1.

1 INTRODUCTION
Measurement of any physical quantity involves comparison
with a certain basic, arbitrarily chosen, internationally
accepted reference standard called unit. The result of a
measurement of a physical quantity is expressed by a
number (or numerical measure) accompanied by a unit.
Although the number of physical quantities appears to be
very large, we need only a limited number of units for
expressing all the physical quantities, since they are inter
related with one another. The units for the fundamental or
base quantities are called fundamental or base units. The
units of all other physical quantities can be expressed as
combinations of the base units. Such units obtained for the
derived quantities are called derived units. A complete set
of these units, both the base units and derived units, is
known as the system of units.
 Table 1.1 SIBase Quantities and Units*
Base SI Units
quantity Name Symbol Definition
Length metre m The metre, symbol m, is the SI unit of length. It is defined by taking the
fixed numerical value of the speed of light in vàcuum c to be 299792458
when expressed in the unit m s', where the secondis defined in terms of
the caesium frequency AVcs.
Mass kilogram kg The kilogram, symbol kg, is the SI unit of mass. It is defined by taking the
fixed numerical value the Planck constant h to be 6.62607015 10-34 when
of

expressed in the unit J s, which is equal to kg m²s', where the metre and
the second are defined in terms of cand AVcs.
Time second S The second, symbol s, is the SI unit of time. It is defined by taking the fixed
numerical value of the caesium frequency AVcs, the unperturbed ground
state hyperfine transition frequency of the caesium-133 atom, to be
9192631770 when expressed in the unit Hz, which is equal to s'.
Electric ampere A The ampere, symbol A, is the SI unit of electric current. It is defined by
taking the fixed numerical value of the elementary charge e to be
1.602176634 10-19 when expressed in the unit which is equal to A s,
C,
where the second is defined in terms of AVcs.
Thermo kelvin K The kelvin, symbol K, is the SI unit of thermodynamic temperature.
dynamic It is defined by taking the fixed numerical value of the Boltzmann constant
Temperature k tobe 1.380649 1023 when expressed in the unit J K', which is equal to
kg m²s2k', where the kilogram, metre and second are defined in terms of
h,
cand AVcs.
Amount of mole mol The mole, symbol mol, is the SI unit of amount of substance. One mole
substance contains exactly 6.022 14076 10²8 elementary entities. This number is the
fixed numerical value of the Avogadro constant, N,, when expressed in the
unit mol and is called the Avogadro number. The amount of substance,
symbol n, of a system is a measure of the number of specified elementary
entities. An elementary entity may be an atom, a molecule, an ion, an electron,
any other particle or specified group of particles.
Luminous candela cd The candela, symbol cd, is the SI unit luminousintensity in given direction.
of

intensity It is defined by taking the fixed numerical value of the luminous efficacy of
monochromatic radiation frequency 540 10 Hz, K,, to be 683 when expressed
of

in the unit Im W, which is equal to cd sr W', or cd sr kglm's, where the

kilogram, metre and second are defined in terms of h, cand AVcs.
 Table 1.2 Some units retained for general use (Though outside SI)
Name Symbol Value in SI Unit
minute min 60 s
hour b 60min = 3600 s
day d 24 h = 86400 s
year y 365.25d= 3.156 x 10s
degree 1°= (n/ 180) rad
litre L I dm = 10 m°
tonne t 10° kg
carat C 200 mg
bar bar 0.1 MPa = 10 Pa
Curie Ci 3.7 x 10 s -1
roentgen R 2.58x 10* C/kg
quintal 100 kg
barn b 100fm= 102$ m²
are 1
dam== 10 m"
hectare ha 1
hm' m²10*
standard atmospheric pressure atm 101325 Pa l.013 = × 10° Pa
 SI DERIVED UNITS
A 6.1 Some SI Derived Units expressed in SI Base Units
Physical quantity SIUnit
Name Symbol
Area Square metre m2
Volume cubic metre m3
Speed, velocity metre per second m/s or m s-l
Angular velocity radian per second rad/s or rads s-1
Acceleration metre per second m/s2 or m -2
Square
Angular acceleration radian per second rad/s2 or rad s-2
Square
Wave number per metre m-l
Density, mass density kilogram per cubic kg/m³ or kg m3
metre
Current density ampere per square A/m2 or A m2
metre
Magnetic field strength, magnetic ampere per metre A/m or A m-1
intensity, magnetic moment
density
Concentration (of amount of mole per cubic metre mol/m3 or mol m-3
substance)
Specific volume cubic metre per m³/kg or m³ kg-1
kilogram
Luminance, intensity of candela per square cd/m2 or cd m2
illumination metre
Kinematic viscosity square metre per m2/s or m² s-1
second
Momentum kilogram metre per kg m s-1
second
Moment of inertia kilogram square metre kg m?
Radius of gyration metre m

Linear/superficial/volume per kelvin K-1

expansivities
Flow rate cubic metre per m3 g-1
second
 A
6.2 SI Derived Units with special names
Physical quantity SI Unit
Name Symbol Expression in Expression in
terms of other terms of SI
units base Units
Frequency hertz Hz s-l
Force newton N kg m s-2 or
kg m/s2
Pressure, stress pascal Pa N/m2 or N m2 kg m-l s-2 or
kg /s2 m
Energy, work, quantity of joule J N m kg m2 s-2 or
heat kg m²/s?
Power, radiant flux watt W J/s or Js-l
kg m2 s-3or
kg m²/s3
Quantity of electricity, coulomb As
electric charge
Electric potential, volt W/A or W A-1 kg m 2s-3 A-1 or
potential difference, kg m²/s³ A
electromotive force
Capacitance farad F c/V A2 s4 kg-l m-2
Electric resistance ohm V/A kg m2 s -3 A-2
Conductance siemens S A/V m2 kg-l s3 A2
Magnetic flux Vs or kg m2 s2 A-1
weber Wb J/A
Magnetic field, magnetic tesla T Wb/m? kg s2 A-1
flux density, magnetic
induction
Inductance henry H Wb/A kg m² s-2 A-2

Luminous flux, luminous lumen Im cd /sr

power
Illuminance lux Ix Im/m? m-2 cd sr-l
Activity (of a radio becquerel Bq s-l
nuclide/ radioactive
source)
Absorbed dose, absorbed gray Gy J/kg m²/s2 or m² s-2
dose index
A6.3 Some SI Derived Units expressed by means of SI Units with special names
SI Unit
Physical quantity Name Symbol Expression in
terms of SI
base nits
joule per tesla
m
Magnetic moment JT" A
Dipole moment coulomb metre m C
sA m
poiseiulles or pascal Pl or Pa s or s'
-1
Dynamic viscosity m' kg
second or newton Nsm?
second per square
metre
Torque, couple, mnoment newton metre N m m

kgs?
of force
Surface tension newton per metre N/m kg s?
Power density, watt per square metre W/m' kg s
irradiance, heat flux
density
Heat capacity, entropy joule per kelvin J/K m' kg s² K'
Specific heat capacity, joule per kilogram J/kg K m´ s K'
specific entropy kelvin
Specific energy, latent joule per kilogram J/kg
heat s
Radiant intensity watt per steradian W sr' kg m' sr'
s
Thermal conductivity watt per metre kelvin W m' K' m kg K'
joule per cubic metre
s
Energy density J/m kg
m

Electric field strength volt per metre V/m m kg sA

Electric charge density coulomb per cubic C/m m° As
metre
Electric flux density coulomb per square C/m² mA s
metre
Permittivity farad per metre F/m m° kgs'A
Permeability henry per metre H/m m kg sA?
Molar energy joule per mole J/mol m² kg s"mol'
Angular momentum, joule second Js kg m² s'
Planck's constant
Molar entropy, molar joule per mole kelvin J/mol K m² kg s² K'
heat capacity mol

Exposure (x-rays and coulomb per kilogram c/kg kg' s A

rays)
Absorbed dose rate gray per second Gy/s m² 3

Compressibility per pascal Pa! m kg s²

Elastic moduli newton per square N/m or
Nm² kg m' s
metre
Pressure gradient pascal per metre Pa/m or N m kg
-3 m
s?

Surface potential joule per kilogram J/kg or

N m/kg
Pressure energy pascal cubic metre Pa m' or N m kg m' s?
Impulse newton second NS kg m s
Angular impulse newton metre second Nm s kg m' s!
s
Specific resistance ohm mnetre Qm kg m'
Surface energy joule per square metre J/m´or N/m kg s?
Heat capacity, entropy joule per kelvin J/K m' kg s² K'
Specific heat capacity, joule per kilogram J/kg K m´ s K'
specific entropy kelvin
Specific energy, latent joule per kilogram J/kg
heat s
Radiant intensity watt per steradian W sr' kg m' sr'
s
Thermal conductivity watt per metre kelvin W m' K' m kg K'
joule per cubic metre
s
Energy density J/m kg
m

Electric field strength volt per metre V/m m kg sA

Electric charge density coulomb per cubic C/m m° As
metre
Electric flux density coulomb per square C/m² mA s
metre
Permittivity farad per metre F/m m° kgs'A
Permeability henry per metre H/m m kg sA?
Molar energy joule per mole J/mol m² kg s"mol'
Angular momentum, joule second Js kg m² s'
Planck's constant
Molar entropy, molar joule per mole kelvin J/mol K m² kg s² K'
heat capacity mol

Exposure (x-rays and coulomb per kilogram c/kg kg' s A

rays)
Absorbed dose rate gray per second Gy/s m² 3

Compressibility per pascal Pa! m kg s²

Elastic moduli newton per square N/m or
Nm² kg m' s
metre
Pressure gradient pascal per metre Pa/m or N m kg
-3 m
s?

Surface potential joule per kilogram J/kg or

N m/kg
Pressure energy pascal cubic metre Pa m' or N m kg m' s?
Impulse newton second NS kg m s
Angular impulse newton metre second Nm s kg m' s!
s
Specific resistance ohm mnetre Qm kg m'
Surface energy joule per square metre J/m´or N/m kg s?
1.2 THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM OF UNITS
In earlier time scientists of different countries were using
different systems of units for measurement. Three such
systems, the CGS, the FPS (or British) system and the MKS
system were in use extensively till recently.
The base units for length, mass and time in these systems
were as follows :

In CGS system they were centimetre, gram and second

respectively.
In FPS system they were foot, pound and second
respectively.
In MKS system they were metre, kilogram and second
respectively.
The system of units which is at present internationally
accepted for measurement is the Système Internationale
d' Unites (French for International System of nits),
abbreviated as SI. The SI, with standard scheme of symbols,
units and abbreviations, developed by the Bureau
International des Poids et measures (The International
Bureau of Weights and Measures, BIPM) in 1971l were
recentlyrevised by the General Conference on Weights and
Measures in November 2018. The scheme is now for
 ds

do
do = ds/r radian
In SI,there are seven base units as given in (a)
Table 1.1. Besides the seven base units, there are two
more units that are defined for (a) plane angle do as the dA
\dse
ratio of length of arc ds to the radius r and (b) solid
angle d as the ratio of the intercepted area dA of the
spherical surface, described about the apex O as the
centre, to the square of its radius r, as shown in
Fig. 1.1(a) and (b) respectively. The unit for plane angle d2 = dA/ steradian
(b)
is radian with the symbol rad and the unit for the solid
angle is steradian with the symbol sr. Both these are Fig. 1.1 Description of (a) plane angle de and

dimensionless quantities. (b) solid angle dQ.

1.4 DIMENSIONS OF PHYSICAL QUANTITIES
The nature of a physical quantity is described
by its dimensions. All the physical quantities
represented by derived units can be expressed
in terms of some comnbination of seven

fundamental or base quantities. We shall call

these base quantities as the seven dimensions
of the physical world, which are denoted with
square brackets |. Thus, length has the
dimension L], mass[M. time |T], electric current
A), thermodynamic temperature K], luminous
intensity (cd], and amount of substance mol)
The dimensions of a physical quantity are the
powers (or exponents) to which the base
quantities are raised to represent that
quantity. Note that using the square brackets
round a quantity means that we are dealing
with the dimensions of the quantity.
In mechanics, all the physical quantities can
be written in terms of the dimensions [LJ, [M)
and (T]. For example, the volume occupied by
an object is expressed as the product of length,
breadth and height, or three lengths. Hence the
dimensions of volume are [L]x (L] × L]= [L = |L'].
As the volume is independent of mass and
time,
it is said topossess zerodimension in mass [M°],
zero dimension in time [T°] and three
dimensions in length.
 Note that in this type representation, the
of

magnitudes are not considered. It is the quality

of the type of the physical quantity that enters.
Thus, a change in velocity, initial velocity,
average velocity. final velocity, and speed are
all equivalent in this context. Since all these
quantities can be expressed as length/time,
their dimensions are [L]/(T] or [LT'|.
1.5 DIMENSIONAL FORMULAE AND
DIMENSIONALEQUATIONS
The expression which shows how and which of

thea base represent the dimensions

quantities
of physical quantity is called the dimensional
formula of the given physical quantity. For
example, the dimensional formula of the volume
is [M° LS T°], and that of speed or velocity is
[M° LT]. Similarly, [M°LT] is the dimensional
formula of acceleration and [M L3To] that of
mass density.
An equation obtained by equating a physical
quantity with its dimensional formula is called
the dimensional equation of the physical
quantity. Thus, the dimensional equations are
the equations, which represent the dimensions
of a physical quantity in terms_of the base
quantities.
APPENDICES 155

APPENDIX A 9
DIMENSIONAL FORMULAE OF PHYSICAL QUANTITIES

Rationalised-2023-24
156 PHYSICS

Rationalised-2023-24
APPENDICES 157

Rationalised-2023-24
158 PHYSICS

Rationalised-2023-24
APPENDICES 159

Rationalised-2023-24
144 PHYSICS

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A 1
THE GREEK ALPHABET

APPENDIX A 2
COMMON SI PREFIXES AND SYMBOLS FOR MULTIPLES AND SUB-MULTIPLES

Rationalised-2023-24
APPENDICES 145

APPENDIX A 3
SOME IMPORTANT CONSTANTS

Other useful constants

Rationalised-2023-24
146 PHYSICS

APPENDIX A 4
CONVERSION FACTORS

Conversion factors are written as equations for simplicity.

Length Angle and Angular Speed

1 km = 0.6215 mi π rad = 180°
1mi = 1.609 km 1 rad = 57.30°
1m = 1.0936 yd = 3.281 ft = 39.37 in 1° = 1.745 × 10–2 rad
1 in = 2.54 cm 1 rev min–1 = 0.1047 rad s–1
1 ft = 12 in = 30.48 cm 1 rad s–1 = 9.549 rev min–1
1 yd = 3ft = 91.44 cm Mass
15
1 lightyear = 1 ly = 9.461 x 10 m 1 kg = 1000 g
°
1 A = 0.1nm 1 tonne = 1000 kg = 1 Mg
Area 1 u = 1.6606 × 10–27 kg
1 m2 = 104 cm2 1 kg = 6.022 × 1026 u
1km2 = 0.3861 mi2 = 247.1 acres 1 slug = 14.59 kg
1 in2= 6.4516 cm2 1 kg = 6.852 × 10–2 slug
1ft2= 9.29 x 10-2m2 1 u = 931.50 MeV/c2
1 m2= 10.76 ft2 Density
1 acre = 43,560 ft2 1 g cm–3 = 1000 kg m–3 = 1 kg L–1
1 mi2= 460 acres = 2.590 km2 Force
Volume 1 N = 0.2248 lbf = 105 dyn
1m3= 106cm3 1 lbf = 4.4482 N
3 -3 3
1 L = 1000 cm = 10 m 1 kgf = 2.2046 lbf
1 gal = 3.786 L Time
1 gal = 4 qt = 8 pt = 128 oz = 231 in3 1 h = 60 min = 3.6 ks
1 in3 = 16.39 cm3 1 d = 24 h = 1440 min = 86.4 ks
1ft3 = 1728 in3 = 28.32 L = 2.832 × 104 cm3 1y = 365.24 d = 31.56 Ms
Speed Pressure
–1 –1 –1
1 km h = 0.2778 m s = 0.6215 mi h 1 Pa = 1 N m–2
1mi h–1 = 0.4470 m s–1 = 1.609 km h–1 1 bar = 100 kPa
–1 –1
1mi h = 1.467 ft s 1 atm = 101.325 kPa = 1.01325 bar
Magnetic Field 1atm = 14.7 lbf/in2 = 760 mm Hg
1 G = 10–4 T = 29.9 in Hg = 33.8 ft H2O
–2 4
1 T = 1 Wb m = 10 G 1 lbf in–2 = 6.895 kPa
1 torr = 1mm Hg = 133.32 Pa

Rationalised-2023-24
APPENDICES 147

Energy Power
1
horsepower (hp) = 550 ft lbf/s
1
kWh=3.6 MJ
=
lcal 4.186 J
W

=745.7
lft lbf 1.356 J = 1.286 x 10* Btu min = 17.58 W
= 1
Btu
1
Latm= 101.325 J 1
W=1.341 x 10 hp
=
1
Latm =24.217 cal 0.7376 ft lbf/s
1
Btu 778 ft lb = 252
=
cal =
1054.35J Thermal Conductivity
leV = 1.602 x 109J 1
WmlK=6.938 Btu in/hft °F
lu=931.50 MeV 1
Btu in/hft °F=0.1441 W/m K
l erg = 107J