1.5 : Units of Measurement

Mechanical engineering is one of the oldest branches of engineering. It deals with designing, analyzing, and manufacturing machines and mechanical systems. To ensure precise and accurate calculations, units of measurement are used. They provide a standard system for expressing and comparing physical quantities.

There are various well-known historical measurement systems, such as the Babylonian system, the Roman system, the Egyptian system, the Olympian system, the British system, and the Indus Valley system.

The International System of Units (SI) is the universally recognized standard of measurement used in mechanical engineering. It is based on some fundamental base units that can be combined to express all other physical quantities.

Units derived from the base units are known as derived units. For example, the SI unit of force is the Newton, which is a derived unit. It is defined as the force required to accelerate one kilogram of mass at a rate of one meter per second squared.

There are different systems of units of measurement used all over the world. In addition to the International System of Units (SI), the U.S. Customary System of Units is another commonly used system. In the U.S. Customary System of Units, the base units are foot, pound, and second. The unit of length is the foot, the unit of mass is the pound, and the unit of time is the second.

In the U.S. Customary System of Units, the unit of mass is the slug, a derived unit. It is defined as the amount of matter accelerated by one foot per second squared when acted upon by a force of one pound.

Since many countries continue to utilize the U.S. Customary System, a relationship between the various comparable units has also been developed. For example, one meter equals 3,280 feet. The derived units also differ from one set of standards to the next. For example, the SI system uses Newton as the unit of force, but the US customary system uses the pound.

Units of measurement are essential in mechanical engineering because they allow for precise and accurate measurements. Engineers use these units to design and analyze machines and mechanical systems, estimate loads, stresses, and deformations in mechanical components, and predict the behavior of machines under different operating conditions.