SI Units and Symbols used in the Guide
Subject
Physical Quantity
Symbol
Name
Unit
Mass
m, M
kilogram
kg
Linear position
Length, Distance
Radius
x, r
l, d
R
meter
m
t,
second
s
,
radian
rad
steradian
sr
Time
Linear angle,
Angular position
Spherical angle
Area
A
-
m2
Volume
V
-
m3
Moment of inertia
I
-
kg*m2
-
kg/m3
-
m/s
-
rad/s
Density
Mechanics
Linear velocity
Angular velocity
v, u, c
,
Linear momentum
p
-
kg*m/s
Angular momentum
L
-
kg*m2/s
Linear acceleration
a
-
m/s2
-
rad/s2
newton
N=kg*m/s2
-
N*m
Angular acceleration
Force
F
Torque
Impulse
I
-
N*s
Work
Energy
W
E
joule
J=N*m
Power
P
watt
W=J/s
-
Pa*s
Dynamic viscosity
Electricity and
Magnetism
Current
I
ampere
A
Charge
Q, q, e
coulomb
C=A*s
Current density
j
-
A/m2
Volume charge
density
-
C/m3
Surface charge
density
-
C/m2
Linear charge
density
-
C/m
Electric potential
Voltage
emf
V
volt
V=J/C
Electric field
E
-
N/C, V/m
-
V*m
C*m
Electric flux
Electric moment
pe
-
Resistance
R, r
ohm
=V/A
-
*m
Specific resistance
Capacitance
C
Specific
conductivity
Magnetic field
B
Magnetic flux
Thermodynamics
farad
F=C/V
(
*m)-1
tesla
T=N/(A*m)
weber
Wb=T*m2=V*s
Inductance
Mutual-inductance
L
M
henri
H=Wb/A
Magnetic moment
pm
-
A*m2
Polarization
P
-
C/m2
Magnetization
I
-
A/m
Temperature
T
kelvin
K
Substance quantity
M
mole
mol
Pressure
P
-
Pa
Heat
Q
-
J
Heat capacity
Entropy
C
S
-
J/K
Specific heat
c
-
J/(kg*K)
Molar heat
cm
-
J/(mol*K)
energy flux
j
-
W/m2
Surface tension
-
N/m
Stress
pascal
Pa=N/m2
Elasticity modulus
E
Wavelength
Oscillations and
Waves
Optics
Quantum Physics
-
m
Wave number
k
-
m-1
Frequency
f
hertz
Hz
-
J/m3
Energy density
Energy flux
J
-
J/m2
Intensity
I
-
J/(m2*s)
Reactance
Impedance
X
Z
ohm
Focal length
f
-
m
Luminous intensity
I
candela
cd
lumen
lm=cd*m2
Luminous flux
=V/A
Illuminance
E
lux
lk=lm/m2
Brightness
L
-
cd/m2
Linear absorption
coefficient
-
m-1
Mass absorption
coefficient
-
m2/kg
Radioactive activity
A
becquerel
Bq=s-1
Absorbed dose
D
gray
Gy=J/kg