List of physical

quantities

This article consists of tables outlining a number of physical quantities.

The first table lists the fundamental quantities used in the International System of Units to
define the physical dimension of physical quantities for dimensional analysis. The second
table lists the derived physical quantities. Derived quantities can be expressed in terms of the
base quantities.

Note that neither the names nor the symbols used for the physical quantities are international
standards. Some quantities are known as several different names such as the magnetic B-
field which known as the magnetic flux density, the magnetic induction or simply as the
magnetic field depending on the context. Similarly, surface tension can be denoted by either
σ, γ or T. The table usually lists only one name and symbol that is most commonly used.

The final column lists some special properties that some of the quantities have, such as their
scaling behavior (i.e. whether the quantity is intensive or extensive), their transformation
properties (i.e. whether the quantity is a scalar, vector, matrix or tensor), and whether the
quantity is conserved.
Base quantity Symbol Description SI base unit Dimension Comments

The quantity
proportional to the
number of particles
Amount of extensive,
n in a sample, with the mole (mol) N
substance scalar
Avogadro constant
as the proportionality
constant

The one-dimensional
Length l metre (m) L extensive
extent of an object

scalar,
The duration of an
Time t second (s) T intensive,
event
extensive

A measure of
extensive,
Mass m resistance to kilogram (kg) M
scalar
acceleration

Average kinetic
intensive,
Temperature T energy per degree of kelvin (K) Θ or [K]
scalar
freedom of a system

Rate of flow of
Electric extensive,
I electrical charge per ampere (A) I
Current scalar
unit time

the figure formed by

two rays, called the
sides of the angle, extensive,
Angle ∠ degree (°) ∠ BAC
sharing a common scalar
endpoint, called the
vertex of the angle.

Wavelength-
Luminous weighted power of
Iv candela (cd) J scalar
intensity emitted light per unit
solid angle
 Derived SI derived
Symbol Description Dimension Comments
quantity unit

Measure of sustained
displacement: the first
Absement A m⋅s LT vector
integral with respect to
time of displacement

Absorbed dose
Absorbed dose
D received per unit of Gy/s L2 T−3
rate
time

Rate of change of
→ velocity per unit time:
Acceleration a m/s2 L T−2 vector
the second time
derivative of position

Momentum of particle
Action S multiplied by distance J/Hz L2 M T−1 scalar
travelled

Angular Change in angular

ωa rad/s2 T−2
acceleration velocity per unit time

Measure of the extent

Angular and direction of an conserved,
L kg⋅m2/s L2 M T−1
momentum object rotates about a bivector
reference point

The angle incremented

in a plane by a segment
Angular
ω connecting an object rad/s T−1 bivector
velocity
and a reference point
per unit time

extensive,
Area A Extent of a surface m2 L2 bivector or
scalar

Area density ρA Mass per unit area kg⋅m−2 L−2 M intensive

Stored charge per unit

Capacitance C farad (F = C/V) L−2 M−1 T4 I2 scalar
electric potential
 Derived SI derived
Symbol Description Dimension Comments
quantity unit

Change in reaction rate

Catalytic
due to presence of a
activity kat⋅m−3 L−3 T−1 N intensive
catalyst per unit volume
concentration
of the system

Inertial force that

appears to act on all
Centrifugal N⋅rad =
Fc objects when viewed in −2
L M T−2 bivector
force kg⋅m⋅rad⋅s
a rotating frame of
reference

Chemical Energy per unit change

μ J/mol L2 M T−2 N−1 intensive
potential in amount of substance

Change of jounce per

→
Crackle c unit time: the fifth time m/s5 L T−5 vector
derivative of position

conserved,
→ Electric current per unit 2 −2
Current density J A/m L I intensive,
cross-section area
vector

Received radiation
Dose sievert (Sv =
H adjusted for the effect L2 T−2 intensive
equivalent J/kg)
on biological tissue

Measure for the

Dynamic resistance of an
v Pa⋅s L−1 M T−1 intensive
viscosity incompressible fluid to
stress

The force per unit coulomb (C = extensive,

Electric charge Q TI
electric field strength A⋅s) conserved

Electric charge Electric charge per unit

ρQ C/m3 L−3 T I intensive
density volume

Electric dipole p Measure of the C⋅m LTI vector

moment separation of equal and
 Derived SI derived
Symbol Description Dimension Comments
quantity unit
opposite electric
charges

Electric
→ Strength of the electric
displacement D C/m2 L−2 T I vector field
displacement
field

Electric field → Strength of the electric

E V/m, N/C L M T−3 I−1 vector field
strength field

Measure for how easily

Electrical siemens (S =
G current flows through a −1
L−2 M−1 T3 I2 scalar
conductance Ω )
material

Measure of a material's
Electrical
σ ability to conduct an S/m L−3 M−1 T3 I2 scalar
conductivity
electric current

Energy required to
Electric move a unit charge extensive,
φ volt (V = J/C) L2 M T−3 I−1
potential through an electric field scalar
from a reference point

extensive,
Electrical Electric potential per
R ohm (Ω = V/A) L2 M T−3 I−2 scalar, assumes
resistance unit electric current
linearity

Bulk property extensive,

Electrical ohm-metre
ρe equivalent of electrical L3 M T−3 I−2 scalar,
resistivity (Ω⋅m)
resistance conserved

Energy E Energy joule (J) L2 M T−2

Energy density ? Energy per volume J⋅m−3 L−1 M T−2 intensive

Logarithmic measure
of the number of extensive,
Entropy S J/K L2 M T−2 Θ−1
available states of a scalar
system

→ Transfer of momentum newton (N = extensive,

Force F L M T−2
per unit time kg⋅m⋅s−2) vector
 Derived SI derived
Symbol Description Dimension Comments
quantity unit

Number of (periodic)
Frequency f occurrences per unit hertz (Hz = s−1) T−1 scalar
time

Time for a quantity to

Half-life t1/2 decay to half its initial s T
value

Heat Q Thermal energy joule (J) L2 M T−2

Energy per unit

Heat capacity Cp J/K L2 M T−2 Θ−1 extensive
temperature change

Heat flux Heat flow per unit time

ϕQ W/m2 M T−3
density per unit surface area

Wavelength-weighted
lux (lx =
Illuminance Ev luminous flux per unit 2
L−2 J
cd⋅sr/m )
surface area

Resistance to an
alternating current of a
Impedance Z given frequency, ohm (Ω) L2 M T−3 I−2 complex scalar
including effect on
phase

newton-second
Impulse J Transferred momentum L M T−1 vector
(N⋅s = kg⋅m/s)

Magnetic flux
Inductance L generated per unit henry (H) L2 M T−2 I−2 scalar
current through a circuit

Electromagnetic
Irradiance E radiation power per unit W/m2 M T−3 intensive
surface area

Power per unit cross

Intensity I W/m2 M T−3 intensive
sectional area
→
Jerk j Change of acceleration m/s3 L T−3 vector
per unit time: the third
 Derived SI derived
Symbol Description Dimension Comments
quantity unit
time derivative of
position

Change of jerk per unit

Jounce (or →
s time: the fourth time m/s4 L T−4 vector
snap)
derivative of position

Linear density ρl Mass per unit length kg⋅m−1 L−1 M

Luminous flux
Perceived power of a lumen (lm =
(or luminous F J
light source cd⋅sr)
power)

Ratio of flow velocity to

Mach number
M the local speed of unitless 1
(or mach)
sound

Magnetic field Strength of a magnetic

H A/m L−1 I vector field
strength field

Measure of magnetism,
taking account of the
Magnetic flux Φ weber (Wb) L2 M T−2 I−1 scalar
strength and the extent
of a magnetic field

Measure for the

Magnetic flux tesla (T = pseudovector
B strength of the M T−2 I−1
density Wb/m2) field
magnetic field

The component of
Magnetic
magnetic strength and
moment (or
orientation that can be
magnetic m N⋅m/T L2 I vector
represented by an
dipole
equivalent magnetic
moment)
dipole

Amount of magnetic
Magnetization M moment per unit A/m L−1 I vector field
volume
 Derived SI derived
Symbol Description Dimension Comments
quantity unit

Mass of a substance as
Mass fraction x a fraction of the total kg/kg 1 intensive
mass

(Mass) Density
(or volume ρ Mass per unit volume kg/m3 L−3 M intensive
density)

Average time for a

Mean lifetime τ particle of a substance s T intensive
to decay

Molar Amount of substance

C mol⋅m−3 L−3 N intensive
concentration per unit volume

Amount of energy
present in a system per
Molar energy J/mol J/mol L2 M T−2 N−1 intensive
unit amount of
substance

Entropy per unit L2 M T−2 Θ−1

Molar entropy S° J/(K⋅mol) intensive
amount of substance N−1

Heat capacity of a
Molar heat L2 M T−2 Θ−1
c material per unit J/(K⋅mol) intensive
capacity N−1
amount of substance

Inertia of an object with

Moment of extensive,
I respect to angular kg⋅m2 L2 M
inertia tensor, scalar
acceleration

→ Product of an object's vector,

Momentum p kg⋅m/s L M T−1
mass and velocity extensive

Measure of the
effective curvature of a dioptre (dpt =
Optical power P −1
L−1
lens or curved mirror; m )
inverse of focal length

Permeability μs Measure for how the H/m L M T−2 I−2 intensive

magnetization of
 Derived SI derived
Symbol Description Dimension Comments
quantity unit
material is affected by
the application of an
external magnetic field

Measure for how the

polarization of a
Permittivity εs material is affected by F/m L−3 M−1 T4 I2 intensive
the application of an
external electric field

Ratio of circular arc

Plane angle θ radian (rad) 1
length to radius

Rate of transfer of extensive,

Power P watt (W) L2 M1 T−3
energy per unit time scalar

pascal (Pa =
Pressure p Force per unit area 2
L−1 M T−2 intensive, scalar
N/m )

Rate of change of
→ crackle per unit time:
Pop p m/s6 L T−6 vector
the sixth time derivative
of position

(Radioactivity) Number of particles becquerel (Bq extensive,

A T−1
Activity decaying per unit time = Hz) scalar

Ionizing radiation
(Radiation) gray (Gy =
D energy absorbed per L2 T−2
Dose J/kg)
unit mass

Power of emitted
electromagnetic
Radiance L radiation per unit solid W/(m2⋅sr) M T−3
angle per emitting
source area

Radiant I Power of emitted W/sr L2 M T−3 scalar

intensity electromagnetic
 Derived SI derived
Symbol Description Dimension Comments
quantity unit
radiation per unit solid
angle

Rate of a chemical
Reaction rate r mol/(m3⋅s) L−3 T−1 N intensive, scalar
reaction for unit time

Factor by which the

Refractive
n phase velocity of light unitless 1 intensive, scalar
index
is reduced in a medium

resistance to the flow

Reluctance H−1 L−2 M−1 T2 I2 scalar
of magnetic flux

Ratio of area on a
Solid angle Ω sphere to its radius steradian (sr) ∠2
squared

Energy density per unit

Specific energy J⋅kg−1 L2 T−2 intensive
mass

Specific heat Heat capacity per unit

c J/(K⋅kg) L2 T−2 Θ−1 intensive
capacity mass

Specific Volume per unit mass

v m3⋅kg−1 L3 M−1 intensive
volume (reciprocal of density)

Quantum-mechanically
defined angular
Spin S kg⋅m2⋅s−1 L2 M T−1
momentum of a
particle

Extension per unit

Strain ε unitless 1
length

Force per unit oriented

Stress σ Pa L−1 M T−2 order 2 tensor
surface area

Energy change per unit

Surface tension γ N/m or J/m2 M T−2
change in surface area

steepest rate of
Temperature
temperature change at K/m L−1 Θ vector
gradient
a particular location
 Derived SI derived
Symbol Description Dimension Comments
quantity unit

Measure for the ease

Thermal
κ (or) λ with which an object W/K L2 M T−3 Θ−1 extensive
conductance
conducts heat

Measure for the ease

Thermal
λ with which a material W/(m⋅K) L M T−3 Θ−1 intensive
conductivity
conducts heat

Measure for the ease

Thermal with which an object
R K/W L−2 M−1 T3 Θ extensive
resistance resists conduction of
heat

Measure for the ease

Thermal with which a material
Rλ K⋅m/W L−1 M−1 T3 Θ intensive
resistivity resists conduction of
heat

Product of a force and

the perpendicular bivector (or
newton-metre 2 −2
Torque τ distance of the force L MT pseudovector in
(N⋅m)
from the point about 3D)
which it is exerted

Moved distance per

→
Velocity v unit time: the first time m/s L T−1 vector
derivative of position

Three dimensional extensive,

Volume V m3 L3
extent of an object scalar

Rate of change of
Volumetric flow extensive,
Q volume with respect to m3⋅s−1 L3 T−1
rate scalar
time

Perpendicular distance
Wavelength λ between repeating units m L
of a wave
 Derived SI derived
Symbol Description Dimension Comments
quantity unit

Repetency or spatial
frequency: the number
Wavenumber k m−1 L−1 scalar
of cycles per unit
distance

Repetency or spatial
→ frequency vector: the
Wavevector k m−1 L−1 vector
number of cycles per
unit distance

Gravitational force on newton (N =

Weight w 2
L M T−2 vector
an object kg⋅m/s )

Work W Transferred energy joule (J) L2 M T−2 scalar

scalar; assumes
Young's pascal (Pa =
E Ratio of stress to strain L−1 M T−2 isotropic linear
modulus N/m2)
material

k is the torsional
constant (measured in
N·m/radian), which
characterizes the
spring constant k N/m M T−2 scalar
stiffness of the
torsional spring or the
resistance to angular
displacement.

See also

List of photometric quantities

List of radiometric quantities
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