SNBP INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL & KIDZONE

SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL MORWADI,

PIMPRI, PUNE
ACADEMIC SESSION 2021-2022
STD-XI
SUBJECT-PHYSICS
CH.2 :UNITS AND MEASUREMENT & DIMENSIONS
NOTES:

1. Every measurement has two parts. The first is a number (n) and the next is a unit (u). Q = nu.
Eg : Length of an object = 40 cm.
2. The number expressing the magnitude of a physical quantity is inversely proportional to the
unit selected.
3. If n1 and n2 are the numerical values of a physical quantity corresponding to the units u1 and
u2, then n1u1 = n2u2. Eg : 2.8 m = 280 cm; 6.2 kg = 6200 g
4. The quantities that are independent of other quantities are called fundamental quantities.
The units that are used to measure these fundamental quantities are called fundamental
units.
5. There are four systems of units namely C.G.S, M.K.S, F.P.S and SI
6. The quantities that are derived using the fundamental quantities are called derived
quantities. The units that are used to measure these derived quantities are called derived
units.
7. The early systems of units :
System of units
Fundamental MKS CGS FPS
Quantity
Length Meter Centimeter Foot
Mass Kilogram Gram pound
Time Second Second Second

8. Fundamental and supplementary physical quantities in SI system (Systeme Internationale

d’units) :
Physical quantity Unit Symbol

Length metre m
Mass kilogram kg
Time second s
Electric current Ampere A
Thermodynamic temperature Kelvin K
Intensity of light candela Cd
Quantity of substance mole mol

Supplementary quantities:
Plane angle radian rad
Solid angle steradian sr

9. SI units are used in scientific research. SI is a coherent system of units.

10. A coherent system of units is one in which the units of derived quantities are obtained as
multiples or submultiples of certain basic units. SI system is a comprehensive, coherent and
rationalised M.K.S. Ampere system (RMKSA system) and was devised by Prof. Giorgi.
11. Metre: It is defined as the distance travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of
1/299, 792, 458 of a second
12. Kilogram : The mass of a cylinder of platinum–iridium alloy kept in the International Bureau
of weights and measures preserved at Serves near Paris is called one kilogram.
13. Second : The duration of 9192631770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition
between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of caesium–133 atom is called one
second.
14. Ampere : The current which when flowing in each of two parallel conductors of infinite length
and negligible cross–section and placed one metre apart in vacuum, causes each conductor
to experience a force of 2x10–7 newton per metre of length is known as one ampere.
15. Kelvin : The fraction of 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of
water is called kelvin.
16. Candela: The candela is the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of a source that emits
monochromatic radiation of frequency 540 x10 12 hertz and that has a radiant intensity in that
direction of 1/683 watt per steradian.
17. Mole : The amount of a substance of a system which contains as many elementary entities
as there are atoms in kg of carbon–12 is known as one mole.
18. Radian : The angle made by an arc of the circle equivalent to its radius at the centre is
known as radian. 1 radian = 57017’45”.
19. Steradian : The angle subtended at the centre by one square metre area of the surface of a
sphere of radius one metre is known as steradian.
20. The quantity having the same unit in all the systems of units is time.
21. Angstrom is the unit of length used to measure the wavelength of light. 1 Å = 10-10 m.
22. Fermi is the unit of length used to measure nuclear distances. 1 fermi = 10-15metre.
23. Light year is the unit of length for measuring astronomical distances.
 24. Light year = distance travelled by light in 1 year = 9.4605x1015m.
25. Astronomical unit = Mean distance between the sun and earth = 1.5x1011 m.
26. Parsec is the distance at which average radius of earth’s orbit subtends an angle of 1 arc
second
27. Parsec = 3.26 light years = 3.084x1016 m
28. Barn is the unit of area for measuring scattering cross–section of collisions. 1 barn = 10-28
m2.
29. PREFIXES : (or) Abbreviations for multiples and sub–multiples of 10.

MACRO Prefixes MICRO Prefixes

Kilo K 103 milli m 10-3

Mega M 106 micro μ 10-6

Giga G 109 nano n 10-9

Tera T 1012 Pico p 10-12

Peta P 1015 femto f 10-15

Exa E 1018 atto a 10-18

Zetta Z 1021 zepto z 10-21

Yotta Y 1024 yocto y 10-24

Note : The following are not used in SI system.

deca 10, deci 10-1
 hecta 102, centi 10-2
30. Full names of the units, even when they are named after a scientist should not be written with
a capital letter. Eg : newton, watt, ampere, metre.
31. Unit should be written either in full or in agreed symbols only.
32. Units do not take plural form. Eg : 10 kg but not 10 kgs, 20 W but not 20 Ws 2 A but not 2 As
33. No full stop or punctuation mark should be used within or at the end of symbols for units..
34. Some important conversions :
1 bar = 105 Nm-2 = 105 pascal
76 cm of Hg = 1.013x105 pascal = 1.013 bar.
1 Torricelli or torr = 1 mm of Hg = 1.333x103 dyne/cm2 = 1.333 millibar.
1 kmh-1 = 5/18 ms-1
1 dyne = 10-5N,
1 H.P = 746 watt
1 kilowatt hour = 3.6x106 J
1 kgwt = 9.8 N
1 calorie = 4.2 joule
1 electron volt = 1.602x10-19 joule
1 joule = 107 erg
35. Some important physical constants :
Velocity of light in vacuum (c) = 3x108 ms-1
Velocity of sound in air at STP = 331 ms-1
Acceleration due to gravity (g) = 9.81 ms-2
Avogadro number (N) = 6.023x1023 /mol
Density of water at 4oC = 1000 kgm-3 or 1 g/cc.
Absolute zero = - 273.150C or 0 K
Atomic mass unit = 1.66x1027 kg
Quantum of charge (e) = 1.602x10-19 C
Stefan’s constant( σ) = 5.67x10-8 W/m2/K4
Boltzmann’s constant (K) = 1.381x1023 JK-1
One atmosphere = 76 cm Hg = 1.013x105 Pa
Mechanical equivalent of heat (J) = 4.186 J/cal
Planck’s constant (h) = 6.626x1034 Js
Universal gas constant (R) = 8.314 J/mol
Permeability of free space ( μo ) = 4 π x107 H/m
Permittivity of free space ( εo ) = 8.854x10-12 C2/Nm2
Density of air at S.T.P. = 1.293 kgm-3
Universal gravitational constant = 6.67x10-11 Nm2/kg2
36. Dimensions of a physical quantity are the powers to which the fundamental units are raised
to obtain one unit of that quantity.
37. The expression showing the powers to which the fundamental units are to be raised to obtain
one unit of a derived quantity is called the dimensional formula of that quantity.
38. If Q is the unit of a derived quantity represented by Q = M aLbTc, then MaLbTc is called
dimensional formula and the exponents a,b and c are called the dimensions.
39. Dimensional Constants : The physical quantities which have dimensions and have a fixed
value are called dimensional constants. Eg : Gravitational constant (G), Planck’s constant
(h), Universal gas constant (R), Velocity of light in vacuum (C) etc.
40. Dimensionless quantities are those which do not have dimensions but have a fixed value.
41. Dimensionless quantities without units. Eg : Pure numbers, π e, sinθ cosθ tanθ …. etc.,
42. Dimensionless quantities with units. Eg : Angular displacement – radian, Joule’s constant –
joule/calorie, etc.,
43. Dimensional variables are those physical quantities which have dimensions and do not have
fixed value. Eg : velocity, acceleration, force, work, power… etc.
44. Dimensionless variables are those physical quantities which do not have dimensions and do
not have fixed value. Eg : Specific gravity, refractive index, coefficient of friction, Poisson’s
ratio etc.
45. Dimensional formulae are used to a) verify the correctness of a physical equation, b) derive
relationship between physical quantities and c) to convert the units of a physical quantity
from one system to another system.
46. Law of homogeneity of dimensions: In any correct equation representing the relation
between physical quantities, the dimensions of all the terms must be the same on both sides.
Terms
separated by ‘+’ or ‘–’ must have the same dimensions
47. A physical quantity Q has dimensions a, b and c in length (L), mass (M) and time (T)
respectively,and n1 is its numerical value in a system in which the fundamental units are L1,
M1 and T1 and n2 is the numerical value in another system in which the fundamental units
are L2, M2 and T2 respectively, then
 48. Fourier laid down the foundations of dimensional analysis.

49. Limitations of dimensional analysis :

Dimensionless quantities cannot be determined by this method. Constant of proportionality
cannot be determined by this method. They can be found either by experiment (or) by theory.
This method is not applicable to trigonometric, logarithmic and exponential functions.
In the case of physical quantities which are dependent upon more than three physical quantities,
this method will be difficult.
In some cases, the constant of proportionality also possesses dimensions. In such cases we
cannot use this system.
If one side of equation contains addition or subtraction of physical quantities, we can not use this
method to derive the expression.

50. Quantities having the same dimensional formulae :

a) impulse and momentum.
b) work, energy, torque, moment of force, energy
c) angular momentum, Planck’s constant, rotational impulse
d) stress, pressure, modulus of elasticity, energy density.
e) force constant, surface tension, surface energy.
f) angular velocity, frequency, velocity gradient
g) gravitational potential, latent heat.
h) thermal capacity, entropy, universal gas constant and Boltzmann’s constant.
i) force, thrust.
j) power, luminous flux
Dimensional formulae for some physical quantities:
PHYSICAL QUANTITY DIMENSIONAL FORMULA
Area L2
Volume L3
Density ML-3
Speed or velocity LT-1
Acceleration LT-2
Momentum MLT-1
Force MLT-2
Energy, work ML2T-2
Power ML2T-3
Frequency T-1
Pressure ML-1T-2
Torque, moment of couple ML2T-2
Moment of inertia ML2
Specific heat capacity L2T-2K-1
Latent heat L2T-2
Angle M0LOTO
Boltzmann’s constant ML2T-2 K-1
Planck’s constant ML2T-1
Universal gravitational constant M-1L3T-2
Universal gas constant ML2T-2 K-1
Stefan’s constant ML0T-3 K-4
Strain M0LOTO
Stress ML-1T-2
Coefficient of viscosity ML-1T-1
Electric resistance ML2T-3A-2
Force constant or spring constant MT-2
Specific gravity M0LOTO