SI Units


SI Units

 

This one-file module enforces Standard International unit types. This means that it will not allow a developer to add a time with a length or subtract a volume from a weight. It can also convert units from one prefix to another, i.e. km to cm.

 

Download version 0.1 here

 

The module has a structure, si-unit, that can only be accessed from within the module. It is used to store the information for the other derivative SI units (length, weight, temperature, etc.) The si-unit structure has quantity, prefix and suffix fields.

 

Type annotations are indicated by a double colon ("::") after the variable name, i.e. variable::variable-type

 


 

Unit Prefixes

 

Functions

 

si-unit Structure

 

si-unit-quantity x::si-unit

 

Returns the quantity field value of the si-unit x.

 

si-unit-prefix x::si-unit

 

Returns the prefix field value of the si-unit x.

 

si-unit-suffix x::si-unit

 

Returns the suffix field value of the si-unit x.

 

Makers/Constructors

 

make-si-length q::real unit::symbol

 

Creates an si-unit structure that has a quantity of q, a prefix of unit and a suffix of "m". When unit is 'nil

 

make-si-mass q::real unit::symbol

 

 

make-si-time q::real unit::symbol

 

make-si-current q::real unit::symbol

 

make-si-temp q::real unit::symbol

 

make-si-amount q::real unit::symbol

 

make-si-lumint q::real unit::symbol

 

Math

 

The arguments for all math functions can be numbers or si-units or a mix of the two.

 

.+ x y

 

.- x y

 

.* x y

 

./ x y

 

Conversion

 

convert-to x::si-unit new-unit::symbol

 

convert-to! x::si-unit new-unit

 

Destructive version of convert-to.

 

si->string x

 

Examples

 

Example 1

 

Marvin the Martian rover is measuring the distance from one rock to another. He can measure accurately down to 1 mm and up to 1 m.

 

Without using the SI module:

 

(define (distance x1 y1 x2 y2) ; square root of ((x2 - x1) ^ 2 + (y2 - y1) ^ 2)

 

(sqrt (+ (expt (- x2 x1) 2)

(expt (- y2 y1) 2))))


(distance 2.0 1.0 0.43 2.4)

 

The process of conversion must be written in by hand otherwise the results are inaccurate. Also, how do we know that we're getting 2.4 m and not 2.4 mm?

 

Using the SI module:

(define (distance x1 y1 x2 y2) ; square root of ((x2 - x1) ^ 2 + (y2 - y1) ^ 2)

 

(sqrt (.+ (expt (.- x2 x1) 2)

(expt (.- y2 y1) 2))))


(distance (make-si-length 2.0 'nil) ; 2.0 m
(make-si-length 1.0 'centi) ; 1.0 cm = 0.01 m

(make-si-length 0.43 'nil) ; 0.43 m

(make-si-length 2.4 'milli) ; 2.4 mm = 0.0024 m


 

 

The difference is that the units are specified and that a different function is used for mathematical operations. Instead of +, we use .+

 

Example 2