SI derived units are units of measurement derived from the seven SI base units specified by the International System of Units (SI). They can be expressed as a product (or ratio) of one or more of the base units, possibly scaled by an appropriate power of exponentiation (see: Buckingham π theorem). Some are dimensionless, as when the units cancel out in ratios of like quantities. SI coherent derived units involve only a trivial proportionality factor, not requiring conversion factors.

The SI has special names for 22 of these coherent derived units (for example, hertz, the SI unit of measurement of frequency), but the rest merely reflect their derivation: for example, the square metre (m2), the SI derived unit of area; and the kilogram per cubic metre (kg/m3 or kg⋅m−3), the SI derived unit of density.

The names of SI coherent derived units, when written in full, are always in lowercase. However, the symbols for units named after persons are written with an uppercase initial letter. For example, the symbol for hertz is "Hz", while the symbol for metre is "m".

Special names

The International System of Units assigns special names to 22 derived units, which includes two dimensionless units, the radian (rad) and the steradian (sr).

Named units derived from SI base units
NameSymbolQuantityEquivalentsSI base unit Equivalents
hertzHzfrequency1/ss−1
radianradanglem/m1
steradiansrsolid anglem2/m21
newtonNforce, weightkg⋅m/s2kg⋅m⋅s−2
pascalPapressure, stressN/m2kg⋅m−1⋅s−2
jouleJenergy, work, heatm⋅N, C⋅V, W⋅skg⋅m2⋅s−2
wattWpower, radiant fluxJ/s, V⋅Akg⋅m2⋅s−3
coulombCelectric chargeA⋅s, F⋅Vs⋅A
voltVvoltage, electric potential, electromotive forceJ/C, W/Akg⋅m2⋅s−3⋅A−1
ohmΩelectrical resistance, reactance, impedanceV/A, 1/Skg⋅m2⋅s−3⋅A−2
siemensSelectrical conductance, susceptance, admittanceA/V, 1/Ωkg−1⋅m−2⋅s3⋅A2
faradFcapacitanceC/V, s/Ωkg−1⋅m−2⋅s4⋅A2
henryHinductance, permeanceV⋅s/A, Wb/A, Ω⋅skg⋅m2⋅s−2⋅A−2
teslaTmagnetic flux densityN/(A⋅m), Wb/m2, V⋅s/m2kg⋅s−2⋅A−1
weberWbmagnetic fluxV⋅s, T⋅m2, J/Akg⋅m2⋅s−2⋅A−1
degree Celsius°Ctemperature relative to 273.15 KKK
lumenlmluminous fluxcd⋅srcd
luxlxilluminancelm/m2cd⋅m−2
becquerelBqradioactivity (decays per unit time)1/ss−1
grayGyabsorbed dose (of ionizing radiation)J/kgm2⋅s−2
sievertSvequivalent dose (of ionizing radiation)J/kgm2⋅s−2
katalkatcatalytic activitymol/ss−1⋅mol.

By field of application

Kinematics

NameSymbolQuantityExpression in terms of SI base units
metre per secondm/sspeed, velocitym⋅s−1
metre per second squaredm/s2accelerationm⋅s−2
metre per second cubedm/s3jerk, joltm⋅s−3
metre per second to the fourthm/s4snap, jouncem⋅s−4
kilogram metre per second to the thirdkg⋅m/s3yankm⋅kg⋅s−3
radian per secondrad/sangular velocitys−1
radian per second squaredrad/s2angular accelerations−2
hertz per secondHz/sfrequency drifts−2
cubic metre per secondm3/svolumetric flowm3⋅s−1

Mechanics

NameSymbolQuantityExpression in terms of SI base units
square metrem2aream2
cubic metrem3volumem3
newton-secondN⋅smomentum, impulsem⋅kg⋅s−1
newton metre secondN⋅m⋅sangular momentumm2⋅kg⋅s−1
newton-metreN⋅m = J/radtorque, moment of forcem2⋅kg⋅s−2
newton per secondN/syankm⋅kg⋅s−3
reciprocal metrem−1wavenumber, optical power, curvature, spatial frequencym−1
kilogram per square metrekg/m2area densitym−2⋅kg
kilogram per cubic metrekg/m3density, mass densitym−3⋅kg
cubic metre per kilogramm3/kgspecific volumem3⋅kg−1
joule-secondJ⋅sactionm2⋅kg⋅s−1
joule per kilogramJ/kgspecific energym2⋅s−2
joule per cubic metreJ/m3energy densitym−1⋅kg⋅s−2
newton per metreN/m = J/m2surface tension, stiffnesskg⋅s−2
watt per square metreW/m2heat flux density, irradiancekg⋅s−3
square metre per secondm2/skinematic viscosity, thermal diffusivity, diffusion coefficientm2⋅s−1
pascal-secondPa⋅s = N⋅s/m2dynamic viscositym−1⋅kg⋅s−1
kilogram per metrekg/mlinear mass densitym−1⋅kg
kilogram per secondkg/smass flow ratekg⋅s−1
watt per steradian square metreW/(sr⋅m2)radiancekg⋅s−3
watt per steradian cubic metreW/(sr⋅m3)radiancem−1⋅kg⋅s−3
watt per metreW/mspectral powerm⋅kg⋅s−3
gray per secondGy/sabsorbed dose ratem2⋅s−3
metre per cubic metrem/m3fuel efficiencym−2
watt per cubic metreW/m3spectral irradiance, power densitym−1⋅kg⋅s−3
joule per square metre secondJ/(m2⋅s)energy flux densitykg⋅s−3
reciprocal pascalPa−1compressibilitym⋅kg−1⋅s2
joule per square metreJ/m2radiant exposurekg⋅s−2
kilogram square metrekg⋅m2moment of inertiam2⋅kg
newton metre second per kilogramN⋅m⋅s/kgspecific angular momentumm2⋅s−1
watt per steradianW/srradiant intensitym2⋅kg⋅s−3
watt per steradian metreW/(sr⋅m)spectral intensitym⋅kg⋅s−3

Chemistry

NameSymbolQuantityExpression in terms of SI base units
mole per cubic metremol/m3molarity, amount of substance concentrationm−3⋅mol
cubic metre per molem3/molmolar volumem3⋅mol−1
joule per kelvin moleJ/(K⋅mol)molar heat capacity, molar entropym2⋅kg⋅s−2⋅K−1⋅mol−1
joule per moleJ/molmolar energym2⋅kg⋅s−2⋅mol−1
siemens square metre per moleS⋅m2/molmolar conductivitykg−1⋅s3⋅A2⋅mol−1
mole per kilogrammol/kgmolalitykg−1⋅mol
kilogram per molekg/molmolar masskg⋅mol−1
cubic metre per mole secondm3/(mol⋅s)catalytic efficiencym3⋅s−1⋅mol−1

Electromagnetics

NameSymbolQuantityExpression in terms of SI base units
coulomb per metreC/mlinear charge densitym−1⋅s⋅A
coulomb per square metreC/m2surface charge density, polarization density, electric flux densitym−2⋅s⋅A
coulomb per cubic metreC/m3volume charge densitym−3⋅s⋅A
ampere per metreA/mmagnetization, magnetic field strengthm−1⋅A
ampere per square metreA/m2current densitym−2⋅A
volt per metreV/melectric fieldm⋅kg⋅s−3⋅A−1
siemens per metreS/melectrical conductivitym−3⋅kg−1⋅s3⋅A2
farad per metreF/mpermittivitym−3⋅kg−1⋅s4⋅A2
henry per metreH/mpermeabilitym⋅kg⋅s−2⋅A−2
weber per metreWb/mmagnetic vector potentialm⋅kg⋅s−2⋅A−1
coulomb-metreC⋅melectric dipole momentm⋅s⋅A
ampere square metreA⋅m2magnetic momentm2⋅A
volt-metreV⋅melectric fluxm3⋅kg⋅s−3⋅A−1
ohm-metreΩ⋅melectrical resistivitym3⋅kg⋅s−3⋅A−2
tesla-metreT⋅mmagnetic rigiditym⋅kg⋅s−2⋅A−1
reciprocal henryH−1magnetic reluctancem−2⋅kg−1⋅s2⋅A2
volt-ampereV⋅Acomplex power, apparent powerm2⋅kg⋅s−3
square metre per volt-secondm2/(V⋅s)electron mobilitykg−1⋅s2⋅A
coulomb per kilogramC/kgexposure (X and gamma rays)kg−1⋅s⋅A

Photometry

NameSymbolQuantityExpression in terms of SI base units
lumen secondlm⋅sluminous energys⋅cd
lux secondlx⋅sluminous exposurem−2⋅s⋅cd
candela per square metrecd/m2luminancem−2⋅cd
lumen per wattlm/Wluminous efficacym−2⋅kg−1⋅s3⋅cd

Thermodynamics

NameSymbolQuantityExpression in terms of SI base units
joule per kelvinJ/Kheat capacity, entropym2⋅kg⋅s−2⋅K−1
joule per kilogram kelvinJ/(K⋅kg)specific heat capacity, specific entropym2⋅s−2⋅K−1
watt per metre kelvinW/(m⋅K)thermal conductivitym⋅kg⋅s−3⋅K−1
kelvin per wattK/Wthermal resistancem−2⋅kg−1⋅s3⋅K
reciprocal kelvinK−1thermal expansion coefficientK−1
kelvin per metreK/mtemperature gradientm−1⋅K

Other units used with SI

Some other units such as the hour, litre, tonne, bar, and electronvolt are not SI units, but are widely used in conjunction with SI units.

Supplementary units

Until 1995, the SI classified the radian and the steradian as supplementary units, but this designation was abandoned and the units were grouped as derived units.

See also

Bibliography

  • I. Mills, Tomislav Cvitas, Klaus Homann, Nikola Kallay, IUPAC (June 1993). Quantities, Units and Symbols in Physical Chemistry (2nd ed.). Blackwell Science Inc. p. 72.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

  • Media related to SI derived units at Wikimedia Commons