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General Physics 1
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 1A – Physics 1 Subject Teacher:

Outline:
1. Physical Quantities
2. Measurement
3. Significant Figures
4. Scientific Notation
5. Units
6. Random and Systematic Errors

Learning Objectives:
After completing the module, the students should be able to:
 solve measurement problems involving conversion of units, expression of measurements in
scientific notation
 differentiate accuracy from precision
 differentiate random errors from systematic errors

PHYSICAL QUANTITIES
A physical quantity is something that can be measured. It has a name, a physical dimension, and a unit of
measurement; it can be manipulated mathematically, and it can be assigned a numerical or other value.

CLASSIFICATION OF PHYSICAL QUANTITIES

1. Fundamental Quantities
 measured by direct method and have a single unit
 cannot be ‘resolved’ into other quantities
 length (m), mass (kg), time (s), temperature (K), charge (C), etc.
2. Derived Quantities
 other physical quantities are formulated based from the fundamental quantities
 area, volume, speed, pressure, density, specific heat

***Quantities can also be classified as either scalar or vector quantity

Scalar Quantities
 are completely defined by magnitude (a value and a unit). It is represented by a single number.
Vector Quantities
 are defined by both magnitude and direction. They can be represented by a directed line segment: an
arrow whose length, in any convenient unit, is the magnitude of the vector, and whose direction is the
direction of the vector.

MEASUREMENT
 is comparing a thing with a standard to see how many times as big it is
 is a process that uses a well-defined and agreed upon referent (the thing a word stands for) to describe a standard
unit
 MEASUREMENT in chemistry enables us to understand many properties of matter that is why it must be
accurate (agrees with the true value of the quantity being measured; degree of agreement between a measured
value and the true value) and precise (it is reproducible; degree of exactness to which a measurement can be
reproduced; degree of the instrument’s exactness).

A. SYSTEMS OF MEASUREMENT
1. English System
 known as the British Gravitational System
 standard units are based on body parts
a. inch – end joint of the thumb (uncia)
b. foot – length of the foot (30.48 cm)
c. yard – distance from the tip of the nose to the end of middle finger (3ft or 0.91m)
d. cubit – distance from the end of the elbow to the fingertip (18 in or 46 cm)
e. fathom – distance between the fingertips of two arms held straight out(6 ft or 1.8 m)
2. Metric System
 established by the French Academy of Sciences in 1791
 decimal-based system of units which was proposed in France by Gabriel Mouton
 International Systems of Units
 SI (System International)
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General Physics 1
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 1A – Physics 1 Subject Teacher:

Measurements Unit Symbol

Length meter m
Mass kilogram kg
Time second s
Thermodynamic Temperature Kelvin K
Electric Current A
Amount of Substance ampere
Luminous Intensity mole mol
Charge candela cd
coulomb C

SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
They comprise all digits that are known with certainty plus the first digit that is uncertain. The position of the
decimal point is relevant.

Rules in counting significant figures

Rule Measurement Significant Figures
Expression

1. All nonzero digits are significant. 14567.3 6

34.128 5
3.986 4

2. All zeros between two nonzero digits are significant. 34.0045 6

1.00006017 9
20037089 8

3. Zeros to the right of a nonzero digit, but to the left of an

understood decimal point, are not significant unless 108,000000 3
specifically indicated as significant by a bar placed above the 108,0000 _ 4
rightmost, such zero becomes significant. 108,000000 9

4. All zeros to the right of a decimal point but to the left of a

nonzero digit are not significant.*
0.000509 3
0.02876 4
5. All zeros to the right of a decimal point and to the right of 0.0000036 2
a nonzero digit are significant.
0.4087 4
0.030670890 8
700.00000000 11
*The single zero conventionally placed to the left of a decimal point in such an expression is never significant. It is
just used to locate the decimal point.

SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
 Method of writing or expressing very large or very small numbers into its exponential form.

Form: M x 10n

Where: M number not lower than one and not greater than ten
n number of times the decimal point is moved.
It can be a positive or negative integer.
Rules:
1. Determine M by moving the decimal point in the original number to the left or right so that the only one
nonzero digit is to the left of it.
 1
General Physics 1
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 1A – Physics 1 Subject Teacher:

2. Determine n by counting the number of places the decimal point has been moved.
If moved to the left, n is positive.
If moved to the right, n is negative.

Example

SI Positional form Exponential Form

Diameter of the Earth 1 300 000 000 cm ans. 1.3 x 109 cm
Diameter of a hydrogen atom 0.000 000 01 cm ans. 1 x 10-8 cm
Speed of light 30 000 000 000 cm/s ans. 3 x 1010 cm/s
PREFIXES
 Prefixes are added to SI units if the numerical value of the physical quantity is too large or too small.
Prefix Symbol Multiplying Factor
pico p 10-12
nano n 10-9
micro µ 10-6
milli m 10-3
centi c 10-2
kilo k 103
Mega M 106
Giga G 109
Tera T 1012

UNITS
A unit conversion factor is used to covert a quantity in one system of units to corresponding quantity in another
system of units.

Some conversion factors:

Time: Mass:
1 hour = 60 min. = 3600 s 1 kilogram (kg) = 1000 grams (g)
1 day = 1440 min. = 86400 s 1 g = 6.58 x 10-5 slug
1 year = 365.2 days = 31560000 s 1 slug = 14.59 kg
1 atomic mass unit (amu) = 1.660 x 10-27 kg
Length:
1 meter (m) = 100 cm = 1000 mm Volume:
= 39.37 in. 1 m3 = 103 liters (l) = 1 x 106 cm3 = 35.32ft3
= 3.281 ft 1 liter (l) = 1000 ml = 103 cm3
1cm = 10 mm = 0.3937 in. 1 ml = 1 cm3
1 km = 1000 m = 0.6214 mi. 1 ft3 = 28.32 liters = 7.481 gallons
1 foot (ft) = 12 in. = 0.3048 m = 30.48 cm
1 inch (in) = 2.54 cm Temperature:
1 mile (mi) = 5280 ft = 1.609 km K = ˚C + 273
1 nautical mile (nmi) = 6076ft = 1.152mi = 1.852 km ˚C = K – 273
1 light year = 9.461 x 1015 m ˚C = (˚F - 32) x 5/9
˚F = (˚C x 9/5) + 32

Sample Problem 1: If you are walking at a rate of 2.8 m/s, what is your speed in km/hr?
“What are the given in the problem?” Speed = 2.8 m/s
“What is the unknown?” Convert m/s to km/hr

m 1 km 3600 s
2.8 x x
Solution
s 1000 m 1 hr
10.08 km/hr

Sample Problem 2: The world’s largest cut diamond is the First Star of Africa. Its volume is 1.84 cubic
inches. What is its volume in cubic centimeters? In cubic meters?
“What do we know from the problem?” Volume = 1.84 in3
“What is the unknown?” Convert in3 to cm3 and m3
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General Physics 1
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 1A – Physics 1 Subject Teacher:

1.84 ¿3 x ¿ ¿ ¿

30.15 cm3
Solution 3
1m
30.15 cm3 x ( 100 cm )
3.02 x 10−5 m 3

RANDOM ERRORS AND SYSTEMATIC ERRORS

All experimental uncertainty is due to either random errors or systematic errors.

Random errors
- are statistical fluctuations (in either direction) in the measured data due to the precision limitations of the
measurement device.
- are errors where the size of error is almost constant, always positive OR always negative
- main source is the observer or it usually result from the experimenter's inability to take the same
measurement in exactly the same way to get exact the same number.

Systematic errors
- by contrast, are reproducible inaccuracies that are consistently in the same direction.
- are errors where the size of the error is NOT constant, sometimes positive and sometimes negative.
- are often due to a problem which persists throughout the entire experiment. The instrument is the main
source of error.

Note that systematic and random errors refer to problems associated with making measurements. Mistakes made in the
calculations or in reading the instrument are not considered in error analysis. It is assumed that the experimenters are
careful and competent!

Types of Errors Example How to minimize it

Random Errors You measure the mass of a ring three times using the
same balance and get slightly different values: 17.46 g,
17.42 g, 17.44 g
Wrong reading of the scale of an instrument.
Take more data. Random errors can be
evaluated through statistical analysis
and can be reduced by averaging over
a large number of observations.

Wrong count of the number of oscillations of a

pendulum.

Parallax error – error in a reading due to wrong

positioning of the eye.
e.g. reading of volume of a liquid

Systematic Errors The cloth tape measure that you use to measure the
length of an object had been stretched out from years of
use. (As a result, all your length measurements were too
small.
Change in length of a steel rule or Vernier calipers when
the surrounding temperature is different from the
temperature at which the instrument is calibrated.
Systematic errors are difficult to
detect and cannot be analyzed
statistically, because all the data is off
in the same direction (either too high
or too low). Spotting and correcting
for systematic error takes a lot of care.
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General Physics 1
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 1A – Physics 1 Subject Teacher:

References:
 Bawang, E. G. et al. 2012. General Physics Lecture Manual. Benguet State University. La Trinidad, Benguet.
 Silva, D. D. ND. General Physics Manual. Saint Louis University. Baguio City.
 Random and Systematic Errors.
https://www2.southeastern.edu/Academics/Faculty/rallain/plab193/labinfo/Error_Analysis/05_Random_vs_Systema tic.html
 fockphysics.wordpress.com
 1
General Physics 1
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 1A – Physics 1 Subject Teacher:

MODULE 1A ASSESSMENT
I. SIGNIFICANT FIGURES. Round-off each number to the indicated number of significant figures.
(10 points; 1 point each item)
1. 328.45 (4) __________ 6. 214.61 (4) __________
2. 15. 48 (3) __________ 7. 371,000 (2) __________
3. 358,000,000 (2) __________ 8. 36.08 (3) __________
-3
4. 0.07764(3) __________ 9. 4.056 x 10 (3) __________
4
5. 9.154 x 10 (2) __________ 10. 4132.51 (4) __________

II. CONVERSION ON UNITS. Convert the given measurements to the specified unit.
PART A. Convert the given measurements to the specified unit and encircle the highest measurement. (10 points;
1 point each item)

Convert all measurements to grams Convert all measurements to kilometers

2500 mg 325 Tm
250 ng 325000 pm
2500 cg 3250 µm
0.025 Mg 0.325 Gm
0.25 kg 3250000 m
PART B. Convert the given measurements to the specified unit and encircle the lowest measurement. (10 points;
1 point each item)

Convert all measurements to mL Convert all measurements to m/s

5L 32 ft/s
20 gallons 67 m/min.
16 000 cm3 3500 in/hr
3 ft3 12 kph
0.00008 kL 80 mph

III. PROBLEM SOLVING: Round-off final answers up to two (2) decimal places.
1. Fhan Dack is 6 ft. & 3 in. in height. How tall is he in mm?

mass
2. Find the density ( ρ= ) in g/cm3:
volume
a. cement, if a piece has 5 x 9 x 21 cm and weighs 10.5 kg

b. gasoline, if a liter weighs 6.1 kg