# Units in Physics (mechanical, electricity, magnetism, light and optics) including Si units.

This is a reference list with notes of all SI and derived units in physics. The notes provide a brief explanation of some of the more confusing elements, but be warned that the full explanation could take many pages, and may be explained elsewhere on this website.

Physics has only 5 base units. (Plus the SI units Mole and Candela, but these are rarely used in Physics.)

 Name Abbreviation (Symbol) Standard Unit Notes Name Abbreviation (Symbol) Standard Unit Notes Length l, x (for distances) Meter (m) A meter is defined as the distance light travels in a vacumm in of a second (in physics it is customary to use metric measurements although the basic principles apply if you to use feet instead of meters) Mass m, M (when used with measurements in meters) Kilogram (kg) A kilogram is defined as the weight of a specific platinum-iridium cylinder Time t Second (s) Seconds are defined as 9,192,631,770 vibrations of radiation from a cesium atom Temparature T Kelvin (K) A degree kelvin is defined as of the distance between absolute 0 and the triple point of water Electric Current I Ampere (A) An ampere is the amount of charge (C) passing through a surface per second, and is defined as the current which produces a force of newtons per meter of length between two infinitely long, perfectly straight and parallel conductors with an infinitely small cross section separated by one meter in a vacuum..

Each of these base units is defined on fundamental constants, and all other units are based on these five units. At times it useful to break longer equations down to their most basic units to determine if the equation makes sense. The most common combinations of these basic units are given their own symbols and names. These common units are as follows.

 Name (alphabetically) Abbreviation (Symbol) Unit – Derivation Notes Name (alphabetically) Abbreviation (Symbol) Unit – Derivation Notes Acceleration a (meters per second squared) Acceleration is literally the rate of change of the rate of change of an object’s position. Angle , radian A radian is defined as the angle an arc length, equal to the circle’s radius, makes with the center of the circle. Capacitance C Farad (F) (Charge over the Potential) Charge Q ), q ,e (of elementary particles) Coulomb (C) (Amperes times seconds) Literally the charge is the amount of current that flows over the entire time period. Density Density is the amount of mass in every cubed unit length Displacement s, d (distance), h (height) meters – m Displacement is the total change in length in any single direction. Sometimes it is used as the absolute change in distance –if you were walk all the way around the earth less one meter, your displacement would be one meter Electric Field E (Electric potential per meter) An electric field is the amount of electric potential over any given area. Electric Flux (Electric Potential time meters) Electric flux is the electric field through some area. Electromotive Force (emf) or Volt (V) Electromotive force is a potential difference in volts. Electron Volt eV The Electron Volt is the amount of energy change of a charge-field system when a charge of magnitude e is moved through a potential difference of 1V. It is used in place of the Joule (energy). Energy E (total),U (potential),K (kinetic) Joule (J) Entropy S Force F Newton (N) , Frequency ,v Hertz (Hz) Heat Q Joule (J) Joule is used for work, heat and energy, but remember that Joule is a unit of energy not of energy transfer. This means that heat can have a Joule of energy, but can’t be measured in Newtons. Magnetic Field B Tesla (T) Magnetic Flux Weber (Wb) Momentum p Potential (Electric) V or Voltage (V) Potential is the amount of excess charge. It can be compared with potential energy. Power P, Power is the amount of work done in any given time. Pressure P Pascal (Pa) Resistance R Ohm Resistance is the amount of energy that is lost in the transfer of energy through an object. Torque Torque is usually shown with units N*m even though it is technically joules. Velocity Velocity is the speed and direction of an object. Wavelength Meter (m) Work W Joule (J) Work is the amount of force outputted over some distance.

For of the derived units such as electric flux there are multiple possible unit definitions. The two standard definitions for electric flux are and as the following derivation from the former to the latter shows they are both correct.

This derivation only used units given in the above table, but there are other ways.

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• Holbrook chick

you need more about the units used for the formulas such as what units mass can be in ect,it would be very helpful!!!!!
—-Thanks—-

• ghhh

• samir ghosh

can you tell me please what is the SI unit of stress?

• archana

unit of stress is NEWTON PER METER SQAURE

• sameer khan

the unit of stress if pascal and newton per meter sqared both ..

the unit of magnetic field strength is ampere per meter and physical units dont any any strength

• mohamed sulaiman

can you please tell / explain to me about physics unit called victor the formula application and how it could be drived

• zulaikha

the si unit of stree is mega pascal

• ksudhakar

• S.HARSHITHA REDDY

IS IT POSSIBLE TO LEARN ALL THE DIMENSIONS AND UNITS AT THE AGE OF 8YEARS

• HOSLAMA BEN LARDEN

ROW ROW FIGHT DA POWER

• kashif

i like these unit. it is very helpful i am very thank ful to all

• subhajit

yes itsnot impossible at all !!

• jamesavery

ummmmm idk…geez

• riza arenal

its not really well xplained….
not so clear

nice ..
it really works to me thanks a lot!!
more power and goDblESS

• bibhas

Thank you.This is really very helpful to me.

• memi

yeah..gudddddddddddddddddddddddddd

• oriscia clarle

i told my physics teacher that you have to give the symbol for the quanity…. i was right all a long thank

• viji

its very useful thanks

• physics_hata

I have my physics semester 1 exam 2day

• physics_hata

I have my physics semester 1 exam 2day

• Elenoa

could sum1 tell me what does this mean in physics Uk….its lyk “U” and the “k” is below the “U”…thnx

• Ahsan

it is use for the notation of .kinetic friction in physics …. Uk (kinetic friction )

• arun

its is very useful n nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Arathi

its so good………………..

• abhinav

Magnetic Field B “Telsa (T)
i think
it should be——- “tesla”

• kavibharathi

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• Mila Ivovic

Can someone tell me what “at” means in terms of physics?
Ex: vf=vi+at

Doesn’t it mean acceleration x time?

• aaron

Yes, it does where vi means Velocity initial and vf means Velocity final

• aaron

Thank you, fixed.

• Ikoko atete believe

What is the unit of electricity