Dimensional formula of Electromotive force (emf)

How to get the dimensional formula of electromotive force (emf)

1. Start from the definition: electromotive force (emf) = work / electric charge.
2. velocity = length / time, so velocity is [L] / [T] = [L T^-1].
3. acceleration = velocity / time, so acceleration is [L T^-1] / [T] = [L T^-2].
4. force = mass × acceleration, so force is [M] × [L T^-2] = [M L T^-2].
5. displacement = length, so displacement is [L] = [L].
6. work = force × displacement, so work is [M L T^-2] × [L] = [M L² T^-2].
7. electric charge = electric current × time, so electric charge is [A] × [T] = [T A].
8. Put in the dimension of each part: [M L² T^-2] / [T A].
9. Add the powers of each base quantity: [M L² T^-3 A^-1].

Quantities with the dimensions [M L² T⁻³ A⁻¹]

• Electric potential
• Potential difference
• Stopping potential

Equal dimensions do not make them the same quantity. Compare electromotive force (emf) with the others in the full grid.

Three questions on electromotive force (emf)

Related quantities

• q Electric charge [T A]
• E Electric field [M L T⁻³ A⁻¹]
• U_E Electric potential energy [M L² T⁻²]
• Φ_E Electric flux [M L³ T⁻³ A⁻¹]
• p Electric dipole moment [L T A]
• C Capacitance [M⁻¹ L⁻² T⁴ A²]