ELECTRICAL PRINCIPLES
ELECTRICAL PRINCIPLES
Math for electronics: conversion of electrical units, decibels
How many milliamperes is 1.5 amperes?
The prefix "milli" means "one thousandth", so to convert from amperes to milliamperes multiply by 1,000 (move the decimal point three places to the right).
\[1.5 \times 1{,}000 = 1{,}500\]
So 1.5 amperes equals 1,500 milliamperes.
Memory aids:
Last edited by bloveridge. Register to edit
Tags: none
Convert hertz to kilohertz by remembering that 1 kHz = 1,000 Hz. Dividing the given frequency by 1,000 gives the value in kilohertz:
1,500,000 Hz ÷ 1,000 = 1,500 kHz
You can also express the frequency in megahertz: 1,500,000 Hz ÷ 1,000,000 = 1.5 MHz. A common mistake is to read 1,500,000 Hz as 1,500 MHz, but 1,500 MHz would be 1,500,000,000 Hz (one thousand times larger).
Memory aids:
Last edited by thehobgoblinranger. Register to edit
Tags: none
Which is equal to one kilovolt?
The prefix "kilo" (used in metric units) means "thousand." Therefore, a kilovolt is equal to one thousand volts.
Memory aids:
Last edited by kd7bbc. Register to edit
Tags: none
Which is equal to one microvolt?
micro is a prefix in the metric system meaning "one-millionth". Thus, a microvolt is one millionth (1/1,000,000) of a volt.
One one-thousandth of a volt is denoted with the milli prefix (a millivolt).
Last edited by cbluestar27. Register to edit
Tags: none
1000 milliwatts = 1 watt. Therefore 500 milliwatts = 500 / 1000 = 0.5 watts.
Memory aids:
Last edited by kd7bbc. Register to edit
Tags: none
Which is equal to 3000 milliamperes?
A milliampere (mA) is one thousandth of an ampere (A). To convert milliamperes to amperes, divide by 1000.
3000 milliamperes ÷ 1000 = 3 amperes.
Therefore, 3000 mA equals 3 A.
Memory aids:
Last edited by kd7bbc. Register to edit
Tags: none
1 MHz equals 1,000 kHz, so to convert megahertz to kilohertz multiply by 1,000.
Using the value given: 3.525 MHz × 1,000 = 3525 kHz.
You can show the unit cancellation explicitly:
(\dfrac{3.525\ \text{MHz} \times 1000\ \text{kHz}}{1\ \text{MHz}} = 3525\ \text{kHz})
Because the fraction (\dfrac{1000\ \text{kHz}}{1\ \text{MHz}}) equals 1, the numeric value is unchanged except for the unit conversion.
Last edited by rjstone. Register to edit
Tags: none
Which is equal to 1,000,000 picofarads?
Convert between metric prefixes for capacitance. Working stepwise: 1 microfarad (μF) = 1,000 nanofarads (nF), and 1 nanofarad = 1,000 picofarads (pF). So 1,000,000 picofarads = 1,000 nanofarads = 1 microfarad.
Using decimals: 1,000,000 pF × 1×10^-12 F/pF = 1×10^-6 F, which is 1 μF.
Using exponents: 10^6 pF = 10^6 × 10^-12 F = 10^(6−12) F = 10^-6 F = 1 μF.
Therefore 1,000,000 picofarads equals 1 microfarad.
Memory aids:
Last edited by markus.janssen. Register to edit
Tags: none
Which decibel value most closely represents a power increase from 5 watts to 10 watts?
Doubling power corresponds to an increase of about 3 dB. Going from 5 watts to 10 watts is exactly a doubling of power, so the change is approximately +3 dB.
You can also use the decibel formula for power: L(dB) = 10 × log10(P1 / P0). For this case:
10 × log10(10 / 5) = 10 × log10(2) ≈ 3.01 dB
As a check, four times the power is about 6 dB (two doublings), and halving the power is about −3 dB.
Memory aids:
Last edited by braian. Register to edit
Tags: none
Which decibel value most closely represents a power decrease from 12 watts to 3 watts?
Decibels measure power ratios on a logarithmic scale. A change of +3 dB corresponds to a doubling of power, and a change of -3 dB corresponds to halving the power. Going from 12 watts to 3 watts is a reduction to one quarter of the original power (3 = 12 ÷ 4). One quarter is two successive halvings, so the total change is -3 dB + -3 dB = -6 dB.
You can also use the formula for power level change in decibels:
L_db = 10 × log10(P_new / P_old)
For this case: 10 × log10(3 / 12) = 10 × log10(1/4) ≈ 10 × (-0.60206) ≈ -6.02 dB, which is approximately -6 dB.
Last edited by kd7bbc. Register to edit
Tags: none
Which decibel value represents a power increase from 20 watts to 200 watts?
The decibel change for a power ratio is given by the formula:
\[L_{dB} = 10 \times \log_{10}\left(\frac{P_1}{P_0}\right)\]
Here P1 is the new power (200 W) and P0 is the original power (20 W). So:
\[L_{dB} = 10 \times \log_{10}\left(\frac{200}{20}\right) = 10 \times \log_{10}(10) = 10 \times 1 = 10\;dB.\]
Thus the power increase from 20 watts to 200 watts corresponds to a 10 dB increase.
Memory aids:
Last edited by masteraviator. Register to edit
Tags: none
To convert kilohertz (kHz) to megahertz (MHz), move the decimal point three places to the left (because 1 MHz = 1000 kHz).
With 28,400 kHz the decimal point is assumed to be at the end: 28400. kHz. Moving that decimal three places left puts it between the 28 and the 400, giving 28.400 MHz.
Last edited by kd7bbc. Register to edit
Tags: none
One gigahertz (GHz) equals 1000 megahertz (MHz). Converting MHz to GHz means dividing by 1000.
Dividing 2425 MHz by 1000 gives 2425 ÷ 1000 = 2.425 GHz, so the frequency is 2.425 GHz.
Memory aids:
Last edited by kd7bbc. Register to edit
Tags: none