UNITS & DIMENSIONS LECTURE NOTES

Q. What is physics?
A branch of science which deals with nature and its laws.

PHYSICAL QUANTITIES
Those physical aspects whose quantitative or qualitative measurements is essential in understabding
physics.
Eg. Mass, distance, density, energy, work, acceleration, force, speed etc.

UNITS
A standard measure of physical quantities is known as units
Eg: Metre, Kg, sec.
Representation of physical quantity
h (where h is number &  is standard unit)

SYSTEM of UNITS
1. FPS (Foot Pound Second)
2. MKS (Metre Kilogram Second)
3. CGS (Centimetre Gram Second)
4. SI units

CLASSIFICATION OF PHYSICAL QUANTITIES

1. Fundamental Physical Quantity (FPQ)

Those physical quantites which are independent i.e. cannot be expressed in terms of other
fundamental physical quantities.
There are 7 FPQ:
Symbol SI unit
(i) Mass M Kg
(ii) Length L mts
(iii) Time T sec.
(iv) Temperature K or Q Kelvin
(v) Current I Ampere
(vi) Luminous intensity cd Candela
(vii) Amount of substance mol Mole

2. Derived Physical Quantities

Those physical quantities which can be expressed in terms of fundamental physical quantites.
Eg: Speed, Acc. Force, Velocity etc.
length
Speed =
time
Acc. (mt/sec2) = length

Note: Besides the above physical quantities there are two more supplementary quantites. They are:
(i) Angle Radian
(ii) Solid Angle Steradion
 radian = 1800
 
– 900
2

– 450
4

= 300
6

– 600
3

Dimensional Formula
The representation of a derived physical quantity in terms of fundamental physical quantites is
known as Dimensional formula.
length L
eq. Speed = = T–
= LT
time T
length
Acc. = T–2
= LT
time 2
Force = m × acc.
= M × LT–2
= MLT–2
Momentum = mass × velocity
= MLT–1
Dimensions
The powers to which the FPQ’s are to be raised in order to obtain a derived physical quantites are
knowns as dimensions.
eg: The dimension of length in speed = 1
& time = –1
The dimension of other FPQ’s in speed is 0
Force = MLT–2
For force dimension of mass is 1, length is 1 & time is –2.

GREEK SYMBOLS
 = alpha  = beta  = gamma  = delta
 = eta  = omega  = row  = lamda
 = theta  = fie  = nue

force
Prob: Pressure is given by a relation . Find the dimensional formula of force & area. FInd the
area
dimensions of length & time in pressure.
Ans: Dimensions length in pressure = –1; Dimensions time in pressure = –2

Note: Dimensional formula of constants.

A constant may or may not have dimensions are numbers in formula’s do not have any dimensions.
Eg: Energy = mgn
ML
= L
T2
= ML2T–2
 1
K.E. = mV 2
2
2
2
 1  ML
–2
ML T =   2
2 T

USES OF DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS

1. Checking the anwers
FL
Prob: A student obtains an answer v = . Check the correctness.
m
Ans: Correct.

Prob: A scientist claims that pressure at a point in flowing liquid is given by P = V2 where  is density
& V is the velocity of liquid. Check the correctness and comment.
Ans: He is dimensionally correct.

mV 2
Prob: A student uses a formula centrifugal force as F = where V is velocity and R is radius of
R
track. Check the correctness.
Ans: The answer is dimensionally correct.

Note: Angle & solid angle have units but they do not have dimensional formula.
mt = (mt) (rad)
l = RQ
L = L[]
=1
 is dimensionless

 in radians
Radian when multiplied with meter it get destroys only metre remains.

2. Checking the homogenety of equations

V = u + at Two terms can be added only when they have same dimensional formula.
V = LT–1
u = LT–1
acc. × time = LT–2 × T = LT–1
S = ut × ½ at2
S=L
ut = LT–1 × T = L
at = LT–2 × T2 = L
V2 = u2 + as
 
L2T–2 L2T–2 (LT–2)L = L2T–2

3. Deducing relation between physical quantities

Prob: Time period of a simple pendulum is found to depend on length of string, l and gravitational
force, g. Deduce relation between them.
 l
Ans: t = 2
g

Prob: Centripetal acc. is found to depend upon speed V and radius of track r.
V2
Ans: aC =
r

Prob: Velocity of a wave, V is found to depend upon pressure & density. Deduce a relation between
them.
P
Ans: V = K


Prob: Pressure is found to depend on densites, , gravitational acc., g and height h of liquid column.
Ans: P=
Prob: Reynold’s number (Dimensional less) is given by
VD
Re = where  is density, V is velocity, D is diameter &  is coefficient of viscosity..

(a) Find the dimensional formula of .
(b) Viscous force (F) is found to depend upon , radius (r) and velocity (V). Deduce a relation between
them.
Ans: (a)  = ML–1T–1 ; (b) F = KrV

Prob: Suppose mass, velocity & time were fundamental physical quantities then write the dimensional
formula of force & pressure.
Ans: Force [MVT–1] Pressure [M1V–1T–3]

GM1M 2
Prob: Gravitational force of attraction is given by F = . Find the dimensional formula of G..
R2
m3
Ans: M–1L3T–2
Kg sec 2

Note: 1. Logarithm
logay = x
y = ax
eg. 8 = 23
log28 = 3
2. e
value of e = 2.71 ................
logex = ln x
3. Few CGS and SI units
Mass Kg gm
Length mt cm
Time sec. sec.
Speed m/sec. cm/s
velocity m/s cm/s
 dyne
Force
erge
Energy ,, ,,

CONVERSION OF UNITS
1 Kg = 1000 gm
1m = 100 cm
1 sec. = 1 sec.
5
1 km/hr = 18 m/sec.

1 km 1000 mt 1000

 

1 hr 3600 sec . 3600 mt/sec.

Prob: Calculate the no. of dynes in one Newton

gm cm
Ans: 105
sec2

Prob: Calculate how many erg’s are there in 1 Joule

10 7 gm cm 2
Ans:
sec 2

Prob: The value of gravitational acc. is 9.8 m/sec2. Find the numerical value of g in CGS units.
Ans: 980 cm/sec2

Prob: If the units of length is doubled, unit of mass is made half and unit of time remains same. Find the
numerical value of I N force in new system of units.

Prob: If unit of length is doubled, unit of mass is made 3 times & unit of time is made half. Then find
numerical value of 1 J in new system of units.

Prob: Obtain the numerical value of G in the new system of units given in the previous problem.

MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS
1. y=

2. Inverse function
y = sin 
 = sin–1 y

y=

3. y=

4. y=
Prob: Displacement of a particle as a function of time is given as

y(t) = t +
t
,  &  are constants. Find dimensional formula of ,  & .

Prob: Velocity of particle is given by

Ax Cx 2
V(x, t) = 
B t B
Find dimensional formula of A, B, C.

Prob: Force on a body as a function of distance x is given as F = sin x  , a and b are constants. FInd


2
the unit of .

Prob: Momentum of particle is given as
  t  
  
P =  +  e 
 
,  &  are constants. Find dimensional formula of ,  & .

Notes: 1. Tension in a string  Force

Force
2. Surface tension of water 
Length
Mass
3. Mass per unit length () 
Length
Density of water = 1000 kg/m3

ORDER OF MAGNITUDE
In Physical, numerical data is given in format a × 10b where a is suppose to lie between 0 to 10 i.e.
0 < a < 10 and b is order of magnitude.

eg: G =