CHM 157/143: Dr.

Haydens Cheat Sheet of Conversion Factors

General Comments -- Dimensional analysis is a problem-solving method in which the given quantity is transformed into a different
unit or measurement by multiplying by one or more conversion factors (sometimes referred to as per expressions). Remember that
all conversion factors may be written in two ways, depending on which unit you wish to cancel. In essence, they are like fancy names
for the number one, which is the multiplicative identity as derived below.

1 day = 24 hours From Algebra: 1 day = 24 hours Thus, 1 = 24 hours Similarly: 1 day = 24 hours Thus, 1 day = 1
1 day 1 day 1 day 24 hours 24 hours 24 hours

Name or Type of
Conversion Factor
Which Quantities are Being Converted Example Calculation
(all starting with 5.0 of something)
unit equivalences The same measurement in two different units systems (e.g.,
mass in gram to mass in pounds); found in reference tables
5.0 weeks x 7 days = 35 days
1 week
density*** Relates mass of some material to volume of the same material
at a specified temperature; must be determined experimentally
5.0 ml H
2
O x 0.9982 g H
2
O = 5.0 g H
2
O
1 ml H
2
O
Avogadros number
(6.022 x 10
23
)
Relates # of particles (molecules, formula units, ions, etc.) to
moles of the same thing (the chemists dozen)
5.0 mole H
2
x 6.02x10
23
H
2
= 3.0x10
24
H
2

1 mole H
2
molecules
molar mass Relate mass (in grams) of a substance to moles of a
substance; derived from adding up all of the atomic masses in a
chemical formula and changing the units from amu to g/mole
5.0 mole CO
2
x 44.01 g CO
2
= 2.2x10
2
g CO
2

1 mole CO
2

molar ratio Relate moles of one element or ion in a formula unit to moles
of the formula unit itself or some other element within it
5.0 mole NH
3
x 3 mole H atoms = 15 mole
1 mole NH
3
H atoms
stoichiometric factor Relate moles of one chemical species in a reaction to moles of
some other chemical species; derived from the coefficents for a
properly balanced equation for a chemical reaction
For CH
4
+ 2 O
2
CO
2
+ 2H
2
O
5.0 mole CH
4
x 2 mole H
2
O = 1.0x10
1
mole
1 mole CH
4
H
2
O
molarity Relates moles of a solute to volume (in liters) of solution
(solvent plus solute); units are moles/liter
5.0 liter x 0.100 mole KOH = 0.50 mole KOH
1 liter KOH soln
% by mass Relates mass of one part to mass of the total; used for
elemental composition (e.g., %C in an organic compound) or for
mixtures (e.g., %Au in an alloy or %NaCl in salt water solution)
For an alloy which is 4.8% Au by mass:
5.0 g alloy x 4.8 g Au = 0.24 g Au
100 g alloy
% yield*** Relates actual yield (experimentally determined) to theoretical
yield (stoichiometric prediction if 100% reacted) for a reaction
5.0 g H
2
theor. x 78.6 g H
2
actual = 3.9 g H
2

100 g H
2
theor. actual
enthalpy (H) Relates energy released or absorbed in a chemical reaction
to moles or mass of substances in the chemical reaction
For CH
4
+ 2 O
2
CO
2
+ 2H
2
O H= -890.4kJ
5.0 mole CH
4
x 890.4 kJ = 4.5x10
3
kJ
1 mole CH
4
released

***You may prefer to use these as equations which you can solve algebraically for the desired term (e.g., d = m / v can be rearranged to
solve for v = m / d ). Such an approach is fine, and just a different way of using the same information!