|
Abbreviations, Symbols, and Units
Common Abbreviations
| ds |
double-stranded (as in dsDNA) |
| ss |
single-stranded (as in ssDNA) |
| bp |
basepair |
| kb |
kilobase: 1,000 bases or basepairs as appropriate |
| Mb |
megabase: 1,000,000 bp |
| Da |
Dalton, the unit of molecular mass: kDa = 1,000
Da; MDa = 1,000,000 Da |
| MW |
molecular weight |
| M |
molarity, moles of solute per liter of solution |
| Mol |
absolute amount of a substance |
| Metric Prefixes
| G |
= |
giga |
= |
109 |
| M |
= |
mega |
= |
106 |
| k |
= |
kilo |
= |
103 |
| m |
= |
milli |
= |
10–3 |
| µ |
= |
micro |
= |
10–6 |
| n |
= |
nano |
= |
10–9 |
| p |
= |
pico |
= |
10–12 |
| f |
= |
femto |
= |
10–15 |
| a |
= |
atto |
= |
10–18 |
|
Weight Conversions
| 1 µg = 10–6
g |
| 1 ng = 10–9
g |
| 1 pg = 10–12
g |
| 1 fg = 10–15
g |
|
US Unit Conversion
| To convert from |
To |
Multiply by |
| Angstrom units |
centimeters |
1 x 10–8 |
| Centimeters |
angstrom units |
1 x 108 |
| Centimeters |
inches (U.S.) |
0.3937 |
| Cubic centimeter |
cubic inches (U.S.) |
0.0610 |
| Cubic centimeter |
milliliters |
0.999972 |
| Cubic centimeters |
ounces (U.S., fluid) |
0.0338 |
| Cubic centimeters |
quarts (U.S., liquid) |
0.0011 |
| Cubic inches (U.S.) |
cubic centimeters |
16.3872 |
| Cubic meters |
cubic feet (U.S.) |
35.3147 |
| Gallons (U.S.) |
liters |
3.78541 |
| Inches (U.S.) |
centimeters |
2.5400 |
| Kilograms |
pounds (avoirdupois) |
2.2046 |
| Liters |
gallons (U.S.) |
0.2642 |
| Liters |
ounces (U.S., fluid) |
33.8140 |
| Meters |
feet (U.S.) |
3.2808 |
| Microns |
inches |
3.937 x 10–5 |
| Milligrams |
ounces (avoirdupois) |
3.5274 x 10–5 |
| Milliliters |
ounces (U.S., fluid) |
0.0338 |
| Ounces (U.S., fluid) |
milliliters |
29.5727 |
| Pounds (avoirdupois) |
grams |
453.5924 |
| Quarts (U.S., liquid) |
liters |
0.9464 |
| Square centimeters |
square inches (U.S.) |
0.1550 |
|
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