The Application of the Dimensional Analysis Approach in Understanding the Interrelationships Between Physical Quantities for Students

Havez Rasya Lega Serano; Endi Suhendi; Lathifa Nur Ramdhania; Lasmita Sari; Mohd Zaidi Bin Amiruddin; Imam Sya’roni

doi:10.20527/jipf.v10i1.17146

The Application of the Dimensional Analysis Approach in Understanding the Interrelationships Between Physical Quantities for Students

Havez Rasya Lega Serano, Endi Suhendi, Lathifa Nur Ramdhania, Lasmita Sari, Mohd Zaidi Bin Amiruddin, Imam Sya’roni

Abstract

The main issue raised in this study is the tendency of students to rely on memorizing physics formulas without understanding the relationships between quantities and their dimensions. This study aims to explore the use of the dimensional analysis approach as a tool for understanding and deriving the relationships between physical quantities in various types of motion, including oscillatory motion, free fall motion, and parabolic motion. Exploratory and conceptual analysis methods were used in this study with a descriptive approach. In addition, an attitude scale instrument was used to measure students’ perceptions, which has been shown to be valid (0.80–0.92) and reliable (α = 0.89). The results show that the equations obtained through dimensional analysis are consistent with theoretical equations. This confirms that the approach is capable of correctly identifying the form of physical relationships, although it cannot yet determine the numerical constants precisely. In addition, student responses show a positive attitude towards the dimensional analysis approach, which is considered a new, useful, and efficient way of solving physics problems. However, students also recognized the limitations of this method in producing exact solutions due to the existence of arbitrary constants. These findings indicate that dimensional analysis is a scientifically robust and pedagogically valuable approach that can strengthen conceptual understanding. Thus, the application of the dimensional analysis approach in physics learning can help students find solutions logically and systematically.

Keywords

Dimensional analysis; Equation; Motion; Physics education

Full Text:

PDF

References

Aiken, L. R. (1985). Three coefficients for analyzing the reliability and validity of ratings. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 45(1), 131–142.

Alan, Ü., & Kabasakal, K. A. (2020). Effect of number of response options on the psychometric properties of Likert-type scales used with children. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 66, 100895.

Amiruddin, M. Z. Bin, & Suliyanah, S. (2023). Exploration physics concepts in local wisdom mappere bone south sulawesi as a source of physics learning: An analytical study. JIPF (Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan Fisika), 8(1), 94–104.

Bhaskar, R., & Nigam, A. (1990). Qualitative physics using dimensional analysis. Artificial Intelligence, 45(1–2), 73–111.

Bissell, J. (2012). Dimensional analysis and dimensional reasoning. In Ways of Thinking, Ways of Seeing: Mathematical and other Modelling in Engineering and Technology (pp. 29–45). Springer.

Conejo, A. N. (2021). Fundamentals of dimensional analysis. Springer.

Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297–334.

Cui, L., Rebello, N. S., & Bennett, A. G. (2007). Assessing college students’ transfer of learning from calculus to physics using non-traditional problems. Proceedings of the NARST 2007 Annual Meeting.

Docktor, J. L., & Mestre, J. P. (2014). Synthesis of discipline-based education research in physics. Physical Review Special Topics-Physics Education Research, 10(2), 20119.

Gok, T. (2018). Investigation of students’ knowledge of physical quantities’ symbol, unit and formula. Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning & Teaching, 19(2).

Gulya, N. M., & Fehérvári, A. (2025). The extent and change of attitudes towards students with disabilities: A Meta-analysis of results measured with the chedoke-mcmaster attitudes towards children with handicaps scale. Educational Research Review, 100738. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100738

Halliday, D., Resnick, R., & Walker, J. (2013). Fundamentals of physics. John Wiley & Sons.

Lassri, M., & Lassri, H. (2022). Dimensional analysis and its role in the learning of physical sciences in secondary qualifying school. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 10(1), 571–578.

Lenz, M., & Gire, E. (2016). Faculty views of and expectations for dimensional analysis. PER Conference, 196–199.

Martin, S. N. (2019). Science education in Indonesia: Past, present, and future. Asia-Pacific Science Education, 5(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41029-019-0032-0

Purnama, D., Tanwiruddin, T., Fatina, G. H., & Rokhmat, J. (2023). Pengaruh motivasi belajar terhadap hasil belajar kognitif siswa pada materi besaran dan satuan. Contextual Natural Science Education Journal, 1(1), 38–45.

Purnomo, D., Vebrianto, R., & Yuliastrin, A. (2025). Analisis pembelajaran fisika: Dari sudut pandang guru dan siswa. Lamda: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan MIPA Dan Aplikasinya, 5(1), 39–47.

Redish, E. F. (2021). Using math in physics: 1. Dimensional analysis. The Physics Teacher, 59(6), 397–400.

Reichelova, M., & Teleki, A. (2013). The role of dimensional analysis in teaching physics. ArXiv Preprint ArXiv:1308.6164.

Santiago, J. G. (2019). A first course in dimensional analysis: Simplifying complex phenomena using physical insight. Mit Press.

Sari, E. P. D. N., Amiruddin, M. Z. Bin, Admoko, S., Suprapto, N., & Suliyanah, S. (2023). Exploration concept of physics on local wisdom in traditional game angkle (Engklek) as student teaching material. Berkala Ilmiah Pendidikan Fisika, 11(1), 40–50.

Schiering, D., Sorge, S., Tröbst, S., & Neumann, K. (2023). Course quality in higher education teacher training: What matters for pre-service physics teachers’ content knowledge development? Studies in Educational Evaluation, 78(May).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2023.101275

Setiawan, B., & Suwandi, E. (2022). The development of Indonesia national curriculum and its changes: The integrated science curriculum development in Indonesia. Journal of Innovation in Educational and Cultural Research, 3(4), 528–535.

Sherin, B. L. (2001). How students understand physics equations. Cognition and Instruction, 19(4), 479–541.

Singh, C. (2006). Student understanding of symmetry and Gauss’s law of electricity. American Journal of Physics, 74(10), 923–936.

Taylor, M., Diaz, A. I., Jodar-Sanchez, L. A., & Villanueva-Mico, R. J. (2007). 100 Years of dimensional analysis: new steps toward

empirical law deduction. ArXiv Preprint ArXiv:0709.3584.

Van Heuvelen, A. (1991). Learning to think like a physicist: A review of research‐based instructional strategies. American Journal of Physics, 59(10), 891–897.

Yahaya, W., Oladimeji, A. A., & Enuwa, M. R. (2023). Measuring students’ dimensional analysis knowledge of mechanics concepts of physical quantities in Kwara State, Nigeria. Archives of Educational Studies (ARES), 3(1), 24–34.

Yildiz, A. (2015). A discussion on an expression written about dimensional analysis in a physics textbook. European Journal of Physics Education, 6(3), 1–7.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.20527/jipf.v10i1.17146