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notation

notation

(OP)

What is the notation most engineers prefer for units of physico-chemical quantities, 1/x or x-1 as SI units are generally expressed ?

For example, kg/cm2 vs kg cm-2, J/s vs J s-1, m/s vs m s-1, kg/m3 vs kg m-3.

RE: notation

I prefer the solidus: kg/m3

Both are equally acceptable within the SI.

Regards,

Cory

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RE: notation

My preference is to use the the negative indices rather than the "/". In your examples it is pretty unambiguous whichever you use but what about "m/Ns" is that metres per Newton second or metres per Newton per second? "m/N/s" or "m/(Ns)" just look ugly to me.

M

--
Dr Michael F Platten

RE: notation

You make a good point MikeyP.  It always seemed ugly to me too.  If I can read the units in a logical manner, it helps me to visualize the relationship of the units.

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