FUNDAMENTAL CONSTANTS AND

CONVERSION FACTORS
1. Gas law Constant R
Nunerical Value
1.9872
1.9872
82.057
8314.34
82.057 x 10-3
8314.34
10.731
0.7302
1545.3
8314.34

Units
g cal/g mol K
btu/lb mol. oR
cm3. atm/g mol.K
J/kg mol K
m3 atm/kg mol K
kg m2/s2 kg mol K
ft3 .lbf / in2 lb mol o R
ft3 atm / lb mol oR
ft lbf / lb mol o R
m3 Pa / kg mol K

2. Volume and Density

1 g mol ideal gas at 0 oC, 760 mm Hg = 22.4140 liters = 22 414 cm3
1 lb mol ideal gas at 0 oC, 760 mm Hg = 359.05 ft3
1 kg mol ideal gas at 0 oC, 760 mm Hg = 22.414 m3
Density of dry air at 0 oC, 760 mm Hg = 1.2929 g/liter = 0.080711
lbm/ft3
Molecular weight of air = 28.97 lbm/ lb mol
1 g/cm3 = 62.43 lbm / ft3 = 1000 kg / m3
1 g / cm3 = 8.345 lbm / U.S . gal
1 lbm / ft3 = 16.0185 kg / m3
3. Length
1 in = 2.540 cm
100 cm = 1 m (meter)
1 micron = 10-6 m = 10-4 cm = 10-3 mm = 1 m
(micrometer)
1 A (angstrom) = 10-10 m = 10-4 m
1 mile = 5280 ft
1 m = 3.2808 ft = 39.37 in
4. Mass
1
1
1
1
1
1

lbm = 453.59 g = 0.45359 kg

lbm = 16 oz = 7000 grains
kg = 1000 g = 2.2046 lbm
ton (short) = 2000 lbm
ton (long) = 2240 lbm
ton (metric) = 1000 kg

5. Standard Acceleration of Gravity

g = 9.80665 m / s2
g = 980.665 cm / s2
g = 32.174 ft / s2
gc (gravitational conversion factor) = 32.1740 lbm ft/lbf.s2
= 980.665 gm cm / gf s2
6. Volume
1 L (liter) = 1000 cm3
1 in3 = 16.387 cm3
1 ft3 = 28.317 L (liter
1 ft3 = 0.028317 m3
1 ft3 = 7.481 U.S gal
1 m3 = 264.17 U.S gal

1 m3 = 1000 L (liter)
1 U.S gal = 4 qt
1 U.S gal = 3.7854 L (liter)
1 U.S gal = 3785.4 cm3
1 British gal = 1.20094 U.S gal

7. Force
1
1
1
1
1

g.cm / s2 (dyne) = 10-5 kg.m / s2 = 10-5 N (Newton)

g.cm / s2 = 7.2330 x 10-5 lbm .ft / s2 (poundal)
kg.m / s2 = 1 N (Newton)
lbf = 4.4482 N
g.cm / s2 = 2.2481 x 10-6 lbf

8. Pressure
1 bar = 1 x 105 Pa (pascal) = 1 x 105 N/m2
1 psia = 1 lbf / in2
1 psia = 2.0360 in Hg at 0oC
1 psia = 2.311 ft H2 O at 70 o F
1 psia = 51.715 mmHg at 0 oC (Hg = 13.5955 g / cm3 )
1 atm = 14.696 psia = 1.01325 x 105 N / m2 =
1.01325 bar
1 atm = 760 mm Hg at 0 oC = 1.01325 x 105 Pa
1 atm = 29.921 in Hg at 0 oC
1 atm = 33.90 ft H2 O at 4 oC

1 psia = 6.89476 x 104 g / cm . s2

1 psia = 6.89476 x 104 dyne / cm2
1 dyne / cm2 = 2.0886 x 10-3 lbf / ft2
1 psia = 6.89476 x 103 N / m2
1 lbf / ft2 = 4.7880 x 102 dyne / cm2 = 47.880 N / m2
1 mm Hg ( 0 o C) = 1.333224 x 102 N / m2 = 0.1333224
kPa
9. Power
1 hp = 0.74570 kw
1 hp = 550 ft .lbf / s
1 hp = 0.7068 btu / s

1 watt (W) = 14.340 cal / min

1 btu/h
= 0.29307 W (watt)
1 J / s (joule/s) = 1 W

10. Heat , Energy , Work

1 J = 1 N.m = 1 kg.m2 / s2
1 kg.m2 / s2 = 1 J (joule) = 107 g.cm2 / s2 (erg)
1 btu = 1055.06 J = 1.05506 kJ
1 btu = 252.16 cal (thermochemical)
1 kcal (thermochemical) = 1000 cal = 4.1840 kJ
1 cal (thermochemical) = 4.1840 J
1 cal (IT) = 4.1868 J
1 btu = 251.996 cal (IT)
1 btu = 778.17 ft.lbf
1 hp.h = 0.7457 kW.h
1 hp.h = 2544.5 btu
1 ft.lbf = 1.35582 J
1 ft.lbf / lbm = 2.9890 J / kg
11. Thermal Conductivity
1 btu / h.ft. o F = 4.1365 x 10-3 cal / s . cm . o C
1 btu / h.ft. o F = 1.73073 W / m. K
12. Heat Transfer Coefficient
1
1
1
1

btu / h.ft2. o F = 1.3571 x 10-4 cal / s.cm2 . o C

btu / h.ft2. o F = 5.6783 x 10-4 W / cm2 . o C
btu / h.ft2. o F = 5.6783 W / m2 .K
kcal / h.m2 . o F = 0.2048 btu / h.ft2. o F

13. Viscosity
1
1
1
1
1
1

cp = 10-2 g / cm. s (poise)

cp = 2.4191 lbm / ft. h
cp = 6.7197 x 10-4 lbm /ft. s
cp = 10-3 Pa.s = 10-3 kg / m. s = 10-3 N. s / m2
cp = 2.0886 x 10-5 lbf . s / ft2
Pa.s = 1 N. s / m2 = 1 kg / m. s = 1000 cp

14. Diffusivity
1 cm2 / s = 3.875 ft2 / h
1 cm2 / s = 10-4 m2 / s
1 m2 / h = 10.764 ft2 / h

1 m2 / s = 3.875 x 104 ft2 / h

1 centistoke = 10-2 cm2 / s

15. Mass Flux and Molar Flux

1 g / s.cm2 = 7.3734 x 103 lbm / h. ft2
1 g.mol / s. cm2 = 7.3734 x 103 lb mol / h. ft2
1 g.mol / s. cm2 = 10 kg mol / s.m2 = 1 x 104 g.mol / s.
m2
1 lb mol / h. ft2 = 1.3562 x 10-3 kg mol / s. m2
16. Heat Flux and Heat Flow
1 btu / h. ft2 = 3.1546 W / m2
1 btu / h = 0.29307 W
1 cal / h = 1.1622 x 10-3 W
17. Heat Capacity and Enthalpy
1
1
1
1
1
1

btu / lbm . o F = 4.1868 kJ / kg. K

btu / lbm . o F = 1.000 cal / g. o C
btu / lbm
= 2326.0 J / kg
ft. lbf / lbm
= 2.9890 J / kg
cal (IT) / g. o C = 4.1868 kJ / kg . K
kcal / g mol = 4.1840 x 103 kJ / kg mol

18. Mass-Transfer Coefficient

1 kc cm / s = 10-2 m / s
1 kc ft / h = 8.4668 x 10-5 m / s
1 kx g mol / s. cm2 . mol frac = 10 kg mol / s . m2 . mol frac
1 kx g mol / s. cm2 . mol frac = 1 x 104 g mol / s . m2 . mol frac
1 kx lb mol / h. ft2 . mol frac = 1.3562 x 10-3 kg mol / s. m2. mol frac
1 kx a lb mol / h. ft3. mol frac = 4.449 x 10-3 kg mol / s. m3. mol frac
1 kG kg mol / s. m2. atm
= 0.98692 x 10-5 kg mol / s. m2 . Pa
1 kG a kg mol / s. m3. atm
= 0.98692 x 10-5 kg mol / s. m3 . Pa