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Department of Physics
Physics 8.01
Mechanics is based on just the first three of these quantities, the MKS or meter-
kilogram-second system. An alternative metric system to this, still widely used, is the so-
called CGS system (centimeter-gram-second). For distance and time measurements,
British Imperial units (especially in the USA) based on the foot (ft), the yard (yd), the
mile (mi), etc., as units of length, and also the minute, hour, day and year as units of time.
We shall refer to the dimension of the base quantity by the quantity itself, for example
dim length [length] = L, dim mass [mass] M, dim time [time] T. (1)
Many physical quantities are derived from the base quantities by a set of algebraic
relations defining the physical relation between these quantities. The dimension of the
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derived quantity can always be written as a product of the powers of the dimensions of
the base quantities.
(ii) Force is also a derived quantity and using the definition of force F = ma and
acceleration a = dv / dt , force has dimensions
[mass][velocity]
[force] = . (3)
[time]
We could express force in terms of mass, length, and time by the relationship
[mass][length]
[force] = 2
= M L T-2 . (4)
[time]
(iii) The derived dimension of kinetic energy follows from the definition that K = 1
2 mv 2 ,
thus
[mass][length]2
[kineticenergy] = 2
= M L2 T-2 (6)
[time]
[mass][length]2
[work] = 2
= M L2 T-2 (8)
[time]
2
(v) Power is defined to be the rate of change in time of work so the dimensions are
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Even though angle and steradian are dimensionless quantities, it is often helpful to carry around a “unit”
associated with them, like the radian, to understand their role in an expression or to determine if a result
makes sense.
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1.3 Dimensional Analysis
There are many phenomena in nature that can be explained by simple relationships
between the observed phenomena. When trying to find a dimensional correct formula for
a quantity from a set of given quantities, an answer that is dimensionally correct will
scale properly and is generally off by a constant of order unity.
What possible quantities are involved? The length of the pendulum l , the mass of
the pendulum bob m , the gravitational acceleration g , and the initial angular amplitude
of the bob 0 are all possible quantities that may enter into the formula for the period of
the swing. Have we included every possible quantity? We can never be sure but let’s first
work with this set and if we need more than we will have to think harder!
(
T = f l, m, g, 0 ) (10)
We first make a list of the dimensions of our quantities as shown in Table 3. Choose the
set: mass, length, and time, to use as the base dimensions.
We begin by writing the period as a product of these given quantities that have
dimensions, (thus the initial angular amplitude of swing cannot enter into our expression),
with each given quantity raised to a rational power,
T = bl X mY g Z (11)
where b is a dimensionless constant. Our first observation is that since the period has
only dimensions of time, the mass of the bob cannot enter into our relationship since
neither length of the gravitational acceleration can remove the dimension of the
pendulum mass. Therefore the power Y = 0 , hence
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T = bl X g Z (12)
Let’s focus on the length. In order to eliminate length, we see that the condition
0= X +Z (14)
1 = 2Z . (15)
X = Z = 1 / 2 (16)
T =b l/g. (17)
T = y( 0 ) l / g (18)
We shall discover later on by solving the problem exactly that y( 0 ) is independent of
the angular amplitude 0 for very small amplitudes and is equal to y( 0 ) = 2 ,
T = 2 l / g (19)
A constant force of magnitude F acts over a distance d on an object of mass m . Find the
final speed v of the body.
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Solution: Here the list of quantities that might be involved is given for us. We write the
speed as
v = bF X d Y mZ (20)
[L T 1 ] = [ M L T 2 ] X [L]Y [ M ]Z (21)
1= X +Y (22)
1 = 2X (23)
0= X +Z (24)
X = 1/ 2, Z = 1/ 2, X = 1/ 2, Y = 1/ 2 . (25)
v = b Fd / m . (26)
Later on that using the work–kinetic energy theorem we will discover that the constant
b = 2 , and therefore
v = 2Fd / m . (27)