Given mv=Ft, where m is mass, v is speed, F is force, and t is time, what are the dimensions of each side of the equation? Is the equation dimensionally correct?
Given H=mCΔT, where H is in joules, m in kilograms, and ΔT in kelvin, what are the SI units and dimensions of C?
Given P=kAΔT/ℓ, where A is the area, ΔT is difference in temperature, ℓ is length, and k is a constant with SI units of watts per (metre·kelvin), what are the SI units for P (rate of thermal energy flow)?
Given E=aℓsin(bt), where E is energy, ℓ is length and t is time:
(a) What are the dimensions and SI units of b?
(b) What are the dimensions and SI units of a?
[left side] = M⋅L/T
[right side] = M⋅L/T
Therefore the equation is dimensionally correct.
Since C=H/(mΔT), the SI units are J⋅kg−1⋅K−1.. [C]=(M⋅L2⋅T−2)⋅M−1⋅θ−1=L2⋅T−2⋅θ−1.
Recall that watt (W) is joules per second, so [k]=M⋅L⋅T−3⋅θ−1. [A]=L2,[ΔT]=θ, , and [ℓ]=L
[right side] = M⋅L2/T3
Therefore, [P]=M⋅L2/T3, and SI units are kg⋅m2/s3,, or J/s.
(a) [b]=T−1
Remember that the argument of the sine function must be dimensionless. Since the argument in this case is an unknown (b) multiplied by time (t), then b must have dimensions of inverse time. The SI units of "b" are s−1.
(b) [a]=[E/ℓ]=M⋅L/T2 since sine is dimensionless. The SI units of "are" are kg⋅m/s2, or newton.