Dimensional Formulas for Physical Quantities

Dimensional
Physical Quantity Unit
Formula

Acceleration or acceleration due to gravity ms–2 LT–2

Angle (arc/radius) rad MoLoTo

Angular displacement rad MoloTo

Angular frequency (angular displacement/time) rads–1 T–1

Angular impulse (torque x time) Nms ML2T–1

Angular momentum (Iω) kgm2s–1 ML2T–1

Angular velocity (angle/time) rads–1 T–1

Area (length x breadth) m2 L2

Boltzmann’s constant JK–1 ML2T–2θ–1

Bulk modulus
Nm –2, Pa M1L–1T–2
(ΔP.VΔV)

Calorific value Jkg–1 L2T–2

Coefficient of linear or areal or volume expansion o

C–1 or K–1 θ–1

Coefficient of surface tension (force/length) Nm –1 or Jm–2 MT–2

Coefficient of thermal conductivity Wm–1K–1 MLT–3θ–1

Coefficient of viscosity
poise ML–1T–1
(F=ηAdvdx)

Compressibility (1/bulk modulus) Pa–1, m 2N–2 M–1LT2

Density (mass/volume) kgm–3 ML–3

Displacement, wavelength, focal length m L

Electric capacitance (charge/potential) CV–1, farad M–1L–2T4I2

Electric conductance (1/resistance) Ohm–1 or mho or siemen M–1L–2T3I2

Electric conductivity (1/resistivity) siemen/metre or Sm–1 M–1L–3T3I2

Electric charge or quantity of electric charge (current x

coulomb IT
time)

Electric current ampere I

Electric dipole moment (charge x distance) Cm LTI

Electric field strength or intensity of electric field

NC–1, Vm –1 MLT–3I–1
(force/charge)

Electric resistance
ohm ML2T–3I–2
(potential differencecurrent)

Emf (or) electric potential (work/charge) volt ML2T–3I–1

Energy (capacity to do work) joule ML2T–2

Energy density Jm –3 ML–1T–2

(energyvolume)

Entropy
Jθ–1 ML2T–2θ–1
(ΔS=ΔQ/T)

Force (mass x acceleration) newton (N) MLT–2

Force constant or spring constant (force/extension) Nm –1 MT–2

Frequency (1/period) Hz T–1

Gravitational potential (work/mass) Jkg–1 L2T–2

Heat (energy) J or calorie ML2T–2

Illumination (Illuminance) lux (lumen/metre2) MT–3

Impulse (force x time) Ns or kgms–1 MLT–1

Inductance (L)

(energy=12LI2)
henry (H) ML2T–2I–2
or

coefficient of self-induction
Intensity of gravitational field (F/m) Nkg–1 L1T–2
Intensity of magnetization (I) Am–1 L–1I
Joule’s constant or mechanical equivalent of heat Jcal–1 MoLoTo
Latent heat (Q = mL) Jkg–1 MoL2T–2
Linear density (mass per unit length) kgm–1 ML–1
Luminous flux lumen or (Js–1) ML2T–3
Magnetic dipole moment Am2 L2I
Magnetic flux (magnetic induction x area) weber (Wb) ML2T–2I–1
Magnetic induction (F = Bil) NI–1m–1 or T MT–2I–1
Magnetic pole strength (unit: ampere–meter) Am LI
Modulus of elasticity (stress/strain) Nm –2, Pa ML–1T–2
Moment of inertia (mass x radius2) kgm2 ML2
Momentum (mass x velocity) kgms–1 MLT–1
Permeability of free space
Hm –1 or NA–2 MLT–2I–2
(μo=4πFd2m1m2)
Permittivity of free space
Fm –1 or C2N–1m–2 M–1L–3T4I2
(εo=Q1Q24πFd2)
Planck’s constant (energy/frequency) Js ML2T–1
Poisson’s ratio (lateral strain/longitudinal strain) –– MoLoTo
Power (work/time) Js–1 or watt (W) ML2T–3
Pressure (force/area) Nm –2 or Pa ML–1T–2
Pressure coefficient or volume coefficient o
C–1 or θ–1 θ–1
Pressure head m MoLTo
disintegrations per
Radioactivity MoLoT–1
second
Ratio of specific heats –– MoLoTo
Refractive index –– MoLoTo
Ω
Resistivity or specific resistance ML3T–3I–2
–m
Specific conductance or conductivity (1/specific resistance) siemen/metre or Sm–1 M–1L–3T3I2
Specific entropy (1/entropy) KJ–1 M–1L–2T2θ
Specific gravity (density of the substance/density of water) –– MoLoTo
Specific heat (Q = mst) Jkg–1θ–1 MoL2T–2θ–1
Specific volume (1/density) m3kg–1 M–1L3
Speed (distance/time) ms–1 LT–1
Stefan’s constant
(heat energyarea x time x temperature4) Wm–2θ–4 MLoT–3θ–4
.
Strain (change in dimension/original dimension) –– MoLoTo
Stress (restoring force/area) Nm –2 or Pa ML–1T–2
Surface energy density (energy/area) Jm –2 MT–2
Temperature o
C or θ MoLoToθ
Temperature gradient o
Cm–1 or θm–1 MoL–1Toθ
(change in temperaturedistance)
Thermal capacity (mass x specific heat) Jθ–1 ML2T–2θ–1
Time period second T
Torque or moment of force (force x distance) Nm ML2T–2
Universal gas constant (work/temperature) Jmol–1θ–1 ML2T–2θ–1
Universal gravitational constant
Nm 2kg–2 M–1L3T–2
(F=G.m1m2d2)
Velocity (displacement/time) ms–1 LT–1
Velocity gradient (dv/dx) s–1 T–1
Volume (length x breadth x height) m3 L3
Water equivalent kg MLoTo
Work (force x displacement) J ML2T–2