Definition and Types of Physical Quantity

Definition of Physical Quantity

Quantities that can be measured, and in terms of which, laws of physics are described are called physical quantities. Examples are length, mass, time, force, energy, etc.

Types of Physical Quantities

Physical quantities are classified into two types. There are fundamental and derived quantities.

Fundamental or base quantities are quantities which cannot be expressed in terms of any other physical quantities. These are length, mass, time, electric current, temperature, luminous intensity and amount of substance.

Quantities that can be expressed in terms of fundamental quantities are called derived quantities. For example, area, volume, velocity, acceleration, force.