Airflow is measured in cubic centimeters.

Airflow is measured in cubic centimeters.

• A. True
• B. Engines measure in cubic inches per minute
• C. Liters per second
• D. False

Answer: (D)

Airflow is a rate: it describes how much air moves through a point per unit of time. Cubic centimeters, by itself, measure volume, not flow over time. So saying airflow is measured in cubic centimeters misses the essential per-time aspect. In practice, airflow is given in units like liters per second, cubic feet per minute, or cubic meters per second, which combine a volume with a time component. Engine size, on the other hand, is described by displacement in cubic centimeters, which tells you the engine’s size, not how much air flows per second. Because of that, the statement is false. If you did use cubic centimeters to express airflow, you’d need to include per second (cubic centimeters per second) to make it a proper flow-rate unit.

Airflow is a rate: it describes how much air moves through a point per unit of time. Cubic centimeters, by itself, measure volume, not flow over time. So saying airflow is measured in cubic centimeters misses the essential per-time aspect. In practice, airflow is given in units like liters per second, cubic feet per minute, or cubic meters per second, which combine a volume with a time component. Engine size, on the other hand, is described by displacement in cubic centimeters, which tells you the engine’s size, not how much air flows per second. Because of that, the statement is false. If you did use cubic centimeters to express airflow, you’d need to include per second (cubic centimeters per second) to make it a proper flow-rate unit.