Conversion factor from amperes to milliamperes

[dynamic998]

can anyone tell me the conversion factor from amperes to milliamperes?
I know that milli is 10^-3 but i don't understand how it would look. like for example, 3.5 amperes is how many milliamperes? is it that 3.5 x 10^-3 = 0.0035 amperes?

 

[KLscilevothma]

Originally posted by dynamic998
can anyone tell me the conversion factor from amperes to milliamperes?
I know that milli is 10^-3 but i don't understand how it would look. like for example, 3.5 amperes is how many milliamperes? is it that 3.5 x 10^-3 = 0.0035 amperes?

1 Ampere = 10³ mA (milliamperes)
3.5 A = 3.5 * 10³ mA

It is similar to
1 m = 10³mm = 1000 mm

 

[BoulderHead]

Originally posted by dynamic998
...like for example, 3.5 amperes is how many milliamperes?

It is three thousand five hundred milliamperes.

 

[dynamic998]

so its 3.5 divide 10^-3 in other words?

 

[BoulderHead]

Originally posted by dynamic998
so its 3.5 divide 10^-3 in other words?

Incorrect, you wouldn't divide but instead multiply. Otherwise you would get 3,500 amps.

 

[FZ+]

Hmm... let's try to de-confuse here.

You state, very correctly that 1 A = 1000 mA = 1*10^3 mA

Now, divide that by 1000...

1*10^-3 A = 1 mA

This is your conversion factor.

Let's multiply the first equation by 3.5...

3.5 A = 3500 mA = 3.5 * 10^3 mA

There you go...

 

[Dx]

Originally posted by dynamic998
can anyone tell me the conversion factor from amperes to milliamperes?
I know that milli is 10^-3 but i don't understand how it would look. like for example, 3.5 amperes is how many milliamperes? is it that 3.5 x 10^-3 = 0.0035 amperes?

heres how I remember...
think of a line eg. -3, -2, -1, 0 ,1,2,3. get my picture?
anyways see what direction negative goes left, right?
see what direction positive goes to the right, do you see?

here the magic...
pretend your number 3.5 is on the zero line.
and the 10^-3, the -3 is telling you what direction to go to the left, got it!
Dx

 

[Cummings]

so many technical explanations.

when it is 10 to the power of somthing, just move the decimal place that many places and you will get the original value

100 mA = 100.00
m = milli = 10^-3
so by moving the decimal place 3 places left you get
.1A which equals 100mA

you do the same to reverse it .1A to mA is done by moving the decimal place 3 places to the right

try and remember this:

10^18 = exa = E
10^15 = peta = P
10^12 = tera = T
10^9 = giga = G
10^6 = mega = M
10^3 = kilo = k
10^-3 = milli = m
10^-6 = micro = ...cant find symbol but its similar to u
10^-9 = nano = n
10^-12 = pico = p
10^-15 = femto = f
10^-18 = atto = a

once you get used to doing it it becomes easy