Dictionary · Standards & Units
Quantity dimension
The expression of a quantity's dependence on the base quantities as a product of powers of their dimensions — force has dimension L·M·T⁻².
Related terms
More from Standards & Units
Certified reference material (CRM)
A reference material accompanied by documentation issued by an authoritative body providing property values with uncertainties and traceability using valid procedures — per ISO 17034 practice.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 5.14
Quantity of dimension one
A quantity whose dimension has all base-quantity exponents equal to zero — refractive index, strain, a ratio of like quantities; often loosely called "dimensionless".
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 1.8
Coherent derived unit
A derived unit that is a product of powers of base units with no numerical factor other than one — the newton is coherent in the SI; the kilometre per hour is not.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 1.12
Base quantity
A quantity in a conventionally chosen subset of a system of quantities in which no member can be expressed in terms of the others.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 1.4
Conventional reference scale
A quantity-value scale defined by formal agreement — pH and the practical temperature scales are canonical examples.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 1.29
Submultiple of a unit
A unit obtained by dividing a given unit by an integer greater than one — the millimetre from the metre.
VIM (JCGM 200:2012) 1.18