Re: mmF for Capacitors

[Vern Lindberg <vwlsps@ritvax.isc.rit.edu>]

> > Leigh Palmer wrote:
> >
> > > Subject:	misconception regarding capacitors?
> > > Textbooks tell us that a capacitor of capacitance 1E-10 is called a
> > > 100 pF capacitor. That's not true; it's called a 100 mmf capacitor,
> > > or at least it useta be!

> Steven T. Ratliff asks
> > Why did they use mmF instead of pF?

My understanding was that m stood for micro, so mmF is micromicroFarads.  I
don't know why they did not use mu for micro.  Of course you can leave the
units off entirely and go by basic knowledge.  If the number is 1500 and
the capacitor is large it must be 1500 microFarads, if it is small it must
be 1500 pico Farads.

Be glad we don't use the old old 6-dot color codes that were on capacitors.


(p.s. I have some vacuum gauges that still give pressure in microns also.)

Dr. Vern Lindberg			716-475-2546
Department of Physics			Fax 475-5766
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Rochester Institute of Technology
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