Questions and Answers and Problems for Lecture 2 and Chapter 2 – Part 1

(Units, Dimensions, Conversion of Units, Dimensional Analysis)

Here are 43 questions and answers or problems for an exam, drawing on the provided
sources:

Exam Questions: Introduction to Engineering Calculations

Section 1: Units and Dimensions

1. Question: Define quantity, dimension, and unit with an example for each.
Answer/Solution:

o Quantity: A property that can be measured.

 Example: Length.

o Dimension: A property that can be measured, such as length, mass, time,

temperature, or calculated by multiplying or dividing other dimensions.

 Example: Length (L), Mass (M), Time (T), Temperature (T).

o Unit: A specific value of a dimension that has been defined by convention,

custom, or law, used to measure a dimension.

 Example: Meter for length, kilogram for mass, second for time.

2. Question: List the three basic units of the SI (Système International) system and
explain how each is currently defined. Answer/Solution: The three basic SI units
are:

o Length: Meter (m) – Based on the speed of light; it is the length of the path
travelled by light in 1/299,792,458 of a second.

o Mass: Kilogram (kg) – Historically based on a platinum cylinder kept in the

International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Paris. (Note: While the
source provides this historical definition, it's important to acknowledge that
the kilogram's definition was redefined in 2019 based on the Planck
constant, but this information is not in the provided sources.)

o Time: Second (s) – Defined as the time required for 9,192,631,770 periods of
radiation emitted by cesium atoms.
3. Question: Explain the rule for adding or subtracting quantities with respect to their
units. Provide an example of a valid operation and an invalid one. Answer/Solution:
The numerical values of two quantities may be added or subtracted only if their
units are the same.

o Valid Example: 3 cm – 1 cm = 2 cm.

o Invalid Example: 3 cm – 1 mm = ? (Cannot be directly subtracted without

conversion).

4. Question: What are derived units? Give two examples from the SI system.
Answer/Solution: Derived units are units obtained by dividing or multiplying base
or multiple units. They are formed by products of powers of base units. The number
of derived units is unlimited.

o Example 1: The SI derived unit of area is square metre (m²).

o Example 2: The SI derived unit of density is kilograms per cubic metre

(kg/m³).

o Other examples: Volume (Liter, L = 0.001 m³), Force (Newton, N = 1 kg·m/s²),

Pressure (Pascal, Pa = 1 N/m²), Energy/Work (Joule, J = 1 N·m = 1 kg·m²/s²),
Power (Watt, W = 1 J/s = 1 kg·m²/s³).

5. Question: List the base units for mass, length, time, and temperature in the CGS
system and the American Engineering System. Answer/Solution:

o CGS System:

 Mass: Gram (g)

 Length: Centimeter (cm)

 Time: Second (s)

 Temperature: Kelvin (K)

o American Engineering System (AES):

 Mass: Pound-mass (lbm)

 Length: Foot (ft)

 Time: Second (s)

 Temperature: Degree Fahrenheit (°F)

Section 2: Unit Conversion

6. Question: Convert 4 feet into inches. Answer/Solution: We know that 1 foot is

equal to 12 inches. Start with what is given: 4 feet. Set up the conversion factor so
that feet cancel out: (4 feet / 1) * (12 inches / 1 foot) = 4 * 12 inches = 48 inches.

7. Question: Convert 350 grams into kilograms. Answer/Solution: We know that 1

kilogram is equal to a thousand grams. Start with what is given: 350 grams. Set up
the conversion factor so that grams cancel out: (350 grams / 1) * (1 kilogram / 1000
grams) = 350 / 1000 kilograms = 0.35 kilograms. Alternatively, move the decimal
three units to the left when dividing by a thousand.

8. Question: Convert 0.45 liters into milliliters. Answer/Solution: We know that 1 liter
is equal to 1000 milliliters. Start with what is given: 0.45 liters. Set up the
conversion factor so that liters cancel out: (0.45 liters / 1) * (1000 milliliters / 1 liter)
= 0.45 * 1000 milliliters = 450 milliliters. Alternatively, move the decimal three units
to the right when multiplying by a thousand.

9. Question: Karen can make 7 cakes in 3 hours. How many cakes can she make in 10
hours? Answer/Solution: The conversion factor is the rate: 7 cakes = 3 hours. Start
with what is given: 10 hours. Set up the conversion factor so that hours cancel out
and cakes are left on top: (10 hours / 1) * (7 cakes / 3 hours) = (10 * 7) / 3 cakes = 70 /
3 cakes = 23.3 repeating cakes.

10. Question: A map has a scale where 1 inch = 5.5 miles. If the distance between two
cities is 12.6 inches on the map, what is the actual distance in miles?
Answer/Solution: The conversion factor is 1 inch = 5.5 miles. Start with what is
given: 12.6 inches. Set up the conversion factor so that inches cancel out and miles
are left on top: (12.6 inches / 1) * (5.5 miles / 1 inch) = 12.6 * 5.5 miles = 69.3 miles.

11. Question: Convert 180 inches into yards. Answer/Solution: This is a two-step
conversion. We need to go from inches to feet, and then from feet to yards.
Conversion factors:

o 1 foot = 12 inches

o 1 yard = 3 feet Start with 180 inches: (180 inches / 1) * (1 foot / 12 inches) * (1
yard / 3 feet) Units cancel: inches and feet. Math: (180 / 12) / 3 = 15 / 3 = 5
yards.

12. Question: Convert 9000 feet into kilometers. Answer/Solution: This is a two-step
conversion: feet to miles, then miles to kilometers. Conversion factors:
 o 1 mile = 5280 feet

o 1 mile = 1.609 kilometers Start with 9000 feet: (9000 feet / 1) * (1 mile / 5280
feet) * (1.609 kilometers / 1 mile) Units cancel: feet and miles. Math: (9000 /
5280) * 1.609 = 1.7045 * 1.609 = 2.7426 kilometers.

13. Question: Convert 7500 milliliters to gallons. Answer/Solution: This is a two-step

conversion: milliliters to liters, then liters to gallons. Conversion factors:

o 1 liter = 1000 milliliters

o 1 gallon = 3.785 liters Start with 7500 milliliters: (7500 milliliters / 1) * (1 liter
/ 1000 milliliters) * (1 gallon / 3.785 liters) Units cancel: milliliters and liters.
Math: (7500 / 1000) / 3.785 = 7.5 / 3.785 = 1.98 gallons (rounded).

14. Question: A book weighs 7 pounds and 12 ounces. What is the total mass of the
book in kilograms? Answer/Solution: This requires converting both pounds and
ounces to kilograms and then summing them. Conversion factors:

o 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds

o 1 pound = 16 ounces Step 1: Convert 7 pounds to kilograms (7 pounds / 1)

* (1 kilogram / 2.2 pounds) = 7 / 2.2 = 3.182 kilograms (rounded). Step 2:
Convert 12 ounces to kilograms (12 ounces / 1) * (1 pound / 16 ounces) * (1
kilogram / 2.2 pounds) Math: (12 / 16) / 2.2 = 0.75 / 2.2 = 0.341 kilograms
(rounded). Step 3: Add the two masses 3.182 kg + 0.341 kg = 3.523
kilograms.

15. Question: How many cups of flour are required to make enough cupcakes to fill 12
boxes, if one box holds 28 cupcakes and 5 cups of flour are required for every 3
cupcakes? Answer/Solution: This is a multi-step conversion problem. Conversion
factors:

o 1 box = 28 cupcakes

o 5 cups of flour = 3 cupcakes Start with 12 boxes: (12 boxes / 1) * (28

cupcakes / 1 box) * (5 cups of flour / 3 cupcakes) Units cancel: boxes and
cupcakes. Math: (12 * 28 * 5) / 3 = (336 * 5) / 3 = 1680 / 3 = 560 cups of flour.

16. Question: Convert 38.6 millimeters to meters using the metric system prefixes.
Answer/Solution: In the metric system, "milli" corresponds to 10⁻³. So, the
conversion factor is 1 millimeter = 1 × 10⁻³ meters. Start with 38.6 millimeters:
(38.6 millimeters / 1) * (1 × 10⁻³ meters / 1 millimeter) = 38.6 × 10⁻³ meters. In proper
 scientific notation, move the decimal one unit to the left and increase the exponent
by one: 3.86 × 10⁻² meters. This is equivalent to 0.0386 meters.

17. Question: Convert 4950 picometers to nanometers. Answer/Solution: This is a

two-step conversion: picometers to meters, then meters to nanometers. Metric
prefixes:

o Pico (p) = 10⁻¹²

o Nano (n) = 10⁻⁹ Conversion factors:

o 1 picometer = 1 × 10⁻¹² meters

o 1 nanometer = 1 × 10⁻⁹ meters Start with 4950 picometers: (4950

picometers / 1) * (1 × 10⁻¹² meters / 1 picometer) * (1 nanometer / 1 × 10⁻⁹
meters) Units cancel: picometers and meters. Math: 4950 * 10⁻¹² * (1 / 10⁻⁹) =
4950 * 10⁻¹² * 10⁹ (moving 10⁻⁹ from denominator to numerator changes its
exponent sign). Combine exponents: -12 + 9 = -3. Result: 4950 × 10⁻³
nanometers. In proper scientific notation, move the decimal three units to
the left and add 3 to the exponent: 4.950 × 10⁰ nanometers = 4.95
nanometers.

18. Question: A process stream has an acceleration of 1 cm/s². Convert this to its
equivalent in km/yr². Answer/Solution: We need to convert length units (cm to km)
and time units (s to yr). Conversion factors:

o 1 m = 100 cm

o 1 km = 1000 m

o 1 min = 60 s

o 1 hr = 60 min = 3600 s

o 1 day = 24 hr

o 1 yr = 365 days (approximately, standard year) Set up the dimensional

equation: (1 cm / s²) * (1 m / 100 cm) * (1 km / 1000 m) * ( (3600 s / 1 hr)² ) * (
(24 hr / 1 day)² ) * ( (365 days / 1 yr)² ) Note¿.[Link].
[Link]. = (1 / (100 * 1000)) * (3600² * 24² * 365²)
km/yr² = (1 / 100000) * (1.296 × 10⁷ * 576 * 133225) km/yr² = 1 × 10⁻⁵ * 9.95 ×
10¹¹ km/yr² = 9.95 × 10⁶ km/yr² (approximately).
Section 3: Force and Weight

19. Question: State Newton's second law of motion and define the natural force units in
SI and CGS systems. Answer/Solution: Newton’s second law of motion states that
force is proportional to the product of mass and acceleration (length/time²).

o Natural force units in SI: kg·m/s².

o Natural force units in CGS: g·cm/s².

20. Question: Define weight of an object and provide the formula relating weight, mass,
and gravitational acceleration. Answer/Solution: The weight of an object is the
force exerted on the object by gravitational attraction. The formula relating
weight (W), mass (m), and gravitational acceleration (g) is: W = m * g.

21. Question: Water has a density of 62.4 lbm/ft³. How much does 2.000 ft³ of water
weigh at sea level and 45° latitude? Answer/Solution: Step 1: Calculate the mass
of the water. Mass (M) = Density × Volume M = (62.4 lbm/ft³) × (2.000 ft³) = 124.8
lbm. Step 2: Calculate the weight of the water. At sea level and 45° latitude, the
gravitational acceleration (g) is 32.174 ft/s². We also need the conversion factor for
pound-force (lbf) in the American engineering system: 1 lbf = 32.174 lbm·ft/s².
Weight (W) = M * g W = (124.8 lbm) × (32.174 ft/s²) × (1 lbf / 32.174 lbm·ft/s²) W =
124.8 lbf.

22. Question: Differentiate between mass and weight. Answer/Solution: Mass is a

quantity of matter. It is an intrinsic property of an object and remains constant
regardless of location. Weight is a force, specifically the force exerted on an object
by gravitational attraction. It can vary depending on the gravitational field. While
they are not exactly the same, one can convert from one to the other (e.g., using
W=mg).

Section 4: Scientific Notation and Significant Figures

23. Question: Express 12,200 in scientific notation and state how many significant
figures it has. Then express 12,200.0 in scientific notation and state its number of
significant figures. Answer/Solution:

o 12,200:

 Scientific Notation: 1.22 × 10⁴

 Significant Figures: Three (The trailing zeros are not significant without
a decimal point).
 o 12,200.0:

 Scientific Notation: 1.22000 × 10⁴

 Significant Figures: Six (The trailing zeros are significant because

there is a decimal point).

24. Question: What are the rules for determining the number of significant figures in a
result when performing:

o (a) Multiplication and/or division?

o (b) Addition and/or subtraction? Answer/Solution:

o (a) Multiplication and/or division: The number of significant figures in the

result should equal the lowest number of significant figures of any of the
multiplicands or divisors.

o (b) Addition and/or subtraction: The positions of the last significant figures
of each number relative to the decimal point should be compared. Of these
positions, the one farthest to the left is the position of the last
permissible significant figure of the sum or difference.

25. Question: Round off the following numbers to three significant figures:

o (a) 1465

o (b) 13.35

o (c) 1.765 × 10⁻² Answer/Solution: A rule of thumb for rounding off numbers
where the digit to be dropped is a 5 is to make the last digit of the rounded-off
number even.

o (a) 1465 → 1460 (or 1.46 × 10³)

o (b) 13.35 → 13.4

o (c) 1.765 × 10⁻² → 1.76 × 10⁻²

Section 5: Validating Results and Data Analysis

26. Question: Name three approaches to validate a quantitative problem solution.

Briefly explain each. Answer/Solution: Three approaches to validate a quantitative
problem solution are:

o Back-substitution: After solving a set of equations, substitute the solution

back into the original equations to ensure it works.
 o Order-of-magnitude estimation: Come up with a crude and easy-to-obtain
approximation of the answer and ensure the more exact solution is
reasonably close to it. This involves substituting simple integers for
numerical quantities, using powers of 10 for very small/large numbers, and
performing arithmetic by hand, rounding intermediate answers.

o Test of reasonableness: Verify that the solution makes sense in a real-world

context. For example, a calculated velocity faster than the speed of light or a
temperature higher than the sun's interior would indicate a mistake.

27. Question: Given the following measurements of a variable X: 67.1%, 73.1%, 69.6%,
67.4%, 71.0%, 68.2%, 69.4%, 68.2%, 68.7%, 70.2%. Calculate the sample mean.
Answer/Solution: The sample mean (or arithmetic mean) is calculated by
summing all measured values and dividing by the number of measurements (N). X ̄ =
̄ = (67.1 + 73.1 + 69.6 + 67.4 + 71.0 + 68.2 + 69.4 + 68.2 + 68.7 +
(X₁ + X₂ + ... + Xₙ) / N X
70.2) / 10 X̄ = 693.0 / 10 = 69.3%.

28. Question: Using the data from the previous question (X values), calculate the range
of the measurements. Answer/Solution: The range (R) is simply the difference
between the highest (Xmax) and lowest (Xmin) values in the data set. Given data:
67.1, 73.1, 69.6, 67.4, 71.0, 68.2, 69.4, 68.2, 68.7, 70.2. Xmax = 73.1 Xmin = 67.1 R =
Xmax - Xmin = 73.1 - 67.1 = 6.0%.

29. Question: A variable Y has weekly production rates of 37, 17, 39, 40, 40, and 40
batches per week over six weeks. If you used the sample mean as a basis, what
would you predict the next weekly production rate to be? Then, come up with a
better prediction and explain your reasoning. Answer/Solution: Step 1: Calculate
the sample mean. Ȳ = (37 + 17 + 39 + 40 + 40 + 40) / 6 = 213 / 6 = 35.5
batches/week. Based purely on the sample mean, the prediction would be 35.5
batches/week.

Step 2: Propose a better prediction and explain. Looking at the data (37, 17, 39, 40, 40,
40), there appears to be an outlier (17). The most recent values are 39, 40, 40, 40,
suggesting a more stable, higher production rate recently. A better prediction would be to
ignore the outlier (17) and base the prediction on the more consistent recent data, or to
assume a trend. The last three data points are 40. Therefore, a better prediction might be
40 batches/week, assuming the low value of 17 was an anomaly and the process has
stabilised at a higher rate.

30. Question: The volumetric flow rate of a process fluid (V) is measured five times,
with the following results (in cm³/s): 232, 248, 227, 241, 239. Calculate the sample
 ̄ ), sample variance (sV²), and sample standard deviation (sV).
mean (V
Answer/Solution: Given data (V): 232, 248, 227, 241, 239. N = 5. Step 1: Calculate
the sample mean (V ̄ ). V
̄ = (232 + 248 + 227 + 241 + 239) / 5 = 1187 / 5 = 237.4 cm³/s.

Step 2: Calculate the sample variance (sV²). sV² = [Σ(Vi - V ̄ )²] / (N - 1) (232 - 237.4)² = (-
5.4)² = 29.16 (248 - 237.4)² = (10.6)² = 112.36 (227 - 237.4)² = (-10.4)² = 108.16 (241 - 237.4)²
̄ )² = 29.16 + 112.36 + 108.16 + 12.96 +
= (3.6)² = 12.96 (239 - 237.4)² = (1.6)² = 2.56 Σ(Vi - V
2.56 = 265.2 sV² = 265.2 / (5 - 1) = 265.2 / 4 = 66.3 (cm³/s)².

Step 3: Calculate the sample standard deviation (sV). sV = √sV² = √66.3 = 8.14 cm³/s
(rounded to 2 decimal places).

Section 6: Dimensional Homogeneity and Dimensionless Quantities

31. Question: Explain the concept of dimensional homogeneity for equations. Is a

dimensionally homogeneous equation necessarily valid? Answer/Solution: Every
valid equation must be dimensionally homogeneous, meaning all additive terms
on both sides of the equation must have the same dimensions. For example, if
an equation is (m/s) = (m/s) + (m/s²) * (s), each term on both sides has the
dimension of length/time, so it is dimensionally homogeneous. However, a
dimensionally homogeneous equation is not necessarily valid. For instance, if M is
the mass of an object, M = 2M is dimensionally homogeneous, but obviously
incorrect except for one specific value of M.

32. Question: Consider the equation: D (ft) = 3 (s²) + 4. If this equation is valid, what are
the dimensions and units of the constants 3 and 4? Answer/Solution: For the
equation to be valid, it must be dimensionally homogeneous, meaning each term
must have the dimension of length (L).

o The first term, D, has dimensions of Length (ft).

o The second term, 3(s²), must also have dimensions of Length. Since (s²) has
dimensions of Time² (T²), the constant 3 must have dimensions of
Length/Time² (L/T²).

 Therefore, the units of 3 must be ft/s².

o The third term, 4, must also have dimensions of Length.

 Therefore, the units of 4 must be ft.

33. Question: What is a dimensionless quantity? Give an example of a dimensionless

group. Answer/Solution: A dimensionless quantity can be a pure number (e.g., 2,
1.3, π) or a multiplicative combination of variables with no net dimensions. An
 example of a dimensionless group is the Prandtl number (Pr), which is defined as
(Cp · µ) / k, where Cp is heat capacity, µ is fluid viscosity, and k is thermal
conductivity. Another example is the Reynolds number (Re), defined as (D · u · ρ) /
µ, where D is pipe diameter, u is fluid velocity, ρ is fluid density, and µ is fluid
viscosity.

34. Question: Explain the rule regarding exponents and arguments of transcendental
functions for dimensional homogeneity. Provide an example. Answer/Solution:
Exponents (such as the 'a' in e^a) in transcendental functions and arguments of
transcendental functions (such as 'X' in sin(X), log(X), or exp(X)) must be
dimensionless quantities.

o Example: exp(10) makes perfect sense because 10 is a pure number

(dimensionless). However, exp(10 s) would be meaningless because 10 s has
dimensions of time. Similarly, log(20 s) or sin(3 dynes) are meaningless
because their arguments have dimensions.

Section 7: Process Data Representation and Analysis (Curve Fitting)

35. Question: The vapor pressures of 1-chlorotetradecane at several temperatures are:

T (°C): 98.5, 131.8, 148.2, 166.2, 199.8, 215.5 P (mm Hg): 1, 5, 10, 20, 60, 100 Use
two-point linear interpolation to estimate the value of P at 185 °C.
Answer/Solution: The two data points that bracket 185 °C are (T₁, P₁) = (166.2 °C, 20
mm Hg) and (T₂, P₂) = (199.8 °C, 60 mm Hg). The formula for two-point linear
interpolation is: Y = Y₁ + [(Y₂ - Y₁) / (X₂ - X₁)] * (X - X₁) Here, X = T and Y = P. P = P₁ + [(P₂
- P₁) / (T₂ - T₁)] * (T - T₁) P = 20 + [(60 - 20) / (199.8 - 166.2)] * (185 - 166.2) P = 20 + [40 /
33.6] * 18.8 P = 20 + 1.190476 * 18.8 P = 20 + 22.38 P ≈ 42.4 mm Hg.

36. Question: A semilog plot of Y (logarithmic axis) versus X passes through (1, 2) and
(2, 1). Calculate the equation that relates Y and X. Answer/Solution: A semilog plot
with Y on the logarithmic axis indicates an exponential relationship of the form Y = a
* e^(bX). Taking the natural logarithm: ln(Y) = ln(a) + bX. This is a linear relationship
between ln(Y) and X. Let ln(Y)₁ = ln(2) ≈ 0.693 and X₁ = 1. Let ln(Y)₂ = ln(1) = 0 and X₂ =
2. The slope b is: b = (ln(Y)₂ - ln(Y)₁) / (X₂ - X₁) = (0 - 0.693) / (2 - 1) = -0.693 / 1 = -
0.693. Now, find ln(a) using one point (e.g., X₁ = 1, ln(Y)₁ = 0.693): ln(Y)₁ = ln(a) + bX₁
0.693 = ln(a) + (-0.693)(1) ln(a) = 0.693 + 0.693 = 1.386. a = e^(1.386) ≈ 4.00. So the
equation is Y = 4.00 * e^(-0.693X). (Check: For X=1, Y = 4e∏(‗6¡❷❺9).±.00.5 = 2. For
X=2, Y = 4e∏(‗7¡9❹❷).±.00.25 = 1. This matches the given points.)

37. Question: A log plot of Y versus X passes through (1, 2) and (2, 1). Calculate the
equation that relates Y and X. Answer/Solution: A log plot with both axes
 logarithmic indicates a power law relationship of the form Y = a * X^b. Taking the
natural logarithm: ln(Y) = ln(a) + b * ln(X). This is a linear relationship between ln(Y)
and ln(X). Let ln(Y)₁ = ln(2) ≈ 0.693 and ln(X)₁ = ln(1) = 0. Let ln(Y)₂ = ln(1) = 0 and
ln(X)₂ = ln(2) ≈ 0.693. The slope b is: b = (ln(Y)₂ - ln(Y)₁) / (ln(X)₂ - ln(X)₁) = (0 - 0.693) /
(0.693 - 0) = -0.693 / 0.693 = -1. Now, find ln(a) using one point (e.g., ln(X)₁ = 0, ln(Y)₁
= 0.693): ln(Y)₁ = ln(a) + b * ln(X)₁ 0.693 = ln(a) + (-1)(0) ln(a) = 0.693. a = e^(0.693) ≈
2. So the equation is Y = 2 * X⁻¹ or Y = 2/X. (Check: For X=1, Y = 2/1 = 2. For X=2, Y =
2/2 = 1. This matches the given points.)

38. Question: What is the equivalence between plotting values of a variable on a

logarithmic scale and plotting its logarithm on a rectangular scale?
Answer/Solution: When you plot values of a variable (say, Y) on a logarithmic
scale, you are in effect plotting the logarithm of Y on a rectangular scale. This is
why a linear relationship on a semilog or log-log plot corresponds to a linear
relationship when the logarithms of the variables are plotted on rectangular axes.

39. Question: How would you plot (C, T) data to get a straight line if the data are
correlated by an exponential function C = C₀ * e^(kT)? What would be the slope and
intercept of this plot? Answer/Solution: If the data are correlated by C = C₀ * e^(kT),
taking the natural logarithm of both sides yields: ln(C) = ln(C₀) + kT. To get a straight
line, you would plot ln(C) versus T on rectangular coordinates, or plot C (on a
logarithmic scale) versus T (on a linear scale) on a semilog plot.

o The slope of this line would be k.

o The intercept of this line would be ln(C₀).

40. Question: How would you plot (y, x) data to get a straight line if the data are
correlated by a power law function y = ax^b? What would be the slope and intercept
of this plot? Answer/Solution: If the data are correlated by y = ax^b, taking the
natural logarithm of both sides yields: ln(y) = ln(a) + b * ln(x). To get a straight line,
you would plot ln(y) versus ln(x) on rectangular coordinates, or plot y (on a
logarithmic scale) versus x (on a logarithmic scale) on a log plot.

o The slope of this line would be b.

o The intercept of this line would be ln(a).

41. Question: A process instrument reading, Z (volts), is thought to be related to a

process stream flow rate V (L/s) and pressure P (kPa) by the expression Z = aV^b P^c.
Suppose you had only performed runs 2, 3, and 5 from the given data:
Point V (L/s) P (kPa) Z (volts)

--- | --- | --- | ---

2 | 1.02 | 11.2 | 2.58

3 | 1.75 | 11.2 | 3.72

5 | 1.02 | 9.1 | 3.50

Calculate a, b, and c algebraically from the data for these three runs.

**Answer/Solution:**

Given the equation Z = aV^b P^c. Taking the logarithm (base 10 or natural) of both sides
simplifies it. Let's use natural logarithm:

ln(Z) = ln(a) + b * ln(V) + c * ln(P)

From the data points:

* **Run 2:** V=1.02, P=11.2, Z=2.58

ln(2.58) = ln(a) + b * ln(1.02) + c * ln(11.2)

0.9477 = ln(a) + 0.0198b + 2.4159c (Equation 1)

* **Run 3:** V=1.75, P=11.2, Z=3.72

ln(3.72) = ln(a) + b * ln(1.75) + c * ln(11.2)

1.3135 = ln(a) + 0.5596b + 2.4159c (Equation 2)

* **Run 5:** V=1.02, P=9.1, Z=3.50

ln(3.50) = ln(a) + b * ln(1.02) + c * ln(9.1)

1.2528 = ln(a) + 0.0198b + 2.2083c (Equation 3)

Subtract Equation 1 from Equation 2 (P is constant, so c * ln(P) cancels):

(1.3135 - 0.9477) = (ln(a) - ln(a)) + (0.5596b - 0.0198b) + (2.4159c - 2.4159c)

0.3658 = 0.5398b

**b = 0.3658 / 0.5398 ≈ 0.6776**

Subtract Equation 1 from Equation 3 (V is constant, so b * ln(V) cancels):

(1.2528 - 0.9477) = (ln(a) - ln(a)) + (0.0198b - 0.0198b) + (2.2083c - 2.4159c)

0.3051 = -0.2076c

**c = 0.3051 / -0.2076 ≈ -1.4697**

Substitute b and c into Equation 1 to solve for ln(a):

0.9477 = ln(a) + (0.0198)(0.6776) + (2.4159)(-1.4697)

0.9477 = ln(a) + 0.0134 - 3.5507

ln(a) = 0.9477 - 0.0134 + 3.5507 = 4.485

**a = e^(4.485) ≈ 88.68**

So, the algebraic solution is:

**a ≈ 88.68**

**b ≈ 0.678**

**c ≈ -1.470**

42. Question: The diffusion coefficient (D) of SO₂ in a fluorosilicone rubber tube varies
with temperature (T in K) according to the Arrhenius equation: D = D₀ * exp(-E / (RT)).
Where D₀ is the pre-exponential factor, E is the activation energy (in cal/mol), and R
= 1.987 cal/(mol K). If a plot of ln(D) versus 1/T yields a straight line, what would be
the slope and intercept of this line in terms of D₀, E, and R? Answer/Solution: Given
the Arrhenius equation: D = D₀ * exp(-E / (RT)). Taking the natural logarithm of both
sides: ln(D) = ln(D₀) + ln(exp(-E / (RT))) ln(D) = ln(D₀) - E / (RT) Rearranging this into the
form y = mx + b, where y = ln(D) and x = 1/T: ln(D) = (-E/R) * (1/T) + ln(D₀)

o The slope of this line would be -E/R.

o The intercept of this line would be ln(D₀).

43. Question: A published study of a chemical reaction, A → P, indicates that if the

reactor initially contains A at a concentration CA0 (g/L) and the reaction
temperature, T, is kept constant, then the concentration of P in the reactor increases
with time according to the formula CP = CA0(1 - e^(-kt)). What plot would yield a
straight line if this given equation is correct? Answer/Solution: Given the equation
CP = CA0(1 - e^(-kt)). Rearrange the equation to isolate the exponential term: 1 - (CP
/ CA0) = e^(-kt) Take the natural logarithm of both sides: ln(1 - (CP / CA0)) = -kt This
equation is in the form y = mx + b, where b is zero. Therefore, a plot of ln(1 - (CP /
CA0)) versus t would yield a straight line passing through the origin. The slope of this
line would be -k.
PROBLEMS and SOLUTIONS
Here are 17 problems and their solutions, designed for an exam, drawing on information
from the provided sources. The problems cover a range of topics including unit conversion,
the metric system, dimensional analysis, and fundamental concepts of units and
dimensions in engineering. All units in the solutions will be presented in English (United
Kingdom) spelling, unless directly quoted from the sources.

Exam Problems and Solutions

Problem 1: Distance Conversion (One-Step)

Question: Convert 4 feet into inches.

Solution:

1. Identify the relevant conversion factor: 1 foot is equal to 12 inches.

2. Start with the given value: 4 feet.

3. Set up the conversion to ensure units cancel correctly: (4 feet / 1) × (12 inches / 1
foot).

4. Perform the calculation: 4 × 12 = 48 inches.

Problem 2: Mass Conversion (One-Step)

Question: Convert 350 grams into kilograms.

Solution:

1. Identify the relevant conversion factor: 1 kilogram is equal to a thousand grams.

2. Start with the given value: 350 grams.

3. Set up the conversion to ensure units cancel correctly: (350 grams / 1) × (1 kilogram
/ 1000 grams).

4. Perform the calculation. Since grams are on the bottom, divide 350 by 1000: 350 /
1000 = 0.35 kilograms. Alternatively, moving the decimal three units to the left also
gives the answer.
Problem 3: Volume Conversion (One-Step)

Question: Convert 0.45 litres into millilitres.

Solution:

1. Identify the relevant conversion factor: 1 litre is equal to 1000 millilitres.

2. Start with the given value: 0.45 litres.

3. Set up the conversion to ensure units cancel correctly: (0.45 litres / 1) × (1000
millilitres / 1 litre).

4. Perform the calculation. Since 1000 is in the numerator, multiply 0.45 by 1000: 0.45
× 1000 = 450 millilitres. Multiplying by a thousand involves moving the decimal
three units to the right.

Problem 4: Time Conversion (One-Step)

Question: How many minutes are there in 2.5 hours?

Solution:

1. Identify the relevant conversion factor: One hour is equal to 60 minutes.

2. Start with the given value: 2.5 hours.

3. Set up the conversion: (2.5 hours / 1) × (60 minutes / 1 hour).

4. Perform the calculation: 2.5 × 60 = 150 minutes.

Problem 5: Metric System Conversion Factor

Question: Write the conversion factor between gigawatts and watts, and between
centilitres and litres.

Solution:

1. For gigawatts to watts:

o Recall that "giga" is a prefix meaning 10 to the power of nine (10⁹).

o Therefore, the conversion factor is 1 gigawatt = 1 × 10⁹ watts.

2. For centilitres to litres:

 o Recall that "centi" is a prefix meaning 10 to the power of minus two (10⁻²).

o Therefore, the conversion factor is 1 centilitre = 1 × 10⁻² litres.

o Alternatively, it can be stated as 1 litre = 100 centilitres.

Problem 6: Two-Step Distance Conversion

Question: Convert 180 inches into yards.

Solution:

1. Identify the necessary conversion factors:

o 12 inches in a foot.

o 3 feet is equal to 1 yard.

2. Outline the conversion path: inches → feet → yards.

3. Start with the given value: 180 inches.

4. Set up the conversion steps: (180 inches / 1) × (1 foot / 12 inches) × (1 yard / 3 feet).

5. Perform the calculation:

o First, 180 divided by 12 = 15.

o Then, 15 divided by 3 = 5.

o The units inches and feet cancel, leaving yards. The final answer is 5 yards.

Problem 7: Two-Step Mass Conversion (Imperial to Metric)

Question: A package weighs 7 pounds. What is its mass in kilograms?

Solution:

1. Identify the relevant conversion factor: 1 kilogram is equivalent to 2.2 pounds

(rounded value). The source also mentions a more exact value of 2.204 pounds. For
this problem, we'll use 2.2 pounds as indicated in the problem context as a
common value.

2. Start with the given value: 7 pounds.

3. Set up the conversion: (7 pounds / 1) × (1 kilogram / 2.2 pounds).

 4. Perform the calculation: 7 / 2.2 = 3.182 kilograms (rounded to three decimal places,
as shown in the source's example).

Problem 8: Multi-Step Volume Conversion (Metric to Imperial)

Question: Convert 7500 millilitres to gallons.

Solution:

1. Identify the necessary conversion factors:

o 1 litre is equal to a thousand millilitres.

o 1 gallon is equal to 3.785 litres.

2. Outline the conversion path: millilitres → litres → gallons.

3. Start with the given value: 7500 millilitres.

4. Set up the conversion steps: (7500 millilitres / 1) × (1 litre / 1000 millilitres) × (1

gallon / 3.785 litres).

5. Perform the calculation:

o First, 7500 divided by 1000 = 7.5.

o Then, 7.5 divided by 3.785 ≈ 1.98.

o The units millilitres and litres cancel, leaving gallons. The final answer is
approximately 1.98 gallons.

Problem 9: Metric System Conversion (One-Step)

Question: Convert 38.6 millimetres to metres.

Solution:

1. Identify the metric prefix and its power of ten: "milli" is associated with 10 to the
power of minus three (10⁻³).

2. Write the conversion factor: 1 millimetre = 1 × 10⁻³ metres.

3. Start with the given value: 38.6 millimetres.

4. Set up the conversion: (38.6 millimetres / 1) × (1 × 10⁻³ metres / 1 millimetre).

 5. Perform the calculation: 38.6 × 10⁻³ metres = 0.0386 metres. In scientific notation,
this is 3.86 × 10⁻² metres.

Problem 10: Metric System Conversion (Two-Step)

Question: Convert 4950 picometres to nanometres.

Solution:

1. Identify the metric prefixes and their powers of ten:

o "Pico" is 10 to the power of minus twelve (10⁻¹²).

o "Nano" is 10 to the power of minus nine (10⁻⁹).

2. Write the conversion factors using metres as the base unit:

o 1 picometre = 1 × 10⁻¹² metres.

o 1 nanometre = 1 × 10⁻⁹ metres.

3. Outline the conversion path: picometres → metres → nanometres.

4. Start with the given value: 4950 picometres.

5. Set up the conversion steps: (4950 picometres / 1) × (1 × 10⁻¹² metres / 1 picometre)

× (1 nanometre / 1 × 10⁻⁹ metres).

6. Perform the calculation: 4950 × 10⁻¹² × (1 / 10⁻⁹) = 4950 × 10⁻¹² × 10⁹ nanometres.
Using exponent rules (adding exponents when multiplying common bases): 4950 ×
10⁻³ nanometres. In proper scientific notation (moving decimal three units to the
left, adding 3 to the exponent): 4.95 × 10⁰ nanometres or simply 4.95 nanometres.

Problem 11: Word Problem (Rate-based Conversion)

Question: If Karen can make 7 cakes in 3 hours, how many cakes can she make in 10
hours?

Solution:

1. Identify the conversion factor (rate): 7 cakes is equal to 3 hours.

2. Start with the given time: 10 hours.

 3. Set up the conversion, placing hours in the denominator to cancel: (10 hours / 1) ×
(7 cakes / 3 hours).

4. Perform the calculation: (10 × 7) / 3 = 70 / 3 ≈ 23.3 repeating cakes.

Problem 12: Word Problem (Map Scale Conversion)

Question: A map has a scale where 1 inch is equal to 5.5 miles. If the distance between
two cities on the map is 12.6 inches, what is the actual distance in miles?

Solution:

1. Identify the conversion factor (map scale): 1 inch is equal to 5.5 miles.

2. Start with the given map distance: 12.6 inches.

3. Set up the conversion, placing inches in the denominator to cancel: (12.6 inches / 1)
× (5.5 miles / 1 inch).

4. Perform the calculation: 12.6 × 5.5 = 69.3 miles.

Problem 13: Complex Multi-Step Word Problem

Question: One box can hold 28 cupcakes. Five cups of flour are required to make three
cupcakes. How many cups of flour are required to make enough cupcakes to fill 12 boxes?

Solution:

1. Identify the conversion factors:

o 1 box = 28 cupcakes.

o 5 cups of flour = 3 cupcakes.

2. Outline the conversion path: boxes → cupcakes → cups of flour.

3. Start with the given quantity: 12 boxes.

4. Set up the conversion steps: (12 boxes / 1) × (28 cupcakes / 1 box) × (5 cups of flour /
3 cupcakes).

5. Perform the calculation:

o (12 × 28) = 336.

 o 336 × 5 = 1680.

o 1680 / 3 = 560 cups of flour. The units boxes and cupcakes cancel, leaving
cups of flour.

Problem 14: Dimensional Homogeneity

Question: Consider the equation: u = u₆ + at, where u and u₆ are in m/s, and t is in seconds.
If the equation is dimensionally homogeneous, what are the dimensions and units of the
constant a?

Solution:

1. Dimensional Homogeneity Principle: Every valid equation must be dimensionally

homogeneous, meaning all additive terms on both sides of the equation must have
the same dimensions.

2. Analyse the given equation: u = u₆ + at.

o The dimension of u is Length/Time (L/T), and its unit is m/s.

o The dimension of u₆ is Length/Time (L/T), and its unit is m/s.

o For dimensional homogeneity, the term at must also have the dimension of
Length/Time (L/T).

3. Determine dimensions of a:

o Dimension of (at) = (Dimension of a) × (Dimension of t) = L/T.

o Dimension of t = Time (T).

o So, (Dimension of a) × T = L/T.

o Dimension of a = L/T².

4. Determine units of a:

o Since Length (L) is measured in metres (m) and Time (T) in seconds (s) in SI
units, the units of a would be m/s².

Problem 15: Scientific Notation and Significant Figures

Question: Calculate the result of (3.57 × 4.286) and (5.2 × 10³ - 0.1635 × 10⁵), and report
each answer with the correct number of significant figures.

Solution:

1. For (3.57 × 4.286):

o Identify significant figures: 3.57 has 3 significant figures, and 4.286 has 4
significant figures.

o Rule for multiplication/division: The number of significant figures in the result

should equal the lowest number of significant figures of any of the
multiplicands.

o Calculation: 3.57 × 4.286 = 15.30102.

o Rounding to 3 significant figures: 15.3.

2. For (5.2 × 10³ - 0.1635 × 10⁵):

o First, rewrite to the same power of 10 or standard decimal form for easier
subtraction: 5.2 × 10³ = 5200. 0.1635 × 10⁵ = 16350.

o Now, perform the subtraction: 5200 - 16350 = -11150.

o Identify the position of the last significant figure for each number relative to
the decimal point: 5200: The last significant figure (2) is in the hundreds
place (assuming 2 sig figs for 5.2x10^3, where 5.2 is between 0.1 and 10 and
10^x). The source states "2300 or 2.3 x 10³ has two significant figures". So,
5200 has its last sig fig in the hundreds place. 16350: The last significant
figure (5) is in the tens place (assuming 4 sig figs for 0.1635x10^5, where
0.1635 is between 0.1 and 10).

o Rule for addition/subtraction: The position of the last permissible significant

figure of the sum or difference is the one farthest to the left among the last
significant figures of each number.

o The hundreds place is farther to the left than the tens place. Therefore, the
result should be rounded to the hundreds place.

o -11150 rounded to the hundreds place is -11200 or -1.12 × 10⁴ in scientific

notation.

Problem 16: Mass, Weight, and Systems of Units

Question: A 50 kg object is at a location where the gravitational acceleration is 9.8066
m/s². (a) What is its mass in lbm (pound-mass)? (b) What is its weight in Newtons? (c)
Briefly explain the conceptual difference between mass and weight according to the
sources.

Solution: (a) Mass in lbm:

1. Identify conversion factor: 1 kilogram is equivalent to 2.2 pounds (rounded value).

More precisely, the American Engineering System (AES) uses pound-mass (lbm). We
know 1 lbm = 0.453593 kg.

2. Set up the conversion: (50 kg / 1) × (1 lbm / 0.453593 kg).

3. Perform the calculation: 50 / 0.453593 ≈ 110.23 lbm.

(b) Weight in Newtons:

1. Recall Newton's second law for weight: W = mg.

2. Identify units for force: In SI, 1 newton (N) = 1 kg·m/s².

3. Given: mass (m) = 50 kg, gravitational acceleration (g) = 9.8066 m/s².

4. Calculate weight: W = 50 kg × 9.8066 m/s² = 490.33 kg·m/s².

5. Convert to Newtons: 490.33 kg·m/s² × (1 N / (1 kg·m/s²)) = 490.33 N.

(c) Conceptual difference between mass and weight:

• Mass is fundamentally a quantity of matter and a basic dimension. It represents

the amount of material in an object and remains constant regardless of location.

• Weight is the force exerted on the object by gravitational attraction. It is a force

that depends on both the object's mass and the gravitational acceleration at its
location. Therefore, an object's weight can change depending on the gravitational
field, while its mass stays the same. For example, the sources state that mass and
weight are not exactly the same, but you can convert from one to the other.

Problem 17: Order-of-Magnitude Estimation

Question: Estimate the value of the following expression without using a calculator,
following the procedure for order-of-magnitude estimation: X = (0.6700 × 264,980 × 6 ×
5.386 × 10⁻⁷) / (3.14159 × 0.479 × 10⁻⁴)

Solution:
 1. Substitute simple integers and powers of 10 for numerical quantities:

o 0.6700 ≈ 0.7 or 1 (let's use 1 for simplicity, or 2/3 for better approx)

o 264,980 ≈ 3 × 10⁵

o 6 (pure integer)

o 5.386 × 10⁻⁷ ≈ 5 × 10⁻⁷

o 3.14159 ≈ 3

o 0.479 × 10⁻⁴ ≈ 5 × 10⁻⁵ (or 0.5 × 10⁻⁴)

2. Approximate the expression: Let's use slightly better approximations for the
numbers that are not clear powers of 10: X ≈ (1 × 3 × 10⁵ × 6 × 5 × 10⁻⁷) / (3 × 5 × 10⁻⁵)

3. Perform arithmetic step-by-step, rounding intermediate answers:

o Numerator: 1 × 3 = 3

o 3 × 6 = 18

o 18 × 5 = 90

o Combine powers of 10 in numerator: 10⁵ × 10⁻⁷ = 10⁻².

o So, numerator ≈ 90 × 10⁻² = 0.9.

o Denominator: 3 × 5 = 15

o Power of 10 in denominator: 10⁻⁵.

o So, denominator ≈ 15 × 10⁻⁵ = 0.00015.

o Now, divide: X ≈ 0.9 / 0.00015 This is equivalent to 9 / 0.0015 or 90000 / 15.

90 / 15 = 6. So, 90000 / 15 = 6000.

4. Final Order-of-Magnitude Estimate: 6000 or 6 × 10³.

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