Specific quantity
Specific quantity
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Specific quantity

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Specific quantity

In the natural sciences, including physiology and engineering, the qualifier specific or massic typically indicates an intensive quantity obtained by dividing an extensive quantity of interest by mass. For example, specific leaf area is leaf area divided by leaf mass. Derived SI units involve reciprocal kilogram (kg−1), e.g., square metre per kilogram (m2⋅kg−1); the expression "per unit mass" is also often used.

In some fields, like acoustics, "specific" can mean division by a quantity other than mass.

Named and unnamed specific quantities are given for the terms below.

Per unit of mass (short form of mass-specific):

Per unit of other types.

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