Physical Quantities

From OSHKY Knowledge Library

This page is intended to be a quick reference for the different physical quantities and some common conversions CSHOs will need to know while performing their job duties.

Base Quantities

Base quantities are those quantities that cannot be defined by any other quantities. For example, length is a base quantity because length is composed of no other quantities. However, surface area is a quantity composed of two length measurements.

The first unit name given below is the International System of Units (SI)-preferred unit. Conversions will be listed to other common units.

Quantity SI Unit (Symbol) Common Units Conversion Factors
Length meter (m) inch (in)

foot (ft)

mile (mi)

1 m = 39.37 in

1 m = 3.28 ft

1 km = 0.62 mi

Mass kilogram (kg) pound (lb) 1 kg = 2.2 lbs

1 g = 0.035 oz

Time second (s) hour (hr)

day (d)

1 hr = 3,600 s

1 d = 86,400 s

Temperature kelvin (K) Celsius (°C)

Fahrenheit (°F)

ΔK = Δ°C

°C = (°F-32)•5/9

°F = (9/5)•°C + 32

Amount mole (mol) count 1 mol = 6.022 x 10²³
Electric Current ampere (A)
Luminous Intensity candela (cd)