PHYSICAL

QUANTITIES AND
THEIR UNITS
 Physical Quantities
A physical property that can be
quantified

Can be Can be measured

= and calculated
quantified

Physical quantity is also known as

base quantity
 Physical Quantity
• There are 5 basic physical quantity
1. Length
2. Mass
3. Time
4. Temperature

5. Electric current
 PHYSICAL SYMBOL SI units SYMBOL
QUANTITY OF SI
unit
Length l metre m
Mass m kilogram kg
Time t second s
Temperature T kelvin K
Electric I ampere A
current
 Physical Quantity
Physical quantity Measurement tool
Length Metre rule
Mass Lever or beam balance
Time Stopwatch
Temperature Thermometer
Electric current Ammeter
 Standard Form
Read these sentences
The distance from the earth to the
sun is 150 000 000 000 m

The mass of hydrogen atom is

0. 00000000000000000000000167g
 Standard Form
• One is very big and the other is very
small - both of them are difficult to
read and write.
• To make them easy, we write the in
standard form of a x10n
• 1≤ a < 10
1) 150 000 000 000 m

= 1.5 x 1011 m

2) 0.00000000000000000000000167g

= 1.67 x 10-24 g
 Exercise
Change these value into standard form

1. 12 00 m = 1.2 x 103 m

2. 0.0000074 g = 7.4 x 10-6 g

3. 0.01 m = 1 x 10-2 m

4. 57300g = 5.7 x 104 g

 Prefixes
• Prefixes are used to represent
quantities that are too large or too
small.

• Example :

• 100 000 g of sugar

• 0.00000045 g of gold
Prefix symbol Numerical Multiplying
value factor
Giga
9
G 1 000 000 000 x10
6
Mega M 1 000 000 x10
Kilo k
3
1000 x10
centi C
-2
0.01 x10
Mili
-3
m 0.001 x10
micro  0.000 001 x10 -6
 Writing quantities in the prefix
form
Example 1
1. Write 550 000 m in km

1. Look at
the symbol of
3 the prefix
k = kilo = 1000 = 10
2. Determine
the value of
the prefix
 3 3. Look at the
k = 10 value, positive or
negative

If positive, move the decimal

point forwards
550 000 m = 550 x 103 m

= 550 km
Example 2
Write 0.025 A in mA
-3
m = mili = 0.001 = 10

-3
0.025 A = 25 x 10 A
= 25 mA
 Tips
Large value, use positive prefix –
G, M, k
Small value, use negative prefix –
c, m, 

50,000 m ---use kilo

56,000,000 B ---use Mega
0.000008 g ----use micro
 Exercise

1. 12 00 m = 1.2 x 103 m
= 1.2 km

2. 0.0000074 g = 7.4 x 10-6 g

= 7.4 g
 Exercise

3. 0.01 m = 1 x 10-2 m
= 1 cm

4. 57300g = 57.3 x 103 g

= 57.3 kg
 Assessment
1. Which of the following prefixes is
CORRECTLY matched to its symbol?

Prefix Symbol
A Giga K
B kilo h
C Mega M
D mili 
2. Which of the following prefixes are used
for small values?
A. micro, mili, kilo
B. kilo, Mega, Giga
C. micro, mili, centi
D. micro, centi, kilo
3. Which of the following physical quantities is
CORRECTLY matched to its SI unit symbol?

Physical quantity SI unit symbol

A Temperature C
B Electric current A
C Length kg
D Mass m
 Assessment
4. Write each of the following values in
a suitable prefix form.

(a) 0.08 m = ___ cm

(b) 6000 g = ___ kg
(c) 0.007 A = ___ mA
(d) 5500 m = ___ km
(e) 0.009 m = ___ mm a. 8 b. 6 c. 7 d. 5.5 e. 9
Conclusion
 Physical Quantity
5 basic quantities

Length Mass Temperature Time Electric

metre kilogram kelvin second current
(m) (kg) (K) (s) ampere
(A)
Measurement tool

Metre Beam Thermometer Stopwatch Ammeter

rule balance

Lever
balance