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A IB Diploma Physics textbook I had used a negative one exponent instead of a division symbol in units. This is not normal right?
by eNV25 2y ago
A IB Diploma Physics textbook I had used a negative one exponent instead of a division symbol in units. This is not normal right?
- dpwm 2y agoYeah that's the normal way in physics in my experience, certainly from undergrad level up.
- baq 2y agoperfectly normal in physics books, maybe not usual in high school, but uni-level books all do this.
- isoprophlex 2y agoAfter taking Dimensional Analysis in undergrad I never stopped doing that, quite possibly to the nuisance of everyone around me...
- nayuki 2y agoNegative exponents do look odd. I first saw it in RollerCoaster Tycoon like 25 years ago. Units with negative exponents are non-existent in everyday discourse (articles for the general public, product labels, commercial catalogs, etc.) and even the vast majority of engineering. It's when you get into science and analysis where you start seeing big compound units and negative exponents. Here are a few examples: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viscosity#Units https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viscosity#Units , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_constant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_constant , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_permittivity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_permittivity , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimensional_analysis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimensional_analysis