Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 ia Paper 4 3B iii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
The work done by a force is . By the work-energy theorem, this has the same physical dimension as energy. ThusAlthough torque and energy have the same physical dimension, they represent different physical quantities.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 ia Paper 4 3B ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
The torque about an origin is . A cross product multiplies the dimensions of its factors, so torque has the physical dimension of length times force:
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 ia Paper 4 3B i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
Use Newton's second law, . Acceleration has physical dimension , so multiplying by mass gives the dimension of forceThe bracket notation records a physical dimension, rather than the numerical value or the choice of units.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 ia Paper 4 3B iv Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
From Newton's law of universal gravitation, , the gravitational constant has physical dimensionHere the two factors of mass and the inverse square of the separation determine the powers of and .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 ia Paper 4 3B vii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
Use Coulomb's law in vacuum, . The constant is dimensionless, so the vacuum-permittivity dimension isThus the physical dimension of vacuum permittivity follows directly from the dimensions of electric charge, force, and separation.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 ia Paper 4 3B vi Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
For the magnetic part of the Lorentz force, . Since velocity has physical dimension , the magnetic field has dimension