Physical quantity Symbol Dimensions Unit Remarks
Vector area element AS [L) AS = AS n
Electric field E [MLT°A Vm!
Electric flux [ML T°A-) Vm A = E.AS
Dipole moment P [LTA) C m Vector directed
from negative to
positive charge
Charge density:
linear [L TAJ C m! Charge/length
surface [L? TAJ Cm2 Charge/area
volume [L TAJ C m3 Charge/volume
Symbol Dimensions Unit Remark
Physical quantity
Potential or V [M' L?TA'] Potential difference is
physically significant
Capacitance C [M' L²TA] F
Polarisation P L² AT] C m Dipole moment per unit
volume
Dielectric constant K (Dimensionless]
Physical guantity Symbol Dimensions Unit Remark
Electric current [A| A SI base unit
Charge 9.q TAJ C
Voltage. Electric (MIT'A) Work/charge
potential difference
Electromotive force [ML'TA') V
Work/charge
Resistance [M L T°A R= V/I
Resistivity [M LT°A Q m R= pl/A
Electrical [MLTA) S G= 1/p
conductivity
Electric field (MLTA') Vm' Electric force
E
charge
e Et
Drift speed |LTI ms
m
Relaxation time [T S
Current density |L AJ A m current/area
Mobility [M L'TA) m²v'sl V4/E
Physical Quantity Symbol Nature Dimensions Units Remarks
Permeability of free Scalar [MLTA1 TmAl 4n x 107Tm A!
space
Magnetic Field B Vector [MT²A) T (telsa)
Magnetic Moment m Vector |LAJ A m² or J/T
Torsion Constant k Scalar [M LT1 N m rad Appears in MCG
Symbol Nature Dimensions Units Remarks
Physical quantity
Permeability of Scalar [MLT² A TmAl Ho/4n = 10-7
free space
Magnetic field, Vector [MT A T (tesla) 10 G (gauss) = 1T
Magnetic induction,
Magnetic flux density
Magnetic moment Vector |L² A| A m'
Magnetic flux Scalar [MLT A W
(weber) W= Tm'
Magnetisation M Vector [L AJ A m Magnetic moment
Volume
Magnetic intensity H Vector [L A A m B=4, (H + M)
Magnetic field
strength
Magnetic Scalar M = zH
susceptibility
Relative magnetic Scalar
permeability B=44,H
Magnetic permeability Scalar [MLT A TmA!
NA? B=uH
Physical quantity Symbol Dimensions Unit Remarks
rms voltage V [M L²TA') V V = is the
amplitude of the ac voltage.
rms Current I [A] A I = ,is the amplitude of
V2
the ac current.
Reactance:
Inductive X (MLTA] X =oL
Capacitive X (ML'TA) X, = 1/o C
Impedance [ML'TA) Depends On elements
present in the circuit.
Resonant Hz for a
frequency
series RLC circuit
Quality factor Dimensionless Tor a series
R OCR
RLC circuit.
Power factor
Dimensionless = coso. is the phase
difference between voltage
applied and Current in
the circuit.
Physics
Symbol Dimensions Unit Remarks
Physical quantity
rms voltage V [M L'T°A) V V is the
amplitude of the ac voltage.
Ins current |A A I= G is the amplitude of
the ac current.
Reactance:
Inductive [ML'TA X= o L
Capacitive [MLT°A X = 1/e C
Impedance [ML'TA) Depends on elements
present in the circuit.
Resonant Hz for a
frequency
series RLC circuit
1
Quality factor Dimensionless for a series
R a, CR
RLC circuit.
Power factor Dimensionless = cos. ¢ is the phase
difference between voltage
applied and current in
the circuit.
TABLE 8. l DIrFERENT TYPES OF ELBCTROMAGNETIC WAVES
Type Wavelength range Production Detection
Radio >0.1 m Rapid acceleration and Receiver's aerials
decelerations of electrons
in aerials
Microwave 0.lm to 1 mm Klystron valve or Point contact diodes
magnetron valve
Infra-red lmm to 700 nm Vibration of atoms Thermopiles
and molecules Bolometer, Infrared
photographic film
Light 700 nm to 400 nm Electrons in atoms emit The eye
light when they move from Photocells
one energy level to a Photographic film
lower energy level
Ultraviolet 400 nmn to lnm Inner shell electrons in Photocells
atoms moving from one Photographic film
energy level to a lower level
X-rays lnm to 10 nm X-ray tubes or inner shell Photographic film
electrons Geiger tubes
lonisation chamber
Gamma rays <10 nm Radioactive decay of the -do
nucleus
211
Dimensions Unit Remarks
Physical Symbol
guantity
Planck's [ML2T Js E = hv
constant
Stopping V [ML²T-A] V e V= Kas
potential
Work [ML2T J; eV K max = E-,
function
Threshold E
[T-1 Hz
frequency
de Broglie [L] m 2= h/p
wavelength
Physical guantity Symbol Dimensions Units Remarks
Atomic mass unit [M] Unit of mass for
expressing atomic or
nuclear masses. One
atomic mass unit equals
1/12h of the mass of "C
atom.
Disintegration or TI
decay constant
Half-life [T] S Time taken for the decay
of one-half of the initial
number of nuclei present
in a radioactive sample.
Mean life [TI Time at which number of
nuclei has been reduced to
e- of its initial value
Activity of a radio R |T] Bq Measure of the activity
active sample of a radioactive source.
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A 1
THE GREEK ALPHABET
Alpha A lota Rho P
Beta B B Kappa K Sigma
Gamma Lambda Tau T
Delta Mu M UpsilonY
Epsilon Nu N>o Phi .
Zeta Z Xi Chi X
Eta H Omicron Psi
Theta Pi II T Omega
APPENDIX A 2
COMMON SIPREFIXES AND SYMBOLS FOR MULTIPLES AND SUB-MULTIPLES
Multiple Sub-Multiple
Factor Prefix Symbol Factor Prefix symbol
Exa 10-!8 atto
Peta P 10-15 femto f
10-12
u Tera
Giga
Mega
kilo
G
M
k
l0-9
10-6
10-3
pico
nano
micro
milli
Hecto h 10-2 centi C
Deca da 10-! deci d
APPENDIX A3
SOME IMPORTANT CONSTANTS
Name Symbol Value
Speed of light in vacuum C
2.9979 x 10° ms
Charge of electron e 1.602 x 10-C
Gravitational constant G 6.673 x 10- Nm² kg-2
Planck constant 6.626 x 10-4 J s
Boltzmann constant k 1.381 x 10-23 JK-!
Avogadro number N, 6.022 x 10mo'
Universal gas constant R 8.314 J mol-'K-!
Mass of electron
m, 9.110 x 10" kg
Mass of neutron
1.675 x 10*kg
Mass of proton 1.673 x 10 kg
Electron-charge to mass ratio e/m, 1.759 x 10'" Ckg
Faraday constant F 9.648 x 10 C/mol
Rydberg constant R 1.097 x 10'm
Bohr radius 5.292 x10- m
Stefan-Boltzmann constant
5.670 x 10 Wm'K
Wien's Constant h 2.898 x 10'mK
Permittivity of free space 8.854 x 10c N'm
1/4T E) 8.987 x 10°N m' C²
Permeability of free space 4n x 10TmA
1.257 x 10 Wb A'm'
OTHER USEFUL cONSTANTS
Name Symbol Value
Mechanical equivalent of heat J 4.186 J cal-!
Standard atmospheric pressure atm 1.013 x 10° Pa
Absolute zero 0K -273.15 °C
Electron volt leV 1.602 x 10-19J
Unified Atomic mass unit lu 1.661 x 10-2" kg
Electron rest energy me 0.511 MeV
Energy equivalent oflu luc? 931.5 MeV
Volume of ideal gas (0"C and latm) V 22.4 L mol
Acceleration due to gravity 9.78049 ms-2
(sea level, at equator)
