The discussion revolves around the dual nature of the pound as both a unit of mass and a unit of force, particularly in the context of physics problems involving weight and gravitational force. Participants explore the implications of using pounds in calculations and the differences between imperial and SI units.
Participants express differing views on whether pounds should be considered a unit of mass or force, with no consensus reached. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the implications of using pounds in various contexts and the clarity of unit definitions.
Participants note the limitations and potential confusion associated with using imperial units, particularly in relation to gravitational acceleration and the conversion between pounds and kilograms. The discussion also touches on the historical context of unit definitions.
I like Serena said:Hmm, I don't get this.
The SI prefix "kilo" literally means 1000 and is unit-less.
As far as I know:
1 \textrm{ kg} = 1 \cdot \textrm{ kilogram} = 1 \cdot (1000 \cdot \textrm{ gram}) = 1000 \cdot \textrm{ gram} = 1000 \textrm{ gram}
They do if you consider kilo to be a dimensionless quantity (equal to 1000) separate from grams which is a quantity with dimensions of mass, and the practice of writing them together simply to be notational shorthand.Phrak said:
