Archive for August, 2008

Temperature conversions without the fuss

Whether planning a classroom metric conversion activity or traveling, temperature conversions come into play in a number of different ways.  Units most commonly involved are Farenheit and Celsius. It is possible, in addition, that metric temperature conversions could use units of Centigrade.  While this could be a source of confusion, Celsius and Centigrade refer to the same scale of measurement.  The physicist Anders Celsius is credited with creating the Centigrade scale of measuring temperature.  It was was later renamed in his honor.  In a nutshell then, units of Celsius and Centigrade are equivalent.

Regardless of the units involved, accuracy of any metric conversion value must be ensured.  There are risks in performing temperature conversions by hand, however.  These risks can occur as a result of simple mis-calculations or use of an incorrect conversion formula.  Unfortunately, it is impossible to remove the possibility of human error from manual temperature conversions. 

In addition, the metric conversion formulas can be problematic.  Few have memorized the temperature conversion formula, or feel inclined to do so.  Granted the data can be obtained with a little research, but this is not a very convenient solution.  How many people would feel compelled to track down the temperature conversion formula to determine what the local temperature means while on vacation?

For this reason, the best solution to ensure convenience and accuracy when doing temperature conversions is to use a conversion tool.  Tools can include temperature conversion tables, calculators or charts. They yield instant, reliable data without requiring formula memorization or calculations of any kind.

There are instances where one metric conversion tool is preferable to another.  Temperature conversion tables and charts work  best for converting standard units of measure, such as 100 or 0 degrees Celsius.  Conversions involving non-standard values, such as converting 52 degrees Farenheit to Celsius, are best done with a temperature conversion calculator.

In a nutshell, temperature conversion tools are the best option for convenient, accurate results in no time.

Avoiding common volume conversion errors.

Whether you are preparing a recipe or involved in scientific research, volume conversions between the metric and Imperial systems of measurement are common. Most often, milliliters or liters are used in metric measurements. Ounces, pints and gallons are the common units for the Imperial system. Regardless of the units involved in a volume conversion, obtaining an accurate result is critical. In fact, the successful outcome of your recipe or experiment depends upon it.

Metric conversions are most often performed by hand. While this seems to be the first option for many, it is not the most accurate. Whether by an error in calculation or use of an incorrect conversion formula, reliable results are not guaranteed.

To avoid the risk of inaccurate data and the inconvenience of tracking down metric conversion formulas, using a volume conversion table, chart or calculator is a great choice. These tools provide reliable results at your fingertips and remove the need for memorizing or finding a conversion formula. For conversions from standard units of measure, such as 1 ounce to milliliters, Volume conversion tables and charts are best. When working with non-standard values, on the other hand, a volume conversion calculator is a better choice.


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