1Which of these has the same dimensions as frequency?
Frequency and angular frequency both have the dimensions [T⁻¹].
Oscillations and wavesClass 11, Oscillations
Dimensional formula of Frequency
[T-1]
Cycles per second. A cycle is a pure number, so frequency is one over time.
How to get the dimensional formula of frequency
- Start from the definition: frequency = 1 / time.
- Put in the dimension of each part: 1 / [T].
- Add the powers of each base quantity: [T-1].
Quantities with the dimensions [T⁻¹]
Equal dimensions do not make them the same quantity. Compare frequency with the others in the full grid.
Three questions on frequency
2What is the SI unit of frequency?
The SI unit of frequency is the hertz (Hz).
3Which one has different dimensions from the others?
Linear mass density is [M L⁻¹]. The other three are all [T⁻¹].
An equation that uses frequency
Equation checker
Matching dimensions are necessary, not sufficient. A check cannot see pure numbers such as 1/2 or 2π, so a consistent equation can still be wrong.
Read as
E = h νE[M L2 T-2]=h nu[M L2 T-2]Dimensionally consistentEvery term is [M L2 T-2]
Frequency: quick answers
What is the dimensional formula of frequency?
The dimensional formula of frequency is [T⁻¹]. It comes from frequency = 1 / time.
What is the SI unit of frequency?
The SI unit of frequency is the hertz (Hz).
Which quantities have the same dimensions as frequency?
Frequency shares [T⁻¹] with angular velocity, velocity gradient, angular frequency, decay constant, activity. Equal dimensions do not make them the same quantity.