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Introduction, Units, Physical Quantities and Vectors: Dr. Md. Readul Mahmud/Lecturer, SECS PHY 101/chapter-1 1
Introduction, Units, Physical Quantities and Vectors: Dr. Md. Readul Mahmud/Lecturer, SECS PHY 101/chapter-1 1
Introduction:
Physics is the science of matter and its motion, as well as space and time. It uses
concepts such as energy, force, mass, and charge. Physics is an experimental
science, creating theories that are tested against observations. Broadly, it is the
general scientific analysis of nature, with a goal of understanding how the universe
behaves.
Physics is an empirical study. Also physics is inherently a science of measurement.
Physical system:
Everything that can be analyzed by the physical law is a physical system. There are
numbers of physical systems. We will study here mechanical system.
Physical Systems
Measurement:
Measurement is the process of estimating the magnitude of some attribute of an
object, such as its length or weight, relative to some standard (unit of measurement),
such as a meter or a kilogram.
Physical quantity:
Any number or sets of number used for a quantitative description of a physical
phenomenon is called a physical quantity.
Unit:
A unit of measurement is a standardized quantity of a physical property, used as a
factor to express occurring quantities of that property.
For example, suppose a rod is 30m long, i.e. it is 30 times long as an object whose
length has been defined to be one meter. Such a standard is called a unit of the
quantity.
There are different systems of unit in the world.
1. MKS System:
Unit of length− meter
Unit of mass− kilogram
Unit of time− second
2. CGS system:
Unit of length− centimeter
Unit of mass− gram
Unit of time− second
3. FPS system:
Unit of length− foot
Unit of mass− pound
Unit of time− second
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Dr. Md. Readul Mahmud/Lecturer, SECS
PHY 101/Chapter-1
Unit consistency:
Relations among physical quantities are often expressed by equations in which the
quantities are represented by algebraic symbols, only if they have the same units. An
equation must always be dimensionally consistent; this means that two terms may be
added or equated only if they have the same units.
Suppose, if a body moving with constant speed v travels a distance s in time t, these
quantities are related by the equations s = vt.
If s is measured in meters, then the product must also have units of meters. Thus an
equation must always be dimensionally consistent.
Physical quantities are often divided into fundamental quantities and derived
quantities.
Fundamental quantities:
Quantities are organized in a dimensional system built upon base quantities, each of
which is regarded as having its own dimension. Fundamental quantities are not
defined in terms of other quantities. For example, mass, length, time, etc.
Derived quantities:
Derived quantities are those whose defining operations are based on other physical
quantities. For example, velocity, acceleration, volume, etc.
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Dr. Md. Readul Mahmud/Lecturer, SECS
PHY 101/Chapter-1
P1 P2
Figure 2: Showing a vector A
Components of vector:
A single vector can be split up in two components of vector. The components will be at
right angle to each other.
If Ax and Ay are two components of vector A, then from the definition of trigonometric
functions
Ax
Cos
A
Ax ACos
and
Ay
Sin
A Figure 4: Components of vector
Ay ASin
From Pythagoras,
Ay
A2 Ax Ay and tan
2 2
Ax
Unit vector:
A unit vector is a vector having a magnitude of unity, with no units. Its only purpose is
to describe a direction in space.
In the rectangular coordinate system:
Unit vector i shows a direction in +ve X direction
Unit vector j shows a direction in +ve Y direction
Unit vector k shows a direction in +ve Z direction
Product of vectors:
There are two types of vector multiplication. They are Scalar or dot product and vector
or cross product.
a) Scalar or dot product:
In this case the result of the multiplication of two vectors is a scalar quantity. Suppose
A and B are two vectors drawn from a common point and the angle between them is .
The scalar product of these two vectors is given by
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Dr. Md. Readul Mahmud/Lecturer, SECS
PHY 101/Chapter-1
A.B A B Cos
If 𝐴⃗ = 𝑖̂𝐴𝑥 + 𝑗̂𝐴𝑦 + 𝑘̂ 𝐴𝑧 and 𝐵
⃗⃗ = 𝑖̂𝐵𝑥 + 𝑗̂𝐵𝑦 + 𝑘̂ 𝐵𝑧 then
iˆ.iˆ ˆj. ˆj kˆ.kˆ 1.1Cos (0) 1
A.B. Ax Bx Ay By Az Bz
& iˆ. ˆj iˆ.kˆ ˆj.iˆ. ˆj.kˆ kˆ.iˆ kˆ. ˆj 1.1Cos (90) 0
b) Vector or cross product:
In this case the result of the multiplication of two vectors is a vector quantity. The
vector product of two vectors A and B is denoted by A B, which is another vector with
a direction perpendicular to plane of A and B.
If C A B , then the magnitude of C is
C nˆ A B Sin ,
where n̂ is a unit vector indicating the direction
and is the angle between them.
If 𝐴⃗ = 𝑖̂𝐴𝑥 + 𝑗̂𝐴𝑦 + 𝑘̂ 𝐴𝑧
and 𝐵 ⃗⃗ = 𝑖̂𝐵𝑥 + 𝑗̂𝐵𝑦 + 𝑘̂ 𝐵𝑧 , then
Problems for practice: Exercise 1- 15, 1- 19, 1- 20, 1- 25, 1- 30, 1- 31, 1- 35, 1-36,
1- 37, 1-38 etc. from University Physics by Sears Zemansky (6th Edition)
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Dr. Md. Readul Mahmud/Lecturer, SECS
PHY 101/Chapter-1