A derived quantity is a Physics quantity that is not a base quantity.

It is the quantities which

derived from the base quantities through multiplying and/or dividing them.

Example

(Speed is derived from dividing

distance by time.)

Derived Unit
The derived unit is a combination of base units through multiplying and/or dividing them.

Example 1
Find the derived unit of density.
Answer
Unit Conversion
Area and Volume

Example 2
Convert the unit of length, area and volume below to the units given.
a) 7.2 m = ____________cm
b) 0.32 m2  = ____________cm2
c) 0.0012 m3 = ____________cm3
d) 5.6 cm = ____________m
e) 350 cm2 = ____________m2
f) 45000 cm3 = ____________m3
Answer
a) 7.2 m = 7.2 x 102 cm
b) 0.32 m2 = 0.32 x 104 cm2 = 3.2 x 103 cm2
c) 0.0012 m3 = 0.0012 x 106 cm3 = 1.2 x 103 cm3
d) 5.6 cm = 5.6 x 10-2 m
e) 350 cm2 = 350 x 10-4 m2 = 3.5 x 10-2 m2
f) 45000 cm3 = 45000 x 10-6 m3 = 4.5 x 10-2 m3

Speed
Example 3
Complete the following unit conversion 
a) 12 kmh-1 = __________ ms-1 
b) 12 ms-1  = __________ kmh-1
Answer

a){\rm{ 12kmh}}^{{\rm{ - 1}}} {\rm{ = }}{{{\rm{12km}}} \over {{\rm{1h}}}}{\rm{ = }}

{{{\rm{12,000m}}} \over {{\rm{60 \times 60s}}}}{\rm{ = }}{{{\rm{10}}} \over {\rm{3}}}
{\rm{ms}}^{{\rm{ - 1}}}

b){\rm{ 12ms}}^{{\rm{ - 1}}} {\rm{ = }}{{{\rm{12m}}} \over {{\rm{1s}}}}{\rm{ = }}{{{{{\rm{12}}}

\over {{\rm{1000}}}}{\rm{km}}} \over {{{\rm{1}} \over {{\rm{60 \times 60}}}}{\rm{h}}}}{\rm{ = 43}}
{\rm{.2kmh}}^{{\rm{ - 1}}}

Prefixes are the preceding factor used to represent very small and very large
physical quantities in SI units.

Conversion of prefixes

Prefixes to Normal Number

Example 1
The frequency of the radio wave is 350M Hz. What is the frequency of the radio wave
in Hz?
Answer
Mega (M) = 1,000,000 or 106
Therefore,
350MHz = 250 x 106Hz
Example 2
The thickness of a film is 25nm. What is the thickness in unit meter?
Answer
nano (n) = 0.000000001 or 10-9
Therefore
25nm = 25 x 10 10-9nm

Normal number to Prefixes

Example 3
0.255 s is equal to how many ms.
Answer
mili (m) = 0.001 or 10-3
To write a normal number with prefixes, we divide the number with the value of the
prefixes
0.0255 s = 0.0255 ÷ 10-3 = 25.5 ms

Example 4
Convert 265,500,000 W into GW.
Answer
Gega (G) = 1,000,000,000 or 109
Therefore
265,500,000 W = 265,500,000 ÷ 109 = 0.2655GW

External Link

1. Scalars are quantities which are fully described by a magnitude alone.

2. Magnitude is the numerical value of a quantity.
3. Examples of scalar quantities are distance, speed, mass, volume,
temperature, density and energy.

Vector Quantity

1. Vectors are quantities which are fully described by both a magnitude and a
direction.
2. Examples of vector quantities are displacement, velocity, acceleration, force,
momentum, and magnetic field.
Example 1 
Categorize each quantity below as being either a vector or a scalar.

Speed, velocity, acceleration, distance, displacement, energy, electrical charge,

density, volume, length, momentum, time, temperature, force, mass, power, work,
impulse.

Answer:
Scalar Quantities:

 speed
 distance
 energy
 electrical charge
 density
 volume
 length
 time
 temperature
 mass
 power
 work

Vector Quantities

 velocity
 acceleration
 displacement
 momentum
 force
 impulse