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Chapter

Fundamental and Derived Quantities

Economic activities such as trading would be very inefficient and confusing if we do not have a standardised set of weights and measures.
Can you imagine what will happen if everyone has a different definition of how long one metre should be?

Im 20, 20, 20

Im 5, 5, 5

If we add units to these numbers, it will help us give meaning to the numbers.

Chapter 1: Fundamental and Derived Quantities

A physical quantity must consist of both magnitude and units.

Im 20kg, 20cm tall and 20cm wide magnitude units

Similarly,
Im 5kg, 5cm tall and 5cm wide

Chapter 1: Fundamental and Derived Quantities

A fundamental quantity is
- also known as a base quantity - an arbitrary chosen to be independent of other physical quantities

They are length, mass, time, electric current, temperature, amount of substance and luminous intensity.

Chapter 1: Fundamental and Derived Quantities

Prefixes
These are some commonly used prefixes and their factors in Physics

Chapter 1: Fundamental and Derived Quantities

Scientific Notation - a way to present very large

or very small numbers in a easy to read format.

Examples:
250000m

250000 = 2.5 X 105

0.00250 = 2.5 X 10-3

Chapter 1: Fundamental and Derived Quantities

Derived Units - Physical quantities and their

related units that are related to the fundamental quantities by mathematical and scientific definitions. They are derived from SI units
Speed = Distance Time ms-1 = m s Force = Mass x Acceleration Kg ms-2

Hence, Force = kg ms-2

Chapter 1: Fundamental and Derived Quantities