Physics is the study of nature and its surroundings.

A physical quantity is represented completely by

its magnitude and unit

A standard of measurement is called as unit.

 Physical quantities are classified as

Fundamental Derived Physical

Physical Quantities Quantities
Measurement:
It is the comparison of an un known quantity
with a known standard unit
•

n1u1  n2 u2
1m  100cm
To measure the fundamental base quantities
length, mass, time, there are three system of
units
• CGS system (centimeter, gram and second system)
• FPS system (foot, pound and second system)
• MKS system (meter, kilogram and second system)
An international organisation, Conference General
des Poids at Measures ( CGPM) is internationally
recognised as the authority on the definition on the
units.

The System international de Units, was set up 1960,

by CGPM
Fundamental Physical Quantities:
S. No Base Quantity Unit Symbol
1. Length Metre m
2. Mass Kilogram Kg
3. Time second s
4. Electric current ampere A
5. Thermodynamic
temperature Kelvin k
6. Amount of substance mole mol
7. Luminous Intensity candela cd
Supplementary Physical Quantities
a. Plane angle radian rad
b. Solid angle steradian sr
Requirements of a Standard Unit:

A standard unit must have the following features

1. It should be of suitable size. i.e, neither too large

nor too small
2. I should be very well defined
3. It should be independent of time and place
4. It should be easily available so that all laboratories
can duplicate and use it as per requirement

5. It should be independent of physical conditions

like temperature , pressure etc.
Some Special Units
• cm = 10-2 m
• 1mm = 10-3 m
• 1 cm2 = 10-4 m2
• 1Micro meter (µm) = 10-6 m ( size of bacteria)
• 1Nano meter (nm) = 10-9 m
• 1Angstrom (Ao) = 10-10 m ( for wavelength)
• 1Pico mater (pm) = 10-12 m
• 1Fermi = 10-15 m
• 1 light year = 9.46 x 1015 m
• 1 Parsec = 3.26 light years = 3.8 x 1016 m
• 1 astronomical unit ( A.U) = 1.496 1011 m
• 1 a.m.u = 1.67 x 10-27 kg = 931.5 Mev
 5
 1kmph = ms -1

18
• 1 newton = 105 dyne
• 1 joule = 107 erg
• 1 calorie = 4.18 J
• 1 ev = 1.6 x 10-19 J
• 1 KWH = 36 X 105 J
• 1 HP = 746 W
 Physical quantities are classified as

scalars vectors
 Scalars:
Physical quantities which have magnitude only
are called scalars.
Ex: mass, length, time, distance, speed..,
Vectors:
The physical quantities which have both magnitude,
direction and obeys laws of vector addition
Ex: displacement, velocity, force etc..,
 Distance:
It is the actual path length covered by a moving
particle in a given interval of time.

Displacement:
The shortest path between initial and final points is
called displacement
Distance = 4 + 3
7m 3m

4m
Displacement = 5 m
Speed:
Rate of distance is called speed
distance
Speed =
time
s
v=
t
It is a scalar quantity, SI unit is ms-1, CGS unit: cm s-1
Velocity:
Rate of displacement is called velocity
displacement
velocity =
time
s
v=
t
It is a vector quantity, SI unit is ms-1, CGS unit: cm s-1
Acceleration:
Rate of change of velocity per unit time is called
acceleration
u v
v-u A B
a= t
t
It is a vector quantity, SI unit is ms-2, CGS unit: cm s-2
If the body is moving with uniform velocity the
acceleration of the body is zero
If the body is moving with increasing velocity then
it is said to be moving with an acceleration

If the body is moving with decreasing velocity then

said to be moving with deceleration or retardation
 Total displacement
Average velocity 
Total time

A s1 B s2 C

t1 t2
s1  s 2
If s1 and s 2 are the displacements in t 1 and t 2 times then, Vavg 
t1  t 2
 A s1 B s2 C

v1 v2

s1  s 2
If s1 and s 2 are the displacements with v 1 and v 2 th en, Vavg 
s1 s 2

v1 v 2
 A v1 B v2 C

t1 t2

v1t 1  v 2 t 2
If v1 and v 2 are the velocities in t 1 and t 2 times th en, Vavg 
t1  t 2
 A s1=S/2 B s2=S/2 C

v1 v2
S
If a body travels first half of the total journey with
a velocity v1 and the next half with a velocity v2
then its average velocity is 2v1 v 2
Vavg =
v1 +v 2
 A t1=t/2 B t2=t/2 C

v1 v1
t
If a body travels for a time t1 with a velocity v1 and
for a time t2 with a velocity v2 in the same direction
then its average velocity is V = v1 + v 2
avg
2
(1) If the particle is at rest

t
(2) If the particle is moving with uniform velocity

t
(3) If the particle is moving with uniform acceleration.
i. e with increasing velocity

t
(4) If the particle is moving with retardation.
i. e with decreasing velocity

t
(1) If the particle is at rest

t
(2) If the particle is moving with uniform velocity

t
(4) If the particle is moving with uniform acceleration
i. e with increasing velocity

t
(4) If the particle is moving with uniform retardation
i. e with decreasing velocity

t
when the body is moving with uniform acceleration
The equations of motion are
(1) v = u + at
(2) v2-u2 = 2as

(3) s = u t + ½ at2

(4) S n = u + a(n-½ )
For a freely falling body, the equations of motion are
u=0 S=h a=g t=t v=v u=0
(1) v = g t
a=g
(2) v2 = 2gh S=h
t=t
(3) s = ½ gt2

(4) S n = g(n-½ ) v=v

 If a body falls from a height h u=0
(1) Time taken by the body to reach ground is

2h a=g
t=
g S=h
t=t
(2) Velocity of the body on reaching ground is
v=v
v = 2gh
When a body is projected up , the equations of
motion are v = 0
u = u S = h a = -g t = t v = 0 t=t
(1) u = g t
S=h a = -g
(2) u2 = 2gh
(3) s = u t - ½ gt2 u=u
(4) h n = u - g(n-½ )
• Maximum height:
The greatest vertical displacement of a projectile is
called maximum height
• Time of ascent:
Time taken by the body to reach the maximum height

• Time of descent:
Time taken by the body to reach the point of
projection from the maximum height
When a body is projected up , the equations of
motion are v = 0
u2
Maximumheight H  max  2g
t = t

u a = -g
Time of Ascent ( t a ) = S=h
g
u
Time of descent ( t d ) =
g u=u
2u
Time of flight ( T ) =
g
 If body is projected vertically up from the top of a
tower of height h with velocity u
• Maximum height from the u H max
u2

top of the tower is H

max=
2g

• Maximum height from the

u2

foot of the tower is h + 2g h

• Velocity of the body on reaching v

the ground is v = u2 + 2gh
 1 2
(iv). The height of the tower h  ut  gt
2

(v). Total time taken by the body u 2  2gh

to reach the ground t u
g

(vi). I the velocity of the body on 2

h   n 2  1
u
reaching the ground is ‘nu’, then
height of the tower will be 2g
 A body is dropped from the top of a tower of
height ‘h’ simultaneously another body is
projected vertically up with a velocity ‘u’ from
the foot of the tower.
h
(i). The time after which they meet t
u
(ii). The height at which they  gh 2 
will meet above the ground is h 2 
 2u 