NGS Style Manual
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NGS Style Manual - M - |
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC uses standard measurements except in natural history and science articles where metric, if appropriate, may be substituted. Supplement maps use standard measurements with metric in parentheses. Weight and measures may be abbreviated in credit lines and map notes. Such abbreviations do not take periods; plurals do not add s or es: vase 12 cm, 16 mm, f/22, 11 sq mi, three hr, 8-in snake, 11 min 30 sec, 49-yr span.
International Units of Measurement |
| Quantity |  | U.S. Units | Symbol | Acceptable Equivalent | Symbol | |||
| ||||||||
| length | | kilometer | km | | ||||
| meter | m | | | |||||
| centimeter | cm | | | |||||
| millimeter | mm | | | |||||
| micrometer | µm | | | |||||
| area | square kilometer | km2 | ||||||
| square hectometer | hm2 | hectare | ha | |||||
| square meter | m2 | | | |||||
| square centimeter | cm2 | | | |||||
| square millimeter | mm2 | | | |||||
| volume | cubic meter | m3 | ||||||
| cubic decimeter | dm3 | | | |||||
| cubic centimeter | cm3 | | | |||||
| cubic millimeter | mm3 | | | |||||
| | | | |||||
| liquid volume* | | liter | | L | | | | |
| | milliliter | | mL | | | | |
| | microliter | | µL | | | | |
| speed or velocity | meter per second | m/s | ||||||
| kilometer per hour | km/h | | | |||||
| acceleration | meter per second squared | m/s2 | ||||||
| frequency | megahertz | MHz | ||||||
| kilohertz | kHz | | | |||||
| hertz | Hz | | | |||||
| mass | megagram | Mg | metric ton | | ||||
| kilogram | kg | | | |||||
| gram | g | | | |||||
| milligram | mg | | | |||||
| density | kilogram per cubic meter | kg/m3 | gram per liter | g/L | ||||
| force | kilonewton | kN | ||||||
| newton | N | | | |||||
| pressure | kilopascal | kPa | ||||||
| energy, work, or | megajoule | MJ | ||||||
| quantity of heat | kilojoule | kJ | | | ||||
| joule | J | | | |||||
| kilowatt-hour** | kWh | | | |||||
| power or heat | kilowatt | kW | ||||||
| flow rate | watt | W | | | ||||
| temperature | kelvin | K | ||||||
| degree Celsius | °C | | | |||||
| electric current | ampere | A | ||||||
| quantity of | coulomb | C | ||||||
| electricity | ampere-hour | A·h | | | ||||
| electromotive force | volt | V | ||||||
| electric resistance | ohm | W | ||||||
| luminous intensity | candela | cd | |
* To be used only for fluids (both gases and liquids) and for dry ingredients in recipes. ** Note abbreviations for kilowatt-hour (kWh), megawatt-hour (MWh), gigawatt-hour (GWh), terawatt-hour (TWh). |
Conversion of U.S. units of measurement to international units |
| Quantity | If you know | Multiply by | | To find | ||
| length | inches | X | 25.400 | = | millimeters | |
feet | X | 0.305 | = | meters | ||
yards | X | 0.914 | = | meters | ||
miles | X | 1.609 | = | kilometers | ||
| area | square yards | X | 0.836 | = | square meters | |
acres | X | 0.405 | = | hectares | ||
| volume | quarts (lq) | X | 0.946 | = | liters | |
cubic yards | X | 0.765 | = | cubic meters | ||
| | | ||||
| liquid volume | | quarts | | 0.946 | = | liters |
| mass | ounces (avdp) | X | 28.350 | = | grams | |
pounds (avdp) | X | 0.454 | = | kilograms | ||
| temperature | degrees Fahrenheit | X | subtract 32,then multiply by 5/9 | = | degrees Celsius |
Conversion of international units to U.S. units of measurement |
| Quantity | If you know | Multiply by | | To find | ||
| length | millimeters | X | 0.039 | = | inches | |
meters | X | 3.281 | = | feet | ||
meters | X | 1.094 | = | yards | ||
kilometers | X | 0.621 | = | miles | ||
| area | | square meters | X | 1.196 | = | square yards |
| hectares | X | 2.471 | = | acres | |
| volume | | liters | X | 1.057 | = | quarts (lq) |
| cubic meters | X | 1.308 | = | cubic yards | |
| mass | | grams | X | 0.035 | = | ounces (avdp) |
| kilograms | X | 2.205 | = | pounds (avdp) | |
| temperature | | degrees Celsius | X | multiply by 9/5, then add 32 | = | degrees Fahrenheit |