# B Is there any physical quantity having two different units?

Is there any physical quantity having two different units or can it be possible that a physical quantity have two different units?

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#### 256bits

Gold Member
Not quite sure what you are asking?
Velocity uses two units, such as meter / sec - a length unit and a time unit.

Good to hear from you. I am saying can a quantity have two different formula's having different units, if it acts under different conditions?

#### Mister T

Gold Member
A quantity such as distance can have units of meters or units of feet.

#### sophiecentaur

Gold Member
The base units have to be the same but there are plenty of examples where different disciplines use different units. One well known example would be the use of Joules (J) and electron Volts (eV) for energy of particles. eV is very convenient because the charge on every electron is the same so the accelerating Voltage is a very handy measure to use. We also describe many EM waves in terms of wavelength and frequency - depending on convenience.
The list goes on.

#### PeroK

Homework Helper
Gold Member
2018 Award
Is there any physical quantity having two different units or can it be possible that a physical quantity have two different units?
In the geometrised units of GR, time and mass can be measured in units of length. The mass of the Sun, for example, is about $3km$.

#### suremarc

There‘s the case of torque, which is measured in N m (Newton meters). Formally equivalent to energy (1 N m = 1 J), but you have to integrate torque against angular displacement to calculate work. I had always found this curious in high school.

#### Dale

Mentor
I am saying can a quantity have two different formula's having different units
Maxwell’s equations have both different units and different formulas in SI units and in CGS units.

#### ZapperZ

Staff Emeritus
2018 Award
Good to hear from you. I am saying can a quantity have two different formula's having different units, if it acts under different conditions?
This still doesn't explain anything.

The electric field strength can be written in units of V/m or N/C. Are these "different" enough for you?

Zz.

"Is there any physical quantity having two different units?"

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