Dimensional Analysis

ALL units are expressed in terms of three basic quantities, mass M, length L,
and time T, expressed in Kilogram, Meter, and Second, respectively.

Dimensional Analysis: good physics equations (and good students) balance

their MLTs.

Velocity (v): LT1 (meters per second)

Acceleration (a): LT2 (meters per second squared)

Frequency (f ): T1 HERZ (per second)
Momentum (mv): M LT1 (Kg-meters per second)

Force (F): M LT2 NEWTON (Kg-meter per second squared; re-

member f = ma)
Energy (E): M L2 T2 JOULE (Kg-meter squared per second squared;
remember E = mc2 )
Power (P): M L2 T3 WATT (Kg-meter squared per second cubed;
energy per unit time)
1 3
Electric Charge (Q): M 2 L 2 T1 COULOMB (derived by balancing
Coulombs law)
1 1
Electric Field (E): M 2 L 2 T1 (force per unit charge)
1 3
Magnetic Field (B): M 2 L 2 TESLA (force=charge times velocity
times B)
1 1
Voltage (V ): M 2 L 2 T1 VOLT (Coulomb per meter)
1 3
Current (I): M 2 L 2 T2 AMPERE (Coulomb per second)
Resistance (R): L1 T OHM (seconds per meter; remember V =
current times resistance)
Capacitance (C): L FARAD (inverse meter; remember the shopping
network: charge = voltage times capacitance) RC has units of time
Inductance (L): L1 T2 HENRY (LC has units of T2 )