2016/06/01 by I.M. Mills · 1 citation
Decision Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #Scientific Measurement and Uncertainty Evaluation #Scientific Research and Discoveries #Experimental and Theoretical Physics Studies
paper · doi:10.1088/0026-1394/53/3/991
openalex publication_date 2016/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
This paper is concerned with the names and symbols for quantities used to describe oscillatory motion such as for a harmonic oscillator, and the units to be used for the quantity plane angle and phase angle for an oscillator, and related quantities. I draw attention to the need to carefully distinguish the names and symbols for quantities from the names and symbols for their numerical values in any application, and the significance of including units such as radian and cycle for the quantity plane angle. The familiar equations for a harmonic oscillator such as ω = 2 πν , and the relation ħ = h /2 π for the Planck constant, are shown to hold only if the symbols are taken to represent the dimensionless numerical values of the quantities concerned in particular units, rather than the actual values which are not dimensionless as generally used in the equations of physics. Alternative ways of handling these quantities and units are discussed.