Units Dimensions &

Measurement
What is Physics ?

Richard Feynman
Noble Prize winner in 1965 on
Quantum Electrodynamics
Physical Quantities
A quantity which can be measured and by which various physical
happenings can be explained and expressed in form of laws is
called a physical quantity. For example, length, mass, time, force etc.
On the other hand, various happenings in life e.g., happiness, sorrow
etc. are not physical quantities because these cannot be
measured.
Units
Physical quantity (Q) = Magnitude x Unit = n x u
Types of Physical Quantities
Fundamental Quantities
Out of large number of physical quantities which exist in nature, there
are only few quantities which are independent of all other quantities
and do not require the help of any other physical quantity for their
definition, therefore these are called absolute quantities.
These quantities are also called fundamental or base quantities, as all
other quantities are based upon and can be expressed in terms
of these quantities.
Derived Quantities
All other physical quantities can be derived by suitable multiplication or
division of different powers of fundamental quantities. These are
therefore called derived quantities.
Fundamental & Derived Quantities
7 Fundamental Quantities
System of Units
System of units: A complete set of units, both fundamental and derived for
all kinds of physical quantities is called system of units. The common systems
are given below:
CGS system: The system is also called Gaussian system of units. In it length,
mass and time have been chosen as the fundamental quantities and
corresponding fundamental units are centimeter (cm), gram (g) and second
(s) respectively.
MKS system: The system is also called Giorgi system. In this system also
length, mass and time have been taken as fundamental quantities, and the
corresponding fundamental units are metre, kilogram and second.
FPS system: In this system foot, pound and second are used respectively for
measurements of length, mass and time. In this system, force is a derived
quantity with unit poundal.
Unitless Quantities
Ratio (numerical value only): When a physical quantity is a ratio of two
similar quantities, it has no unit. For example,
Relative density = Density of object/Density of water at 4°C
Refractive index = Velocity of light in air/Velocity of light in medium
Strain = Change in dimension/Original dimension
• Angle is exceptional physical quantity, which though is a ratio of two
similar physical quantities (angle = arc / radius) but still requires a unit
(degrees or radians) to specify it along with its numerical value.
Example
Find a suitable unit for Universal Gravitation Constant.
Question

Find the SI unit of Universal gas constant(R)

Dimensions
When a derived quantity is expressed in terms of fundamental
quantities, it is written as a product of different powers of the
fundamental quantities. The powers to which fundamental quantities
must be raised in order to express the given physical quantity
are called its dimensions.
Important points
Examples

Find Dimensions of Force

Question
Find the Dimensions of Energy
Applications of Dimensional Analysis
To find the unit of a physical quantity in a given system of units: Writing
the definition or formula for the physical quantity we find its
dimensions. Now in the dimensional formula replacing M, L and T by the
fundamental units of the required system we get the unit of physical
quantity. However, sometimes to this unit we further assign a specific
name, e.g., Work = Force x Displacement
So [W] + [MLT-2] ✖ [L] = [ML2T-2]
So its units in CGS system will be g cm2/s2 which is called erg while in
MKS system will be kg m²/s2 which is called joule.
2) To find Dimensions of Physical
constants
To find dimensions of physical constant or coefficients: As dimensions
of a physical quantity are unique, we write any formula or equation
incorporating the given constant and then by substituting the
dimensional formulae of all other quantities, we can find the
dimensions of the required constant or coefficient.
Question
Find Dimensions of Viscosity
3) Conversion of Units
Question

For Force, convert Dyne(CGS) to Newtons(MKS)

Question
For Energy, convert Joules(MKS) to erg(cgs)
4) To check the correctness of an
equation
Based on the principle of homogeneity
Example
Check the correctness of the following equation
Question
Check the correctness of the following equation

2f
H=
L3gl
Question
Find the units of the constant ‘a’ and ‘b’ in the following equation
5) To Derive New Formulas
Question
The time period of a simple pendulum is found to depend only
upon the length of the string and acceleration due to gravity(g).
Derive a formula for the same.
Question
When a small sphere through a fluid, the viscous force ‘F’ is found
to experimentally depend upon radius r, the velocity of the sphere
v and the viscosity η of the fluid. Derive a formula for this viscous
force.
Limitations of Dimensional Analysis

1) Two different quantities can have same dimensions.

Example: Force and Torque
Limitations of Dimensional Analysis

2) Checking the correctness of the equation doesn’t have 100%

accuracy
Limitations of Dimensional Analysis

3) Proportionality constant cannot be determined

Limitations of Dimensional Analysis

4) This method doesn’t work if a quantity depends on more than

3 physical quantities
Past Year Questions
Planck's constant h, speed of light c and gravitational constant G are
used to form a unit of length L and a unit of mass M. Then the correct
option(s) is(are)

M ∝ √c (JEE Advanced 2015)

A.

B. M ∝ √G

C. L ∝ √h

D. L ∝ √G
Past Year Questions
PARAGRAPH "X"
In electromagnetic theory, the electric and magnetic phenomena are related to each
other. Therefore, the dimensions of electric and magnetic quantities must also be related
to each other. In the questions below, [E] and [B] stand for dimensions of electric and
magnetic fields respectively, while [∊o] and [μo] stand for dimensions of the permittivity
and permeability of free space respectively. [L] and [T] are dimensions of length and time
respectively. All the quantities are given in SI units.
(There are two questions based on PARAGRAPH “X”, the question given below is one of them)
The relation between [E] and [B] is
(JEE Advanced 2018)
A. [E] = [B] [L] [T]

B. [E] = [B] [L]-1 [T]

C. [E] = [B] [L] [T]-1

D. [E] = [B] [L]-1 [T]-1

Past Year Questions
The relation between [∊0] and [μ0] is
(JEE Advanced 2018)
A. [μ0] = [∊0] [L]2 [T]-2

B. [μ0] = [∊0] [L]-2 [T]2

C. [μ0] = [∊0]-1 [L]2 [T]-2

D. [μ0] = [∊0]-1 [L]-2 [T]2

Past Year Questions
Sometimes it is convenient to construct a system of units so that all
quantities can be expressed in terms of only one physical quantity. In
one such system, dimensions of different quantities are given
in terms of a quantity X as follows: [position] = [X∝]; [speed] = [Xβ];
[acceleration] =[Xρ]; [linear momentum] = [X𝑞); [force] = [X𝑟]. Then

A. ∝ + ρ = 2β
(JEE Advanced 2020)
B. ρ+𝑞-𝑟=β

C. ρ-𝑞+𝑟=∝

D. ρ+𝑞+𝑟=β
Significant Figures
Significant figures in the measured value of a physical quantity tell the
number of digits in which we have confidence.
Larger the number of significant figures obtained in a measurement,
greater is the accuracy of the measurement. The converse is also true.
Rule 1
All non-zero digits are significant.
Examples: 42.3 has three significant figures.
243.4 has four significant figures.
24.123 has five significant figures.
Rule 2
A zero becomes significant figure if it appears between to non-zero
digits.
Examples: 5.03 has three significant figures.
5.604 has four significant figures.
4.004 has four significant figures.
Rule 3
Leading zeros or the zeros placed to the left of the number are never
significant.
Examples: 0.543 has three significant figures.
0.045 has two significant figures.
0.006 has one significant figures.
Rule 4
Trailing zeros or the zeros placed to the right of the number are
significant.
Examples: 4.330 has four significant figures.
433.00 has five significant figures.
343.000 has six significant figures.
Rule 5
In exponential notation, the numerical portion gives the number of
significant figures.
Examples: 1.32 x 10-2 has three significant figures.
1.32 x 104 has three significant figures.
Past Year Questions
The respective number of significant figures for the numbers 23.023,
0.0003 and 2.1 x 10-3 are :-

4,4,2 (AIEEE 2010)

A.

B. 5,1,2

C. 5,1,5

D. 5,5,2
 Rounding Off
Rule 1
If the digit to be dropped is less than 5, then the preceding digit is left
unchanged.
Examples: x = 7.82 is rounded off to 7.8, again x = 3.94 is rounded off to
3.9
 Rounding Off
Rule 2
If the digit to be dropped is more than 5, then the preceding digit is
raised by one.
Examples: x = 6.87 is rounded off to 6.9, again x = 12.78 is rounded off to
12.8.
 Rounding Off
Rule 3
If the digit to be dropped is 5 followed by digits other than zero, then
the preceding digit is raised by one.
Examples: x= 16.351 is rounded off to 16.4, again x = 6.758 is rounded off
to 6.8.
 Rounding Off
Rule 4
If digit to be dropped is 5 or 5 followed by zeros, then preceding digit is
left unchanged, if it is even.
Examples: x = 3.250 becomes 3.2 on rounding off, again x = 12.650
becomes 12.6 on rounding off.
Rounding Off
Rule 5
If digit to be dropped is 5 or 5 followed by zeros, then the preceding
digit is raised by one, if it is odd.
Examples: x = 3.750 is rounded off to 3.8, again x = 16.150 is rounded off
to 16.2.
Order of Magnitude
The order-of-magnitude of a given number is the nearest power
often to which it is approximated. The operational definition
for the order-of-magnitude (x) of a number (n) is
Questions
The radius of Earth is 6400 ✖ 103 m. Find its order of magnitude.
Errors in Measurement
1) True/Mean Value
Let a physical quantity be measured n times. Let the measured values
be a1, a2, a3, ... an. The arithmetic mean of these values is
2) Absolute Error
Absolute error in the measurement of a physical quantity is the
magnitude of the difference between the true value
and the measured value of the quantity.
△a1 = am - a1
△a2 = am - a2

△an = am - an
The absolute errors may be positive in certain cases and negative in
certain other cases.
 3) Mean Absolute Error

3) Mean Absolute Error

It is the arithmetic mean of the magnitudes of absolute errors in all the
measurements of the quantity. It is represented by △a. Thus

Hence the final result of measurement may be written as

This implies that any measurement of the quantity is likely to lie
between
4) Relative error or Fractional error:

The relative error or fractional error of measurement is defined as the

ratio of mean absolute error to the mean value of the quantity
measured. Thus
5) Percentage Error

When the relative / fractional error is expressed in percentage, we call

it percentage error. Thus percentage error
Example
Repeated observations in an experiment gave the values 1.29, 1.33, 1.34,
1.35, 1.32, 1.36, 1.30 and 1.33.
Calculate the mean value, absolute error, the relative error and the
percentage error.
Solution
Propagation of Errors

1) Addition & Subtraction

Example
Question
The initial and final temperatures of water as recorded by an observer
are (40.6 土 0.2)°C and (78.3 土 0.3)°C.
Calculate the rise in temperature with proper error limits.
Propagation of Errors

2) Multiplication & Division

Example
Question
The length and breadth of a rectangle are (5.7 土 0.1) cm and (3.4 土 0.2)
cm. Calculate area of the rectangle with error limits.
Question
The distance covered by a body in time (5.0 土 0.6) s is (40.0 土 0.4) m.
Calculate the speed of the body. Also determine the percentage error in
the speed.
Propagation of Errors

3) Quantity raised to some Power

Example
A physical quantity x is calculated from the relation . If
percentage error in a, b, c and d are 2%, 1%,3% and 4% respectively.
What is the percentage error in x?
Past Year Questions
In an experiment to determine the acceleration due to gravity g, the

formula used for the time period of a periodic motion is T =

The values of R and r are measured to be (60 土 1) mm and (10 土 1) ,
respectively. In five successive measurements, the time period is found
to be 0.52 s, 0.56 s, 0.57 s, 0.54 s and 0.59 s. The least count of the watch
used for the measurement of time period is 0.01 s. Which of the following
statement(s) is (are) true ?
(JEE Advanced 2016)
A. The error in the measurement of r is 10 %

B. The error in the measurement of T is 3.57 %

C. The error in the measurement of T is 2 %

D. The error in the determined value of g is 11 %

Solution
Solution
Vernier Caliper
Least Count
In the ordinary vernier calipers one main scale division be 1 mm and 10
vernier scale division coincide with 9 main scale
divisions.
Least Count

The difference between the values of one main scale division and one
vernier scale division is known as vernier constant (VC) or the least
count (LC). This is the smallest distance that can be accurately
measured with the vernier scale. smallest division on main scale
Thus,

Reading = MSR + (VSR x LC)

Reading
Example
Question
Errors in Vernier Caliper
Screw Gauge
Pitch
The translational motion of the screw is directly proportional to the
total rotation of the head. The pitch of the instrument is the distance
between two consecutive threads of the screw which is equal to the
distance moved by the screw due to one complete rotation of the cap.
If the screw advances by 5 mm for 10 rotation of the cap then the pitch
Least Count
In this case also, the minimum (or least) measurement (or count) of
length is equal to one division on the head scale which is equal
to pitch divided by the total cap divisions. Thus in the aforesaid
Illustration, if the total cap division is 100, then least count = 0.5
mm/100 = 0.005 mm
Total reading = LSR(mm) + (CSR x LC)
Reading
Question
Errors in Screw Gauge