Handouts

Topic: Measurement in Physics

A. Objectives
1. Identify the different branches of Classical and Modern physics.
2. Differentiate fundamental and derived Quantities of Measurement.
3. Differentiate the three Systems of Measurements.
4. Convert numbers into Scientific Notation.
5. Convert units from one system to another.

B. Background Information for Learners

Physics and Technology: Working in Tandem

We live at a time when things that were previously considered science fiction are now a reality.
Technology has been advancing at an accelerated rate. Humankind has to move forward with technology.
Otherwise, without a doubt, humans would regress.
It has been said that physics is at the heart of every technological development. Physics deals with the
understanding of the natural world; technology aims to apply this understanding to improve human’s quality of
life. Physics generates new technology, while technology gives rise to new branches of physics.

Measurement in Physics
Physics deals with the interaction of matter, force and energy. It is traditionally divided into classical
and modern physics. Modern Physics started in 1900 with Max Planck’s discovery of blackbody radiation.
Thus, all discoveries, principles, and inventions prior to 1900 are considered classical physics, while those
beyond 1900 are considered modern physics.
The main branches of classical physics are mechanics, heat and thermodynamics, optics, electricity and
magnetism, and wave motion and sound. Classical physics deals with macroscopic objects moving at speeds
very small compared to the speed of light in vacuum. The speed of light in vacuum is 3x108 m/s.
 Mechanics deals with motion, force, work, energy and fluids.
 Heat and thermodynamics deals with the effects of heat when added or removed from a system,
the method of heat transfer, and the transformation of heat energy to mechanical energy or work
and vice versa.
 Optics deals with the study of light and its properties.
 Electricity and magnetism deals with phenomena associated with electrical charges (whether at
rest or moving), magnetism and the relationship between electricity and magnetism.
 Wave motion and sound deals with properties, transmission, and perception of different types of
waves.
Nuclear physics, general and special theory of relativity, particle physics, and quantum mechanics are
some of the major areas in modern physics.
 Nuclear physics deals with the properties of and the reactions within the atomic nucleus.
 General relativity tells how matter curves space-time and how the curvature of space-time
dictates the trajectory of matter and light.
 Special relativity deals with phenomena associated when an object moves with speeds
approaching the speed of light in vacuum.
 Particle physics deals with the building blocks of matter called elementary particles.
 Quantum mechanics deals with the mature and behavior of matter and energy on the atomic and
subatomic levels.
Physics without Mathematics is unthinkable. In fact, throughout your study of physics, you will find out
that the basic rules governing the behavior of nature are readily expressed in mathematical form.

Measurement is the process of comparing something with a standard. To carry out measurements, a system of
standards and a system of units should be defined.

Systems of Measurement
1. Metric System: has two variations; the mks (meter, kilogram, second) and the cgs systems (centimetre,
gram, second)
2. English System: otherwise known as the fps system (foot, pound, second)
 3. International System of Units (SI) – is the modern form of metric system. It is the system that the
General Conference of Weights and Measures has agreed upon and is legally enforced in almost all parts
of the world.
Physical Quantities
 Fundamental Quantities – are basic quantities which are independent of one another.
o Examples: Length, mass, time, thermodynamic temperature, electric current, luminous intensity,
and amount of substance
o Units corresponding to the fundamental quantities are called base or fundamental units. The SI
fundamental units are meter, kilogram, second, kelvin, ampere, candela and mole
 Derived Quantities – are combinations of fundamental quantities.
o Examples: Speed, velocity, acceleration, density, pressure, work, power

Scientific Notation

Scientist often work with very large and very small quantities. For example, the mass of the Earth is about

6 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 kilograms

And the mass of an electron is

0. 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 911 kilograms
Written in this form, the quantities take up much space and are difficult to use in calculations.

To work with such numbers more easily, we write them is a shortened form by expressing decimal places as
powers of ten.

This method of expressing numbers is called exponential notation.

SCIENTIFIC NOTATION is based on exponential notation.

In scientific notation, the numerical part of a measurement is expressed as a number between 1 and 10
multiplied by a whole number of 10

M x 10 n

In this expression, 1< M < 10 and n is an integer.

 To write measurements using scientific notation, move the decimal point until only one non-zero digits
remains on the left.
 Then count the number of places the decimal point was moved and use that number as the exponent of
ten.
o Thus, the approximate mass of Earth can also be expressed as 6 x1024 kg.

Note that the exponent becomes larger as the decimal point is moved to the left.

6 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 kg = 6.0 x 1024 kg

To write the mass of the electron in scientific notation, the decimal point is moved 31 places to the right.

0. 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 911 kg = 9.11 x 10-31 kg

o Thus, the mass of electron in scientific notation can also be written as

9.11 x10-31 kg.

Note: The exponent becomes smaller as the decimal point is moved to the right.
  Representing Large Numbers

 Representing Small Numbers

To obtain a number between 1 and 10 we must move the decimal point.

0.000167 = 1.67  10−4

Units

Units provide a scale on which to represent the results of a measurement.

Converting Measurements

A. Converting Metric Units

Recall that the most common metric units of length used are the kilometer (km), the meter (m), the centimeter
(cm) and the millimeter (mm). These units of length are related as follows:

10 mm = 1 cm

100 cm = 1 m

1000 m = 1 km

 To convert length from a larger unit into a smaller unit, multiply by the relevant power of 10.

 To convert length from a smaller unit into a larger unit, divide by the relevant power of 10.

x1000 x100 x10

km m cm mm

÷1000 ÷100 ÷10

Examples: Convert the following measurements to the indicated units:

 a) 7 cm to mm

10 mm
7 cm x = 70 mmm
1 cm

b) 8 m to cm
100 cm
8m x = 800 cm
1m

c) 9000 m to km
1 km
9000 m x = 9 km
1000 m

d) 2.5 m to mm
100 cm 10 mm
2.5 m x
1m
x
1 cm
= 2500 mm

B. Converting Imperial Units

To convert imperial units, you must use a conversion factor.

 A unit conversion factor is a fraction that is equal to 1.

 The numerator (top) of the fraction contains the units of the unit you want to convert to.

Table of Conversions:

12 inches (in)= 1 foot (ft)

36 inches (in) = 1 yard (yd)

5280 feet (ft) = 1 mile (mi)

1760 yards (yd) = 1 mile (mi)

1 in = 2.54 cm

1 ft = 30.5 cm

1 ft = 0.305 m

1 yd = 3 ft

1 yd = 0.915 m

1 mi = 1.6 km

Whenever we do conversions it’s important to put whatever we want we put on top and whatever we have we
put on the bottom

Example 1: Convert 116 inches to feet.

1 ft
116 in x = 9.67 ft
12∈¿ ¿

Example 2: Convert 25 miles to yards.

1760 yd
25 mi x = 44,000 yd
1 mi
Example 3: Convert 12.5 inches to centimeter.

2.54 cm
12.5 in x = 31.75 cm
1∈¿¿

Example 4: Convert 20 feet to meter.

30.5 cm 1m
20 ft x x = 6.1 m
1 ft 100 cm

C. Detailed Directions/Instructions

1. Read the Background Information.

2. Read the instruction/s of the attached activities and answer them.

D. Exercise/Activities
1. Activity 1 – Scientific Notation (45 min.)
2. Activity 2 – Conversion of Units (45 min)

Scientific Notation Worksheet

Activity 1

I. Direction: Convert the following numbers into Scientific Notation. ( No. 1 is already given)

1. 5,200 = 5.2 x 10 3

2. 0.0000046 ____________________________

3. 101 000 000 _____________________________

4. 0.0010 _______________________________

5. 75.06 _______________________________

6. 3 000 000 ___________________________

7. 0.00763 _____________________________

8. 8.50 ________________________________

II. Direction: Convert the following numbers into Standard Notation: ( No. 1 is already given)

1. 7.44 x 105 = 744 000

2. 6.78 x 10-3 _______________________________

3. 8.902 x 10-7 ______________________________

4. 8.95 x 10-2_______________________________

5. 9.99 x 103 _______________________________

6. 5.70 x 101 _______________________________

7. 1.76 x 100 _______________________________

8. 7.89 x 10-5 _______________________________

III. Direction: Rewrite the following numbers in Scientific Notation, in simplest form. Include units. Use
appropriate significant figures.
1. Altitude of summit of Mt. Ka‘ala (highest point on O‘ahu): 4 020 ft =

2. Altitude of summit of Mauna Kea: 13 796 ft =

3. Thickness of a human hair: 0.015 cm =

4. Wavelength of reddish light: 0.0000007 m =

5. Height of your instructor: 1.80 m =

6. Number of galaxies in the universe: 1 trillion galaxies =

7. Age of the universe in seconds: 430 000 000 000 000 000 s =

8. Volume of a hydrogen atom: 0.000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 621 cm3 =

Conversion of Units Worksheet

Activity 2

Converting Metric Units

Convert the following Measurements to the Units indicated:

1) 25 m to cm

2) 6 m to mm

3) 4 km to cm

4) 3 km to mm

5) 62.8 cm to mm

6) 48.7 m to cm

7) 975 m to km

8) 650 cm to m

9) 8000 mm to m

10) 950 000 cm to km

Converting Imperial Units

Convert the following Measurements to the indicated Units to 2 decimal places.

1) 5 cm to inches

2) 15 m to feet
 3) 10 m to yards

4) 10 km to miles

5) 25 yards to meters

6) 10 feet to meters

7) 100 km to miles

8) 3 feet to centimeters

9) 2 yards to meters

10)2000 yards to miles

Instructions: Give the correct abbreviations of the following Units.

 milliliter______  milligram______  kilometer_____  centimeter______

_ _ __ _

 kilogram_____  millimeter_____  second_______  gram_______

__ __

 meter_______  liter_______  decigram______  micrometer_____

_ __

What Have I Learned So Far?

1. Differentiate Classical Physics from Modern Physics? Give at least 5 examples for each main branch.

2. What are the 3 Systems of Measurement? Give 3 examples of Units under each system.

3. Differentiate Fundamental Quantities from Derived Quantities. Give at least 5 examples for each Physical Quantity.

4. What is Scientific Notation?

Reflect Upon

1. What role does physics plan in improving our lives?

2. Why study physics?