A circular mil (often abbreviated as cmil or kcmil) is a unit of area used primarily in the United States for measuring the cross-sectional area of a round wire or cable. It is a convenient unit for specifying the size of electrical conductors.
One circular mil is equal to the area of a circle with a diameter of one mil (1/1000th of an inch) or approximately 0.000000506707 square inches (in²). In metric units, one circular mil is approximately equal to 0.000001273 square millimeters (mm²).
Circular mils are commonly used in the American Wire Gauge (AWG) system to specify wire sizes. The AWG system assigns a unique number to each wire size, and this number is related to the wire's cross-sectional area in circular mils. For example, a larger AWG number corresponds to a smaller wire size with fewer circular mils, while a smaller AWG number corresponds to a larger wire size with more circular mils. This system allows for easy reference and selection of wire sizes for various electrical applications.
A "cuerda" is a unit of land measurement used in some Spanish-speaking countries, particularly in parts of Latin America. The exact value of a cuerda can vary from one region to another, and historically, there have been different definitions of the cuerda depending on local customs and land survey practices.
In some areas, a cuerda is equivalent to 100 square varas. A vara is a unit of length, and the square vara is used as a measure of land area. The exact length of a vara can also vary by region, but it is often around 32.9 inches (approximately 0.836 meters). Therefore, the area of one cuerda, defined as 100 square varas, would depend on the specific length of the vara in that region.
The use of the cuerda is not standardized across all Spanish-speaking countries, and its value can differ significantly from one location to another. In some places, the term "cuerda" may also be used to refer to a rope or cord, adding to the potential for confusion. When dealing with land measurements in areas that use the cuerda, it's essential to understand the local definitions and practices to avoid discrepancies or errors.