xkcd #3106: Farads

Title text:

‘This HAZMAT container contains radioactive material with activity of one becquerel.’ ‘So, like, a single banana slice?’

Transcript:

[Cueball holds a stick while talking with Megan and White Hat.]
Cueball: This stick is one meter long.
Megan: Cool.
White Hat: That’s a nice stick.

[Cueball holds a smallish rock.]
Cueball: This rock weighs one pound.
Megan: I’d believe it.
White Hat: Looks like a normal rock.

[Cueball holds a small battery.]
Cueball: This battery is one volt.
Megan: Seems fine.
White Hat: Might need a recharge.

[Cueball holds a capacitor while Megan and White Hat panic.]
Cueball: This capacitor is one farad.
Megan: Aaaaa! Be careful!!
White Hat: Put it down!!

Source: https://xkcd.com/3106/

explainxkcd for #3106

    • sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      11 hours ago

      If we’re going to split hairs then while it’s defined in terms of metric units, it doesn’t scale with prefixes and factors of 10, so it can’t be an S.I. unit.

      • gazter@aussie.zone
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        7 hours ago

        You’re right, the imperial units are not S.I. units, but each (most?) imperial unit is defined by an S.I. unit.