Units , Dimensions and

Measurement
Objective: Science and engineering are based on
measurements and comparisons. Thus, we
need rules about how things are measured
and compared, and we need experiments to
establish the units for those measurements
and comparisons.
Outcome:
• You will be able to find the difference between
the fundamental and derived units
• You can convert one system of units to
another system
 Physical Quantity
• Any quantity that is measureable is called
physical quantity. For example mass, length
and time.
• Fundamental Quantities :
Physical quantities which are independent of
each other and cannot be further resolved into
any other physical quantity.
Derived Quantities :
Physical quantities which depend upon
fundamental quantities or which can be
derived from fundamental quantities are
known as derived quantities.

For example: Area, Volume, Velocity ,

acceleration, force , pressure etc
Supplementary Units :The units defined for the
supplementary quantities namely plane angle and
solid angle are called the supplementary units. The
unit for plane angle is rad and the unit for the solid
angle is steradian.
Plane Angle: ARC/Radius
 Solid Angle(Ω): Area /(radius)2 : a/R2

i.e A circle has planer angle of 2Π rad at the centre

and a solid angle of 4Π steradian at centre
MCQ
Which of the following represents set of fundamental
quantities
(A) length ; mass ; velocity (B) length ; time ; velocity
(C) mass ; length; Pressure (D) length ; time ; mass

Which of the following sets cannot enter into the list of

fundamental quantities in any system of units

(A) length ; mass ; velocity (B) length ; time ; velocity

(C) mass ; time; velocity (D) length ; time; mass

Since velocity = length/time i.e. in this set a quantity is

dependent on the other two quantities Where as fundamental
quantities are independent.
UNITS :standard measure of a quantity.
Measurement of physical quantity
= (Magnitude) × (Unit)
X= n U
For example a length is measured as 5 m. The
value of n is 5 and the U is meter.

PRINCIPAL SYSTEM OF UNITS

C.G.S. system [centimetre; gram and second ]
F.P.S. system [foot ; pound ; second]
M.K.S. system [meter ; kilogram ; second]
S.I. (system of international)
Problem: The acceleration due to gravity is 9.80 m/s2.
What is its value in ft/s2 ? (given 1 m= 3.28 ft)
Sol: Because 1m = 3.28 ft, therefore 9.80 m/s2 = 9.80 ×
3.28 ft/s2 = 32.14 ft/s2

Problem : A cheap wrist watch loses time at the rate of

8.5 second a day.How much time will the watch be off at
the end of a month ?
Sol. Time delay = 8.5 s/day
= 8.5 × 30 s/ (30 day)
= 255 s/month = 4.25 min/month.
The Physical laws and System of units
The physical laws are independent of the units in
which a quantity is measured. If n1u1 is the measured
value of a physical quantity in one system of units
and n2u2 is the value in another system of units then,
from the above reasoning, these two must be equal.
n1u1 = n2u2

We can converts a measurement from one system to

another system using above formula
Problem : A body has a velocity of 10 km/h. Find its
value in CGS system.
solution: n1u1=n2u2
10 km/h = n2 cm/s
10 x 103 m/3600 s = n2 cm/s
10 x 103 x 102 cm/3600 s = n2 cm/s
2.78 x 102 = n2
Hence 10 km/h = 2.78 x 102 cm/s
Problem: Convert a velocity of 72 km/h into m/s.

Solution: n1u1=n2u2
72 km/h = n2 m/s
72 x 103 m/3600 s = n2 m/s
20 = n2
Hence 72 km/h = 20 m/s
Problem: Convert 1 Newton into dyne, where newton
is SI unit of force and dyne is CGS unit of force.
Solution: 1 N = 1 kg x 1 ms-2
1 dyne = 1 g x 1 cms-2
n1u1=n2u2
1 N = n2 dyne
1 kg ms-2 = n2 g cms-2
103 g 102 cm s-2 = n2 g cms-2
105 g cm s-2 = n2 g cms-2
105 = n2
Hence 1 N = 105 dyne
Problem: Young’s modulus of steel is 19 x 1010 N/m2.
Express it in CGS unit.
Solution: 1 N = 1 kg x 1 ms-2
n1u1=n2u2
19 x 1010 N/m2 = n2 dyne/cm2
19 x 1010 x 105 dyne /(100cm)2 = n2 dyne/cm2
19 x 1011 = n2
Problem:Convert 1 joule into ergs, where joule is SI
unit of energy and ergs is its CGS unit.
Solution : Work done = Energy = force x distance
I J= 1 N-m = 1 kg m2s-2
I ergs = 1 dyne-cm = 1 g cm2s-2
n1u1=n2u2
1 N m = n2 dyne cm
105 dyne x 102 cm = n2 dyne cm
107= n2
Hence 1 J = 107 ergs