Chapter 1 Dimensions and Units

Sheet 1 Dimensions and Units Problems

[1] A person on a diet loses 2 kg per week. Find the average rate of mass loss in
milligrams every: day, hour and minute.

[2] On an interstate highway in a rural region of Wyoming, a car is traveling at a

speed of 38.0 m/s. Is the driver exceeding the speed limit of 75.0 mi/h?
(1mile=1609 m)

[3] Using dimensional analysis, determine if the following equations are

dimensionally correct or incorrect:
(a) 𝑣 2 = 𝑣𝑜2 + 2𝑎𝑠
1
(b) 𝑠 = 𝑠𝑜 + 𝑣𝑜 𝑡 + 𝑎
2

[4] Find the dimensions of Planck's constant h from the equation E = hν

Where E is the energy and ν is the frequency.

[5] Using the theory of dimensions, determine the dimensions of constants ‘a’
and ‘b’ in Vander Wall’s equation.
𝑎
(𝑃 + 2 ) (𝑉 − 𝑏) = 𝑅𝑇
𝑉
[6] When a small sphere moves at low speed through a fluid, the viscous force F
opposing the motion, is found experimentally to depend on the radius ‘r’, the
velocity v of the sphere and the viscosity η of the fluid. Find the force F.

[7] Using dimensional analysis find the expression of total energy E which it’s
depend on both momentum p and object mass m.

[8] Using dimensional analysis find the expression of mass Flow rate (Rm) which
it’s depend on both density (𝜌), tube cross sectional Area (A) and fluid velocity
(𝜈).

[9] The frequency of vibration of a string (ƒ) depends on the length (L) between
the nodes, the tension (F) in the string and it’s mass per unit length (𝛍). Guess
the expression for its frequency from dimensional analysis.

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Chapter 1 Dimensions and Units

[10] The speed of an object is given by the equation:

𝒗 = 𝑨𝒕𝟑 − 𝑩𝒕

Where refers to time. What are the dimensions of A and B?

[11] The law of radioactive decay is 𝑁(𝑡) = 𝑁𝑜 𝑒 −𝜆𝑡 where No is the number of
radioactive nuclei at t=0, N(t) is the number remaining at time t, and λ is a
quantity known as the decay constant. What is the dimension of λ?

[12] Show that the product of mass, acceleration, and speed has the dimensions
of power.

[13] The momentum of an object is the product of its velocity and mass. Show
that momentum has the dimensions of force multiplied by time.

[14] What combination of force and one other physical quantity has the
dimensions of power?

[15] Kepler’s third law relates the period of a planet to its orbital radius r, the
constant G in Newton’s law of gravitation and the mass of the Sun Ms What
combination of these factors gives the correct dimensions for the period of a
planet?

Table (3) some units and dimensions for some derived quantities
Dimension Unit The relationship Quantity
Area ‫المساحة‬
2 2 2
L m A=l
Volume ‫الحجم‬
3 3 3
L m V=l
Velocity ‫السرعة‬
1 1 𝒅𝒔
LT ms 𝒗=
𝒅𝒕
acceleration ‫العجلة‬
2 2 𝒅𝒗
LT ms 𝒂=
𝒅𝒕

M LT
2
Kg m s
2
𝑭 = 𝒎𝒂 Force ‫القوة‬
𝒎
ML
3
Kg m
3
𝝆=
𝑽
Density ‫الكثافة‬
Pressure ‫الضغط‬
1 2  1 2 𝑭
ML T Kg m s 𝑷=
𝑨
2 2
ML T
2 2
Kg m s 𝑾 = 𝑭𝒙 Work ‫الشغل‬
Power ‫القدرة‬
2 3 2 3 𝑾
ML T Kg m s 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 =
𝒕
M L2T-2 Kg m2 s-2 K.E = (1/2) m v2 Kinetic Energy ‫طاقة الحركة‬

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