Physical units and vector

A. Physical Quantities and Units

 Any number that is used to describe a physical
phenomenon quantitatively is called a physical
quantity.
 For example, two physical quantities that describe you
are your weight and your height.
1. Fundamenthal Physical Quantities
 Some physical quantities are so fundamental that we
can define them only by describing how to measure
them.
Two examples are measuring a distance by using a
ruler and measuring a time interval by using a
stopwatch.
 In mechanics, the three basic quantities are
length, mass, and time.
 All other quantities in mechanics can be
expressed in terms of these three.
 Other SI standards established by the committee
are those for temperature (the kelvin), electric
current (the ampere), luminous intensity (the
candela), and the amount of substance (the
mole).
 Physical Quantity name Symbol
length meter m
mass kilogram kg
time second s
temperature kelvin K
electric current ampere A
luminous intensity candela cd
amount of substance Mole mol

 In our study of mechanics we shall be concerned only with

the units of length, mass, and time.
 The meter (m) is defined as the distance traveled by light
in vacuum during a time of 1/299 792 458 second
 The kilogram (kg), is defined as the mass of a specific
platinum–iridium alloy cylinder kept at the
International Bureau of Weights and Measures at Sèvres,
France.
 The second (s), is defined as 9 192 631 770 times the
period of vibration of radiation from the cesium-133
atom.
2. Derived Physical Quantities
 In other cases we define a physical quantity by
describing how to calculate it from other quantities
that we can measure.
Thus we might define the average speed of a moving
object as the distance traveled (measured with a ruler)
divided by the time of travel (measured with a
stopwatch).
B. Significant figures
 When physical quantities are measured, the
measured values are known only to within the
limits of the experimental uncertainty.
 The value of this uncertainty can depend on various
factors, such as the quality of the apparatus, the skill of
the experimenter, and the number of measurements
performed.
 When multiplying several quantities, the number
of significant figures in the final answer is the same
as the number of significant figures in the least
accurate of the quantities being multiplied, where
“least accurate” means “having the lowest number of
significant figures.” The same rule applies to division.
 (5.4 cm)(6.3 cm) = 34 cm2 correct
 (5.5 cm)(6.4 cm) = 35.2 cm2, mistake
and
 (5.6 cm)(6.5 cm) = 36 cm2. correct
C. Scalar, vector and vector addition
 When a physical quantity is described by a single
number (magnitude), we call it a scalar quantity.
 A vector quantity has both a magnitude and a
direction in space.
 Calculations that combine scalar quantities use the
operations of ordinary arithmetic. For example, 6 kg +
3 kg = 9 kg.
 Calculations that combine vector quantities use the
operations of cosinus rule.
1. Vector addition

vector addition obeys the commutative law.

2. Vector Subtraction
 We can subtract vectors as well as add them.
 To see how, recall that the vector -A has the same
magnitude as vector A but the opposite direction.
 We define the difference A - B of two vectors A and B
to be the vector sum of A and -B
D. Vector component
E. Unit vectors and Vector Addition
1. Unit Vectors
2. Vector Addition
When two vectors A and B are represented in terms of their
components, we can express the vector sum R using unit
vectors as follows:
F. Scalar product of vector
G. Vector product of vector
1. Puspa
2. Intan
3. Anisa