Units and Dimensions

Introduction
In daily life, common physical quantities like
mass volume, length time etc are used. These
different quantities are measured when used.
Q: how are these physical quantities measured?
-units and dimensions
Measurement: process of comparing an
unknown quantity with a known quantity is
the measurement.

Dimension & units

Dimension: used to designate a physical quantity under
consideration (e.g., time, distance, weight).
Unit: used to designate the magnitude or size of the
dimension under consideration (e.g., m for length, kg
for weight).
Base unit: Base units are dimensionally independent.
They are used to designate only one dimension (e.g.,
units of length, mass, and time).
Derived units: a combination of various dimensions. An
example of a derived unit is the unit of force, which
includes the dimensions of mass, length, and time.

Fundamental & Derived quantities

In physics, there are some quantities which are
independent of other physical quantities. All other
physical quantities are dependent quantities. The
physical quantities which do not depend upon other
quantities are called fundamental quantities.
The mass, length and time are the fundamental
quantities. The mass, length and time are independent
of each other. The physical quantities which are
dependent on the fundamental quantities are called
derived quantities. The derived quantities can be
expressed in terms of any or some of the fundamental
quantities. For example, velocity, acceleration, force,
power, etc are derived quantities.

Fundamental & Derived units

Fundamental units: The units of the fundamental
quantities are called fundamental units. Thus, the
kilogram, the metre and the second are called
fundamental units. The units of the fundamental
quantities depend upon the system of units used.
Derived units: The units of the derived quantities are
called derived units. In other words, the units which can
be expressed in terms of fundamental units are called
derived units. For example, the unit of forces: newton,
unit of area: metre square etc are derived units.

Obtaining a derived unit

Suppose a derived unit: Suppose we want to
obtain unit of power, then, we proceed as:
Power (P) =
=

Force x Distance
time

mass x acceleration x distance

= mass x

time
distance
(Time )2

Distance
Time

= mass

(distance )2
(Time )3

Now substituting units of mass as Kg, distance as metre (m) and time as second(s),
we have, Power (P) =

Kg m 2
s3

=Kg m2s-3 .

This is read as Kilogram metre square per cubic second.

System of units
Different countries use different systems of units to measure
physical quantities. Each system has its own standard (unit)
for the fundamental quantities. On the basis of the standard
used for the fundamental quantities, we have the following
systems of units:

CGS
MKS
FPS

CGS, MKS and FPS

Fundamental CGS
unit
Length
Centimetre
(cm)
Mass
Gram (g)
Time

Second (s)

MKS

FPS

Metre (m)

Foot (F)

Kilogram
(Kg)
Second (s)

Pound (lb)
Second (s)

SI system OR SI
The CGS, MKS, and FPS systems used only three
fundamental quantities length, mass and time for the
measurement of a physical quantity. However, these
three fundamental quantities were found insufficient to
measure some physical quantities in thermodynamics,
optics and current electricity. For example, the amount
of current in a circuit could not be expressed in terms of
length, mass and time. To solve these problems, another
system of unit called SI (System International de Units)
came into existence. And in addition to length, mass and
time as the fundamental quantities, temperature, electric
current, luminous intensity and amount of substances
were added as the fundamental units.

The International System of

Units (SI)
Fundamental quantity

length [L]
mass [M]
time [T]
electric current [A]
absolute temperature [q]
luminous intensity [l]
amount of substance [n]

Base Unit

meter (m)
kilogram (kg)
second (s)
ampere (A)
kelvin (K)
candela (cd)
mole (mol)

Some derived units in SI system

Quantity

Name of the unit

Symbol

Fundamental units
involved

Area

Square metre

M2

mxm

Volume

Cubic metre

M3

mxmxm

Density

Kilogram per cubic

metre

Kg/m3

Kg/m x m x m

Force

Newton

Kg x m x s-2

Work (energy)

Joule

Kg x m2 xs-2

Power

Watt

Kg x m2 x s-3

Resistance

Ohm

J A-2 s-1

Potential difference

Volt

J A-1 s-1

Pressure

Pascal

Pa

Kg x m-1 x s-2

Frequency

Hertz

Hz

S-1

Heat energy

Joule

Kg x m2 x s-2

Electric Charge

Coulomb

Axs

Dimensions and Dimensional formula

Dimension, in geometry, is a property of space. In common experience the
world is three-dimensional. Three measuresbreadth, width, and
depthare needed to define a volume.
The fundamental quantities mass, length and time are used for the
expression of physical quantities. While expressing a physical quantity,
different fundamental quantities may appear different times in the
relation. The time for which a fundamental quantity appears in the
relation of a physical quantity is represented by raising an equivalent
power to the fundamental quantity. The fundamental quantity mass is
represented by M, length by L, and time by T. For example, if an area of
table is expressed in m2 , it involves length two times in its measurement,
the dimensional relation for the quantity is written as q = [L2].
If we express a physical quantity with the help of the fundamental
quantities involved in it with their appropriate powers, the relation thus
resulted is called the dimensional formula of the quantity. For example,
the dimensional relation for volume is written as V =[L3].

Obtaining a dimensional formula

To obtain the dimensional formula of a physical quantity, we have to start
from its definition. The physical quantity is defined in terms of more
fundamental quantities. If the quantity appearing in the definition is not a
fundamental quantity, the quantity is further defined. The process is
continued until the given physical quantity is expressed fully in terms of bass,
length, and time. Then mass, length and time are replace by M, L and T
respectively with square brackets. Finally a relation containing M, L ,T with
their powers enclosed in a square bracket is obtained.
Power =
=

=
=

[]

[]2
[]3

= [M L2 T-3]

power (p) =[M L2 T-3] .Hence the dimension of power are

1 in mass, 2 in length and -3 in time.

classwork
Write the dimensional
formula of
Distance
Area
Volume
Density
Velocity
Acceleration
Force

Pressure
Work done
Power
Gravitational constant
Frequency
Impulse (force x time)

Conversion of units