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Ch 01: Concepts of Motion
Chapter 1, Problem 1

Convert the following to basic SI units or a combination of basic SI units: (c) 62 ft/day

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1
Identify the units given in the problem. Here, the units are feet (ft) for distance and day for time.
Convert the distance from feet to meters. Recall that 1 foot is approximately equal to 0.3048 meters.
Convert the time from days to seconds. Note that 1 day is equal to 24 hours, 1 hour is equal to 3600 seconds.
Calculate the conversion factor for feet to meters and days to seconds, then multiply these factors by the given value (62 ft/day).
Express the final result in meters per second (m/s), which is the SI unit for speed.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

SI Units

The International System of Units (SI) is a standardized system of measurement used globally in science and engineering. It is based on seven base units, including the meter for length, kilogram for mass, and second for time. Understanding SI units is essential for converting measurements from other systems, such as the imperial system, to ensure consistency and accuracy in calculations.
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Unit Conversion

Unit conversion is the process of converting a quantity expressed in one set of units to another set of units. This involves using conversion factors, which are ratios that express how many of one unit are equivalent to another. For example, to convert feet to meters, one can use the conversion factor that 1 foot is approximately 0.3048 meters. Mastery of unit conversion is crucial for solving problems in physics and engineering.
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Velocity

Velocity is a vector quantity that refers to the rate of change of an object's position with respect to time. It is typically expressed in units of distance per time, such as meters per second (m/s) in SI units. In the given question, converting 62 feet per day to SI units involves recognizing that this represents a velocity, which can be expressed in meters per second for consistency with other measurements in physics.
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