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Units and Dimensions - Dimensional Formula
Units and Dimensions - Dimensional Formula
Units and Dimensions - Dimensional Formula
Table of Content
Units
Dimensions
What is Dimensional Formula?
Limitations
Physical Constants
Dimensional Formulas for Physical Quantities
Quantities with Same Dimensional Formula
Applications
FAQs
System of units
Fundamental
Quantity
C.G.S. M.K.S. F.P.S.
Mass kilogram kg
Time second s
17 General Assembly of weights and measures adopted a new definition for the meter in
th
terms of velocity of light. According to this definition, a meter is defined as the distance
traveled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299, 792, 458 of a second.
2. Kilogram: The mass of a cylinder of platinum-iridium alloy kept in the International
Bureau of weights and measures preserved at Serves near Paris is called one kilogram.
3. Second: The duration of 9192631770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the
transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of cesium-133 atoms is
called one second.
4. Ampere: The current which when flowing in each of two parallel conductors of infinite
length and negligible cross-section and placed one meter apart in vacuum, causes each
conductor to experience a force of 2 × 10 newtons per meter of length is known as one
-7
ampere.
5. Kelvin: The fraction of 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of
water is called Kelvin.
6. Candela: The luminous intensity in the perpendicular direction of a surface of a black
body of area 1/600000 m at the temperature of solidifying platinum under a pressure of
2
7. Mole: The amount of a substance of a system which contains as many elementary entities
as there are atoms in 12 × 10 kg of carbon-12 is known as one mole.
-3
8. Radian: The angle made by an arc of the circle equivalent to its radius at the center is
known as radian. 1 radian = 57 17 45 .
o l ll
9. Steradian: The angle subtended at the center by one square meter area of the surface of a
sphere of radius one meter is known as steradian.
Angstrom is the unit of length used to measure the wavelength of light. 1 Å 10 m. = -10
Fermi is the unit of length used to measure nuclear distances. 1 Fermi = 10 meter.
-15
Astronomical unit = Mean distance between the sun and earth = 1.5 × 10 m. 11
Barn is the unit of area for measuring scattering cross-section of collisions. 1 barn = 10 -
m .
28 2
Chronometer and metronome are time measuring instruments. The quantity having the
same unit in all the systems of units is time.
⇒ Also Read: List of all SI Units
deca 10 deci 10
1 -1
hecta 10 centi 10
2 -2
Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional analysis is the practice of checking relations between physical quantities by
identifying the dimensions of the physical quantities. These dimensions are independent of the
numerical multiples and constants and all the quantities in the world can be expressed as a
function of the fundamental dimensions.
Dimensional Formula
The expression showing the powers to which the fundamental units are to be raised to obtain one
unit of a derived quantity is called the dimensional formula of that quantity.
If Q is the unit of a derived quantity represented by Q = M L T , then M L T is called dimensional
a b c a b c
formula and the exponents a, b and, c are called the dimensions.
L , M and T and n is the numerical value in another system in which the fundamental
1 1 1 2
1 kmph = 5/18 ms -1
1 dyne = 10 N, -5
1 kgwt = g newton
1 calorie = 4.2 joule
1 electron volt = 1.602×10 joule -19
1 erg = 10 joule
-7
Frequency hertz Hz
Energy joule J
Force newton N
Power watt W
Pressure pascal Pa
Electric charge or
coulomb C
quantity of electricity
Inductance henry H
Temperature o
C or θ MoLoToθ
As we can see the dimensions of the LHS and the RHS are the same, hence, the equation is
consistent.