Physical Quantities, Symbols and Units

The table below indicates the physical quantities required for numerical calculations that are included in
the National 5 Physics course together with:
• the symbol used by SQA
• the SI unit of the quantity
• the abbreviation for the unit
• the equations from the relationship document which include the quantity.

Physical Unit
Sym Unit Equations
Quantity Abbrev.
gravitational potential E p =mgh
Ep joule J
energy
1
E p =mgh Ek = m v 2 Eh =cm ∆ T
2
mass m kilogram kg
E
D= W =mg F=ma Eh =ml
m
gravitational field E p =mgh
g newton per kilogram N kg-1 W =mg
strength
height h metre m E p =mgh
1
kinetic energy Ek joule J Ek = m v 2
2
1
velocity v metre per second m s-1 Ek = m v 2 v=fλ s=vt
2
electric charge Q coulomb C Q=It
electric current I ampere A Q=It V =IR
E v−u N
time t second s Q=It P= a= A=
t t t

voltage R2 V 1 R1
potential difference
V volt V V =IR V 2= ( V)
R 1+ R 2 s
=
V 2 R2
R2 V 1 R1
resistance R ohm Ω V =IR V 2= ( V)
R 1+ R 2 s
=
V 2 R2
RT =R1 + R2 +…
total resistance RT ohm Ω 1 1 1
= + +…
R T R1 R2
R2
supply voltage VS volts V V 2= ( V)
R 1+ R 2 s
E
power P watt W P=
t
E E
energy E joule J P= D=
t m
heat energy Eh joule J Eh =cm ∆ T Eh =ml
Physical Unit
Sym Unit Equations
Quantity Abbrev.
joule per kilogram per
specific heat capacity c J kg-1 0C-1 Eh =cm ∆ T
degree Celsius

pV V1 V2
Eh =cm ∆ T =constant =
kelvin K T T 1 T2
temperature T
degree Celsius C
0
p1 p2
=
T1 T2
F pV
pressure p pascal Pa p= =constant p1 V 1=p 2 V 2
A T
F
force F newton N p= F=ma E w =Fd
A
F
area A square metre m2 p=
A
pV V1 V2
volume V cubic metre m3 =constant p1 V 1=p 2 V 2 =
T T 1 T2
distance d metre m d=vt E w =Fd
speed v metre per second m s-1 d=vt
1
frequency f hertz Hz v=fλ T=
f
wavelength  metre m v=fλ
amplitude A metre m
1
period T second s T=
f
N
activity A becquerel Bq A=
t
number of counts, N
N no unit A=
decays t
E
absorbed dose D gray Gy D=
m
H
equivalent dose H sievert Sv H=D w R Ḣ=
t
radiation weighting H=D w R
wR no unit
factor
H
equivalent dose rate Ḣ sievert per year Sv yr-1 Ḣ=
t
displacement s metre m s=vt s= v́ t
average velocity v́ metre per second m s-1 d= v́t s= v́ t
metre per second per v−u
acceleration a m s2 a=
second t
v−u
final velocity v metre per second m s-1 a=
t
v−u
initial velocity u metre per second m s-1 a=
t
Physical Unit
Sym Unit Equations
Quantity Abbrev.
weight W newton N W =mg
work done Ew joule J E w =Fd
specific latent heat l joule per kilogram J kg-1 Eh =ml