Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!athena.cs.uga.edu!mcovingt
From: mcovingt@athena.cs.uga.edu (Michael A. Covington)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Metric Prefixes
Keywords: Metric, Capacitors
Message-ID: <1991Mar25.192152.3382@athena.cs.uga.edu>
Date: 25 Mar 91 19:21:52 GMT
References: <1991Mar24.184600.432@nocusuhs.nnmc.navy.mil>
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens
Lines: 25

Ah, you must be too young.

mf = mfd = uF = microfarad

mmf = mmfd = pF = picofarad (micro-microfarad)

If the capacitor is identified with just a number, it could be
any of three things:

(1) On an electrolytic (including tantalum) capacitor,
it's the value in uF.

(2) On anything smaller it's likely to be the value in pF.

(3) If it's 3 digits the 3rd of which is not 0
(for example 472) then it's picofarads and means 47E2, i.e., 47x10^2,
or 4700.

Just to really confuse you, 470 could mean 470, or 47 x 10^0 = 47.

-- 
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Michael A. Covington | Artificial Intelligence Programs
The University of Georgia  |  Athens, GA 30602   U.S.A.
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