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Re: Volt/volts



Jim Green wrote:
Is it correctly 0 volt or 0 volts? Reference?

In general usage, "zero volt" is always an adjective form, while a zero
measurement is expressed as "zero volts". It's like we do with
temperature: "It's a zero degree day; the temperature today is zero
degrees." I can't lay my hands on a credentialed writing guide that
says exactly that, but here's an online example courtesy of a gen-u-ine
US gummint agency:

<http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumerinfo/factsheets/bb8.html>
"The horizontal line represents zero volts. For one half of the cycle,
the voltage of a sine-wave is positive (above the zero volt line)."

In technical writing, the question is pointless according to
the NIST Guide. <http://physics.nist.gov/Pubs/SP811/sec07.html>:
"values of quantities should be expressed in acceptable units
using the Arabic symbols for numbers, that is, the Arabic numerals,
not the spelled-out names of the Arabic numerals; and the
symbols for the units, not the spelled-out names of the units."

"Example:
the length of the laser is 5 m
but not:
the length of the laser is five meters"
"Example:
sample was annealed at a temperature of 955 K for 12 h
but not:
sample was annealed at a temperature of 955 kelvins for 12 hours"

Best wishes,

Larry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larry Cartwright Retired Physics Teacher
<exit60@cablespeed.com> Charlotte MI 48813 USA
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Two things a man should never be angry at:
what he can help and what he cannot help
-- Thomas Fuller (1609-1661)
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