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Practical Weights and Measures
Simple Conversions


Important or relevant information is in red.
Metric information is in green.

Use Edit/Find or Ctrl-F to search this page for a value.
(Be sure to start each search at the TOP of the page!)
Use the topic links below to jump to a section on this page.




    Common Metric/English Conversions:
    1 inch =
    1 inch =
    1 foot =
    1 yard =
    1 mile =

    1 meter =
    1 kilometer =

    1 gram =
    1 oz. =
    1 lb. =
    1 kg. =

    1 gal. =
    1 liter =
    2.54 centimeters (cm.)
    25.4 millimeters (mm.)
    30.48 centimeters (cm.)
    91.44 centimeters (cm.)
    1609.4 meters or 1.6 km.

    39.37 in.
    0.6215 miles or 3281.5 ft.

    0.03527 oz. or 15.43 grains
    28.3495 grams (g.)
    453.59 grams (g.)
    2.2046 lb.

    3.79 liters
    0.264 gal. or 1.057 qt.
    These Metric conversions are located elsewhere on this page,
    but are the most commonly needed.


    Length Measurements:
    1 mil =
    1 inch =
    1 inch =
    1 inch =
    1 hand =
    1 wooden 2 X 4 =
    1 span =
    1 foot (ft.) =
    1 foot (ft.) =
    1 common cubit =

    1 sacred cubit =

    1 yard (yd.) =
    1 yard (yd.) =
    1 pace =
    1 meter =
    1 rod =
    1 fathom =
    1 hank =
    1 rod (rd.) =
    1 stadium (stadia pl.) linear track =
    1 furlong =
    1 kilometer =
    1 mile (mi.) =
    1 mile (mi.) =
    1 mile (mi.) =
    1 mile (mi.) =
    1 mile (mi.) =
    1 geographical or nautical mile =
    1 league =
    1 parasang =
    1 degree (of Latitude on Meridian =
    or Longitude on Equator)     
    15 degrees (Latitude of time zones) =
    1 light-year =
    1 light-year =
    1 parsec =
    1/1000th in. or 0.001 in.
    3 barleycorns - used by shoemakers
    2.54 centimeters (cm.)
    25.4 millimeters (mm.)
    4 inches - used measuring horses
    3 1/2" X 1 1/2"
    9 inches
    12 inches
    30.48 centimeters (cm.)
    18 inches - distance from the elbow
          to the tip of the middle finger!
    21.888 inches
          - used measuring arks
    3 feet
    91.44 centimeters (cm.)
    3 feet
    39.37 in.
    5 paces
    6 feet - depths of sea
    100 linear feet - of rope
    5 1/2 yards
    607 ft. (Athens) or 630 ft. (Olympic)
    40 rods or 660 ft.
    0.6215 miles or 3281.5 ft.
    8 furlongs
    320 rods
    1760 yards
    5280 feet
    1609.4 meters or 1.6 km.
    1.15 statute miles (6080.27 feet)
    3 geographical miles
    30 stadia (about 3.5 mi.)
    60 geographical miles, or
          69.16 statute miles
    900 miles at equator
    distance light travels in 1 earth year
    5.87 X 10^12 mi. (5.87 trillion mi.)
    3.26 light-years
    1 mi. = 320 rd. = 1760 yd. = 5280 ft. = 63360 in.

    1 Megameter =
    1 Myriameter =
    1 Kilometer =
    1 Hectometer =
    1 Dekameter =
    1 Meter =
    1 Decimeter =
    1 Centimeter =
    1 Millimeter =
    1 Micron =

    1,000,000 Meters or 621.37 miles
    10,000 Meters or 6.2137 miles
    1,000 Meters or 3,280 ft 10 in.
    100 Meters or 328 ft 1 in.
    10 Meters or 393.7 in.
    39.37 in.
    1/10 Meter or 3.937 in.
    1/100 Meter or 0.3937 in.
    1/1000 Meter or 0.03937 in.
    1 millionth of a Meter


    In 1983, a meter was redefined as the length of the path traveled by light in a vacuum during a time interval of 1 / 299,792,458ths of a second.
    Don't you like that better than just "39 inches"?
    Surveyor's Length Measurements:
    1 link (l.) =
    1 rod (rd.) =
    1 chain (ch.) =
    1 mile (mi.) =
    7.92 inches
    25 links
    4 rods
    80 chains
    1 mi. = 80 ch. = 320 rd. = 8000 l. = 63360 in.

    Mariner's Length Measurements:
    1 fathom =
    1 cable length (or cable) =
    1 mile =
    1 statute mile =
    1 nautical mile =

    6 feet
    100 fathoms (120 in US Navy)
    7 1/2 cable lengths
    5280 feet
    6080 feet    (see knot)


    Square Measurements (Area):
    1 square foot (sq. ft.) =
    1 square yard (sq. yd.) =
    1 square (used in roofing) =
    1 square rod (sq. rd.) =
    1 acre (A.) =
    1 acre (A.) =
    1 square mile (mi.) =
    1 township =

    144 square inches
    9 square feet
    100 square feet
    30 1/4 square yards
    160 square rods
    43,560 square feet
    640 acres
    36 square miles, or
          36 sections
    1 Hectare =
    1 Are =
    1 Centare =

    10,000 sq. meters or 2.471 acres
    100 sq. meters or 119.6 sq. yds.
    1 sq. meter or 1550 sq. in.


    Cubic Measurements (Volume):
    1 cubic foot (cu. ft.) =
    1 cubic yard (cu. yd.) =
    1 CCF =
    1 MCF =
    1 bushel, dry measure =
    1 cord (C.) =
    1 cord (C.) =
    1 cord foot =
    1 load =
    1728 cubic inches
    27 cubic feet
    100 cubic feet - volume of nat. gas
    1000 cubic feet - vol. of nat. gas
    1 1/4 cubic feet
    128 cubic feet
    Wood, stacked 8ft L X 4ft H X 4 ft
    Wood, stacked 1ft L X 4ft H X 4 ft
    Dirt, 1 cubic yard
    1 cubic Centimeter =
    1 cubic Meter =
    1 cubic Meter =

    0.06102 cubic in.
    35.34 cubic ft.
    1.3079 cubic yd.


    Liquid Capacity (Volume):
    1 Teaspoon (tsp.) =
    1 Teaspoon (tsp.) =
    1 Tablespoon (tbl.) =
    1 Tablespoon (tbl.) =
    1 ounce (oz.) =
    1 ounce (oz.) =
    1 ounce (oz.) =
    1 ounce (oz.) =
    1 cup of sugar =
    1 cup (cp.) =
    1 pint (pt.) =
    1 pint (pt.) =
    1 pint (pt.) =
    1 quart (qt.) =
    1 liter =
    1 liter =
    1 gallon (gal.) =
    1 gallon (gal.) =
    1 gallon (U.S. gal.) =
    1 gallon (U.S. gal.) =
    1 gallon (Imperial gal.) =
    1 barrel (bbl.) liquid =
    1 barrel petroleum =
    1 hogshead (hhd.) =
    1 ccf. =
    1 ccf. =
    60 drops
    1/ 6 fluid oz. or 1/3 fluid dram
    1 fluid dram
    3 Teaspoons or 1/2 fluid oz.
    360 drops
    29.6 milliliter (ml.)
    6 Teaspoons
    2 Tablespoons
    See Weight & Volume >>
    8 ounces (oz.)
    2 cups (cp.)
    16 ounces (oz.)
    4 gills (gi.)
    2 pints or 0.946 liters
    0.264 gal. or 1.057 qt.
    61.022 cu. in.
    4 quarts
    3.79 liters
    231 cu. in. (about 8.34 lbs.) see >>
    0.13368 cu. ft.
    277.274 cu. in. (about 10 lbs.)
    31 1/2 U.S. gallons
    42 U.S. gallons
    2 barrels
    100 cubic feet
    748 gallons
    1 gal. = 4 qt. = 8 pt. = 16 cp. = 32 gi. = 128 oz.

    Also see Apothecaries' Liquid Measurements (for medicines) below


    Apothecaries' Liquid Measurements (for medicines) :
    1 minim (m) =
    1 fluid dram =
    1 cubic centimeter (cc) =
    1 fluid dram =
    1 fluid ounce =
    1 pint =
    1 gallon =

    about 1 drop
    60 minims (m)
    1 milliliter (ml)
    1 teaspoon
    8 fluid drams
    16 fluid ounces
    8 pints


    Medical Drug Conversions:
    1 ug. (microgram) =
    1 ug. =
    1 ugRE. (Retinol Equivalent) =
    1 mEq. (milliequivalent) =
    1 mg. =
    1 kg. =
    1 mcg. (microgram) *
    40 I.U. (International Units) **
    5   I.U. (International Units)
    75 mg (milligram)
    1 milligram (1/1000 gram)
    2.2046 lbs.

    * Notice ug. and mcg. are both micrograms or 1/1,000,000th of a gram,
    whereas mg. is a milligram or 1/1,000th of a gram.

    ** International Units are used here in the context of a specific measurement unit of POTENCY, not weight. Certain vitamins are measured in these units, which are not to be confused with the entire Metric system of values which is also called the 'International System of Units' (SI).

    Metric Capacity (Volume):

    Kiloliter or Stere -
    Hectoliter -
    Dekaliter -
    Liter -
    Deciliter -
    Centiliter -
    Milliliter -
    # of liters
    1000
    100
    10
    1
    1/10
    1/100
    1/1000
    Cubic Measure
    1 cu. meter
    1/10 cu. m.
    1/100 cu. m.
    1000 cu. cm.
    100 cu. cm.
    10 cu. cm.
    1 cu. cm.
    Dry Measure
    1.308 cu. yd.
    2 bu., 3.35 pks.
    610.22 cu. in.
    61.022 cu. in.
    6.1022 cu. in.
    0.6102 cu. in.
    0.061 cu. in.
    Liquid Measure
    264.17 gal.
    26.417 gal.
    2.6417 gal.
    0.264 gal.
    3.38 fluid oz.
    0.338 fluid oz.
    0.27 fluid dram
    The value on every row is 10 times the following row.

    Notice the conversion between liters and cubic inch - the old GM car engine of the 60s, the 389 cu. in. V8, is really slightly less than 6.4 liters!

    Comparing Liquid and Dry Capacity (Volume):

    Liquid measure -
    Dry measure -

    Cu.In. in 1 Gal.
    231
    268.8

    Cu.In. in 1 Qt.
    57.75
    67.2

    Cu.In. in 1 Pt.
    28.875
    33.6

    Cu.In. in 1 oz.
    1.8
    2.1


    Dry Capacity (Volume):
    1 quart (qt.) =
    1 peck (pk.) =
    1 bushel (bu.) =
    2 pints
    8 quarts
    4 pecks
    1 bushel = 4 pk. = 32 qt. = 64 pt.


    Avoirdupois Weight (Metals, Groceries, etc.):
    1 grain (gr.) =
    1 gram =
    1 dram (dm.) =
    1 ounce (oz.) =
    1 ounce (oz.) =
    1 pound (lb.) =
    1 pound (lb.) =
    1 kilogram (kg.) =
    1 quarter =
    1 hundredweight (cwt.) =
    1 ton (T.) =
    1 ton (T.) =
    1 long ton (of coal) =
    1 metric ton =
    wonton =
    0.0648 grams *
    0.03527 oz. or 15.43 grains
    27.34 grains
    16 drams
    28.3495 grams (g.)
    16 ounces
    453.59 grams (g.)
    2.2046 lb.
    25 pounds
    100 pounds
    20 hundredweight (cwt.)
    2000 pounds (& short ton of coal)
    2240 pounds
    1000 kilograms
    1 soup
    1 ton = 20 cwt. = 2000 lb. = 32000 oz.

    * Notice the definition of a grain is the same for all weights, avoirdupois, troy, and apothecaries'.

    Troy Weight (Precious Metals, Gold, etc.):
    1 carat =
    1 carat =
    1 carat =
    1 grain (gr.) =
    1 pennyweight (pwt.) =
    1 ounce (oz.) =
    1 pound (lb.) =
    4 'carat' grains
    3.168 troy grains (0.2 gram)
    100 points
    0.0648 grams *
    24 grains
    20 pennyweights
    12 ounces
    1 pound = 12 oz. = 240 pennyweights = 5760 grains

    * Notice the definition of a grain is the same for all weights, avoirdupois, troy, and apothecaries'.

    Apothecaries' Weight (medicine):
    1 grain (gr.) =
    1 scruple =
    1 dram =
    1 ounce (oz.) =
    1 ounce (oz.) =
    1 pound (lb.) =
    0.0648 grams *
    20 grains
    3 scruples
    8 drams
    28.3495 grams (G.)
    12 ounces (oz.)
    1 pound = 12 oz. = 96 drams = 288 scruples = 5760 grains

    * Notice the definition of a grain is the same for all weights, avoirdupois, troy, and apothecaries'.

    Obscure Weights:
    1 stone =
    1 firkin =
    1 cental =
    1 quintal =
    1 keg =
    1 barrel =
    1 barrel =
    1 barrel =

    14 pounds
    100 pounds (of butter)
    100 pounds (of grain or flour)
    100 pounds (of dried fish) Yumm!
    100 pounds (of nails)
    196 pounds (of flour)
    200 pounds (of pork or beef)
    280 pounds (of salt)

    Comparison of Weights:
    1 pound avoirdupois =
    1 ounce avoirdupois =
    1 pound troy, or apothecaries =
    1 ounce troy, or apothecaries =

    7000 grains
    437.5 grains
    5760 grains
    480 grains


    Weight and Volume:
    1 gal. of water =
    1 cu. ft. of water =
    1 liter of water =

    1 gal. of gasoline =
    1 gal. of Ethanol gasoline =
    1 gal. of fuel oil =
    1 gal. of Propane =


    Note: Dry Weight to
    1 cup of Sugar (8 oz. volume) =
    1 lb. of Sugar =
    1 lb. of Butter =
    1 lb. of Flour =
    1 lb. of Rice =
    8.34 lbs. (133.44 oz. av. * )   231 cu. in.
    62.4 lbs. (1000 oz. av. * )   7.5 gal.
    1 kg.

    5.8 - 6.5 lbs. (typically 6.1) **
    6.59 lbs. **
    7.7 lbs.
    4.24 lbs.


    Volume
    6.8 oz. (weight)
    about 2 cups (actually 18.8 fluid oz.)
    2 cups
    4 cups
    4 cups

    The water is distilled, at its maximum density, with the barometer at 30 in.
    Water serves as a standard substance for defining units of measure, and it's readily available.

    * av. = avoirdupois wt.

    ** Gasoline weight varies based on oxygen content, up to 3% in some mixtures. Ethanol usually has the highest content and is now called Unleaded Premium. Because of the oxygen content, gasoline can be compressed, unlike water.

    And because gasoline weighs less than water, it floats on top! Any water in your car's fuel tank will settle to the bottom, where the fuel intake is located, so the water gets used first!

    Gas and water don't mix, they separate, but even worse, Alcohol and water mix very well. So, consider the Ethanol-blended gasolines - the ones containing alcohol -- that alcohol will mix with the water and totally contaminate the entire mixture of gas, alcohol, and water!!

    Metric Weight and Volume:

    Millier or Ton -
    Quintal -
    Myriagram -
    Kilogram -
    Hectogram -
    Dekagram -
    Gram -
    Decigram -
    Centigram -
    Milligram -
    Microgram -
    # of grams
    1,000,000
    100,000
    10,000
    1,000
    100
    10
    1
    1/10
    1/100
    1/1000
    1/1,000,000
    Water *
    1 cu. meter
    1 hectoliter
    10 liters
    1 liter
    1 deciliter
    10 cu. centimeters
    1 cu. centimeters
    1/10 cu. centimeters
    10 cu. millimeters
    1 cu. millimeter

    Avoirdupois Weight
    2204.6 lb.
    220.46 lb.
    22.046 lb.
    2.2046 lb.
    3.5432 oz.
    0.3527 oz.
    15.432 grains
    1.5432 grains
    0.1543 grains
    0.0154 grains

    * = Weight of what quantity water at maximum density.
    Water serves as a standard substance for defining units of measure.


    Speed (Velocity) Measurements:
    1 mile per hour (mph) =
    =
    =

    1 Knot =

    The speed of light in air =
    =
    The speed of light in a vacuum =
    The speed of sound in air =
    =
    Mach (number) =
    The speed of sound in water =
    The speed of sound in steel rod =
    1.61 km/hr
    1.47 ft/sec
    0.87 knots

    6080.27 ft/hr (1 nautical mile/hr)

    about 186,000 mi./sec.
    299,790 km/sec.
    299,792.8 km/sec.
    1087 ft./sec. at 32° F. (741 mph)
    1140 ft./sec. at 80° F. (777 mph)
    speed / speed of sound
    4794 ft./sec. at 66° F.
    16,410 ft./sec.


    The speed of sound in air increases with temperature, about 1.1 ft./sec./F.
    So, at lower altitudes, it is more difficult to 'break the sound barrier'.
    The speed of sound in liquids and solids is not appreciably changed with temperature.

    Also see Temperature Drop w/ Altitude Increase

    BMI - Body Mass Index:
    Body Mass Index is a method of appoximating how overweight or underweight a person is. The rather simplistic approach is subject to errors, yet provides a method the average person can use, requiring no equipment beyond a ruler and bathscale.

    First, determine your height, in inches, then your weight, in pounds.

    Now multiply your height times itself (NOT times 2). So 5' 7" is 67 X 67 = 4489. Remember that figure.

    Now take your weight and divide it by that previous figure.

    Finally multiply by 703. The result is your BMI.

    An example - a person weighing 150 lbs., standing 5' 7" tall:
    5' 7" is 67", and 67 X 67 = 4489.
    150, divide by 4489 = 0.033415 X 703 = 23.49 BMI.

    The BMI Scale -
    Less than 18 =
    18-25 =
    25-29 =
    30-40 =
    Greater than 40 =
    (What those numbers mean)
    Underweight
    Healthy
    Overweight
    Obese
    Morbidly Obese
    There is a lot of controversy about the accuracy of the scale. Some think it should be adjusted upwards, others think it should be even more draconian.

    The original formula, using metric measurements:
    BMI = (weight in kilograms (kg.) / (height in meters) ^ 2)

    Revised for English:
    BMI = (weight in lbs. / (height in inches) ^ 2) X 703

    Example: 5' 2" and 150 lbs. person
    Height in inches = 62,
    62 squared = (62 X 62 =) 3844
    150 lbs / 3844 = 0.0390218
    Multiply by 703 = 27.43 BMI.


    Note - The formula to determine the weight for a given BMI is:

    Weight = (BMI / 703) X (height in inches) ^ 2

    A 5' 7" person is classed as healthy until they reach what weight?
    'Healthy' BMI is up to 25.
    So 25 / 703 X 4489 = 160 lbs.

    Bed and Mattress Measurements:
    US Standard Mattress Sizes -
    Crib =
    Twin =
    Twin XL =
    3/4 =
    Full =
    Full XL =
    Queen =
    King =
    CA / Western King =
    Width X Length (in Inches)
    28" X 52"
    39" X 75"   (20" X 26" pillow)
    39" X 80"   (20" X 26" pillow)
    48" X 75"   (20" X 26" pillow)
    54" X 75"   (20" X 26" pillow)
    54" X 80"   (20" X 26" pillow)
    60" X 80"   (20" X 30" pillow)
    78" X 80"   (20" X 36-40" pillow)
    72" X 84"   (20" X 36-40" pillow)

    E-King is the standard King or Eastern King (may be only 76" wide)
    C-King is the California / Western King
    Super Single is the 3/4 size
    Twin XL is 1/2 King size

    Some manufacturers are adding or subtracting inches from these standard sizes, BE SURE to choose a mattress made by a company that can at least use a ruler!! - Else your sheets won't fit correctly!

    Air Beds (inflatable) are very seldom these exact sizes and vary widely.

    Mattress thicknesses are about 7" (old) to 10" (new) to 16+" (pillowtop). Box spring thicknesses are typically 5.5" (old) and 7.5" (new).
    Measure the length of your legs to see if you'll need a step to get in bed. For safety and convenience, one's mattress should not be higher than one's crotch.

    A typical California King WaterBed holds about 270 Gallons of water, and weighs about 2300 lbs (a little more than a ton).

    Paper Measurements:
    1 quire =
    1 ream (480 sheets) =
    1 ream (commercial) =
    1 bundle =
    1 bale =

    24 sheets
    20 quires
    500 sheets
    2 reams
    5 bundles


    Circular Measurements:
    1 minute =
    1 degree =
    1 degree =
    1 sextant =
    1 quadrant =
    1 circumference =
    6000 (Soviet) mils =
    6400 (U.S.) mils =
    4000 (French) decigrades =
    60 seconds
    60 minutes
    17.777   U.S. 'angular' mils *
    60 degrees
    90 degrees
    360 degrees
    360 degrees
    360 degrees
    360 degrees
    In ancient astronomy, 1 sign = 30 degrees, 12 signs in a circle.
    What's your sign?

    * mils -- short for milli-radian or 1/1000th a radian.
    A circle has 2 pi radians, about 6.238 radians or 6238 milli-radians, which was made simpler by rounding to 6400 (U.S.), or to 6000 (Soviet), or to 6300 (Swedish). NATO forces use ONLY 6400... Errors making optical distance measurements are greater than these round-off errors.

    See Circular mils in Wire sizes.


    Pressure Measurements:
    1 atmosphere =
    =
    =
    =
    =
    =

    1 torr =


    1 pascal (Pa.) =
    1 psi. =
    1 psi. =
    7.03 kg./sq. cm. =
    1 kg./sq. cm. =

    14.696 pounds/square inch (psi.)
    29.92 in. of mercury (Hg.)
    760 mm. of mercury (Hg.)
    33.94 ft. of water (H2O)
    2116.35 pounds/square foot (psf.)
    1.01327 bar or 1013.27 millibars (mb.)

    1 / 760th atmosphere (1 mm. Hg.)
        (Almost a perfect vacuum)

    1 Newton/sq. meter
    6894.8 pascals
    0.07 kg./sq. cm. (Used with Gauges)
    100 psi.
    14.22 psi.


    Roman Numerals:
    Decimal    
    1 =
    2 =
    3 =
    4 =
    5 =
    6 =
    7 =
    8 =
    9 =
    10 =
    50 =
    100 =
    1000 =
    Roman
    I
    II
    III
    IV
    V
    VI
    VII
    VIII
    IX
    X
    L
    C
    M

    The general rules for Roman numerals are:

    When a symbol precedes one having a greater value, it subtracts from the first, as: IV=4

    When a symbol follows one of equal or greater value, it adds to the value of the first, as: II=2 and VI=6

    When a symbol is between two of higher value, it subtracts from the third, as: CIX = 109

    When a symbol is repeated, its value is also repeated, as: XX=20, CC=200, CCC=300, LXXX or XXC=80

    When a symbol has a horizontal line above it, its value is multiplied by itself or squared.

    MCMXLIV = 1944, MCMLXXXII = 1982, MXMII = 1992 or MCMLXLII = 1992 or MCMLXXXXII = 1992, and MMIII = 2003
    (Notice the first form of 1992 is correct, yet the second is used most often and sometimes the third.)

    Why do many clocks and watches use 'IIII' instead of 'IV'?
    I dunno. It may be for symetrical balance or because some Romans used 'IIII' before their kids starting using 'IV'.
    Big Ben in England uses 'IV'.

    Did you see any '0' (zeros) in those Roman Numerals?


    Sound - Decibel Loudness:
    Decibels (dB)
    60
    50
    40
    30
    20
    10
    0
    -10
    -20
    -30
    -40
    -50
    -60
    Power Ratio
    1,000,000
    100,000
    10,000
    1,000
    100
    10
    1
    0.1
    0.01
    0.001
    0.0001
    0.00001
    0.000001
    Voltage Ratio
    1000
    316
    100
    31.6
    10
    3.16
    1
    0.316
    0.1
    0.0316
    0.01
    0.00316
    0.001


    In the strictest sense, decibels are only a ratio of two values. If a unit puts out 100 watts and another unit puts out 10,000 watts, then the ratio is 10000 / 100 or 100. On the Power ratio scale, a 100X difference = 20 dB, where the dB value is the 'log base 10 of the ratio'. For a voltage ratio, where it is 'log base 20 of the ratio', a 100X difference = 40 dB.

    If you have 200 watts/100 watts = 2 X, or 3 dB, that is, a doubling of the power increases 3 dB. For each 10X increase in power, dB increases +10.

    You may remember hearing of a decibel rating, or loudness, of jet engines. That may seem to be an absolute value, but is still just a ratio to a fixed reference.

    For sounds, a '120 dB jet engine' refers to ratio of the loudness of the engine to a reference of 10 ^ -16   watts / cm sq., the faintest sound an average person can hear - or 1/1000000000000000th watt per sq. cm.

    Electronically, a loudness level of 30 dB is really 30 dBm, or 30 dB above a '1 milliwatt across 600 ohms' reference.

    Sounds    
    Threshold of Hearing =
    Whisper =
    Quiet Office =
    Automobile =
    Conversation =
    Heavy Street Traffic =
    Elevated Trains, Riveters =
    Loud Thunder =
    Threshold of Pain =
    Decibel Levels
    0 dB.
    10-20 dB.
    20-40 dB.
    40-50 dB.
    60 dB.
    70-80 dB.
    90-100 dB.
    110 dB.
    120 dB.

    120 dB is a more convenient value to use than saying '1,000,000,000,000 times louder than the softest sound you can hear'. Don't you agree?

    Calendar Dates: (US)

    New Year's Day =
    MLK Birthday =
    Valentine's Day =
    President's Day ** =
    St. Patrick's Day =
    Easter =
    Mother's Day =
    Memorial Day =
    Father's Day =
    Fourth of July =
    Labor Day =
    Columbus Day =
    Halloween =
    Veteran's Day =
    Thanksgiving =
    Christmas =

    January 1st *
    Third Monday in January *
    February 14th
    Third Monday in February *
    March 17th
    Always changes each year, see below
    Second Sunday in May
    Last Monday in May *
    Third Sunday in June
    July 4th *
    First Monday in September *
    Second Monday in October *
    October 31st
    November 11th *
    Last Thursday in November *
    December 25th *

    * Federal Holiday
    ** Also known as Washington's Birthday

    Daylight Savings Date Changes

    Starting in 2007:
    Daylight Savings begins on the second Sunday in March at 2:00AM.
            Set clocks ahead one hour. (SPRING forward)

    Daylight Savings ends on the first Sunday in November at 2:00AM.
            Set clocks back one hour. (FALL back)

    (Prior to 2007, the change was on the first Sunday in April and last in October, which was 4 weeks less of Daylight Savings than now.)

    Other Date Trivia

    How is the date for Easter determined?
    It changes from year to year. As decreed by the first Council of Nicea in A.D. 325, Easter is observed on the Sunday after the first full moon, on or after the vernal equinox, a range of 35 days. It cannot be before March 22 or after April 25.

    What is the Julian Date?
    Used by astronomers, it arbitrarily sets Jan 1, 4713 B.C. as the 0 reference. So Mar 16, 1997 is 2440523.5 Julian. The Julian day starts at noon, we start at midnight, hence the 0.5 on the end.

    There was no year '0000'. The year 1 A.D. immediately followed the year 1 B.C.

    What is the Julian Day?
    The sequentially number day of the year, starting with 1 for Jan 1st, and ending with 365 or 366. Some calendars show both the Julian Day and the inverse - the number of days until the END of the year. Used for calculating the 'days between dates'.

    When was the current Gregorian Calendar started?
    It was the day after Thursday Oct 4, 1582, which happened to become Friday Oct 15, 1582! The 10 day 'adjustment' was necessary to get back in step with the sun - landlords loved it, renters hated that change, creating a 21 day month for October, 1582!

    BUT that was only for Catholic countries following Pope Gregory XIII. England didn't change until Sept 2, 1752 and jumped to Sept 14, 1752. By then the error had increased to 11 days!!

    Leap Years occur every 4 years (in years evenly divisible by 4), where one extra day is added to February, making it 29 days long. Exactly every 100 years (in years evenly divisible by 100), it should be a Leap Year, but they SKIP the extra day in those years. EXCEPT every 400 years (like 2000), where they ADD the SKIPPED Leap Year day back -- as they did in our year 2000.


    Times:

    Sun position =
    Sun position (corrected) =
    Universal Time (UT0) =


    (UT1 and UT2) =
    UT1 =
    Apparent motion of distant star =
    Atomic Time (AT) =
    Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) =


    Apparent solar time
    Mean solar time
    Mean solar time at the Greenwich Meridian
        (Greenwich Mean Time or GMT
        also known as Zulu Time or Z)
    (corrected) more accurate versions of UT0
    Navigator's time scale
    Sidereal time
    Derived from frequency of cesium atoms
    Weighted average of various Atomic Times,
        (GMT for the average person)

    Passing Time

    The Atomic Clock allows the measurement of time and frequency to an accuracy much greater than any other physical quantity.

    Note: GMT starts at noon while UTC starts at midnight.

    By international agreement, UTC is kept within 0.7 seconds of UT1, by adding and subtracting 'leap seconds' from time to time.

    The abbreviation of 'Coordinated Universal Time' is indeed, UTC.

    All GMT and UTC derived times are in the 24HR format, 00:00 to 23:59.

    The terms 'AM' and 'PM' are abbreviations for Ante-Meridian, meaning 'before the sun reaches the meridian or directly overhead', and Post-Meridian, 'after the sun reaches the meridian'.

    In 1928, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) was changed to Universal Time.

    Before 1956, a second was defined as 1/86,400 of the mean solar day.

    Then from 1956 to 1967, it was the ephemeris second, defined as 1 / 31556925.9747 of the tropical year at 00h 00m 00s 31 December 1899.

    Currently the second is defined as 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium-133 atom.


    TIME REVERSAL INVARIANCE is a type of reversibility that states if time could run backwards, where reversing time corresponds to reversing velocities, and collisions of idealized billiard balls would retrace their paths.

    Military Time Zones:

    Zulu Time (same as UT) is used by the military and civilian aviation.
    The term Zulu is phonetic for Z, and Z represents the time zone at the Royal Greenwich Observatory located in Greenwich, England and is also known as Greenwich Mean Time or GMT. Other time zones also have letter designations, from A-Z. Listed below are the phonetic pronunciations for those letters:

    Zulu in Greenwich, England













    Zulu Eastward
    Alpha
    Bravo
    Charlie
    Delta
    Echo
    Foxtrot
    Golf
    Hotel
    India     (Japan)
    Kilo
    Lima
    Mike     (Int. Date Line)
    Zulu Westward
    November
    Oscar
    Papa
    Quebec
    Romeo     (Eastern Time Zone)
    Sierra       (Central)
    Tango       (Mountain)
    Uniform     (Pacific)
    Victor       (Alaskan)
    Whiskey   (Hawaiian)
    X-Ray
    Yankee     (Int. Date Line)
    The letter designations actually circumvent the globe. All letters are used except "J". Do your math. There are 24 hours in a day, 24 time zones around the globe and 26 letters - 1 = 25. Why do we need 25 letters to name 24 zones?

    First, Zulu is the zone centered on the Prime Meridian, 0° longitude, Greenwich, England. Each time zone is 15° (360° / 24 hours = 15°). So the Zulu time zone extends 7.5° of longitude east and west from the Prime Meridian. The center of the next time zone east of Zulu is 15°E longitude and is designated A or 'Alpha'. There are 12 time zones going east from Zulu - Alpha to Mike, covering Europe, Russia, China, and the Pacific Basin to the International Date Line.

    Going WEST from Zulu in England, begins with November, and on to Romeo (for the Eastern time zone in the U.S.), to Uniform (Pacific time), and ends with Yankee at the International Date Line, which is -12 hours from Zulu.

    Here we have the descrepancy, Zulu is a time zone, and +12 zones eastward brings us to Mike which covers the International Date Line. But going west from Zulu, we ALSO have -12 zones bringing us to Yankee which covers the International Date Line. That totals 12 zones one direction, 12 the other, and with one to start = 25 zones, and we know we only have room for 24!

    Would it be correct to say, that the one zone over the International Date Line is really divided into halves? Perhaps Mike and Yankee are only half-sized zones?

    The real answer is: in the single zone named both Mike and Yankee, it is always the exact same time (12 hours offset from Zulu), but it is never the same date!   Each side of the International Date Line is a different day, and the designation of Mike or Yankee for that same time zone indicates which is the correct date, within that zone.


    And what ever happened to J, the time zone Juliet? That designation is reserved for the local time zone of the observer. If the correct time for the Pacific Time Zone (Uniform) is 9:00 AM, and you are there, then Juliet time, for YOU, is 0900.

    Latitude and Longitude (and GPS):

    Latitude lines are East and West around the Earth and NEVER meet, therefore they stay the same distance apart as you travel towards each pole -- approximately 69.11 miles for each degree.
    (68.707 at the equator and 69.407 at the poles).

    Longitude lines are North and South and MEET at the poles, therefore they are separated the furtherest at the equator and intersect at the poles -- approximately 69.11 miles apart at the equator and only 1.2 miles apart at 89° North. (At 90° North (North Pole) they are separated by 0 miles.)

    When the Latitude is in the Northern Hemisphere, it's a positive value, and a negative value for the Southern Hemisphere. The Longitude is positive traveling East of England (Greenwich Prime Meridian). Traveling West to the U.S. becomes a negative number.

    Do I need to say the Latitude and Longitude lines are invisible?

    I DO need to mention these figures are based on a circular Earth. Most of us know it's not flat anymore, but it's not really round, and it's not elliptical either. It's a biaxial-ellipsoid. And it's not smooth, there are valleys and mountains. None of those are accounted for in these calculations.

    Hint: most smart phones, tablets, and GPS units ALSO don't calculate elevation correctly and certainly not accurately.

    OK, if I'm in Atlanta, near the 34th degree of Latitude, how far apart are the Longitude lines around here?

    You'll need a scientific calculator, either hand-held, app-held, or website, with a Cosine function. And WATCH, we're going to do some astrophysical calculations!!!

    Enter your Latitude, in this case "34", press the Cosine key/button/icon, and you'll see "0.829...". Press the multiply key/button/icon, and enter "69.11" and you'll see "57.294..."

    You're done. Longitude lines crossing 34° Latitude are 57.294 miles apart. And, Latitude lines are 69.11 miles apart.

    How does this relate to GPS values?

    Most GPS devices can display your position in at least two formats:
    Decimal Degrees (34.03917° - usually with 5-6 digits after the decimal)
    or
    Deg / Min / Sec (34° 02' 21")

    When these numbers change by one digit, HOW FAR would that be on the Earth?



    If you move North or South (Latitude change), each degree is 69.11 miles.

    So 69.11 miles multiplied by 5280 feet = 364900.8 feet. If the Latitude changes from "34.03917" to "34.03918", that was a .00001 change or 1/100,000. Simply take the 364900.8 feet between Latitude lines and divide by 100,000 = 3.64. That's 3.64 feet for every digit change.

    If the decimal degrees had 6 digits, then you'd divide by 1,000,000 and arrive at 0.364 feet or 4.368 inches...
    For Deg/Min/Sec values, there are 60 minutes in a degree and 60 seconds in a minute, or 3600 seconds in a degree. We know 364900.8 feet per Latitude degree, so divide it now by 3600 = 101.36. That's 101.36 feet for each digit change in seconds.

    So, the Decimal Degree format is more accurate? Yes and No -- Yes, it COULD be, NO it's NOT necessarily.



    Consumer GPS units are designed for 3 meter accuracy or better, which is almost 10 feet. Some MAY be more accurate. It depends on how many satellites it can lock onto, the signal levels, and the instrument.

    Consumer GPS units aren't very repeatable. That is, take a reading HERE, walk over THERE, then come back HERE, and the reading probably won't be the same.

    The least digit in the Decimal format is 3.6 feet but the GPS resolution is 3 meters, nearly 3 times that.

    The Deg / Min / Sec format can display about a 100 foot change, which is 10 times more coarse than the 3 meter GPS accuracy, so that figure will change less.

    Practical Measurement Trivia :

    Diameter of circle = multiply the circumference by 0.31831
    Circumference of a circle = multiply the diameter by 3.1416
    Area of a circle = multiply the square of the diameter by .7854
    Surface of a ball = multiply the square of the diameter by 3.1416
    Cubic volume in a ball = multiply the diameter by 0.8862
    Doubling the diameter of a pipe quadruples its capacity.
    Water pressure (lb/sq in.) = multiply height of column (ft.) by 0.434


    pi = 3.1416
    OR "Divide 113 INTO 355" (113355, get it?) (355/113 = 3.1415929...)
    which IS close to pi, for 6 decimal places.
    OR go here for pi to 1 MILLION decimal places.


    "Sir, I send a rhyme excelling
    In sacred truth and rigid spelling
    Numerical sprites elucidate
    For me the lexicon's dull weight"
    Encoded in this poetry: the transcendental number pi to 20 places. Just count the number of letters in each word: three, one, four, one, five, nine ...


    Did you know?   111,111,111  X  111,111,111  = 12345678987654321


    Impractical Measurement Trivia:

    Ratio of an igloo's circumference        
    to its diameter =
    Jack-o-lantern's circumference,        
    divided by its diameter =
    2.4 statute miles of intravenous        
    surgical tubing at        
    Yale University Hospital =
    Time between slipping on a peel        
    and smacking the pavement =
    Time it takes to sail 220 yards        
    at 1 nautical mile per hour =

    Midget fortune-teller, escaped from prison =
    Weight an evangelist carries with God =
    Shortest distance between two jokes =
    Australian Local Area Network =
    2000 pounds of Chinese soup =
    2 erections on the same day =
    16.5 feet in the Twilight Zone =
    1000 milliliters of wet socks =
    1 millionth of a mouthwash =
    No purchase of either item =
    Two wrongs by the sister =
    Going back four seconds =
    1 kilogram of falling figs =
    453.6 graham crackers =
    The trendiest story told =
    Half of a large intestine =
    Basic unit of laryngitis =
    Catalog listing 2 items =
    Catalog listing 1 item =
    1 million microphones =
    1 duplicate mustard =
    2000 mockingbirds =
    1 millionth of a fish =
    1 distant message =
    1 million bicycles =
    1,000,000 aches =
    1 grandmother =
    2 Italian bowls =
    2 meters long =
    2 monograms =
    1 trillion pins =
    365.25 days =
    100 rations =
    10 rations =
    1 popcorn =
    2 doctors =
    8 nickels =
    52 cards =
    Morning =
    Eternity =
    Infantry =
    1 uncle =
    Baud =
    Baud Rate =
    100 Senators =


    Eskimo pi

    Pumpkin pi


    1 IV League

    1 Bananosecond

    Knot-furlong

    1 small medium at large
    1 billigram
    Straight line
    LAN down under
    Won ton
    1 direction
    1 Rod Serling
    1 literhosen
    1 microscope
    1 binary
    1 parasynthesis
    1 hungry clock
    1 fig-newton
    1 pound cake
    1 Inversion
    1 semicolon
    1 hoarsepower
    1 dialogue
    1 monologue
    1 megaphone
    1 Dijon-vu
    2 kilomockingbirds
    1 microfiche
    1 telegram
    2 megacycles
    1 megahurtz
    1 monogram
    1 parabola
    1 diameter
    1 diagram
    1 terrapin
    1 unicycle
    1 C-ration
    1 decoration
    1 father of a unicorn
    1 paradox
    2 paradigms
    1 decacards
    Dawn of a new error
    4 blondes at a 4-way stop
    1 sapling
    1 monocle
    Woman on the street
    How much she charges
    Not 1 decision


    Impractical Medical Trivia:

    Abdicate
    Acetol
    Acoustic
    Acupuncture
    Acute Angina
    Aloe
    Anomaly
    Aorta
    Asphalt
    Artery
    Bacteria
    Barium
    Bar Code
    Balderdash
    Benign
    Bifurcate
    Bipolar
    Black Hole
    Buick
    Buy-ology
    B-Negative
    Catscan
    Catatonic
    Cauterize
    Cesarean Section
    Circumvent
    Cloned Calf
    Coffee
    Colic
    Coma
    Committee
    Conference
    Contest
    Cycle Path
    D&C
    Dead Give-Away
    Dilate
    Dislocation
    Eclipse
    Ecstasy

    E-I-E-I-O
    Enema
    ER
    Esplanade
    Ethyl Oxide
    Excrete
    Expectorant
    Eyedropper
    Farn
    Fester
    Fibula
    Flabbergasted
    Floss Water
    Fortify
    Fussed
    Gatorade
    Gargoyle
    Genital
    Genitalia
    G.I. Series
    The Golden Ears
    Groan
    Guzinta
    Hangnail
    Harass
    Heroin
    Hindsight
    Howscum
    Impa Tickler
    Impotent
    Innernet
    Inverse
    Labor Pain
    Layman
    Legal Disclosure
    Loomnum
    Lymph
    Mare
    Medical Staff
    Mist
    Morbid
    Negligent
    Nitrates
    Node
    Odyssey
    OFF
    Oncology
    Onlyest
    Oral
    Oramycin
    Outpatient
    Pap Smear
    Paralyze
    Paranoid
    Parasites
    "Pavlov"
    Pelvis
    Penis
    Peter Pan
    Pharmacist
    Primary Colors
    Poet
    Pokemon
    Post Operative
    Rastaferian
    Recovery Room
    Rectitude
    Rectum
    Relativity
    Respiration
    Rited
    ROM
    Secretion
    Seizure
    Serial
    Slow Dancing
    Spatial
    Specimen
    Stain
    Steroid
    Stock Tip
    Stupor
    Superconductor
    Tablet
    Terminal Illness
    Testicle
    Tripoli
    Tumor
    Urine
    Varicose
    Vitamin
    Willy-nilly
    Yale


    - To give up hope of a flat stomach
    - Butt rating, as in 'no acetol'
    - Stick used to shoot pool
    - A jab well done
    - Every woman has a cute one
    - Common greeting
    - Normal, as, I normally do that
    - A command
    - Hemorrhoid
    - The study of paintings
    - Back door to a cafeteria
    - What undertakers do when patients die
    - Fighting rules at a local tavern
    - Rapidly receding hairline
    - What you be after you be eight
    - Constantly dealing with forking problems
    - Making an arctic purchase
    - Found in black socks
    - Sound made when throwing up, also see Ralph
    - The study of shopping
    - A pessimist's blood type
    - Action of a feline while entering a room
    - Feline medicinal drink
    - Made eye contact with her
    - A neighborhood in Rome
    - The opening in the front of boxer shorts
    - Re-vealed
    - One who is coughed upon
    - A sheep dog
    - A punctuation mark
    - A group that keeps minutes and wastes hours
    - Confusion multiplied by number present
    - Exam given to a criminal
    - Deranged trail
    - Where Washington is
    - Donating your body to medical school
    - To live long
    - Right HERE
    - What a male vasectomist does
    - A feeling when you feel you are going to
            feel a feeling you've never felt before
    - The rural vowels
    - Someone who's not a friend
    - ET's sister
    - An attempt of an explanation while drunk
    - Thick-skinned woman
    - Disintegrating concrete
    - What to assume following a foolish mistake
    - Clumsy ophthalmologist
    - Not from America
    - Quicker than someone else
    - A small lie
    - Reaction to a recent weight gain
    - A manual device to kill flies
    - 45
    - The initial one in a series
    - Alligator Welfare
    - Olive-flavored mouthwash
    - Non-Jewish person
    - An Italian airline
    - World Series of military baseball
    - When old people buy expensive hearing-aids
    - Mature, all grown up
    - Division, 4 goes into 20 five times
    - What you hang your coat on
    - Female posterior
    - Leading lady
    - Experience gained from changing diapers
    - Why?, how come?
    - In particular
    - Distinguished, well known
    - Mesh located inside another
    - Backward poetry
    - Getting hurt at work
    - A garnishment for a drink, similar to a lime
    - Lawyers taking their clothes off
    - Something fabricated with aluminum
    - Walking with a lisp
    - Highest elected official in a town
    - A doctor's cane
    - When something is lost
    - A higher offer than previously made
    - Absentmindedly wearing a nightie outside
    - Cheaper than day rates
    - I knew it
    - Something you really ought to see
    - A fine-smelling aftershave
    - Study of someone on call
    - Singular
    - Lubrication, like a can of 10W30
    - Verbalizing your iniquity
    - A person who has fainted
    - A fatherhood test
    - Two false statements
    - Twice annoyed
    - What you see from the Eiffel Tower
    - Ring a bell?
    - Second cousin to Elvis
    - Urinate in this, as in 'here, penis'
    - Bed pan for males
    - A helper on the farm
    - John Deere Green, IBM Blue, and Primer Gray
    - To dispense a liquid
    - A Jamaican proctologist
    - A letter carrier
    - Fellers with ruint hair
    - Place to do upholstery
    - Proctologist's dignified demeanor prior to exam
    - Reason a car is no longer usable
    - Family get-together
    - Sweating while asleep
    - Past tense of rite
    - Where the Pope lives
    - Hiding something
    - Roman emperor
    - Major food group
    - A form of floor play
    - Unusual, atypical
    - Italian astronauts
    - Are you remaining, as in 'you stain?'
    - Device to hold carpet on stairs
    - Advice on deworming your goats
    - Back disorder
    - Amtrak's Employee of the Month
    - A small table
    - Getting sick at the airport
    - Humorous question on an exam
    - Very large bra
    - Two additional ones
    - Opposite of 'you're out'
    - Near by
    - What you do for a doctor standing outside
    - Impotent
    - Speak more loudly, holler





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    Copyright © 2003- Tom Scogin    Norcross, GA.    All rights reserved.
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