units(1) units(1)
NAME
units - conversion program
SYNOPSIS
units
DESCRIPTION
units converts quantities expressed units in various
standard scales to their equivalents in other scales. It
works interactively, as in the examples below.
A quantity is specified as a multiplicative combination of
units optionally preceded by a numeric multiplier. Powers
are indicated by suffixed positive integers, division by the
usual sign (see the second example below).
units only does multiplicative scale changes; thus it can
convert Kelvin to Rankine, but not Celsius to Fahrenheit.
Most familiar units, abbreviations, and metric prefixes are
recognized, together with a generous leavening of exotica
and a few constants of nature including:
pi ratio of circumference to diameter,
c speed of light,
e charge on an electron,
g acceleration of gravity,
force same as g,
mole Avogadro's number,
water pressure head per unit height of water,
au astronomical unit.
pound is not recognized as a unit of mass; lb is. Compound
names are run together, (e.g., lightyear). British units
that differ from their U.S. counterparts are prefixed with
``br'', thus: brgallon. For a complete list of units, type:
cat /usr/lib/unittab
EXAMPLE
You have: inch
You want: cm
* 2.540000e+00
/ 3.937008e-01
You have: 15 lbs force/in2
You want: atm
* 1.020689e+00
/ 9.797299e-01
FILES
/usr/bin/units
/usr/lib/unittab
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