General Physics 1 Mechanics: Presented By: Jojimar Sj. Julian, M.A.T

Chapter 1 Physical Quantities, Units and Measurement
UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
General Physics 1
Mechanics
Presented by:
JOJIMAR SJ. JULIAN, M.A.T.
THEME ONE: MEASUREMENT
Overview
1 Course Requirements
2 Introduction
3 Historical Development
4 Conversion of Units

GENERAL PHYSICS 1 - MECHANICS
• 1st Term, A.Y. 2019-2020

• Monday and Wednesday
• 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Physics 1
• Room 311 – Physics
Laboratory
• 4 UNITS – 6 Hours
Course Requirements & Grade Computations
• Grading System:
Lecture Laboratory
• Quiz - 20% Quiz - 20%
• Recitation- 30% Recitation/Activity- 30%
• Project - 10% Project - 40%
• Exam - 40% Exam - 10%
• Total - 100% Total - 100%
NOTE: Exams, Quizzes, Seatworks and
Assignments are all based 0.

Course Policies
1. Students are required to attend all classes and to participate in class discussions,
small group activities, experimental and experiential group exercises and projects
2. Three consecutive absences without valid reason would mean UNOFFICIALLY
DROPPED
3. Only 15 minutes (if first subject) or 5 minutes grace period will be given to the late
comers after he/ she will not be accommodated.
4. Three consecutive late will be equivalent to one absent.
5. Students are expected to maintain academic honesty and integrity as students of
University of Rizal System by doing their own work to the best of their ability.
Academic dishonesty (cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, etc.) will result in the student
receiving a zero for that test, assignment or any paper works.
6. Special exams will be given only if reasons are valid.
7. Turn off/ into silent mode the cell phone during class hours.
8. Always remember to maintain the orderliness and cleanliness of the classroom by the
assigned cleaners of the day.
9. Observe ethics inside or outside the classroom.
10. Only subject-related task must be done during the hour/s.


Learning outcomes
• Understand that physical quantities have
numerical magnitude and a unit
• Recall base quantities and use prefixes
• Show an understanding of orders of magnitude
• Understand scalar and vector quantities
• Determine resultant vector by graphical method
• Measure length with measuring instruments
• Measure short interval of time using stopwatches

1.1 Physical Quantities

Quantitative versus qualitative
• Most observation in physics are quantitative
• Descriptive observations (or qualitative) are usually imprecise
Qualitative Observations Quantitative Observations
How do you measure What can be measured with the
artistic beauty? instruments on an aeroplane?

• A physical quantity is one that can be measured

and consists of a magnitude and unit.
Measuring length

70 4.5 m
km/h

SI units Vehicles
Not
are
Exceeding
common 1500 kg In
today Unladen
Weight

Are classified into two types:

• Base quantities
• Derived quantities Derived quantity is like
Base quantity the house that was
is like the brick – the build up from a collection
basic building block of of bricks (basic quantity)
a house

1.2 SI Units
• SI Units – International System of Units
Base Quantities Name of Unit Symbol of Unit

length metre m
mass kilogram kg
time second s
electric current ampere A
temperature kelvin K
amount of substance mole mol
luminous intensity candela cd

1.2 SI Units
This Platinum Iridium

cylinder is the standard
kilogram.

1.2 SI Units

1.2 SI Units
• Example of derived quantity: area

Defining equation: area = length × width
In terms of units: Units of area = m × m = m2
Defining equation: volume = length × width × height
In terms of units: Units of volume = m × m × m = m2
Defining equation: density = mass ÷ volume
In terms of units: Units of density = kg / m3 = kg m−3

1.2 SI Units
• Work out the derived quantities for:

distance
Defining equation: speed = time
In terms of units: Units of speed =
velocity
Defining equation: acceleration = time
In terms of units: Units of acceleration =
Defining equation: force = mass × acceleration
In terms of units: Units of force =

1.2 SI Units
• Work out the derived quantities for:

Force
Defining equation: Pressure =
Area
In terms of units: Units of pressure =
Defining equation: Work = Force × Displacement
In terms of units: Units of work =
Work done
Defining equation: Power = Time
In terms of units: Units of power =

1.2 SI Units
Derived Relation with Base and Special
Unit
Quantity Derived Quantities Name
area length × width
volume length × width ×
height
density mass  volume
speed distance  time
acceleration change in velocity 
time
force mass × acceleration newton
(N)
pressure force  area pascal
(Pa)
work force × distance joule (J)
power work  time watt (W)

1.3 Prefixes
• Prefixes simplify the writing of very large or very

small quantities
Prefix Abbreviation Power
nano n 10−9
micro  10−6
milli m 10−3
centi c 10−2
deci d 10−1
kilo k 103
mega M 106
giga G 109

1.3 Prefixes
• Alternative writing method

• Using standard form
• N × 10n where 1  N < 10 and n is an integer
This galaxy is about 2.5 × 106 The diameter of this atom

light years from the Earth. is about 1 × 10−10 m.

1. A physical quantity is a quantity that can be

measured and consists of a numerical magnitude
and a unit.
2. The physical quantities can be classified into
base quantities and derived quantities.
3. There are seven base quantities: length, mass,
time, current, temperature, amount of substance
and luminous intensity.
4. The SI units for length, mass and time are metre,
kilogram and second respectively.
5. Prefixes are used to denote very big or very small
numbers.

Introduction to
Significant Figures
&
Scientific Notation

Significant Figures
• Scientist use significant figures to

determine how precise a measurement
is
• Significant digits in a measurement
include all of the known digits plus one
estimated digit

For example…
• Look at the ruler below
• Each line is 0.1cm

• You can read that the arrow is on 13.3 cm
• However, using significant figures, you must
estimate the next digit
• That would give you 13.30 cm

Let’s try this one
• Look at the ruler below
• What can you read before you estimate?

• 12.8 cm
• Now estimate the next digit…
• 12.85 cm

The same rules apply with all
instruments
• The same rules apply
• Read to the last digit that you know
• Estimate the final digit

Let’s try graduated cylinders
• Look at the graduated cylinder below
• What can you read with confidence?

• 56 ml
• Now estimate the last digit
• 56.0 ml

One more graduated cylinder
• Look at the cylinder below…
• What is the measurement?

• 53.5 ml

Rules for Significant figures
Rule #1
• All non zero digits are ALWAYS
significant
• How many significant digits are in the
following numbers?
•274 •3 Significant Figures
•25.632 •5 Significant Digits
•8.987 •4 Significant Figures

Rule #2
• All zeros between significant digits are

ALWAYS significant
following numbers?
504 3 Significant Figures
60002 5 Significant Digits
9.077 4 Significant Figures

Rule #3
• All FINAL zeros to the right of the

decimal ARE significant
following numbers?
19.000 5 Significant Digits

Rule #4
• All zeros that act as place holders are

NOT significant
• Another way to say this is: zeros are
only significant if they are between
significant digits OR are the very final
thing at the end of a decimal

For example
How many significant digits are in the following numbers?
0.0002 1 Significant Digit

6.02 x 1023 3 Significant Digits
800 1 Significant Digit

Rule #5
• All counting numbers and constants

have an infinite number of significant
digits
• For example:
1 hour = 60 minutes
12 inches = 1 foot
24 hours = 1 day

How many significant digits
are in the following numbers?
7.90 x 10-3 3 Significant Digits
0.00001 1 Significant Digit

Rules Rounding Significant
Digits
•
Rule #1
If the digit to the immediate right of the last
significant digit is less that 5, do not round up
the last significant digit.
• For example, let’s say you have the number
43.82 and you want 3 significant digits
• The last number that you want is the 8 –
43.82
• The number to the right of the 8 is a 2
• Therefore, you would not round up & the
number would be 43.8
Rounding Rule #2
• If the digit to the immediate right of the last

significant digit is greater that a 5, you round
up the last significant figure
• Let’s say you have the number 234.87 and
you want 4 significant digits
• 234.87 – The last number you want is the 8
and the number to the right is a 7
• Therefore, you would round up & get 234.9

Rounding Rule #3
• If the number to the immediate right of the last

significant is a 5, and that 5 is followed by a
non zero digit, round up
• 78.657 (you want 3 significant digits)
• The number you want is the 6
• The 6 is followed by a 5 and the 5 is followed
by a non zero number
• Therefore, you round up
• 78.7

Rounding Rule #4
• If the number to the immediate right of the last

significant is a 5, and that 5 is followed by a
zero, you look at the last significant digit and
make it even.
• 2.5350 (want 3 significant digits)
• The number to the right of the digit you want is
a 5 followed by a 0
• Therefore you want the final digit to be even
• 2.54

Say you have this number
• 2.5250 (want 3 significant digits)

• The number to the right of the digit you
want is a 5 followed by a 0
• Therefore you want the final digit to be
even and it already is
• 2.52

Let’s try these examples…
200.99 (want 3 SF)

201
18.22 (want 2 SF)

18
135.50 (want 3 SF)

136
0.00299 (want 1 SF)

0.003
98.59 (want 2 SF)

99

Scientific Notation
• Scientific notation is used to express

very large or very small numbers
• I consists of a number between 1 & 10
followed by x 10 to an exponent
• The exponent can be determined by the
number of decimal places you have to
move to get only 1 number in front of the
decimal

Large Numbers
• If the number you start with is greater than 1, the
exponent will be positive
• Write the number 39923 in scientific notation
• First move the decimal until 1 number is in front –
3.9923
• Now at x 10 – 3.9923 x 10
• Now count the number of decimal places that you
moved (4)
• Since the number you started with was greater than 1,
the exponent will be positive
• 3.9923 x 10 4

Small Numbers
• If the number you start with is less than 1, the
exponent will be negative
• Write the number 0.0052 in scientific notation
• First move the decimal until 1 number is in front – 5.2
• Now at x 10 – 5.2 x 10
• Now count the number of decimal places that you
moved (3)
• Since the number you started with was less than 1,
the exponent will be negative
• 5.2 x 10 -3

Scientific Notation Examples
Place the following numbers in scientific notation:
99.343 9.9343 x 101
4000.1 4.0001 x 103
0.000375 3.75 x 10-4
0.0234 2.34 x 10-2
94577.1 9.45771 x 104

Going from Scientific Notation
to Ordinary Notation
• You start with the number and move the
decimal the same number of spaces as
the exponent.
• If the exponent is positive, the number
will be greater than 1
• If the exponent is negative, the number
will be less than 1

Going to Ordinary Notation
Examples
Place the following numbers in ordinary notation:
3 x 106 3000000
6.26x 109 6260000000
5 x 10-4 0.0005
8.45 x 10-7 0.000000845
2.25 x 103 2250

1.4 Scalars and Vectors
• Scalar quantities are quantities that have

magnitude only. Two examples are shown below:
Measuring Mass Measuring Temperature

• Scalar quantities are added or subtracted by using

simple arithmetic.
Example: 4 kg plus 6 kg gives the answer 10 kg
6 kg
4 kg
+ =
10 kg

• Vector quantities are quantities that have both

magnitude and direction
A Force
Magnitude = 100 N
Direction = Left

• Examples of scalars and vectors
Scalars Vectors
distance displacement
speed velocity
mass weight
time acceleration
pressure force
energy momentum
volume
density


Adding Vectors using Graphical Method
• Parallel vectors can be added arithmetically
4N
6N 4N
2N
2N 2N


Adding Vectors using Graphical Method
• Non-parallel vectors are added by graphical
means using the parallelogram law
– Vectors can be represented graphically by arrows
5.0 cm  20.0 N
Direction = right
– The length of the arrow represents the magnitude of the
vector
– The direction of the arrow represents the direction of the
vector
– The magnitude and direction of the resultant vector can be
found using an accurate scale drawing

• The parallelogram law of vector addition states

that if two vectors acting at a point are
represented by the sides of a parallelogram
drawn from that point, their resultant is
represented by the diagonal which passes through
that point of the parallelogram


Another method of Adding Vectors
• To add vectors A and B
– place the starting point of B at the ending point of A
– The vector sum or resultant R is the vector joining the
starting point of vector A to the ending point of B
– Conversely, R can also be obtained by placing the
starting point of A at the ending point of B
– Now the resultant is represented by the vector joining
the starting point of B to the ending point of A
• See next slide

B
A
A
B

1. Scalar quantities are quantities that only have

magnitudes
2. Vector quantities are quantities that have both
magnitude and direction
3. Parallel vectors can be added arithmetically
4. Non-parallel vectors are added by graphical
means using the parallelogram law


1.5 Measurement of Length and Time

Accurate Measurement
• No measurement is perfectly accurate
• Some error is inevitable even with high precision
instruments
• Two main types of errors
– Random errors
– Systematic errors


• Random errors occur in all measurements.
• Arise when observers estimate the last figure of
an instrument reading
• Also contributed by background noise or
mechanical vibrations in the laboratory.
• Called random errors because they are
unpredictable
• Minimise such errors by averaging a large number
of readings
• Freak results discarded before averaging


• Systematic errors are not random but constant
• Cause an experimenter to consistently
underestimate or overestimate a reading
• They Due to the equipment being used – e.g. a
ruler with zero error
• may be due to environmental factors – e.g.
weather conditions on a particular day
• Cannot be reduced by averaging, but they can be
eliminated if the sources of the errors are known


Length
• Measuring tape is used to measure relatively long
lengths
• For shorter length, a metre rule or a shorter rule
will be more accurate

• Correct way to read the scale on a ruler

• Position eye perpendicularly at the mark on the
scale to avoids parallax errors
• Another reason for error: object not align or
arranged parallel to the scale

• Many instruments do not read exactly zero when

nothing is being measured
• Happen because they are out of adjustment or
some minor fault in the instrument
• Add or subtract the zero error from the reading
shown on the scale to obtain accurate readings
• Vernier calipers or micrometer screw gauge give
more accurate measurements

• Table 1.6 shows the range and precision of some

measuring instruments
Instrument Range of Accuracy

measurement
Measuring tape 0−5m 0.1 cm
Metre rule 0−1m 0.1 cm
Vernier calipers 0 − 15 cm 0.01 cm
Micrometer screw gauge 0 − 2.5 cm 0.01 mm


Vernier Calipers
• Allows measurements up to 0.01 cm
• Consists of a 9 mm long scale divided into 10
divisions


Vernier Calipers
• The object being measured is between 2.4 cm
and 2.5 cm long.
• The second decimal number is the marking on the
vernier scale which coincides with a marking on
the main scale.

• Here the eighth marking on the vernier scale

coincides with the marking at C on the main scale
• Therefore the distance AB is 0.08 cm, i.e. the
length of the object is 2.48 cm


• The reading shown is 3.15 cm.
• The instrument also has inside jaws for measuring internal
diameters of tubes and containers.
• The rod at the end is used to measure depth of containers.


Micrometer Screw Gauge
• To measure diameter of fine wires, thickness of
paper and small lengths, a micrometer screw
gauge is used
• The micrometer has two scales:
• Main scale on the sleeve
• Circular scale on the thimble
• There are 50 divisions on the thimble
• One complete turn of the thimble moves the
spindle by 0.50 mm


Micrometer Screw Gauge
• Two scales: main scale and circular scale
• One complete turn moves the spindle by 0.50 mm.
• Each division on the circular scale = 0.01 mm


Precautions when using a micrometer
1. Never tighten thimble too much
– Modern micrometers have a ratchet to avoid this
2. Clean the ends of the anvil and spindle before
making a measurement
– Any dirt on either of surfaces could affect the reading
3. Check for zero error by closing the micrometer
when there is nothing between the anvil and
spindle
– The reading should be zero, but it is common to find a
small zero error
–Correct zero error by adjusting the final measurement


Time
• Measured in years, months, days, hours, minutes
and seconds
• SI unit for time is the second (s).
• Clocks use a process which depends on a
regularly repeating motion termed oscillations.


Caesium atomic clock
• 1999 - NIST-F1 begins operation with an
uncertainty of 1.7 × 10−15, or accuracy to about one
second in 20 million years


Time
• The oscillation of a simple pendulum is an
example of a regularly repeating motion.
• The time for 1 complete oscillation is referred to
as the period of the oscillation.


Pendulum Clock
• Measures long intervals of time
• Hours, minutes and seconds
• Mass at the end of the chain attached
to the clock is allowed to fall
• Gravitational potential energy from
descending mass is used to keep the
pendulum swinging
• In clocks that are wound up, this
energy is stored in coiled springs as
elastic potential energy.


Watch
• also used to measure long intervals of time
• most depend on the vibration of quartz crystals to
keep accurate time
• energy from a battery keeps quartz crystals
vibrating
• some watches also make use of coiled springs to
supply the needed energy


Stopwatch
• Measure short intervals of time
• Two types: digital stopwatch, analogue stopwatch
• Digital stopwatch more accurate as it can measure
time in intervals of 0.01 seconds.
• Analogue stopwatch measures time in intervals of
0.1 seconds.


Errors occur in measuring time
• If digital stopwatch is used to time a race,
should not record time to the nearest 0.01 s.
• reaction time in starting and stopping the watch
will be more than a few hundredths of a second
• an analogue stopwatch would be just as useful


Ticker-tape Timer
• electrical device making use of the oscillations of a
steel strip to mark short intervals of time
• steel strip vibrates 50 times a second and makes 50
dots a second on a paper tape being pulled past it
• used only in certain physics experiments


Ticker-tape Timer
• Time interval between two consecutive dots is
0.02 s
• If there are 10 spaces on a pieces of tape, time
taken is 10 × 0.02 s = 0.20 s.
• Counting of the dots starts from zero
• A 10-dot tape is shown below.

1. The metre rule and half-metre rule are used to

measure lengths accurately to 0.1 cm.
2. Vernier calipers are used to measure lengths to a
precision of 0.01 cm.
3. Micrometer are used to measure length to a
precision of 0.01 mm.
4. Parallax error is due to:
(a) incorrect positioning of the eye
(b) object not being at the same level as the
marking on the scale

5. Zero error is due to instruments that do not read

exactly zero when there is nothing being measured.
6. The time for one complete swing of a pendulum is
called its period of oscillation.
7. As the length of the pendulum increases, the period
of oscillation increases as well.










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Chapter 1 Physical Quantities, Units and Measurement

UNIVERSITY OF RIZAL SYSTEM

THEME ONE: MEASUREMENT