TOPIC 1: Units,

Trigonometry, and Vectors

Madam Nur Asyikin Binti Ahmad Nazri
+60 0135853632
asyikin2750@uitm.edu.my
1.0 Physical Quantities and units
1.1 Basic Quantities and SI units
1.1.1 Base and derived physical quantities and their units in SI
1.1.2 Dimensional Analysis
1.1.3 Unit Conversions
1.1.4 Significant Figures
1.1.5 Order-of-Magnitude
Subtopic
1.1 Standard of Length, Mass, and Time
1.2 The building Blocks of Matter
1.3 Dimensional Analysis
1.4 Uncertainty in Measurement and Significant Figures
1.5 Unit Conversions for Physical Quantities
1.6 Estimates and Order-of-Magnitude Calculations
1.7 Coordinate Systems
1.8 Trigonometry Review
1.9 Vectors
1.10 Components of a vector
1.11 Problem Solving Strategy

01
State basic quantities and
their respective SI units.
Learning outcomes
02
State derive quantities and
their respectives SI units
and symbols
03
State the definition of a dimension
and give examples of dimensions of
some basic physical quantities

04 05 06
Use dimensional analysis Convert physical quantities
Use dimensional analysis to
to check equations for from one system of units to
check homogeineity and
consistency another unit
construct equation of physics
07 08
Identify the number of significant Apply significant figures to estimate the
figures in a given physical proper accuracy of combination of
calculation/measurement physical measurements
 1.1
Basic Quantities and SI
Units
1.1.1. Base and derived physical quantities and their
units in SI
PHYSICAL QUANTITIES Table 1.1 shows all the basic (base) quantities.

AND UNITS SYMB

SYMBOL
SI UNIT OF THE
OL
Physical quantity is defined UNIT
as a quantity which can be
measured. MASS l metre m
It can be categorized into 2
types
• Basic (base) quantity
LENGHT m kilogram kg
• Derived quantity
Basic quantity is defined as a TIME t second s
quantity which cannot be
derived from any physical TEMPERATU
quantities.
T@θ kelvin K
RE
ELECTRIC
CURRENT
I ampere A

AMOUNT OF
N mole mol
PHYSICAL QUANTITIES Table 1.2 Examples of derived quantities.

AND UNITS SYMBO FORMULA

UNIT
L E
Derived quantity is defined as
a quantity which can be Velocity v s/t m s-1
expressed in term of base
quantity. Volume V l×w×t M3

Acceleration a v/t m s-2

Density ρ m/V kg m-3

Momentum p m×v kg m s-1

Force F m×a kg m s-2 @ N

Work W F×s kg m s-2 @ N

 FUNDAMENTAL QUANTITIES AND THEIR
DIMENSIONS
* Other physical
quantities can be BASIC
constructed from these QUANTITY
three

LENGTH [L] MASS [M] TIME [T]

The meter was redefined The mass of a specific The second is now defined
as the distance travelled platinum-iridium alloy as 9 192 631 700 times the
by light in vacuum during cylinder kept at the period of oscillation of
a time interval of 1/299 International Bureau of radiation from the cesium
792 458 second. weights and Measures at atom
Sevres, France
Approximate values for length, mass and time
 Table 1.3: List of prefixes usually used in physics
UNIT PREFIXES Prefix Multiple Symbol

tera × 1012 T

⚪ It is used for presenting larger giga × 109 G

and smaller values. mega × 106 M
⚪ Table 1.3 shows all the unit kilo × 103 k
prefixes.
deci × 10−1 d

centi × 10−2 c
⚪ Examples:
milli × 10−3 m
● 5740000 m = 5740 km =
5.74 Mm micro × 10−6 μ
−6 × 10−9
● 0.00000233 s = 2.33 × 10 s nano n
= 2.33 μs pico × 10−12 p
 1.3
Dimensional Analysis
1.1.2 Dimensional Analysis
 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS
⚪ Technique to check the correctness of an equation
⚪ Dimensions (length, mass, time, combinations) can be
treated as algebraic quantities
● Add, subtract, multiply, divide
⚪ Both sides of equation must have the same dimensions
⚪ Cannot give numerical factors: this is its limitation
⚪ Dimensions of some common quantities are listed in Table
1.5
⚪ Allows a check for calculations which can show up in the
units
 1.4
Uncertainty in Measurement
and Significant Figures
1.1.4 Significant Figures
 Significant Figures
• A significant figure is a reliably known digit
• All non-zero digits are significant
• Zeros are not significant when they only locate the decimal point
Using scientific notion to indicate the number of significant figures
removes ambiguity when the possibility of misinterpretation is present
 Decimal places Vs. Significant
figures
How many decimal places for these number?

2.8690 ?? 4

0.001000 ?? 6

00.800 ?? 3
267.50001 ??
5
 Decimal places Vs. Significant
figures
How many decimal places for these number?

2.8690 ?? 4

0.001000 ?? 4

00.800 ?? 3

267.50001 ?? 8
 *In solving the problems, the student should be

Discrepancies…. aware that slight differences in rounding practices

can result in answers varying from the text in the last
significant digit, which is normal and not cause for
concern

Consider 2.35 × 5.89/1.57. This computation can be performed in three

different orders.
1) 2.35 × 5.89 = 13.842, which rounds to 13.8, followed
by 13.8/1.57 = 8.789 8, rounding to 8.79
2) 5.89/1.57 5 3.751 6, which rounds to 3.75, resulting in 2.35 3 3.75 5
8.812 5, rounding to 8.81
3) 2.35/1.57 5 1.496 8 rounds to 1.50, and 1.50 3 5.89 5 8.835 rounds to
8.84
So three different algebraic orders, following the rules of rounding, lead to
answers of 8.79, 8.81, and 8.84
 1.5
Unit Conversions for
Physical Quantities
1.1.3 Unit Conversions
 Conversion of unit
Table 1.4 shows the conversion factors between SI and British units for length and
mass only.

Length Mass
1 m = 39.37 in = 3.281 ft 1 kg = 103 g
1 in = 2.54 cm 1 slug = 14.59 kg
1 km = 0.621 mi 1 lb = 0.453 592 kg
1 mi = 5280 ft = 1.609 km 1 kg = 0.0685 slug
1 angstrom (Å) = 10−10 m
 Reinforcement
Solve the following problems of unit conversion.
a. 15 mm2 = ? m2
b. 65 km h−1 = ? m s−1
c. 450 g cm−3 = ? kg m−3
d. 29 cm = ? In
e. 12 mi h−1 = ? m s−1
 Solution
a. 15 mm2 = ? m2
 Solution
b. 65 km h−1 = ? m s−1
 Solution
−3 −3
c. 450 g cm = ? kg m
 1.6 and
Estimates
Order-of-Magnitude
Calculations
1.1.5 Order-of-Magnitude
 Estimates
Can yield useful approximate answers
An exact answer may be difficult or impossible
Mathematical reasons
Limited information available
Can serve as a partial check for exact calculations
THANKS!
Do you have any questions?
asyikin2750@uitm.edu.my
+60 0135853632
Pusat Asasi Sains, UiTM, Dengkil
Topic 1.7 onwards
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