How do I Calculate Derived Dimensions from Fundamental Units?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating derived dimensions from fundamental units in physics, specifically focusing on concepts such as force, pressure, and energy. The original poster expresses difficulty in understanding how to derive these dimensions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore how to break down derived units into fundamental units, with examples provided for energy and force. Questions arise regarding the clarity of the original poster's request, specifically whether they seek to understand the derivation of formulas or their historical formation.

Discussion Status

Several participants offer insights into the relationships between fundamental and derived units, with some providing specific breakdowns of formulas. While there is no explicit consensus, multiple interpretations and approaches are being explored, indicating a productive discussion.

Contextual Notes

There is mention of the original poster's teacher presenting this topic due to its rarity in exams, which may suggest a lack of familiarity with the material among students.

Noxman
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I need to work out to dimensions that are derived from their fundamental units... I am having a small amount of trouble working out exactly how to do this...
eg: Force
Pressure
Energy (using W.D.= force x distance)

Thankyou for your time.
 
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Personally, I am not overly confident that I understand what you are asking for. Are you asking how to derive formulae or how they were formed?

The Bob (2004 ©)

P.S. I guess someone else will understand immediately but I am afraid I do not.
 
I think I know what Noxman wants.

You can derive any particular thing such as Energy and Pressure etc in fundamental units. The key is just to break them down. For example.

For Energy we know that W.D = F * d

d is distance measured in meters.

Force is measured in Newtons but this is not a fundamental unit...

So:

F = m * a

m is in Kg and a is acceleration and so in units of [tex]ms^-2[/tex]

So units of W.D. => Energy or Joules = [Kg] [ [tex]m^2s^-2[/tex] ]

this should put you on the right track to do pressure by yourself.

:smile:
 
Last edited:
F=ma
gives dimensions of F
[F] = [M] [M^0 LT^-2] = [M L T^-2]

hence W = F . s gives
[W] = [M L T^-2] [L] = [M L^2 T^-2]
do you want this??
 
The "fundamental" units are: length, mass, time, charge, etc. Other units are "manufactured" from them as others have indicated:
velocity= distance/time,
acceleration= distance/time2, etc.

In the MKS system, we measure length in meters, mass in kg., time in seconds so the "unit" of speed is m/s, acceleration m/s2 (which have no separate name), force (from F= ma) kg-m/s2 (the "Newton"), energy (from either KE= (1/2)mv2 or work= distance*force) kg-m2/s2 (the Joule).
 
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Thankyou all for your help... Everything is good now, rather annoyingly my teacher was doing it just because it had appeared on an exam like once in 20 years... Thankyou again.
 

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