PHYSICAL QUANTITIES

PHYSICAL QUANTITIES

Definition

All those quantities in which physics can be described and whose measurement is necessary to understand any problem, are called physical quantities.

The foundation of physics is based upon the physical quantities. Therefore physical quantities should be measured accurately for the batter understanding of physics and its laws. The examples of physical quantities are mass, length, time, velocity, force, density, temperature, electric current, volume, acceleration etc.

Types of physical quantities

The quantities are divided in to main categories which are following:

1)      Base quantities

Base quantities are those quantities which can be described fully with a number and a unit.

For example Length, mass time etc. Other physical quantities other than base quantities can be expressed in term of base quantities. 

2)      Derived quantities

The physical quantities which are derived from the base quantities are called derived quantities.

For example Velocity, acceleration, volume etc. Majority of physical quantities are the derived quantities.