Chapter 1 Introduction

• Physical Quantities
• Units and Scientific Notation
• Significant Figures
• Dimensional Analysis
1. Physical Quantities
Base Quantities 基礎物理量

Derived Quantities 衍生物理量

Base Quantities (基礎物理量)
Base quantity SI Unit Unit
Abbreviation
Length meter m
Time second s
Mass kilogram kg
Electric Current ampere A
Temperature Kelvin K
Amount of mole mol
Substance
Luminous candela cd
intensity

SI unit: The SI system, or the International System of

Units, is also called the metric system.
Some Derived quantities (衍生物理量)
2. Units and Scientific Notation
(科學標示)
Scientific Notation (科學標示)
For example,
1 cm= 10-2 m; 1 mm= 10-3 m; 1 kg= 103 g
2.35 x 10-9 s= 2.35 ns
Unit Conversions(單位轉換): Chain-link conversion

EX. 1min 60 s
= 1= and
60s 1min
60 s
2 min
= (2 min) × (1)
= (2 min) × ( = ) 120 s
1min
−2
cm 10 m
60 60 ×
= 0.01 m
=
min 60s s

Note. In order to obtain an SI-unit answer, you need

to convert the units of all physical quantities to SI
units before the calculation.
Ex. atm->Pa; cal->J; inch-> m.
3. Significant Figures (有效數字)
Significant figures (有效數字)

Significant figures= Precise figures (準確位數)+

1 estimated figures (1 位估計值)

Ex. (1) 15.6 ± 0.5 mm

(Note. ± 0.5 mm is the uncertainty of a regular ruler)
1 5 : 2 precise figures
6 : 1 estimated figures
1 5 6 : 3 significant figures

Ex. (2) 2.36×103 N=2.36 kN

2 3 6 : 3 significant figures
6.4×10-3 s=6.4 ms
6 4 : 2 significant figures
Significant figures (有效數字)

Ex. (3) 13000, significant figures: 2~5 (uncertain)

1.3×104 , significant figures: 2
1.3 0×104 , significant figures: 3
1.3 0 0 0 ×104 , significant figures: 5

Ex. (4) 0.0032=3.2 ×10-3, significant figures: 2

0.00320=3.2 0 ×10-3, significant figures: 3
0.003200=3.2 0 0 ×10-3, significant figures: 4

Ex. (5) Adding two numbers:

至相加數中最前
位的小數位數
Significant figures (有效數字)
Ex. (6) Multiplying (or dividing) two numbers:
乘數與被乘數中
的最小有效位數

3 significant figures × 2 significant figures

= 2 significant figures 3.73
X 5.7
2611
Ex. (7) Multiplying exact numbers:
1865
2.51×π=7.89 21261
2.51×10(個)=25.1
3 significant figures × exact number= 3
significant figures 不變!
4. Dimensional Analysis (因次分析)
Dimensional analysis (因次分析)
• The quantities on each side of an equation must have
same dimensions.

Ex. v=v0+at
L L  L 
Dimension:  T  =  T  +  T 2 [T ]
L: Length; T: Time
• Factors in exponent, trigonometric function, and
logarithm are dimension less.
Ex. Plane wave function: Acos(kx- ωt)
1 1
(kx-ωt): dimensionless  L [L]  T [T ]
Dimensional analysis (因次分析)

• Use dimensional analysis to check an equation:

 g
Ex. T = 2π or T = 2π ?
g 

2π

=
[L] = [T ]
g [L /T ] 2 ○

2π
g
=
[L / T ] =  1  ×
2

 [L]  T   
Homework

Exercises 5, 11, 34