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Chapter 1 - Dimension Analysis

This document discusses units and dimensions in physics. It defines fundamental quantities like mass, length, and time that are measured in SI and cgs units. Derived quantities are defined in terms of fundamental quantities, with units and dimensions identified. Examples show how to determine relationships between physical quantities using dimensional analysis and show conversions between common units.

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Ghassan Terek
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
86 views

Chapter 1 - Dimension Analysis

This document discusses units and dimensions in physics. It defines fundamental quantities like mass, length, and time that are measured in SI and cgs units. Derived quantities are defined in terms of fundamental quantities, with units and dimensions identified. Examples show how to determine relationships between physical quantities using dimensional analysis and show conversions between common units.

Uploaded by

Ghassan Terek
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 1: Units and Dimensions

 The physical quantities are measured in units.


 The fundamental quantities are:
 The mass
 The length
 The time

we have two
systems of units

SI units "Kms" "cgs"

Mass By (kg) By gram (g)


Length By meter (m) By centimeter (cm)
Time By second (s) By second (s)

Dimensions:
The dimension indicates the physical nature of the quantity, whatever its unit is.

The dimension of length is L


The dimension of mass is M
The dimension of time is T

Derived quantities:
1. Velocity:
dis tan ce
v
time
o Its unit is m/sec or cm/sec
o Its dimensions LT-1
2. Acceleration:
velocity v
a 
time t
o Its unit m/sec2 or cm/sec2
o Its dimensions LT-2
3. Force:
F  mass  acceleration  ma
o Its unit:
 kg.m/sec2=Newton (N)
 Or, g.cm/sec2=dyne
 1N=5dyne
o Its dimensions MLT-2
4. Energy:
energy  work  force  displacement  F  d
o Its unit:
 N.m= 1 Joule
 Dyne.cm=erg
 1Joule= 107 erg
o Its dimensions: force  displacement =MLT-2. L=ML2T-2
5. Pressure:
force
P
area
o Its unit is N/m2=Pascal
MLT 2
o Its dimensions  ML1T 2
L2
6. Density:
mass

volume
o Its unit: kg/m3 or g/cm3
o Its dimensions: M / L3  ML3

Example 1:
Show that the expression v  v0  at is valid.
Answer 1:
L.H.S. has the dimensions of velocity: LT-1
R.H.S. = LT-1 +LT-2.T
= LT-1+LT-1
=2LT-1
 The dimensions in both sides are the same
 The expression is valid

Example 2:
The centripetal acceleration (a) of a moving particle depends on:
 Its radius (r)
 The velocity of the particle (v)
Find the relation between r, v, and a.
Answer 2:
a r n
 a r n v m
a v m

 a  kr n v m
Where k is constant with no dimensions
By using the dimensions:
LT-2= kLn(LT-1)m = kLn+mT-m
 By equating the powers in both sides:
1=n+m , -2=-m  m=2
And
1=n+2  n=-1
v2
 ak
r

Example 3:
If the periodic time of a simple pendulum depends on:
1. Mass of the ball (m)
2. Acceleration due to gravity (a)
3. Length of the wire (l)
Find the relation between and m, l, and g.
Answer 3:
Let malbgc
kmalbgc
using dimensions:
T=kMaLb(LT-2)c
= kMaLb+cT-2c
By equating the powers in both sides:
a=0
b+c=0
-2c=1  c=-1/2
 b=1/2
 =km0l1/2g-1/2
l
  k
g
Example 4:
Prove that:
1N=105 dyne
1joule=107erg
Answer 4:
 1N=1kg.m/sec2
=103gm.102cm/sec2
=105gm.cm/sec2
=105 dyne
 1joule=1N.m
=1(kg.m/sec2).m
=1kg.m2/sec2
=103gm.(102)2cm2/sec2
=107gm.cm2/sec2
=107erg
Example 5:
The mass of the solid cube is 856 gm and each edge has a length of 5.35 cm. Determine the
density of the cube in SI units.
Answer 5:
m = (856gm)  10-3kg=0.856kg
L=5.35 cm=0.0535m
 The volume of the cube=L3=(0.0535)3=1.53  10-4 m3
 Density=mass/volume=0.856/ (1.53  10-4)=5590 kg/m3
Example 6:
The quantities A and B have the same dimensions while the quantity C has different
dimensions. Which expression of the following is/are correct?
a) A+B.C
b) (A+C)/B
c) (A+B)/C
d) (B-C)/A

Answer 6:
C is the correct answer because A and B have the same dimension so A+B has the same
dimension.

Example 7:
The general gas equation is:
 a
 P  2  (v  b)  RT ,
 v 
Where P is the pressure, v is the volume and T is the temperature.
Find the dimensions of a, b and R.
Answer 7:
a a
 2
is added to the pressure, then 2 has pressure dimensions.
v v
2
a MLT
3 2
=pressure= 2
 ML1T 2
(L ) L
5 -2
 a=ML T
 b is added to the volume, so b has volume dimensions:
b=L3
 The L.H.S. is pressure  volume
It has dimensions of: ML1T 2  L3 = ML2T 2
 The R.H.S. is “RT”
ML2T 2
o R=
K
Units:
 The unit of a:
P=a/V2
N/m2=a/m6
a=N.m4
 The unit of b is m3
 The unit of R:
Joule=R.K
R=Joule/K

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