Physics – Mechanical Chapter 1

for MSE
Chapter 1: • Physics is the study of nature at its most
basic level.
Measurement: Unit conversions and sig figs
• Observations of nature give rise to models
Problem solving process and theories, expressed in mathematical
Unit analysis and estimation form.
• We test these physical theories using
READ AHEAD: experiments
Giancoli p. 1-9, 12-13 • When successful, the theories give a better
understanding of the world around us…
…and allow us to successfully build all kinds of
things: roads, buildings, robots, computers

Scope of Physics--Mechanical Measured vs. Exact numbers

• We deal with classical mechanics in this • Some numbers are exact. For example, a car
course. may have 4 cylinders. Here, 4 is an exact
number.
– Mechanics deals with how (kinematics) and
why (dynamics) things move – An exact number is known with infinite precision
• eg. 4 = 4.00000…..
– Classical means
• Not too fast v<<c • Many numbers you will deal with are
• Not too small d>>atom approximate. These numbers have been
• Most everyday situations can be described determined through measurement
in these terms • eg. 3.45 m or 957 g or 40000 L
– We characterize an approximate number by its
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accuracy and its precision

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 Measurement Absolute and Percent Uncertainty
No measurement is exact; there is always some
uncertainty due to limited instrument accuracy and
difficulty reading results. Absolute uncertainty is written with a ± sign; for
example: 8.8 ± 0.1 cm.

What is the width Percent uncertainty is the ratio of the uncertainty to

of this board in the measured value, multiplied by 100:
cm?

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Accuracy and Precision Measuring a Pipe with

Different Rulers
• Accuracy: How many significant figures are there? 0 10 20
– This is the number of place values we are reasonably Scale A
cm
sure of having measured. (Usually the smallest place
value is a guess.)
0 10 20
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Scale B c
• Precision: What is the position of the last significant m
figure?
– This is the smallest place value that we are reasonably 0 10 20
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
sure we measured. cm
Scale C

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 When are zeroes significant and Ambiguous Zeroes
when are they non-significant?
• Zeroes are unfortunately sometimes
•Zeroes are significant when they indicate that a
ambiguous:
measurement has been made with a greater degree of
precision: – Does 800 m have 1 sf or 2 sf or 3 sf?
13.20 cm is precise to the nearest 0.01 cm – If this happens, use your judgment or ask
13.2 cm is only precise to the nearest 0.1 cm questions
•Zeroes are non-significant when they act as place-holders: – Your book assumes 2 sf unless there is an
200 cm has only has one SF (strictly speaking) indication that the measurement is rough
0.00050 g has only has two SF
Consider 0.00324, 0.00056 and 0.00450 How can we make zeroes unambiguous?
Do these all have the same accuracy?
Do these all have the same precision?

Rules of Thumb for Working with

Example 1
Measured Quantities
For addition and subtraction: A rectangle measures 250 mm (to the
– The result is expressed with the precision of the least
precise number. Round to the smallest place value of nearest 10 mm) on one side and 32 mm on
the least precise number. the other.
a) What is the perimeter of the rectangle, with
correct rounding?
For multiplication and division:
– The result is expressed with the accuracy of the least
b) What is the area of the rectangle, with
accurate number. Round to the number of significant correct rounding?
figures present in the least accurate number.

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 Class vote: Significant Figures When should I round?
A rectangle has measured dimensions of 3.0 m In a multi-step calculation, it is best to keep
and 2.995 m. How many SF should there be a few extra significant figures and then
in the area and how many decimal places in round off only the final result. Rounding too
the perimeter?
early can give an incorrect final result.
a) 1 SF; 3 decimal places
b) 2 SF; 1 decimal place
c) 2 SF; 3 decimal places
d) 3 SF; 2 decimal places
e) 4 SF; 3 decimal places

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Units, Standards, and the SI System

Example 2 Quantity Unit Standard

Find if and then round correctly. Length Meter Length of the path traveled
(Be sure to round only at the end.) by light in 1/299,792,458
second
Let 38.258 ; 3.58 12.9 .
Time Second Time required for
9,192,631,770 periods of
radiation emitted by cesium
atoms
Mass Kilogram Platinum cylinder in
International Bureau of
Weights and Measures, Paris

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 Units, Standards, and
the SI System
These are the standard SI
prefixes for indicating
powers of 10. Many are
familiar, but yotta, zetta,
exa, hecto, deka, atto,
zepto, and yocto are rarely
used.
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Unit conversions
• When we convert from one unit to another, we
multiply by a conversion factor (better: a
conversion FRACTION)
• The conversion fraction is actually just 1.
• The numerator and denominator of the conversion
fraction are the same quantity in different units
Mars Orbiter destroyed at a
cost of 125 million dollars =
1.25 x 108 dollars because of a
failure to convert between
imperial and metric units!
Units, Standards, and the SI System
We will be working in the SI system, in which the
basic units are kilograms, meters, and seconds.
Quantities not in the table are derived quantities,
expressed in terms of the base units.
US Customary system of
units:
Here length is measured in
feet, time in seconds and
force in pounds (lbs). (This
means that mass is measured
in slugs.) We will occasionally
use this system.
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Practice unit conversion
Express 21.5 inches in centimetres:
Conversion fraction
21.5 in
= 21.5 in x
= cm
Many conversion factors are included in front cover of your book
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 What if there are several units to convert?
• When there is more than one unit to convert,
then you need a conversion fraction for each
unit conversion
What if the units are squared or cubed?
• If the units are squared, you will need to apply
the conversion factor two times (i.e. square it)
• If the units are cubed, you will need to apply the
conversion fraction three times (i.e. cube it)
Example 3
Perform the following unit conversions:
a) Convert 52.8 miles/hour to m/s (1 mile =
1.609 km)
b) Convert 41.3 g/cm3 to kg/m3
c) Express 1.5 x 102 µg/mL in units of g/L
d) Express 52 slug/ft3 in appropriate SI units (1
slug = 14.59 kg and 1 ft = 0.3048 m).

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Example 4 Problem-Solving Strategy

You should be able to convert units you’ve never
SET UP
heard of, too! Consider the system of volumes Read Problem
once common in Spain: Draw Diagram
(if appropriate)
1 fanega = 55.501 dm3 (cubic decimeters) Given/Wanted
(even for simple problems)
1 fanega = 12 almude (use standard units)
SOLVE
1 almude = 2 medio Identify Principle(s)
1 cahiz = 12 fanega Choose Equation(s)
Re-arrange
Substitute and solve
REFLECT
a) How many cahiz are in 1 medio? Round to
Did I answer the question?
three significant figures. Are the units right? (Use unit analysis!)
b) Express 7.00 almudes in cm3 (cubic Does it make sense? (Estimate or refer to something you know)
centimetres).
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 Unit Analysis Example 5
Unit analysis [sometimes done in square
brackets] is useful for catching mistakes. Use great problem-solving strategy, including an estimate
and unit analysis, as you work through this review problem:
In unit analysis we manipulate the units of the What time elapses as a runner covers a 60-m course,
given quantities as we do the numerical problem assuming the runner goes at his average speed of 8.2 m/s?
in order to determine the units of the final
answer.
Estimation
Making an estimate before or after doing a
complex problem is a powerful method of
catching silly mistakes.

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