Physics Question: Convert this (nm, I'm a moron)

[brtspears2]

I have 2.574 cm^3 / 2.7 microns ... I need to get this in m^2 units.

My "ingenious" math gives me 9533 m^2 ... which means thats either a large insanely thin piece o something, or I'm wayyy off.

I converted by taking 2.574 cm^3 / 2.7 microns to get 0.9533 cm^3/ microns.

Then took 0.9533 cm^3 / microns * 10^6 micron/1 m * 0.01 m / 1 cm = 9533 m^2.

Where could I have gone wrong?

 

[SmooveB]

Then took 0.9533 cm^3 / microns * 10^6 micron/1 m * 0.01 m / 1 cm = 9533 m^2.

Well for starters you've multiplied E-1 * E-1 * E6 which means your answer no matter what will be in the thousands (E4). Your number should be much smaller, so logically you want E-1 * E-1 * E-6. ( also you can think of it as E-1 * E-1 / E6 )

En means *10^x..... just a shorter way of saying it.

I didn't actually try to solve the problem, but I think that'll fix your problem. Lemme know if that gives you a realistic answer.

 

[brtspears2]

E-1? decimeters?

 

[SmooveB]

Umm....
well let me restate

Then took 0.9533 cm^3 / microns * 10^6 micron/1 m * 0.01 m / 1 cm = 9533 m^2.

it's easiest for me to think about a general area for the number by putting it into scientific notation
.9533 = 9.533*10^-1
10^6 = 1*10^6
.01 = 1*10^-2

so the above things multiplied together is what you got:
9533 = 9.533*10^4

Your answer should be:
x*10^-9 I think... meaning when you multiplied by 10^6, you really wanted to divide by that number ( 10^-6 = 1/10^6).

 

[white]

the number is right. how you got to the number may not be right.

 

[white]

2.574 × 10^-2 / 2.7 × 10^-6 == 9.something ×10^3

 

[SmooveB]

I think the answer is more like .000009533. Don't take my word on it though... I'm in HS physics right now. Early in the year. But then again I'm in A.P. Chem too and this is stuff I'd expect to see.

 

[SmooveB]

Have we confused you yet?

 

[zzzz]

2.574 cm^3 = 2.574 * (10^-2)^3 m^3= 2.574*10^-6 m^3 [ used 1 cm= 0.01 m= 10 ^-2m]
2.7 microns = 2.7*10^-6 m

so your answer should be 2.574/2.7 m^2 [ 10^-6 cancels out]

what you did wrong was not to consider ^3 of cm.


And you are in EE? Is EE proud of you?

 

[brtspears2]

Originally posted by: zzzz
2.574 cm^3 = 2.574 * (10^-2)^3 m^3= 2.574*10^-6 m^3 [ used 1 cm= 0.01 m= 10 ^-2m]
2.7 microns = 2.7*10^-6 m

so your answer should be 2.574/2.7 m^2 [ 10^-6 cancels out]

what you did wrong was not to consider ^3 of cm.


And you are in EE? Is EE proud of you?

Crap... please excuse my lack of algebra skills. Shoulda thought about that earlier to just go m^3/m to get m^2 ..erg

 

[zzzz]

hehe I was only joking..The unit conversion taught in some colleges ( I know only of UofChicago) is confusing.

 

[brtspears2]

No problem, I feel like a moron anyways now...

 

[kherman]

Originally posted by: brtspears2
I have 2.574 cm^3 / 2.7 microns ... I need to get this in m^2 units.

My "ingenious" math gives me 9533 m^2 ... which means thats either a large insanely thin piece o something, or I'm wayyy off.

I converted by taking 2.574 cm^3 / 2.7 microns to get 0.9533 cm^3/ microns.

Then took 0.9533 cm^3 / microns * 10^6 micron/1 m * 0.01 m / 1 cm = 9533 m^2.

Where could I have gone wrong?

Your solution looks fine.