Dimensional Formulae of Physical Quantities

S.No Physical Quantity Relationship with other Remark Dimensional

physical quantities Formula
1. Area Length × breadth 0 2 0
[M L T ]
2. Volume Length × breadth × height [M L3 T0]
3. Mass density Mass/volume [M L–3 T0]
4. Frequency 1/time period [M0 L0 T–1]
5. Velocity, speed Displacement/time [M0 L T–1]
6. Acceleration Velocity/time [M0 L T–2]
7. Force Mass × Acceleration [M L T–2]
8. Impulse Force × Time [M L T–1]
9. Work, Energy Force × Distance [M L2 T–2]
10 Power Work/Time [M L2 T–3]
.
11 Momentum Mass × Velocity [M L T–1]
.
12 Pressure, stress Force/Area [M L–1 T2]
.
13 Strain change in dimension [M0 L0 T0]
. Original dimension
14 Modulus of elasticity Stress/Strain [M L–1 T–2]
.
15 Surface tension Force/Length [M L0 T–2]
.
16 Surface energy Energy/Area [M L0 T–2]
.
17 Velocity gradient Velocity/distance [M0 L0 T–1]
.
18 Pressure gradient Pressure/distance [M L–2 T–2]
.
19 Pressure energy Pressure × volume [M L2 T–2]
.
20 Coefficient of Force/area × velocity [M L–1 T–1]
. viscosity gradient
21 Angle, Angular Arc/radius [M0 L0 T0]
. displacement
22 Trigonometric ratio Length/length [M0 L0 T0]
. (sinθ, cosθ, tanθ, etc).
23 Angular velocity Angle/time [M0 L0 T–1]
.
24 Angular acceleration Angular velocity/time [M0 L0 T–2]
.
25 Radius of gyration Distance [M0 L T0]
.
26 Moment of inertia Mass × (radius of gyration)2 [M L2 T0]
.
27 Angular momentum Moment of inertial × angular [M L2 T–1]
. velocity
28 Moment of force, Force × distance [M L2 T–2]
. moment of couple
29 Torque Angular momentum/time [M L2 T–2]
. Or
Force × distance
30 Angular frequency 2π × Frequency [M0 L0 T–1]
.
31 Wavelength Distance [M0 L T0]
.
32 Hubble constant Recession speed/distance [M0 L0 T–1]
.
33 Intensity of wave (Energy/time)/area [M L0 T–3]
.
34 Radiation pressure Intensity of wave [M L–1 T–2]
. Speed of light
35 Energy density Energy/volume [M L–1 T–2]
.
36 Critical velocity Reynold's number × coefficient of viscocity [M0 L T–1]
Mass density × radius
.
37 Escape velocity (2 × acceleration due to [M0 L T–1]
. gravity × earth’s radius)1/2
38 Heat energy, internal Work (= Force × distance) [M L2 T–2]
. energy
39 Kinetic energy (1/2) mass × (velocity)2 [M L2 T–2]
.
40 Potential energy Mass × acceleration due to
. gravity × height
41 Rotational kinetic ½ × moment of inertia × [M L2 T–2]
. energy (angular velocity)2
42 Efficiency output work or energy [M0 L0 T0]
. Input work or energy
43 Angular impulse Torque × time [M L2 T–1]
.
44 Gravitational constant Force × ( distance ) [M–1 L3 T–2]
2

.
mass × mass
45 Planck constant Energy/frequency [M L2 T–1]
.
46 Heat capacity, entropy Heat energy/temperature [M L2 T–2 K–1]
.
47 Specific heat capacity Heat Energy [M0 L2 T–2 K–1]
. Mass × temperature
48 Latent heat Heat energy/mass [M0 L2 T–2]
.
49 Thermal expansion change in dimension [M0 L0 K–1]
. coefficient or thermal Original dimension × temperature
expansivity

2
50 Thermal conductivity Heat energy × thickness [M L T–3 K–1]
. Area × temperature × time
51 Bulk modulus or volume × ( change in pressure) [M L–1 T–2]
. (compressibility)–1 ( change in volume)
52 Centripetal (Velocity)2 / radius [M0 L T–2]
. acceleration
53 Stefan constant ( Energ/area × time) [M L0 T–3 K–4]
. ( Temperature) 4
54 Wien constant Wavelength × temperature [M0 LT0 K]
.
55 Boltzmann constant Energy/temperature [ML2 T–2 K–1]
.
56 Universal gas constant Pressure × volume [ML2 T–2 K–1
. mole × temperature mol–1]
57 Charge Current × time [M0 L0 TA]
.
58 Current density Current/area [M0 L–2 T0A]
.
59 Voltage, electric Work/charge [ML2 T–3A–1]
. potential,
electromotive force
60 Resistance Potential difference [ML2 T–3A–2]
. Current
61 Capacitance Charge/potential difference [M–1 L–2 T4A2]
.
62 Electrical resistivity or Resistance × area [ML3 T–3A–2]
. (electrical length
conductivity)–1
63 Electric field Electrical force/charge [MLT–3A–1]
.
64 Electric flux Electric field × area [ML3 T–3A–1]
.
65 Electric dipole Torque/electric field [M0 LTA]
. moment
66 Electric field strength Potential difference [MLT–3 A–1]
. or electric intensity distance
67 Magnetic field, Force [ML0 T–2A–1]
. magnetic flux density, Current × length
magnetic induction
68 Magnetic flux Magnetic field × area [ML2 T–2A–1]
.
69 Inductance Magnetic flux [ML2 T–2A–2]
. Current
70 Magnetic dipole Torque/magnetic field or [M0 L2 T0A]
. moment current × area
71 Magnetic field Magnetic moment [M0 L–1 T0A]
. strength, magnetic Volume
intensity or magnetic
moment density
3
72 Permittivity constant Charge × charge [M–1 L–3 T4A2]
. (or free space) 4π × electric force × ( distance )
2

73 Permeability constant 2π × force × distance [MLT–2A–2]

. (of free space) current × current length
74 Refractive index Speed of light in vacuum [M0 L0 T0]
. Speed of light in medium
75 Faraday constant Avogadro constant × [M0 L0 TA mol–
1
. elementary charge ]
76 Wave number 2π/wavelength [M0 L–1 T0]
.
77 Radiant flux, Radiant Energy emitted/time [M L2 T–3]
. power
78 Luminosity of radiant Radiant power or radiant flus of source [M L2 T–3]
. flux or radiant Solid angle
intensity
79 Luminous power or Luminous energy emitted [M L2 T–3]
. luminous flux of time
source
80 Luminous intensity of Luminous flux [M L2 T–3]
. illuminating power of Solid angle
source
81 Intensity of Luminous intensity [M L0 T–3]
. illumination or ( distance) 2
luminance
82 Relative luminosity Luminous flux of a source [M0 L0 T0]
. of given wave length
luminous flux of peak sensitivity
wavelength ( 555nm ) sourc e
of same power
83 Luminous efficiency Total luminous flux [M0 L0 T0]
. Total radiant flux
84 Illuminance or Luminous flux incident [M L0 T–3]
. illumination area
85 Mass defect (sum of masses of nucleons) [M L0 T0]
. – (mass of the nucleus)
86 Binding energy of Mass defect × (speed of [ML2 T–2]
. nucleus light in vacuum)2
87 Decay constant 0.693/half life [M0 L0 T–1]
.
88 Resonant frequency 1 [M0 L0 A0 T–1]
.
( Inductance × capacitance) − 2
89 Quality factor or Q- Resonant frequency × inductance [M0 L0 T0]
. factor of coil Resistance
90 Power of lens (Focal length)–1 [M0 L–1 T0]
.
91 Magnification Image distance [M0 L0 T0]
. Object distance

4
92 Fluid flow rate ( π/8) ( pressure) × ( radius) 4 [M0 L3 T–1]
. ( viscosity coefficient ) × ( length )
93 Capacitive reactance (Angular frequency × [ML2 T–3A–2]
. capacitance)–1
94 Inductive reactance (Angular frequency × [ML2 T–3A–2]
. inductance)

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Units, Dimensions and Measurement 9

(4) S. I. system : It is known as International system of units, and is infact extended system of units
applied to whole physics. There are seven fundamental quantities in this system. These quantities and their
units are given in the following table
Quantity Name of Unit Symbol

Length metre m

Mass kilogram kg

Time second s

Electric Current ampere A

Temperature Kelvin K

Amount of Substance mole mol

Luminous Intensity candela cd

Besides the above seven fundamental units two supplementary units are also defined –
Radian (rad) for plane angle and Steradian (sr) for solid angle.

Note :  Apart from fundamental and derived units we also use very frequently practical units.
These may be fundamental or derived units
e.g., light year is a practical unit (fundamental) of distance while horse power is a practical unit
(derived) of power.
 Practical units may or may not belong to a system but can be expressed in any system of units
e.g., 1 mile = 1.6 km = 1.6 × 103 m.
1.5 S.I. Prefixes.
In physics we have to deal from very small (micro) to very large (macro) magnitudes as one side we
talk about the atom while on the other side of universe, e.g., the mass of an electron is 9.1  10–31 kg while
that of the sun is 2  1030 kg. To express such large or small magnitudes simultaneously we use the
following prefixes :
Power of 10 Prefix Symbol
1018 exa E
1015 peta P
1012 tera T
109 giga G
106 mega M
103 kilo k
102 hecto h
101 deca da
10–1 deci d
10–1 centi c
10–3 milli m
9

10–6 micro 
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Units, Dimensions and Measurement 10

10–9 nano n
10–12 pico p
10–15 femto f
10–18 atto a

1.6 Standards of Length, Mass and Time.

(1) Length : Standard metre is defined in terms of wavelength of light and is called atomic standard of
length.
The metre is the distance containing 1650763.73 wavelength in vacuum of the radiation corresponding
to orange red light emitted by an atom of krypton-86.
Now a days metre is defined as length of the path travelled by light in vacuum in 1/299,7792, 458 part
of a second.
(2) Mass : The mass of a cylinder made of platinum-iridium alloy kept at International Bureau of
Weights and Measures is defined as 1 kg.
On atomic scale, 1 kilogram is equivalent to the mass of 5.0188  1025 atoms of 6C12 (an isotope of
carbon).
(3) Time : 1 second is defined as the time interval of 9192631770 vibrations of radiation in Cs-133
atom. This radiation corresponds to the transition between two hyperfine level of the ground state of Cs-
133.
1.7 Practical Units.
(1) Length :
(i) 1 fermi = 1 fm = 10–15 m
(ii) 1 X-ray unit = 1XU = 10–13 m
(iii) 1 angstrom = 1Å = 10–10 m = 10–8 cm = 10–7 mm = 0.1 mm
(iv) 1 micron = m = 10–6 m
(v) 1 astronomical unit = 1 A.U. = 1. 49  1011 m  1.5  1011 m  108 km
(vi) 1 Light year = 1 ly = 9.46  1015 m
(vii) 1 Parsec = 1pc = 3.26 light year
(2) Mass :
(i) Chandra Shekhar unit : 1 CSU = 1.4 times the mass of sun = 2.8  1030 kg
(ii) Metric tonne : 1 Metric tonne = 1000 kg
(iii) Quintal : 1 Quintal = 100 kg
(iv) Atomic mass unit (amu) : amu = 1.67  10–27 kg mass of proton or neutron is of the order of 1 amu
(3) Time :
(i) Year : It is the time taken by earth to complete 1 revolution around the sun in its orbit.
(ii) Lunar month : It is the time taken by moon to complete 1 revolution around the earth in its orbit.
1 L.M. = 27.3 days
(iii) Solar day : It is the time taken by earth to complete one rotation about its axis with respect to sun.
10

Since this time varies from day to day, average solar day is calculated by taking average of the duration of all
the days in a year and this is called Average Solar day.
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1 Solar year = 365.25 average solar day

1
or average solar day  the part of solar year
365 .25
(iv) Sedrial day : It is the time taken by earth to complete one rotation about its axis with respect to a
distant star.
1 Solar year = 366.25 Sedrial day = 365.25 average solar day
Thus 1 Sedrial day is less than 1 solar day.
(v) Shake : It is an obsolete and practical unit of time.
1 Shake = 10– 8 sec
1.8 Dimensions of a Physical Quantity.
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.
To make it more clear, consider the physical quantity force
mass  velocity mass  length/time
Force = mass × acceleration   = mass × length × (time)–2 .... (i)
time time
Thus, the dimensions of force are 1 in mass, 1 in length and – 2 in time.
Here the physical quantity that is expressed in terms of the base quantities is enclosed in square
brackets to indicate that the equation is among the dimensions and not among the magnitudes.
Thus equation (i) can be written as [force] = [MLT–2].
Such an expression for a physical quantity in terms of the fundamental quantities is called the
dimensional equation. If we consider only the R.H.S. of the equation, the expression is termed as
dimensional formula.
Thus, dimensional formula for force is, [MLT – 2].
1.9 Important Dimensions of Complete Physics.
Mechanics
S. N. Quantity Unit Dimension
(1) Velocity or speed (v) m/s [M0L1T –1]
(2) Acceleration (a) m/s2 [M0LT –2]
(3) Momentum (P) kg-m/s [M1L1T –1]
(4) Impulse (I) Newton-sec or kg-m/s [M1L1T –1]
(5) Force (F) Newton [M1L1T –2]
(6) Pressure (P) Pascal [M1L–1T –2]
(7) Kinetic energy (EK) Joule [M1L2T –2]
(8) Power (P) Watt or Joule/s [M1L2T –3]
(9) Density (d) kg/m3 [M1L– 3T 0]
(10) Angular displacement () Radian (rad.) [M0L0T 0]
(11) Angular velocity ( ) Radian/sec [M0L0T – 1]
11

(12) Angular acceleration () Radian/sec2 [M0L0T – 2]

(13) Moment of inertia (I) kg-m2 [M1L2T0]
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S. N. Quantity Unit Dimension

(14) Torque () Newton-meter [M1L2T –2]
(15) Angular momentum (L) Joule-sec [M1L2T –1]
(16) Force constant or spring constant (k) Newton/m [M1L0T –2]
(17) Gravitational constant (G) N-m2/kg2 [M–1L3T – 2]
(18) Intensity of gravitational field (Eg) N/kg [M0L1T – 2]
(19) Gravitational potential (Vg) Joule/kg [M0L2T – 2]
(20) Surface tension (T) N/m or Joule/m2 [M1L0T – 2]
(21) Velocity gradient (Vg) Second–1 [M0L0T – 1]
(22) Coefficient of viscosity () kg/m-s [M1L– 1T – 1]
(23) Stress N/m2 [M1L– 1T – 2]
(24) Strain No unit [M0L0T 0]
(25) Modulus of elasticity (E) N/m2 [M1L– 1T – 2]
(26) Poisson Ratio () No unit [M0L0T 0]
(27) Time period (T) Second [M0L0T1]
(28) Frequency (n) Hz [M0L0T –1]

Heat
S. N. Quantity Unit Dimension
(1) Temperature (T) Kelvin [M0L0T0 1]
(2) Heat (Q) Joule [ML2T– 2]
(3) Specific Heat (c) Joule/kg-K [M0L2T– 2 –1]
(4) Thermal capacity Joule/K [M1L2T – 2 –1]
(5) Latent heat (L) Joule/kg [M0L2T – 2]
(6) Gas constant (R) Joule/mol-K [M1L2T– 2 – 1]
(7) Boltzmann constant (k) Joule/K [M1L2T– 2 – 1]
(8) Coefficient of thermal conductivity (K) Joule/m-s-K [M1L1T– 3 – 1]
(9) Stefan's constant () Watt/m2-K4 [M1L0T– 3 – 4]
(10) Wien's constant (b) Meter-K [M0L1To1]
(11) Planck's constant (h) Joule-s [M1L2T–1]
(12) Coefficient of Linear Expansion () Kelvin–1 [M0L0T0 –1]
(13) Mechanical eq. of Heat (J) Joule/Calorie [M0L0T0]
(14) Vander wall’s constant (a) Newton-m4 [ML5T– 2]
(15) Vander wall’s constant (b) m3 [M0L3T0]

Electricity

S. N. Quantity Unit Dimension

(1) Electric charge (q) Coulomb [M0L0T1A1]
(2) Electric current (I) Ampere [M0L0T0A1]
12

(3) Capacitance (C) Coulomb/volt or Farad [M–1L– 2T4A2]

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(4) Electric potential (V) Joule/coulomb M1L2T–3A–1

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Units, Dimensions and Measurement 13

S. N. Quantity Unit Dimension

Coulomb 2
(5) Permittivity of free space (0) [M–1L–3T4A2]
Newton - meter 2
(6) Dielectric constant (K) Unitless [M0L0T0]
(7) Resistance (R) Volt/Ampere or ohm [M1L2T– 3A– 2]
(8) Resistivity or Specific resistance () Ohm-meter [M1L3T– 3A– 2]
volt  second
(9) Coefficient of Self-induction (L) or henery or ohm-second [M1L2T– 2A– 2]
ampere
(10) Magnetic flux () Volt-second or weber [M1L2T–2A–1]
newton Joule
ampere  meter ampere  meter 2
(11) Magnetic induction (B) [M1L0T– 2A– 1]
volt  second
or Tesla
meter 2
(12) Magnetic Intensity (H) Ampere/meter [M0L– 1T0A1]
(13) Magnetic Dipole Moment (M) Ampere-meter2 [M0L2T0A1]
Newton Joule
2 or or
ampere ampere 2  meter
(14) Permeability of Free Space (0) [M1L1T–2A–2]
Volt  second Ohm  sec ond henery
or or
ampere  meter meter meter
(15) Surface charge density () Coulomb metre 2 [M0L–2T1A1]
(16) Electric dipole moment (p) Coulomb  meter [M0L1T1A1]
(17) Conductance (G) (1/R) ohm 1 [M–1L–2T3A2]
(18) Conductivity () (1/) ohm 1meter 1 [M–1L–3T3A2]
(19) Current density (J) Ampere/m2 M0L–2T0A1
(20) Intensity of electric field (E) Volt/meter, Newton/coulomb M1L1T –3A–1
(21) Rydberg constant (R) m–1 M0L–1T0

1.10 Quantities Having Same Dimensions.

S. N. Dimension Quantity
(1) [M0L0T–1] Frequency, angular frequency, angular velocity, velocity gradient and decay constant
(2) [M1L2T–2] Work, internal energy, potential energy, kinetic energy, torque, moment of force
(3) [M1L–1T–2] Pressure, stress, Young’s modulus, bulk modulus, modulus of rigidity, energy density
(4) [M1L1T–1] Momentum, impulse
(5) [M0L1T–2] Acceleration due to gravity, gravitational field intensity
(6) [M1L1T–2] Thrust, force, weight, energy gradient
(7) [M1L2T–1] Angular momentum and Planck’s constant
(8) [M1L0T–2] Surface tension, Surface energy (energy per unit area)
Strain, refractive index, relative density, angle, solid angle, distance gradient, relative
(9) [M0L0T0]
permittivity (dielectric constant), relative permeability etc.
(10) [M0L2T–2] Latent heat and gravitational potential
(11) [M0L2T–2–1] Thermal capacity, gas constant, Boltzmann constant and entropy
l g , m k , R g , where l = length
(12) [M0L0T1]
g = acceleration due to gravity, m = mass, k = spring constant
13

(13) [M0L0T1] L/R, LC , RC where L = inductance, R = resistance, C = capacitance

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V2 q2
I 2 Rt, t, VIt, qV , LI 2 , , CV 2 where I = current, t = time, q = charge,
(14) [ML2T–2] R C
L = inductance, C = capacitance, R = resistance

1.11 Application of Dimensional Analysis.

(1) 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  Displacement
So [W] = [MLT–2]  [L] = [ML2T–2]
So its units in C.G.S. system will be g cm2/s2 which is called erg while in M.K.S. system will be kg
m2/s2 which is called joule.
Sample problems based on unit finding
 a 
Problem 1. The equation  P  2  (V  b) = constant. The units of a is [MNR 1995; AFMC 1995]
 V 

(a) Dyne  cm 5 (b) Dyne  cm 4 (c) Dyne / cm 3 (d) Dyne / cm 2

 a 
Solution : (b) According to the principle of dimensional homogenity [P]   2 
V 

 [a]  [P] [V 2 ]  [ML1T 2 ] [L6 ]  [ML 5 T 2 ]

or unit of a = gm × cm 5  sec–2= Dyne  cm4

Problem 2. If x  at  bt 2 , where x is the distance travelled by the body in kilometre while t the time in seconds,
then the units of b are [CBSE 1993]

(a) km/s (b) km-s (c) km/s2 (d) km-s2

x
Solution : (c) From the principle of dimensional homogenity [ x ]  [bt 2 ]  [b ]   2   Unit of b = km/s2.
t 

Problem 3. The unit of absolute permittivity is [EAMCET (Med.) 1995; Pb. PMT 2001]

(a) Farad - meter (b) Farad / meter (c) Farad/meter 2 (d) Farad
C
Solution : (b) From the formula C  4 0 R   0 
4R
By substituting the unit of capacitance and radius : unit of  0  Farad/ meter.

Problem 4. Unit of Stefan's constant is

(a) Js 1 (b) Jm 2 s 1 K 4 (c) Jm 2 (d) Js
Q Q Joule
Solution : (b) Stefan's formula  T 4     Unit of   2 = Jm 2 s 1 K 4
At AtT 4 m  sec  K 4
Problem 5. The unit of surface tension in SI system is
[MP PMT 1984; AFMC 1986; CPMT 1985, 87; CBSE 1993; Karnataka CET (Engg/Med.) 1999; DCE 2000, 01]

(a) Dyne / cm 2 (b) Newton/m (c) Dyne/cm (d) Newton/m2

F
Solution : (b) From the formula of surface tension T 
14

l
By substituting the S.I. units of force and length, we will get the unit of surface tension = Newton/m
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