Unit, Dimension and measurement

Session-1

Dimensions, S.I Units and Dimensional Formula

Mechanics

Physical quantities Definition Dimensional Formula S.I unit

Velocity Displacement /time 𝑳𝑻−𝟏 m/s
Acceleration Velocity/Time 𝑳𝑻−𝟐 m/s2
Force Mass x acceleration 𝑴𝑳𝑻−𝟐 Kg.m/s2 or Newton (N)
Work or Energy Force x Displacement 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟐 Kg.m2/s2 or N.m or Joule (j)
Power Work/Time 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟑 Joule/sec or watt
Momentum Mass x velocity 𝑴𝑳𝑻−𝟏 Kg.m/s
Linear Inpulse Force x Time 𝑴𝑳𝑻−𝟏 Newton.sec
Plane angle Arc/Radius 𝑴𝟎 𝑳𝟎 𝑻𝟎 Radian
Solid angle Area/ (Radius)2 𝑴𝟎 𝑳𝟎 𝑻𝟎 Steradian
Stress Force/Area 𝑴𝑳−𝟏 𝑻−𝟐 N/m2
Strain 𝜟𝑳
or
𝜟𝒗
𝑴𝟎 𝑳𝟎 𝑻𝟎 Unitless
𝑳 𝒗

Modulus of elasticity Stress/Strain 𝑴𝑳−𝟏 𝑻−𝟐 N/m2

Pressure Force/Area 𝑴𝑳−𝟏 𝑻−𝟐 N/m2 or pascal(pa)
Moment of Momentum Momentum x length 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟏 j.s
Density Mass/volume 𝑴𝑳−𝟑 Kg/m3
Frequency Vibrations/Time 𝑻−𝟏 Hertz
Spring’s constant Force/Length 𝑴𝑻−𝟐 N/m
Surface Tension Force/Length 𝑴𝑻−𝟐 N/m
Surface Energy Energy/Area 𝑴𝑻−𝟐 j/m2
Velocity Gradient (Change in velocity)/distance 𝑻−𝟏 s-1
Coefficient of viscosity (Force)/(Area x Velocity 𝑴𝑳−𝟏 𝑻−𝟏 Kg.m-1s-1
gradient)
Gravitational Constant 𝑭𝒓𝟐
( 𝒎𝟐 ) 𝑴−𝟏 𝑳𝟑 𝑻−𝟐 N.m2/kg2
Couple or moment of force Force x length 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟐 N.m
Angular Impulse Couple x Time 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟏 N.m.s
Angular velocity Angle/Time 𝑻−𝟏 Rad/s
Angular acceleration Angle/(time)2 𝑻−𝟐 Rad/s2
Moment of inertia Mass x (length)2 𝑴𝑳𝟐 Kg.m2
Angular Momentum (Moment of Inertia)x(Angular 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟏 j.s
Velocity)
Torque (Moment of inertia)x(Angular 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟐 N.m
acceleration)=Force.(Length)

Heat and Thermodynamics

Physical quantities Definition Dimensional Formula S.I units

Heat Form of Energy 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟐 Joule(J)
Absolute Tempereture 𝜽−𝟏 Kelvin(K)
Specific Heat Heat/(Mass x Tempereture) 𝟐 −𝟐 −𝟏
𝑳 𝑻 𝜽 J.kg -1 K -1
Thermal capacity Mass x Specific Heat 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟐 𝜽−𝟏 J.k -1
Molar Specific heat Molecular weight x Specific 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟐 𝜽−𝟏 mol -1 J/mol.K
heat
Latent Heat Heat/mass 𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟐 J/kg
Entropy Heat/Tempereture 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟐 𝜽−𝟏 J/k
Solar Constant Energy/time x area 𝑴𝑻−𝟑 Watt/m2
Universal Gas constant (R) (Pressure x volume)/(amount 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟐 𝜽−𝟏 mol -1 J.mol -1 K -1
of substance x temperature)
Stefan’s constant (𝝈) Energy/Area x time x 𝑴𝑻−𝟑 𝜽−𝟒 Watt.m -2K -4
(tempereture)4
Wien’s Constant (b) Wavelength x tempereture 𝑳𝜽 mK
Boltzmann’s constant Energy/Temperature 𝟐 −𝟐 −𝟏
𝑴𝑳 𝑻 𝜽 J.K-1
Planck’s constant Energy/Frequency 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟏 J.s
Van der waal constants 𝒂 =pressure x (volume)2 [𝒂] = 𝑴𝑳𝟓 𝑻−𝟐 , [𝒃] = 𝑳𝟑 N.m4 , m3
b= volume
Coefficient of expansion 𝜽−𝟏 K -1
( Linear, superficial, volume ,
pressure)
Temperature Gradient ⅆ𝜽 𝑳−𝟏 𝜽 K.m -1
ⅆ𝒙
Coefficient of thermal (Heat Energy x length)/(Area x 𝑴𝑳𝑻−𝟑 𝜽−𝟏 J/msK or watt/mK
Conductivity change in Temperature x time)
Thermal resistance Plane thickness/Thermal 𝑴−𝟏 𝑳−𝟐 𝑻𝟑 𝜽 Ks/J
Conductivity x area
Rate of cooling Heat lost/Time 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟑 J/s
Molar Volume Volume/Number of moles 𝑳𝟑 mol -1 m3/mol

Waves- Light and sound

Physical quantity Definition Dimensional Formula S.I unit

Luminous flux Light energy/time 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟑 Watt or lumen
Luminious Intensity Luminious Flux/Solid angle 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟑 Lumen/steradian
Energy Density Energy/Volume 𝑴𝑳−𝟏 𝑻−𝟐 J/m3
Intensity of wave Energy/Area x Time 𝑴𝑻−𝟑 Watt/m2
 Electricity and Magnetism

Physical quantity Definition Dimensional Formula S.I Unit

Charge Current x Time IT Coloumb(C)
Electric potential Work/charge 𝟐 −𝟑 −𝟏
𝑴𝑳 𝑻 𝑰 Volt(V)
Electric Intensity Force/charge 𝑴𝑳𝑻−𝟑 𝑰−𝟏 N/C
Capacitance Charge/Potential 𝑴−𝟏 𝑳−𝟐 𝑻𝟒 𝑰𝟐 farad
Electric dipole moment Charge x distance 𝑳𝑻𝑰 C.m
Electrical permittivity(𝜺𝟎 ) 𝒂𝟏 𝒒𝟐 −𝟏 −𝟑 𝟒 𝟐
𝑴 𝑳 𝑻 𝑨 C2/N.m2
𝟒𝝅𝑭𝒓𝟐
Dielectric constant or relative 𝜺 Dimensionless Unitess
𝜺𝒓 =
permittivity 𝜺𝟎
Resistance Electrical potential /current 𝑴𝑳𝟐 𝑻−𝟑 𝑨−𝟐 ohm
Conductance (Resistance)-1 𝑴−𝟏 𝑳−𝟐 𝑻𝟑 𝑰𝟐 Siemn or (ohm) -1
Resistivity or Specific Resistance x Length 𝑴𝑳𝟑 𝑻−𝟑 𝑰−𝟐 Ohm meter
Resistance
Conductivity (Resistivity) -1 𝑴−𝟏 𝑳−𝟑 𝑻𝟑 𝑰𝟐 Ohm -1 m -1
Electric Flux Electric Intensity x area 𝑴𝑳𝟑 𝑻−𝟑 𝑰−𝟏
Problems related to Dimensional formula and Dimension analysis