The Question of Units: Bothersome Details or Keys to Understanding?

摘要

The proper treatment of physical units is a pervasive problem in engineering education. The sporadic and uneven coverage of units throughout the typical engineering student's undergraduate experience can result in graduates who, in spite of having learned key engineering principles, can still stumble over units conversions and cancellations. When faced with a new problem, even the best students can lose sight of conceptual issues as they become overwhelmed by concern about how units will be dealt with in the determination of a reasonable solution.