# Template talk:Infobox physical quantity

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I have updated the infobox with several parameters which may be useful.

I also have my reservations about the "derivations=" parameter. The type of formulas used here typically are dependent on the context. Most of the useful information added with this parameter can also be entered using the new "dimension=" parameter. (TimothyRias (talk) 09:08, 27 July 2009 (UTC))

## Not merely for measurement, but for expression

I've changed the label that gets generated for the unit field from "Measured in" to "Expressed in." My sense of the semantics is that we do a lot more with, say, momentum than measure it: we also record it, we predict it, we describe it, ... And all of those involve expressing the quantity.

Note, too, that this is the way user:TimothyRias had done things in his first draft of the template (as documented here).—PaulTanenbaum (talk) 03:04, 28 February 2010 (UTC)

## SI symbol --> Common symbol(s)

SI literature, as far as I can see, does not specify whether (for example), an electric charge quantity should be written using the symbol Q or q or x or ξ or anything else. Therefore there is no such thing as an "SI symbol" for a physical quantity. I am replacing it with "Common symbol(s)". The "(s)" is because often more than one symbol is commonly used, like q and Q for charge, or V and φ for electric potential. --Steve (talk) 14:34, 15 July 2012 (UTC)

## No reason for "Name" to be mandatory

There's no reason "name" should be mandatory. If the infobox is at the top of the article, and the name of the quantity is the same as the title of the article, then there is no reason to rewrite it. I edited the template accordingly. --Steve (talk) 16:12, 15 July 2012 (UTC)

Thumb up for you. —Kri (talk) 22:53, 19 July 2012 (UTC)

## Vector/Scalar

This template needs an option for specifying whether the physical quantity is a scalar or a vector. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Theemathas (talkcontribs) 05:45, 23 November 2013 (UTC)

## [itex] for SI dimension?

It seems that the "SI dimension" content is taken from wikidata, but its formatting is different there and here. For example, for pressure it is rendered using `[itex]` formatting in wikidata, but as unprocessed TeX markup in WP. What controls this, and how the situation can be corrected (without breaking something else)? — Mikhail Ryazanov (talk) 00:50, 25 July 2017 (UTC)

DePiep, it seems to be your addition. Do you have any ideas how it is supposed to work? (For me, wikidata is something quite obscure) — Mikhail Ryazanov (talk) 00:57, 25 July 2017 (UTC)
So en:Pressure, now shows `L^{-1}MT^{-2}` here. In wikidata: pressure (Q39552) (L^{-1}MT^{-2}, ${\displaystyle L^{-1}MT^{-2}}$),
In Wikidata: L−1MT−2
Try: [itex]: ${\displaystyle L^{-1}MT^{-2}}$
Looks like this is the way to go. Maybe try in the sandbox? For a while, it might be switched off (invisible in articles) until this is solved.
I note: the font is free (eg serifs allowed/not required). However, the letters should be upright (Roman), not italics: L−1MT−2 . To be changed in Wikidata. -DePiep (talk) 13:35, 25 July 2017 (UTC)
Example now spoiled, worse in infobox, but the general note stands: Wikidata format should be OK for all dimensions, not just one. -DePiep (talk) 15:39, 25 July 2017 (UTC)