝑎 𝑘𝑔𝑚 ∙ 𝑚 𝑙𝑏𝑚 ∙ 𝑓𝑡
k= = 9.81 2
= 32.2
𝐹 𝑘𝑔𝑓 ∙ 𝑠 𝑙𝑏𝑓 ∙ 𝑠 2
Equate the S.I. values of “k” from unity and not unity:
• kgf and N (kilogram force and Newton)

k=k
𝑘𝑔𝑚 ∙ 𝑚 𝑘𝑔𝑚 ∙ 𝑚 NOW, CANCEL THE
1 2
= 9.81 SAME UNITS PRESENT
𝑁 ∙ 𝑠 𝑘𝑔𝑓 ∙ 𝑠 2 ON BOTH EQUATIONS
1 9.81 NEXT, CROSS
= TRANSPOSE THE UNITS
𝑁 𝑘𝑔𝑓 IN THE DENOMINATOR

1 𝑘𝑔𝑓 = 9.81 𝑁
 Equate the English values of “k” from unity and not unity:
• lbm and slug (pound mass and slug)

k=k

𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔 ∙ 𝑓𝑡 𝑙𝑏𝑚 ∙ 𝑓𝑡 NOW, CANCEL THE

1 2
= 32.2 SAME UNITS PRESENT
𝑙𝑏𝑓 ∙ 𝑠 𝑙𝑏𝑓 ∙ 𝑠 2 ON BOTH EQUATIONS

1 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔 = 32.3𝑙𝑏𝑚

NOTE: Slug is a unit of MASS and not force nor weight.

• WEIGHT (W or Fg) – force due to gravity
𝑚𝑔
W = 𝐹𝑔 =
𝑘

where: Fg- weight (lbf, kgf, N)

g- gravitational acceleration (32.2 ft/s², 9.81 m/s²)
m- mass (𝑘𝑔𝑚 , 𝑙𝑏𝑚 )
• Density – is the mass per unit volume
𝑚 𝑚ሶ
𝜌= =
𝑉 𝑉ሶ
(𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒)

• Specific Volume – inverse of density

𝑉 1
𝑣= or
𝑚 𝜌
• Specific Weight– weight per unit volume
𝑊 𝑚𝑔 𝜌𝑔
𝛾= = =
𝑉 𝑉𝑘 𝑘

Replaced the value of W with mg/k

By simplifying, we replaced m/V to 𝜌, since it’s the formula for

density
1. What is the weight (N) of a 66- 𝑘𝑔𝑚 man at standard
condition?

𝑚
GIVEN:m = 66 𝑘𝑔𝑚 g = 9.81
𝑠2
REQUIRED: Weight (Fg)
SOLUTION:
𝑚𝑔
𝐹𝑔 =
𝑘
,
since the problem specified the required unit for weight, we
will use not unity for the value of “k”
𝑚
(66𝑘𝑔𝑚)(9.81 2 )
= 𝑠 = 647 𝑁
𝑘𝑔𝑚 ∙ 𝑚
1
𝑁 ∙ 𝑠2
2. The mass of a given airplane at sea level (g = 32.10 fps 2 ) is 10 short tons.
Find its mass in lbm , slugs, and kg m and its (gravitational) weight in lbf when
it is travelling at a 50,000-ft elevation. The acceleration of gravity g decreases
by 3.33 x 10.6 fps 2 for each foot of elevation. (1 short ton = 2000 lbm )
GIVEN: m = 10 short tons
𝑓𝑡 𝑓𝑡
𝑔𝑠𝑒𝑎 = 32.1 g = 32.2
𝑠2 𝑠2
h = 50000 ft a = 3.33 x 10.6 fps 2 / ft
REQUIRED: Mass and Weight
2000 lb
m
SOLUTION: m = 10 short tons x 1 short ton = 20000 lbm
WE JUST USED THE
1 kgm GIVEN CONVERSIONS
= 20000 lbm x = 9090.91 kg m
2.2lbm TO GET THE VALUES
1 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔 OF MASS.
= 20000 lbm x = 621.12 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔𝑠
32.2lbm
 𝑚𝑔
𝑊=
𝑘
,
we know that this is the formula for weight but given the
situation there will be a difference in gravity because of the word
“decreases” meaning there’s a deceleration that happened with the
given elevation and acceleration.
WE MULTIPLIED ACCELERATION AND
HEIGHT SO THAT WE CAN CANCEL THE
𝑚[𝑔𝑠𝑒𝑎 − 𝑎 ℎ ]
= UNIT FEET.
𝑘
2 fps 2
(20000 lbm )[32.1fps − 3.33 x 10.6 50000𝑓𝑡 ]
𝑓𝑡
=
𝑙𝑏 ∙ 𝑓𝑡
32.2 𝑚 2
𝑙𝑏𝑓 ∙ 𝑠
W = 19834.47 𝑙𝑏𝑓
3. Two liquids of different densities (ρ1 = 1500 kg/m3 and ρ2 = 500 kg/m3 )
are poured together into a 100-liter tank filling it. The resulting density of the
mixture is 800 kg/m3 , find the respective amounts of the liquids used.

GIVEN: ρ1 = 1500 kg/m3 ρT = 800 kg/m3

ρ2 = 500 kg/m3 VT = 100 L (1 m3 = 1000 L)

REQUIRED: Masses
SOLUTION: m •
1 m2 FIRST CONVERT VOLUME
ρ1 ρ2 1m3
VT = 100L × = 0.1m3
1000 𝐿
• GET THE TOTAL MASS USING THE
ρT = 800 FORMULA FOR DENSITY
VT = 100 L mT = ρT ∙ VT = 800 0.1 = 80kg m
 ρ2 = 500 kg/m3 • WE KNOW THAT:
ρ1 = 1500 kg/m3
m2 mT = m1 + m2
m1
80kg m = ρ1 V1 + ρ2 V2 EQ.1

ρT = 800 VT = V1 + V2
0.1m3 = V1 + V2
VT = 100 L V1 = 0.1m3 − V2 EQ.2

• WE HAVE TWO VARIABLES: 𝑉1 &𝑉2 NOW SUBSTITUTE

EQ.2 TO EQ.1 TO ELIMINATE ONE VARIABLE

80kg m = (1500 kg/m3 )(0.1m3 − V2 ) + (500 kg/m3 )V2

V2 = 0.07 m3
• SUBSTITUTE 𝑉2 TO EQ. 2 TO GET 𝑉1
V1 = 0.1m3 − 0.07 m3 = 0.03m3
• NOW WE CAN GET THE MASSES
m1 = ρ1 V1 = (1500 kg/m3 )(0.03m3 ) = 45 kg m
m2 = ρ2 V2 = (500 kg/m3 )(0.07 m3 ) = 35kg m