Re: [Phys-l] backwards units : entrenched usage

[Bernard Cleyet <bernardcleyet@redshift.com>]

I think the rational is the units are being used as measurements.

e.g.   HP as power;  RPM as rotational speed; A as current; V as EMF**; Hz as frequency, etc.


This is why, if I ever teach, I'll use such terms as meterage for length, poundage for mass, etc.  


I used e-potential until JD pointed out some emf's were not PD's (when from a magnetic source).

bc refuses to use the word voltage and is ancient.


On 2010, May 27, , at 18:15, John Denker wrote:

> Way back on 05/17/2008 02:18 PM, I wrote in part:
>
> > The other day I was reading the data plate on an electric motor:
> >
> >       HP  :   1 1/3                Type : C
> >       RPM :   1725                 SF   : 1.0
> >       A   :   12.3                 PH   : 1
> >       V   :   115                  Hz   : 60
> >
> > This seems backwards relative to the way we would write things in the
> > physics lab:
> >
> >      1.333 HP
> >      1725 RPM
> >      12.3 A
> >      115 V
> >      60 Hz