Derived unit
A unit of measurement that is created by combining two or more SI base units through multiplication or division. Examples include the newton (N = kg·m·s⁻²), joule (J = kg·m²·s⁻²), and pascal (Pa = kg·m⁻¹·s⁻²). Derived units express complex physical quantities in terms of fundamental measurements.
Formula
1 N = 1 kg·m·s⁻²
Real World
A bathroom scale measures your weight in newtons — a derived unit combining kilograms, metres, and seconds — then converts to kilograms for the display using W = mg.
Exam Focus
Practice expressing named units (newton, joule, watt, pascal) in base units — 'show that' questions require every step.
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