What are Physical Quantities and Types of Physical Quantities | New Topic [2024]

In this note, we are going to know about What are Physical Quantities and Types of Physical Quantities. Welcome to Poly Notes Hub, a leading destination for Engineering Notes for Diploma and degree engineering students.

Author Name: Arun Paul.

What are Physical Quantities?

A physical quantity can be defined as the characteristic property of a material or system that is generally quantified in terms of measurement.

For example: mass, length, time, velocity etc.

On the other hand various happenings in life, e.g., happiness, sorrow etc. are not physical quantities because these can not be measured.

Types of Physical Quantities

We have a very large number of physical quantities. It is simply impossible to have separate independent units for all of them. So out of them we select a few physical quantities and express all other quantities in terms of them. Such physical quantities are called fundamental or base quantities and others are called derived quantities.

There are two types of Physical Quantities –

1. Fundamental Physical Quantities
2. Derived Physical Quantities

• Fundamental Physical Quantities: Those physical quantities which are independent of other physical quantities and are not simplified further are called fundamental or base quantities.
  • For example, mass, length, time etc.
• Derived Physical Quantities: Those physical quantities which can be derived and expressed in terms of fundamental quantities are called derived quantities.
  • For example, velocity, force, volume etc.