Members: Language of Physics
Scientific notation & standard units
The standard ‘shorthand’ for scientific notation involves abbreviating numbers to the nearest division of 1,000. The metre (m) is the standard metric unit of length. This ‘m’ will often have another letter immediately before it denoting is nearest range of thousands. The common ones for rope technicians are:
- µ or ‘micro’. 1 micrometre = 1µm = 0.000001m = 1 × 10-6m.
- m or ‘milli’. 1 millimetre = 1mm = 0.001m = 1 × 10-3m.
- k or ‘kilo’. 1 kilometre = 1km = 1000m = 1 × 10³m.
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About The Author
Richard Delaney
Richard Delaney has worked professionally with ropes since 1992 as a multi-pitch rock-climbing instructor, technical rescue instructor and rope access technician. Understanding and teaching the Physics of Rigging is a core passion of Richard’s, one based on his experience, and his prior professional life as a qualified engineer.