Dimensional Formula (original) (raw)
Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025
**Dimensional Formulas play an important role in converting units from one system to another and find numerous practical applications in real-life situations. Dimensional Formulas are a fundamental component of the field of units and measurements. In mathematics, Dimension refers to the measurement of an object's size, extent, or distance in a specific direction, such as length, width, or height, but in the context of physical quantities, the dimension signifies the exponent to which fundamental units must be raised to yield a single unit of that specific quantity.
In this article, we will discuss the introduction, definition, properties, and limitations of a Dimensional Formula and its meaning. We will also understand dimensional formulas for different physical quantities and Dimensional equations. We will also solve various examples and provide practice questions for a better understanding of the concept of this article. We have to study Dimensional Formula in Class 11.
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Table of Content
- What is Dimensional Formula?
- Dimensional Formula for Various Quantities
- Application of Dimensional Formula
- Limitations of Dimensional Formula
- Dimensional Formula and Dimensional Equations
What is Dimensional Formula?
The Dimensional Formula of any quantity serves as an expression that shows the powers by which fundamental units must be raised to yield a single unit of that derived quantity. These dimensional formulas play an important role in establishing relationships between variables in nearly every dimensional equation.
These formulae, also known as the Dimensional Formula of the Physical Quantity, tell us about the presence and combination of fundamental quantities within a given physical quantity. A dimensional formula is always enclosed within square brackets [ ].
Example of Dimensional Formula
Let’s suppose there is a physical quantity X that depends on the fundamental dimensions of Mass (M), Length (L), and Time (T), each with associated powers a, b, and c, then its Dimensional Formula can be expressed as follows:
**Dimensional Formulae X = [M a L b T c ]
Dimensional Formula for Various Quantities
The table below provides Dimensional Formulas for different physical quantities:
| Physical Quantity | Unit | Dimensional Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Acceleration or Acceleration due to Gravity | ms-2 | LT-2 |
| Angular Displacement | rad | M0L0T0 |
| Angular Impulse | Nms | ML2T-1 |
| Angular Velocity (angle/time) | rads-1 | T-1 |
| Angle (Arc/Radius) | rad | M0L0T0 |
| Angular Frequency (Angular Displacement/Time) | rads-1 | T-1 |
| Angular Momentum | kgm2s-1 | ML2T-1 |
| Boltzmann’s Constant | JK-1 | ML2T-2θ- |
| Bulk Modulus | N/m2 | ML-1T-2 |
| Calorific Value | JKg-1 | L2T-2 |
| Coefficient of Surface Tension (Force/Length) | N/m | MT-2 |
| Coefficient of Linear or Areal or Volume Expansion | K-1 | θ-1 |
| Coefficient of Thermal Conductivity | Wm-1K-1 | MLT-3θ-1 |
| Compressibility (1/Bulk Modulus) | m2N-2 | M-1LT2 |
| Density (Mass / Volume) | Kg/m3 | ML-3 |
| Displacement, Wavelength, Focal Length | m | L |
| Electric Capacitance (Charge/Potential) | farad | M-1L-2T4I2 |
| Electric Conductivity (1/Resistivity) | Sm-1 | M-1L-3T3I2 |
| Electric Current | ampere | I |
| Electric Field Strength or Intensity of Electric Field (Force/Charge) | NC-1 | MLT-3I-1 |
| Emf (or) Electric Potential (Work/Charge) | volt | ML2T-3I-1 |
| Energy Density (Energy/Volume) | Jm-3 | ML-1T-2 |
| Electric Conductance (1/Resistance) | Ohm-1 | ML-1T-2T3I2 |
| Electric Charge or Quantity of Electric Charge | coulomb | IT |
| Electric Dipole Moment | Cm | LTI |
| Electric Resistance (Potential Difference/Current) | ohm | ML2T-3I-2 |
| Energy (Capacity to do work) | joule | ML2T-2 |
| Entropy | Jθ–1 | ML2T-2θ-1 |
| Force | newton (N) | MLT-2 |
| Frequency (1/period) | Hz | T-1 |
| Force Constant or Spring Constant (Force/Extension) | Nm-1 | MT-2 |
| Gravitational Potential (Work/Mass) | J/kg | L2T-2 |
| Heat (Energy) | J or calorie | ML2T-2 |
| Illumination (Illuminance) | lumen/m2 | MT-3 |
| Inductance | henry (H) | ML2T-2I-2 |
| Intensity of Magnetization (I) | Am-1 | L-1I |
| Impulse | Ns | MLT-1 |
| Intensity of Gravitational Field (F/m) | Nkg-1 | LT-2 |
| Joule’s Constant | Jcal-1 | M0L0To |
| Latent Heat (Q = mL) | Jkg-1 | L2T-2 |
| Luminous Flux | Js-1 | ML2T-3 |
| Linear density (mass per unit length) | Kgm-1 | ML-1 |
| Magnetic Dipole Moment | Am2 | L2I |
| Magnetic induction (F = Bil) | NI-1m-1 | MT-2I-1 |
| Modulus of Elasticity (Stress/Strain) | Pa | ML-1T-2 |
| Momentum | kgms-1 | MLT-1 |
| Magnetic Flux | weber (Wb) | ML2T-2I-1 |
| Magnetic Pole Strength | Am (ampere–meter) | LI |
| Moment of Inertia | Kgm2 | ML2 |
| Planck’s Constant (Energy/Frequency) | Js | ML2T-1 |
| Power (Work/Time) | watt (W) | ML2T-3 |
| Pressure Coefficient or Volume Coefficient | θ-1 | θ-1 |
| Permittivity of Free Space | Fm-1 | M-1L-3T4I2 |
| Poisson’s Ratio (Lateral Strain/Longitudinal Strain) | Dimensionless | M0L0T0 |
| Pressure (Force/Area) | N/m2 | ML-1T-2 |
| Pressure Head | m | L |
| Radioactivity | disintegrations per second | T-1 |
| Refractive Index | Dimensionless | M0L0T0 |
| Specific Conductance or Conductivity (1/Specific Resistance) | Sm-1 | M-1L-3T3I2 |
| Specific Gravity (Density of the Substance/Density of Water) | Dimensionless | M0L0T0 |
| Specific Volume (1/Density) | m3kg-1 | M-1L3 |
| Stress (Restoring Force/Area) | N/m2 | ML-1T-2 |
| Ratio of Specific Heats | Dimensionless | M0L0T0 |
| Resistivity or Specific Resistance | Ω-m | ML3T-3I-2 |
| Specific Entropy (1/entropy) | KJ-1 | M-1L-2T2θ |
| Specific Heat (Q = mst) | L2T-2θ-1 | |
| Speed (Distance/Time) | m/s | LT-1 |
| Strain (Change in Dimension/Original dimension) | Dimensionless | M0L0T0 |
| Surface Energy Density (Energy/Area) | J/m2 | MT-2 |
| Temperature | θ | θ |
| Thermal Capacity | Jθ-1 | ML2T-2θ-1 |
| Torque or Moment of Force | Nm | ML2T-2 |
| Temperature Gradient | θm-1 | L-1θ |
| Time Period | second | T |
| Universal Gas Constant (Work/Temperature) | Jmol–1θ-1 | ML2T-2θ-1 |
| Universal Gravitational Constant | Nm2kg-2 | M-1L3T-2 |
| Velocity (Displacement/Time) | m/s | LT-1 |
| Volume | m3 | L3 |
| Velocity Gradient (dv/dx) | s-1 | T-1 |
| Water Equivalent | kg | M |
| Work | J | ML2T-2 |
| Decay Constant | s-1 | T-1 |
| Kinetic Energy | J | ML2T-2 |
| Potential Energy | J | ML2T-2 |
Application of Dimensional Formula
Some of the common applications of dimensional formula are:
- To verify whether a formula is dimensionally correct or not.
- Conversion of units from one system to another for any given quantity.
- To establish derivation between physical quantities based on mutual relationships.
- Dimensional Formulae express every physical quantity in terms of fundamental units.
Limitations of Dimensional Formula
While Dimensional Formulas offer numerous benefits, they also come with certain limitations:
- It's important to note that quantities like trigonometric functions, plane angles, and solid angles do not possess defined dimensional formulae since they are inherently dimensionless in nature.
- The applicability of dimensional formulas is confined to a specific set of physical quantities.
- They are unable to determine proportionality constants, which can be a drawback in certain situations.
- Dimensional Formulas are primarily suitable for addition and subtraction operations, limiting their use in other mathematical operations.
Dimensional Formula and Dimensional Equations
The equations resulting from equating a physical quantity to its dimensional formula are termed Dimensional Equations. These equations are an important tool for representing physical quantities in terms of fundamental units. Dimensional formulas for specific quantities used as a foundation for establishing relationships between those quantities within any given dimensional equation.
For example, consider a physical quantity denoted as Y, which depends on the fundamental quantities M (mass), L (length), and T (time) with respective powers a, b, and c. The dimensional formula for this physical quantity [Y] can be expressed as:
**[Y] = [M a L b T c ]
As examples:
- The dimensional equation for velocity 'v' is expressed as [v] = [M0L1T-1].
- The dimensional equation for acceleration 'a' is denoted as [a] = [M0L1T-2].
- The dimensional equation for force 'F' is given as [F] = [M1L1T-2].
- The dimensional equation for energy 'E' is represented as [E] = [M1L2T-2].
- These dimensional equations provide a way to understand and represent various physical quantities in terms of their fundamental units.
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Solved Examples on Dimensional Formula
**Example 1: Using Dimensional Formula, X= M a L b T c , find the values of a, b, and c for density.
**Solution:
To find: Values for a, b, and c
Given:
Quantity = Density
Using the Dimensional Formula,
X = MaLbTc
We know,
Density = (mass/length3)
= M/L3
= M1L-3T0
Comparing with Dimensional Formula, we get,
a = 1, b = -3, c = 0
Answer: a = 1, b = -3, c = 0
**Example 2: Determine the Dimensional Formula of velocity.
**Solution:
To find: Dimensional formula of velocity
We know,
Velocity = (distance/time)
= [M0L1T-1]
Answer: Dimensional formula for velocity = [M0L1T-1]
**Example 3: State and verify the formula for pressure using the Dimensional Formula analysis.
**Solution:
The formula for Pressure is given as, P = Force/Area= F/A
Using Dimensional Formula analysis,
Pressure = Force/Area Dimesional formula for LHS = [M1L-1T–2] Dimesional formula for RHS = [M1L1T–2]/[L2] = [M1L-1T–2] Since LHS matches RHS, the given formula for Pressure is verified dimensionally.
Practice Questions on Dimensional Formula
**Q1. Using Dimensional Formula, X= MaLbTc, find the values of a, b, and c for Energy.
**Q2. Using Dimensional Formula, X= MaLbTc, find the values of a, b, and c for Acceleration.
**Q3. Determine the Dimensional Formula of Power.
**Q4. Determine the Dimensional Formula of Time period of wave.