Units and Dimension

What are Units and Measurements? 

When it comes to units and measurements, the very first thing is to understand what these terms
denote. The comparison of any physical quantity in terms of the numerical value is called
measurement. It provides a standard for everything in life. On the contrary, the standard by which
quantities of similar nature are measured is called Units. The measurement is done based on
internationally accepted units. 

Properties of Units
Listed below are some of the basic properties of a unit:
It must be well-defined
It should not vary with time
It should not alter with changes in physical quantities such as pressure, temperature, height, weight,
etc.

Types of Units
There are two types of units- Fundamental Units and Derived Units.
Fundamental Units
Another important concept in units and measurements is Fundamental Unis. The units for
fundamental quantities that are defined and denoted by international systems of units are called
fundamental units. There are seven fundamental units which have been tabulated below:

Quantity  Unit  Symbol 

Distance or length Metre M
Time Second S
Electric current Ampere A
Mass or weight Kilogram Kg
Luminous intensity Candela cd
Temperature Kelvin K
Quantity or amount  Mole mol

Supplementary Fundamental Units

Quantity Unit  Symbol 

Plane angle Radian rad
Solid angle Steradian Sr

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Other Important Units and Measurements 
Apart from the aforementioned units and measurements, here are some others which you must
understand. 
Astronomical unit – It is the average distance from the centre of the earth to the sun.
1 A. U = 1.495 x 1011 m.
Light year – It refers to the distance travelled by light in one year. 1 light-year = 9.46 x 1015m
Parsec – It is used to measure large distances outside the solar system.
1 parsec = 3.3 light-years.

Definition of Basic and Supplementary Unit of S.I.

1. Metre (m): The metre is the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval
1
of /299 792 458 of a second.
2. Kilogram (Kg): The kilogram is the mass of the platinum-iridium prototype which was approved
by the Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures, held in Paris in 1889, and
kept by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures.
3. Second (s): The second is the duration of 9192631770 periods of the radiation corresponding to
the transition between two hyperfine levels of the ground state of Cesium-133 atom.
4. Ampere (A): The ampere is the intensity of a constant current which, if maintained in two
straight parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible circular cross-section,
and placed 1 metre apart in vacuum, would produce between these conductors a
force equal to 2 x10-7 Newton per metre of length.
5. Kelvin (K): Kelvin is the fraction 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of
water.
6. Candela (Cd): The candela is the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of a source that emits
monochromatic radiation of frequency 540 x 1012 hertz and that has a radiant
intensity in that direction of 1/683 watt per steradian.
7. Mole (mol): The mole is the amount of substance of a system which contains as many elementary
entities as there are atoms in 0.012 kilogram of Carbon-12.

Supplementary units:
1. Radian (rad): It is supplementary unit of plane angle. It is the plane angle subtended at the centre
of a circle by an arc of the circle equal to the radius of the circle. It is denoted by 𝜃.
l
𝜃= /r;
𝑙 is length of the arcand 𝑟 is radius of the circle
2. Steradian (Sr): It is supplementary unit of solid angle. It is the angle subtended at the centre of a
sphere by a surface area of the sphere having magnitude equal to the square of the
radius of the sphere. It is denoted by Ω.

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 Δs
Ω= / r2

Derived Units
It is a SI unit of measurement that consists of the combination of two or more of the seven
fundamental units. There are many derived units in Physics. The examples are area, volume, speed,
force, surface tension, pressure, latent heat, etc. 

Systems of Units
The units of measurement of physical quantities have evolved over centuries and decades. The
old systems were not universal, owing to which there were discrepancies in measurement. These
variations led to the evolution and adoption of a logical and universal International System of Units
(SI) which is used in contemporary times.

Here are the highly prevalent old and new systems of units:

Systems of Units Unit of Length Unit of Weight Unit of Time

FPS Foot Pound Second
CGS Centimetre Gram Second
MKS Metre Kilogram Second
SI Metre Kilogram Second

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Derived Units

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DIMENSIONAL FORMULAE and SI UNITS OF PHYSICAL QUANTITIES

Some Practical Units

1. 1 fermi =10-15 m
2. 1 X-ray unit = 10-13 m
3. 1 astronomical unit = 1.49 x 1011 m (average distance between sun and earth)
4. 1 light year = 9.46 x 1015 m
5. 1 parsec = 3.08 x 1016 m = 3.26 light year

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 Units and Dimensions (important for class 11)

Units and Dimensions (important for class 12)

Unit(s) Name SI Unit SI Unit Expressed in

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 Symbol other SI units
Electric charge Coulomb C –
W
Electric Potential (Voltage) Volt V /A
Wb
Inductance Henry H /A
C
Capacitance Farad F /V
V
Resistance, Impedance, Ohm Ω /current
Reactance
Electrical Conductance Siemens S Ω−1
Magnetic Flux Weber Wb V⋅ area
Magnetic Flux Density Tesla T Wb/m2
Energy, Work, Heat Joule J N⋅m = Pa⋅m3
Power, Radiant Flux Watt W Joule / second
Angle Radian rad –
Radioactivity Becquerel Bq –
Luminous Flux Lumen lm Candela x solid angle

Homogeneity Principle of Dimensional Analysis

Principle of Homogeneity states that dimensions of each of the terms of a dimensional equation on
both sides should be the same. This principle is helpful because it helps us convert the units from one
form to another. To better understand the principle, let us consider the following example:
Q1. What is dimensional analysis?
Ans. Dimensional analysis is the study of the relationship between physical quantities with the help
of dimensions and units of measurement.
Q2. State true or false:
Dimensional analysis can not be used to find dimensionless constants.
Ans. TRUE
Q3. State the principle of homogeneity of dimensions
The principle of homogeneity of dimensions states that an equation is dimensionally correct if the
dimensions of the various terms on either side of the equation are the same.
Q4. Why do we use dimensional analysis?
We make use of dimensional analysis for three prominent reasons:
 To check the consistency of a dimensional equation
 To derive the relation between physical quantities in physical phenomena
 To change units from one system to another.
Q5. What are the limitations of dimensional analysis?
Some limitations of dimensional analysis are:

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  It doesn’t give information about the dimensional constant.
 The formula containing trigonometric function, exponential functions, logarithmic function,
etc. cannot be derived.
 It gives no information about whether a physical quantity is a scalar or vector.

Try Yourself
# Write down the dimension of following
(i) Time period
I
(ii) Frequency ( /T)
(iii) Impulse (force x time)
(iv) Angular velocity (ω)
(v) Angular acceleration (∆ω/∆t)
(vi) Angular frequency (2 πf )
(vii) Wavelength
(viii) Pressure
(ix) Momentum
(x) Angular momentum (mvr sin⊖)
(xi) Force
(∆acceleration
(xii) Jerk /∆t)
(xiii) Kinetic Energy
(xiv) Potential Energy
(xv) Electricl Energy
(xvi) Change in energy
(xvii) power

## Write down the dimension of following

(i) stress (force / area)
∆l
(ii) strain [ / l ]
F
(iii) surface tension ( /l)
(iv) Young’s modulus of elasticity (γ)

### Write down the dimension of following

(i) current
(ii) charge
(iii) resistence (R)

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 Q
(iv) capacity ( /V)
(v) resistivity (ρ)
1
(vi) conductivity ( / ρ)
I
(vii) conductance ( / R)
V
(viii) inductance ( / I/t )
(ix) potential
(x) horse power

Write down the dimension of following

(i) Plank’s constant (6.62 × 10−34 joule second)

(ii) Gravitational constant 6.67 × 10−11 newton meter2/kg2
(iii) Boltzmann’s constant (1.38 × 10−23 joule per kelvin)
(iv) Universal gas constant (PV = RT, R = Gas constant)
∆v
(v) Coefficient of viscosity (F = A /∆Z , V = velocity, Z= distance)
q q 2
(vi) Coulomb’s constant (F= K. 1 2/r , K = Coulomb’s constant )
(vii) Decay constant (T= log2/, = Decay constant )
(viii) Faraday constant (9.65 × 104 coulombs per mole)
(ix) Rydberg constant (1.097 × 107 per metre)
(x) Spring constant (F= kx)
(xi) Permittivity (ε0 )
(xii) Permeability (µ0)

Multiple Type Choice Questions

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Q. 1. Which of the following is not the name of physical quantity?
(a) Kilogram
(b) Density
(c) Impulse
(d) Energy
Q. 2.The weight of a body is 12g. This statement is not correct because
(a) The correct symbol for the unit of weight has not been used.
(b) The correct symbol for gram is gm.
(c) The weight should be expressed in kg.
(d) Of some reason other than those given above.
Q. 3. The density of a liquid is 13.6 g cm-3. Its value ip S.I. is
(a) 13.6 kgm-3
(b) 136 kgm-3
(c) 13600 kgm-3
(d) 1360 kgm-3
Q. 4. If the unit of force and length are doubled, the unit of energy will be
(a) 1/2 times
(b) 2 times
(c) 4 times
(d) 1/4 times
Q. 5. Which of the following have the same dimensions as v2r Where v is the
speed of the particle describing a circular path of radius r.
(a) Force
(b) Impulse
(c) Acceleration
(d) Momentum
Q. 6. Which of the following have the same dimensions as Plank’s constant?
(a) Moment of momentum
(b) Moment of force
(c) Momentum
/distance
(d)
Force
/distance
Q. 7. Which of the following is a dimensionless quantity, even when the measured quantity is not
dimensionless?
(a) absolute error
(b) Gross error
(c) Relative error
(d) experimental error

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Q. 8. The zero error belongs to the category of:
(a) constant error
(b) personal error
(c) accidental error
(d) instrumental error
Q. 13. Which of the following is not the name of a physical quantity?
(a) Kilogram
(b) Density
(c) energy
(d) Impulse
Q. 15. The volume of a cube in m3 is numerically equal to its surface area in m². The volume of the
cube is
(a) 64m³
(b) 1000m³
(c) 216m³
(d) 512m³
Q. 16. The weight of a body is 12g. This statement is not correct because:
(а) the correct symbol for the unit of weight has not been used
(b) the correct symbol for gram is gm.
(c) the weight should be expressed in kg.
(d) None of the above
Q. 17. Give that the displacement of a particle is given by x = A² sin² kt, where t denotes the time.
The unit of k is
(a) radian
(b) metre
(c) hertz
(d) second
Q. 18. Which of the following is the unit of molar gas constant?
(a) JK-1 mol-1
(b) J
(c) JK-1
(d) J mol-1
Q. 19. The dimensional formula for angular momentum is same as that for:
(a) torque
(b) Plank’s constant
(c) gravitational constant
(d) impulse

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Q. 20. Which of the following physical quantity is dimensionless?
(a) angle
(b) specific gravity
(c) strain
(d) all of these
Q. 21. Ampere - hour is a unit of 
(a) Quantity of electricity
(b) Strength of electric current
(c) Power
(d) Energy
Q. 22. Parsec is a unit of :
(a) Distance
(b) Velocity
(c) Time
(d) Angle
Q. 23. Which of the following is a dimensional constant?
(a) Gravitational constant
(b) Dielectric constant
(c) Refractive index
(d) Relative density
Q. 24.  One pico farad is equal to
(a) 10–12 farad
(b) 10–24 farad
(c) 10–18 farad
(d) 10–6 farad
Q.25. Torr’ is the unit of
(a) pressure
(b) volume
(c) density
(d) flux
Q.26. Unit of specific resistance is
(a) ohm – m
(b) ohm/m
(c) ohm m3
(d) ohm/m2
Q.27. The division of energy by time is X. The dimensional formula of X is same as that of
(a) power
(b) electric field
(c) momentum

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 (d) torque
Q.28. The dimensions of kinetic energy is
(a) [M2L2T]
(b) [ML2T]
(c) [ML2T-2]
(d) [ML2T-1]
Q.29. The atmospheric pressure is 106 dyne/cm2. What is its value in SI unit?
(a) 105 newton/m2
(b) 106 newton/m2
(c) 104 newton/m2
(d) 103 newton/m2
Q. 30. In a system of units if force (F), acceleration (a) and time (T) are taken as fundamentals units
then the dimensional formula of energy is
(a) FA2T
(b) FAT2
(c) FA2T
(d) FAT
Q. 31. The dimensions of kinetic energy is same as that of
(a) force
(b) pressure
(c) work
(d) momentum
Q. 32. Electron volt is a unit of
(a) charge
(b) potential difference
(c) energy
(d) magnetic force
Q. 33. The volume of a cube in m3 is equal to the surface area of the cube in m2. The volume of the
cube is
(a) 64 m3
(b) 216 m3
(c) 512 m3
(d) 196 m3
Q. 34. In SI system the fundamental units are
(a) meter, kilogram, second, ampere, Kelvin, mole and candela
(b) meter, kilogram, second, coulomb, Kelvin, mole and candela
(c) meter, Newton, second, ampere, Kelvin, mole and candela
(d) meter, kilogram, second, ampere, Kelvin, mole and flux

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Q. 35. Light year is a unit of
(a) time
(b) distance
(c) sunlight intensity
(d) mass
Q. 36.  [ML T ] is the dimensional formula of
-1 -2

(a) force
(b) coefficient of friction
(c) modulus of elasticity
(d) energy
Q.37. The dimensional formula of coefficient of viscosity is
(a) [MLT-1]
(b) [M-1L2T-2]
(c) [ML-1T -1]
(d) none of these
Q. 38. Dimensional formula of latent heat
(a) M0L2T-2
(b) MLT-2
(c) ML2T-2
(d) ML2T-2
Q. 39. If length of pendulum is increased by 2%. The time period will
(a) increases by 1%
(b) decreases by 1%
(c) increases by 2%
(d) decreases by 2%
Q. 40.  The dimensional formula of couple
(a) ML2T-2
(b) MLT-1
(c) ML-1T-1
(d) M1L1T-2
Q. 41. Which of the following is a possible dimensionless quantity ?
(a) Velocity gradient
(b) Pressure gradient
(c) Displacement gradient
(d) Force gradient

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Q.42. Which of the following pairs of physical quantities does not have same dimensional formula?
(a) Work and torque
(b) Angular momentum and Planck’s constant
(c) Tension and surface tension
(d) Impulse and linear momentum
Q.43. If momentum (p), area (a) and time (T) are taken to be fundamental quantities, then energy has
the dimensional formula

Q.44. On the basis of dimensions, decide which of the following relations for the displacement of a
particle undergoing simple harmonic motion is not correct?

Q.45. Photon is a quantum of radiation with energy E = hv, where v is frequency

and h is Planck’s
constant. The dimensions of h are the same as that of
(a) Linear impulse
(b) Angular impulse
(c) Linear momentum                          
(d) Angular momentum
Q.46. Which of the following ratios express pressure?
(a) Force/Area                                       
(b) Energy/Volume
(c) Energy/Area                                     
(d) Force/Volume
Q.47. Give an example of
(a) a physical quantity which has a unit but no dimensions
(b) a physical quantity which has neither unit nor dimensions
(c) a constant which has a unit
(d) a constant which has no unit

Subjective
Q.48. The displacement of a progressive wave is represented by y = A sin(wt – kx), where x is
distance and t is time. Write the dimensional formula of (i) w and (ii) k 
Q.49. Can dimensional analysis tell you that a physical relation is completely right?
Q.50. If y = a + bt + ct2, where y is the distance and t is the time.
What is the dimension and unit of c?

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 l
Q.51. Check the correctness of the relation T = 2π √( /g ) using dimensional analysis.
Q.52. Taking force, length and time to be fundamental quantities, find the dimensional formula for
density.

Q.54. The period of a simple pendulum is given by

where l is length of the pendulum and g is acceleration due to gravity. Show that this equation is
dimensionally correct.

Q.55.

Q.56. Give examples for the following : 

a) A dimensionless, unit less physical quantity.
b) A dimensionless physical quantity but having unit in SI system.
c) Two physical quantities which have the same dimensions.
Q.57. Pick out the fundamental unit from the following : Second, m/s, Newton, Joule. 
Q.59. Velocity of sound depends on density (ρ) and modulus of elasticity (E).
(The dimensional formula of E is ML– 1T– 2. )
a) State the principle of homogeneity.
b) Using the above principle, arrive at an expression for the velocity of sound. (Take K = 1)
Q.60. The correctness of equations can be checked using the principle of homogeneity. 
a) State the principle of homogeneity.
b) Using this principle, check whether the following equation is dimensionally correct.

where m is the mass of the body, u is its velocity, g is the acceleration due to gravity and
h is the height.
c) If percentage errors of measurement in velocity and mass are 2% and 4% respectively,
what is the percentage error in kinetic energy?
Q.61. A company manufacturing PVC pipes claims in an advertisement that the volume of water
flowing out through the pipe in a given time is as per the equation: V = K A 2 u t , where A is
the area of cross section of the pipe, u is the speed of flow, t is the time and K is a
dimensionless constant. 

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 a) Name the principle that can be used to check the dimensional correctness of this equation.
b) Check the equation and state whether the claim is correct.
Q.62. a) A student was asked to write the equation for displacement at any instant in a simple
harmonic motion of amplitude ‘a’. He wrote the equation as: y = a. sin [
2πv
/k ] t
Where ‘v’ is the velocity at instant T. For the equation to be dimensionally correct, what
should be the dimensions of k ?

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