LECTURE NOTES ON PHY 101

COURSE CONTENTS

UNITS AND DIMENSIONS

 Definition of Units: Length, Mass and Time
 Methods of Measuring Length, Mass and Time
 Unit Conversion and Measurements
 Fundamental (or Basic) and Derived Quantities
 Dimensional Analysis

VECTORS AND KINEMATICS

 Introduction
 Scalar and Vectors
 Vector Operations
 Reference Frames
 Speed, Velocity and Acceleration
 Graphs of Rectilinear Motions
 Equations of Motion for Freely Falling Bodies
 Circular Motion

Definitions of Units: Length, Mass and Time

Concepts in physics can be better explained using physical quantities. In describing these
physical quantities, it is necessary to express them in some form of standards. Such standard of
measurement is referred to as units. Hence we define units as standards of measurements. The
universally accepted system of measurement is the SI (Le Systéme International d’Unités) unit.
In the S.I. unit, length is measured in metre, mass is measured in kilogram while time is
measured in seconds.

(A) Metre

It is the unit of length. The distance travelled by light in vacuum in second is

, ,

called 1 m.
(B) Kilogram
The mass of a cylinder made of platinum-irridium alloy kept at International Bureau of
Weights and Measures is defined as 1 kg.
(C) Second
The second is defined as “9,192,631,770” times the period of oscillation of radiation from
the Cesium atom.

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Methods of Measuring Length, Mass and Time
Systems of units commonly used in physics are the Systéme International, in which the units of
length, mass and time are the metre (m), kilogram (kg) and second (S); the CGS (Centimetre-
Gramme-Second) or the Gaussian system, in which the units of length, mass and time are the
centimetre (cm), gramme (g) and second (s).

Unit Conversion and Measurements

Sometimes, it is necessary to convert units from one system to another. Conversion factors
between the S.I. and the U.S. customary systems for units of length are as follows:
1 ft. = 0.3048 m = 30.48 cm 1 m = 39.37 in. = 3.281 ft.
1 in. = 0.0254 m = 2.54 cm 10-3 m (0.001 m) = 1 mm
10-2 m (0.01 m) = 1 cm 103 m (1000 m) = 1 kilometre (km)
103 g (1000 g) = 1 kg 1 megavolt (MV) = 106 Volts (V)
1 Angstrom (Å) = 10-10 m 1 in. = 2.54 cm (exact)

1 min = 60 secs 1 hr = 3,600 secs

1 day = 24 hrs = 1.44 x 103 min = 8.64 x 104 s
1 year = 365.242 days = 3.156 x 107 secs.

1 litre = 1,000 cm3 = 10-3 m3 = 1 dm3

180o = π radians 1 radian = 57.30o 1o = 60 mins = 1.745 x 10-2 rad

Fundamental (or Basic) and Derived Quantities

Fundamental (or basic) quantities are physical quantities which are independent of each other
and all other quantities may be expressed in terms of the fundamental quantities. The
fundamental quantities are only seven and can be seen as displayed in table 1.

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Table 1.1. Fundamental Quantities
Quantity Name of the unit Symbol
Length Metre M
Mass Kilogram Kg
Time Second S
Electric Current Ampere A
Thermodynamic Temperature Kelvin K
Amount of substance Mole Mol
Luminous Intensity Candela Cd

Besides the seven fundamental units, two supplementary units are defined. They are for plane
angle and solid angle. The unit for plane angle is “radian” with the symbol “rad” and the unit for
the solid angle is “steradian” with the symbol “Sr.”
However, in the course of our lectures, we shall mainly be focussed with only three fundamental
quantities: Length, mass and time.
Having understood what fundamental quantities are, we now proceed to define derived
quantities.
Derived quantities are physical quantities that are obtained by combinning one or more
fundamental quantities. Examples of derived quantities are force, velocity, speed, momentum,
pressure, etc.
The units defined for the fundamental quantities are known as fundamental units, while the units
defined for derived quantities are referred to as derived units. Examples of fundamental units are
metre, kilogram, second, ampere, kelvin, mole and candela. Examples of derived units are metres
per second (m/s), metres squared (m2), kilogram per metre-cube (kg/m3), etc.

DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS
In physics, the word “dimension” denotes the physical nature of a quantity.
The symbols used to specify the dimensions of length, mass and time are L, M and T
respectively. Brackets [ ] are often used to denote the dimension of a physical quantity.
In physics, dimensional analysis helps to establish relationships between physical quantities
using mathematical expressions. Adding masses to lengths, for example, makes no sense, so it

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follows that quantities can be added or subtracted only if they have the same dimensions. If the
terms on the opposite sides of an equation have the same dimensions, then that equation may be
correct, although the correctness can’t be guaranteed on the basis of dimensions alone.
Nonetheless, dimensional analysis has value as a partial check of an equation and can be used to
develop an insight into the relationships between physical quantities.
Table 1.1 are examples of dimensions of different physical quantities:

Physical Quantity Formula Unit Dimension

Area LxL m2 L2
Volume LxLxL m3 L3
Density = kg/m3 ML-3
Force Mass x acceleration kgm/s2 ML/T2 or MLT-2
Energy ML
Power Watt
Time T
Momentum mass x velocity kgm/s MLT-1
Acceleration = m/s2 LT-2

Uses of Dimension
 Homogeneity of dimensions in an equation.
 Conversion of units.
 Deducing relation among the physical quantities.
 Checking the correctness of an equation.
 Finding the dimensions of constants or variables in an equation.

Note:
 Trigonometric functions (sin, cos, tan, cot, etc) are dimensionless.
 Exponential functions are dimensionless. Their exponents are also dimensionless.

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 Worked Examples

1. Using dimensional analysis, show that the equation S = ut + at2 is dimensionally correct,

where S is distance, u is initial velocity, a is acceleration and t is time.

Solution
In terms of dimensional analysis,
[S] = [distance] = L

[u] = [velocity] = = LT-1

[a] = [acceleration] = LT-2

[t] = [time] = T
[ut] = LT-1 x T = L
[at2] = LT-2 x T = L

Since all the terms (S, ut, at2) in the above equations have the same dimension, then the
equation iis dimensionally correct.
2. Using dimensional analysis, check if the equation v2 = u2 + at2 is dimensionally correct.
Give reasons for your choice of answer.

Solution
Using dimensional analysis,
[v2] = [u2] = [LT-1]2 = L2T-2
[at2] = LT-2 x T = L
Since the dimension of at2 is different from that of v2 and u2, then the equation is
dimensionally incorrect. Also, v2 and u2 have dimension of velocity squared while at2 has
dimension of length. Length cannot be added to velocity; hence the equation is not
dimensionally correct.

3. The period of a simple pendulum is related to some powers of the length of the thread, L,
mass of the bob, M and acceleration due to gravity, g. Using dimensional analysis, obtain
an expression for the period T of the simple pendulum.

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Solution
Let T α k La Mb gc
Then, T = k La Mb gc
In terms of dimensional analysis,
T = k La Mb [LT-2]c
T1 = k La Mb LcT-2c
M0L0T1 = k Mb La+c T-2c
Comparing and equationg the powers of MLT on both sides of the above equation yield:
M: 0 = b;
L: 0 = a + c;
T: 1 = -2c
Solving the above equations yield: a = ½, b = 0 , c = - ½
Therefore, the expression for T becomes:
T = k L1/2 M0 g-1/2
1/2
T=k

But, k = 2π

Hence, T = 2π

Exercises

1. State the units and dimensions of the following physical quantities:

(a) Frequency (b) Surface tension (c) Coefficient of viscosity (d) Torque
(e) Moment of a force (f) Moment of a couple (g) Impulse of a force
(h) Workdone (i) Energy (j) Resistance (k) Resistivity (l) Speed
(m) Young’s modulus (n) Conductivity (o) Pressure gradient
(p) Velocity gradient

2. Suppose a fluid whose coefficient of viscosity is η and density ρ, flows through a

cylindrical tube of radius r and length L. Let P be the pressure difference in the liquid at
both ends of the tube. If the volume of the liquid flowiing per unit time through the
cylindrical tube depends on the pressure gradient P/L, the coefficient of viscosity η and
radius r, obtain an expression for the volume of liquid flowing per unit time through the
tube. [Take k = ]

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3. Express the coefficient of viscosity η in terms of the internal frictional force F, surface
area A of the liquid and velocity gradient and derive its unit using dimensional
analysis.

4. The velocity of waves on an ocean of density ρ is written as:

V = A gx ρy λz
where A, x, y and z are constants, g is the acceleration due to gravity and λ is the
wavelength of the wave. Using dimensional analysis, find the exact values of x, y and z.

5. Given the modified equation of state for gases as:

+ { − } = RT

where P is pressure, v is volume, R is the universal gas constant and T is temperature.

Find the dimensions of a and b.

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