1.

2 SI Units

1.2 Base units

Mass Length Time Current Temperature
kg m s A K
kilogram metre second ampere Kelvin

2002 June + 2005 Nov

1 Which of the following pairs of units are both SI base units?
A ampere, degree celsius B ampere, kelvin
C coulomb, degree celsius D coulomb, kelvin

2007 June

2010 Nov 12

2013 Nov 11
1.2 SI Units
2014 June 11

2015 June 11

2015 Nov 11
1.2 SI Units

1.2 Derived base units

Topic Formula Derived base unit Common unit
Length/ width/ height/ Area or surface area = length2 m2
depth/ distance/ Volume = length3 m3
displacement (m)
Frequency = 1/time s– 1 Hz
Wave Wavelength m
Intensity = energy / area kg s– 2
Speed or velocity = distance / time m s– 1
Acceleration = change in speed/ time m s– 2
gravitational field strength (g) m s– 2
Force = mass x acceleration kg m s– 2 N
Weight = mass x gravitational field strength kg m s– 2 N
Momentum = mass x velocity kg m s– 1 Ns
Moment = Force x perpendicular distance kg m2 s– 2 Nm
Mechanics
Pressure = Force / area kg m– 1 s– 2 Pa
Pressure = density x g x height
Energy or workdone = Force x distance kg m2 s– 2 J
Kinetic energy = 1/2 x mass x velocity 2 kg m2 s– 2 J
Gravitational potential energy = mass x g x kg m2 s– 2 J
height
Power = Energy / time kg m2 s– 3 W
Density ρ= mass / volume kg m– 3
Spring constant = Force / extension kg s– 2
Elastic potential energy = 1/2 x spring kg m2 s– 2 J
constant x extension2
Material
Stress σ = Force / area kg m– 1 s– 2 Pa
Strain ε= extension / length X
Young’s modulus = stress / strain kg m– 1 s– 2 Pa
Energy density = energy / volume
Charge = current x time As C
Voltage or potential difference = energy / kg m 2 s– 3 A– 1 V
charge
Electricity Resistance = voltage / current kg m2 s– 3 A– 2 Ω
Resistivity = resistance x area / length kg m3 s– 3 A– 2 Ωm
Electric field strength = Force / charge or kg m s– 3 A– 1 N m– 1 or
Voltage / distance Vm
Radioactivity Activity = number per second s– 1 Bq
Heat capacity = energy/ temperature kg m 2 s– 2 K– 1 J K– 1
Thermal Specific heat capacity = energy/ (mass x m2 s– 2 K– 1 J kg– 1 K– 1
temperature)
1.2 SI Units
2002 June

2003 June

2003 Nov

2004 June

2004 Nov

2005 Nov
1.2 SI Units
2006 Nov

2007 Nov

2008 June
1.2 SI Units
2009 Nov

2010 June 11

2010 June 12

2011 June 11 + 2015 June 11

1.2 SI Units
2010 Nov 11

2011 June 12

2012 June 11

2012 June 12
1.2 SI Units
2012 Nov 11

2012 Nov 12

2012 Nov 13

2013 June 12
1.2 SI Units
2013 June 13

2013 Nov 13

2014 June 12

2014 June 13

2014 Nov 11
1.2 SI Units
2015 June 12

2015 June 13

2015 Nov 13
1.2 SI Units

1.2 Deducing units from an equation

2005 June

2008 Nov

2009 Nov

2010 Nov 12

2012 June 11
1.2 SI Units
2011 Nov 11

2013 June 11

2013 Nov 11
1.2 SI Units
2013 Nov 13

2014 June 11

2014 June 12

2014 Nov 13
1.2 SI Units
2015 Nov 11

2015 Nov 12

2015 Nov 13
1.2 SI Units

1.2 Prefix
Tera Giga Mega kilo deci centi milli micro nano pico
T G M k d c m μ n p
1012 109 106 103 10 –1 10 –2 10 –3 10 –6 10 –9 10 –12

2002 Nov + 2005 Nov

2003 Nov

2004 June

2004 Nov
1.2 SI Units
2005 June + 2011 June 11

2006 Nov

2007 June

2008 June

2009 June
1.2 SI Units
2011 Nov 11

2011 Nov 12

2013 June 11

2014 June 11

2015 June 11

2015 Nov 12
1.2 SI Units
2010 June 21
1 A unit is often expressed with a prefix. For example, the gram may be written with the prefix ‘kilo’ as the
kilogram. The prefix represents a power-of-ten. In this case, the power-of-ten is 103.
Complete Fig. 1.1 to show each prefix with its symbol and power-of-ten.
prefix symbol power-of-ten
kilo k 103
nano n
centi 10–2
M 106
T 1012
[4]

2005 Nov
1 (a) (i) Define pressure.

[1]
(ii) State the units of pressure in base units.

[1]
(b) The pressure p at a depth h in an incompressible fluid of density ρ is given by p = ρgh, where g is the
acceleration of free fall. Use base units to check the homogeneity of this equation. [3]

2006 June
1 (a) Derive the SI base unit of force.
SI base unit of force = …………………………………
[1]
(b) A spherical ball of radius r experiences a resistive force F due to the air as it moves through the air at
speed v. The resistive force F is given by the expression F = crv, where c is a constant. Derive the SI
base unit of the constant c.
SI base unit of c = …………………………………
[1]
1.2 SI Units
2008 Nov
1 (a) The current in a wire is I. Charge Q passes one point in the wire in time t. State
(i) the relation between I, Q and t,

[1]
(ii) which of the quantities I, Q and t are base quantities.

[2]
(b) The current in the wire is due to electrons, each with charge q, that move with speed v along the wire.
There are n of these electrons per unit volume. For a wire having a cross-sectional area S, the current
I is given by the equation I = nSqv k, where k is a constant.
(i) State the units of I, n, S, q and v in terms of the base units.

[3]
(ii) By considering the homogeneity of the equation, determine the value of k.

k = …………………………..
[2]

2010 Nov 21
1 (a) Two of the SI base quantities are mass and time. State three other SI base quantities.

[3]
(b) A sphere of radius r is moving at speed v through air of density ρ. The resistive force F acting on the
sphere is given by the expression F = Br2ρvk where B and k are constants without units.
(i) State the SI base units of F, ρ and v.

[3]
(ii) Use base units to determine the value of k.

k = ................................................
[2]
1.2 SI Units
2011 June 22
2 (a) A sphere of radius R is moving through a fluid with constant speed v. There is a frictional force F acting
on the sphere, which is given by the expression F = 6πDRv where D depends on the fluid.
(i) Show that the SI base units of the quantity D are kg m–1 s–1. [3]

2012 June 21
1 (a) (i) State the SI base units of volume.
base units of volume .................................................
[1]
–1
(ii) Show that the SI base units of pressure are kg m s .–2

[1]
(b) The volume V of liquid that flows through a pipe in time t is given by the equation

where P is the pressure difference between the ends of the pipe of radius r and length l.
The constant C depends on the frictional effects of the liquid. Determine the base units of C.

base units of C .................................................

[3]
2012 Nov 22
1 (a) The spacing between two atoms in a crystal is 3.8 × 10–10 m. State this distance in pm.

spacing = .......................................... pm
[1]
(b) Calculate the time of one day in Ms.

time = .......................................... Ms
[1]
(c) The distance from the Earth to the Sun is 0.15 Tm. Calculate the time in minutes for light to travel
from the Sun to the Earth.

time = ......................................... min

[2]
1.2 SI Units
2012 Nov 21
1 (a) The drag force D on an object of cross-sectional area A, moving with a speed v through a fluid of
density ρ, is given by D = CρAv 2 where C is a constant. Show that C has no unit. [2]

2013 June 21
1 (b) Show that the SІ units of energy per unit volume are kg m–1 s–2.

[2]
(c) For a wire extended elastically, the elastic energy per unit volume X is given by X = Cε2E
where C is a constant, ε is the strain of the wire, and E is the Young modulus of the wire.
Show that C has no units.

[3]

2013 Nov 21
1 (a) State two SI base units other than the kilogram, metre and second.

[2]
(b) A metal wire has original length l0. It is then suspended and hangs vertically as shown in Fig. 1.1.

The weight of the wire causes it to stretch. The elastic potential energy stored in the wire is E.
(i) Show that the SI base units of E are kg m2 s–2. [2]

(ii) The elastic potential energy E is given by E = Cρ2g2Al03

where ρ is the density of the metal, g is the acceleration of free fall, A is the cross-sectional area
of the wire and C is a constant. Determine the SI base units of C.

SI base units of C ..................................................

[3]
1.2 SI Units
2014 June 22
1 (a) Show that the SІ base units of power are kg m2 s–3.

[3]
(b) The rate of flow of thermal energy Q/t in a material is given by

where A is the cross-sectional area of the material,

T is the temperature difference across the thickness of the material,
x is the thickness of the material,
C is a constant.
Determine the SІ base units of C.

base units ..........................................................

[4]
2014 June 23
1 (a) Underline all the base quantities in the following list.
ampere charge current mass second temperature weight
[2]
(b) The potential energy EP stored in a stretched wire is given by EP = ½Cσ2V
where C is a constant, σ is the strain, V is the volume of the wire.
Determine the SІ base units of C.

base units ...........................................................

[3]
2014 Nov 21
1 (a) Mass, length and time are SІ base quantities. State two other base quantities.

[2]
1.2 SI Units
(b) A mass m is placed on the end of a spring that is hanging vertically, as shown in Fig. 1.1.

The mass is made to oscillate vertically. The time period of the oscillations of the mass is T.

The period T is given by where C is a constant and k is the spring constant.

Show that C has no units. [3]

2015 June 21
1 (a) Use the definition of power to show that the SI base units of power are kg m 2 s–3.

[2]
(b) Use an expression for electrical power to determine the SI base units of potential difference.

units ...........................................................
[2]
2015 June 23
1 (c) The speed v of a sound wave through a gas of density ρ and pressure P is given by

where C is a constant. Show that C has no unit. [3]

1.2 SI Units
2015 Nov 23
1 (a) The intensity of a progressive wave is defined as the average power transmitted through a surface per
unit area. Show that the SI base units of intensity are kg s−3. [2]

(b) (i) The intensity I of a sound wave is related to the amplitude x0 of the wave by I = Kρcf2x02
where ρ is the density of the medium through which the sound is passing, c is the speed of the
sound wave, f is the frequency of the sound wave and K is a constant. Show that K has no units.[2]

(ii) Calculate the intensity, in pW m−2, of a sound wave where K = 20, ρ = 1.2 in SI base units, c = 330
in SI base units, f = 260 in SI base units and x0 = 0.24 nm.

intensity = ..............................................pW m−2 [3]