Introductory Physics

Physical Quantities, Units

and
Measurement
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© Sutharsan John Isles 2

Expected Prior Knowledge
 It is assumed that you know the following
sufficiently well. If you feel that you do not
know them sufficiently, please visit those topics
in your books before continuing further:
 Mathematical Symbols
 The Real Number System
 Fractions and Decimals
 Significant Figures
 Angles and Bearings
 Indices
© Sutharsan John Isles 3
Prerequisite
 A feature
 a noticeable part of something
http://simple.wiktionary.org/wiki/feature

What do you notice about the two lines below?

© Sutharsan John Isles 4

Prerequisite
 A characteristic
 a typical feature of something
http://simple.wiktionary.org/wiki/characteristic

Compare the vehicles below. What is characteristic of both

vehicles?

A limousine An ordinary car

© Sutharsan John Isles 5

Prerequisite
 A property
 something that gives an object its characteristics

Observe a piece of rubber band. What do you notice when

it is pulled and released? What could you say is
characteristic of objects made with the same of
type
material? Ultimately, what can you say is a property
of rubber?

Note: Rubber is not the only elastic material. (Spandex used

in stretch jeans, is another example.)

© Sutharsan John Isles 6

Prerequisite
 Physical
 something that is real in the sense that it can be
seen, felt, etc. (i.e. not imaginary) and can thus be
described in terms of what you observe or perceive
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_property

Consider the following:

You can feel the effects of a force (throwing you off) as you
stand at the edge on a merry-go-round while it is spinning.
You can see that one line is longer than the other.

© Sutharsan John Isles 7

Prerequisite
 A physical property
 a measurable (or perceived) property of something
observable without having to change the
composition or identity of that thing

Examples of physical properties include the

following:
 Length  Temperatur
 Mass e
 Colour  Solubility
 Smell  Resistivity

© Sutharsan John Isles
Conductivity 8
Prerequisite
 The following are subsets of physical
properties:
 Mechanical properties
 Electrical properties
 Thermal properties
 Optical properties

© Sutharsan John Isles 9

Prerequisite
 A quantity
 something that can be quantified (given a
number to)
 A physical quantity
 a physical property that can be expressed in
numbers
 E.g. Length being quantified: 13 cm

© Sutharsan John Isles 10

Units
 There are two common systems of units:
 SI units (Système International d’Unités)
 E.g. metre, kilogram, second
 The British engineering system (a.k.a.
imperial system of units)
 E.g. foot, pound, second

© Sutharsan John Isles 11

Why SI Units?
 Two reasons:
 Facilitates international trade and
communications
 Facilitates exchange of scientific findings and
information

© Sutharsan John Isles 12

Physical Quantities
 These may be divided into base quantities
and derived quantities.
 Base quantities are expressed in base
units.
 Derived quantities are expressed in
derived units.
 There are seven base quantities and thus
seven base units.

© Sutharsan John Isles 13

 SI Base Quantities & Units
Quantity Symbol Unit Abbreviation

Length l metre m

Mass m kilogram kg

Time t seconds s

Electric current I ampere A

Thermodynamic temperature T kelvin K

Amount of substance n mole mol

Luminous intensity Iv candela cd

http://www.bipm.org/en/si/si_brochure/chapter2/2-1/

© Sutharsan John Isles 14

 Common SI Prefixes for Units
Prefix Symbol Value Decimal Equivalent Scale (Short)
peta P 1015 1 000 000 000 000 000 quadrillion
tera T 1012 1 000 000 000 000 trillion
giga G 109 1 000 000 000 billion
mega M 106 1 000 000 million
kilo k 103 1 000 thousand
deci d 10-1 0.1 tenth
centi c 10-2 0.01 hundredth
milli m 10-3 0.001 thousandth
micro μ 10-6 0.000 001 millionth
nano n 10-9 0.000 000 001 billionth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_and_short_scales

© Sutharsan John Isles 15

 Multiples & Submultiples
of SI Units – The Metre
Multiples Submultiples

Value Symbol Name Value Symbol Name

103 m km kilometre 10-1 m dm decimetre

106 m Mm megametre 10-2 m cm centimetre

109 m Gm gigametre 10-3 m mm millimetre

1012 m Tm terametre 10-6 m μm micrometre

1015 m Pm petametre 10-9 m nm nanometre

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metre

© Sutharsan John Isles 16

Conversion between multiples
and submultiples of a base unit
 How do you convert from kilometres to metres?
 E.g. Convert 3 km to metres
Solution
3 km  3kilo metre
 31000 1 m
 3000 m

© Sutharsan John Isles 17

Conversion between multiples &
submultiples of a base unit
 How do you convert from metres to kilometres?
 E.g. Convert 70 m to kilometres
Solution

Begin with 1 km  1000 m

1
Recognise that 1 m  1000
km

1
 70 m  70 1000
km
  0.07 km

© Sutharsan John Isles 18

Conversion between multiples &
submultiples of a base unit
 How do you convert from millimetres to
metres?
 E.g. Convert 45 mm to metres
Solution
1
45 mm  45  metre
 1000
1
 45 1
1000 m
45
 m
1000
 0.045 m
© Sutharsan John Isles 19
Conversion between multiples &
submultiples of a base unit
 How do you convert from millimetres to
centimetres?
 E.g. Convert 13 mm to centimetres
Solution
1
13 mm   metre
13 1000
1 1
 13100 1 m 10

1
 13 cm 10
 1.3
© Sutharsan John Isles 20
cm
Conversion between multiples &
submultiples of a base unit
 How do you convert from centimetres to
millimetres?
 E.g. Convert 11.5 cm to millimetres
Solution
1
11.5 cm  11.5 100 
metre
10
 11.5 1000 1
m 1
 115  1 m
1000
 115
mm © Sutharsan John Isles 21
SI Derived Quantities & Units
 Derived units are defined as products of powers
of the base units.
http://www.bipm.org/en/si/si_brochure/chapter1/1-4.html

 There are derived units expressed only in terms

of base units.
 E.g. square metres [m2], metres per second [m/s],
etc.
 There are also derived units with special names,
usually names of scientists, and symbols for
their units.
 E.g. Newtons [N], Pascal [Pa], etc.
© Sutharsan John Isles 22
SI Derived Quantities & Units
Name Symbol Derivation Unit
area A mm m2

volume V m2  m m3

speed, velocity v ms m/s

acceleration a m/s  s m/s2
density ρ kg  m3 kg/m3
force F kg  m/s2 kg m/s2 = N
pressure P N  m2 N/m2 = Pa
energy, work E, W Nm Nm=J
power P Js J/s = W
electrical charge Q As As=C
electric potential difference V WA W/A = V
electrical resistance R VA V/A = Ω
moment of force (torque) τ (or M) Nm Nm
Note highlighted: Essence of derivation in each case is different.
© Sutharsan John Isles 23
Trivia
 Do you know the full names of scientists
after whom the following units were named?
 Newton
 Pascal
 Joule
 Watt
 Coulomb
 Volt
 Ohm

© Sutharsan John Isles 24

Conversion between multiples &
submultiples of derived units
 How do you convert from squared centimetres
to squared metres?
 E.g. Convert 8 cm2 to squared metres
Solution
8 cm2  1 cm  8 cm
1 1
 1 1 m  8 1 m
100 100
1
8 1 m2
10000
 0.0008 m2
© Sutharsan John Isles 25
Standard Form
 Also called the scientific notation, it is a
way of representing numbers that are too
large or too small.
 It is generally denoted as A × 10n, where
1 ≤ A < 10 and A  R and n is an
integer.
 Depending on the requirement, A can be
in any number of significant figures.
© Sutharsan John Isles 26
Standard Form – Examples
 How do you express 0.0008 in standard form?
Solution
8
0.0008
 10000
8
 4
10
 8104

© Sutharsan John Isles 27

Standard Form – Examples
 How do you express 80000 in standard form?
Solution
80000  810000
 8104

© Sutharsan John Isles 28

 Standard Form – Examples
 One of the best estimates to a number called the
Avogadro’s Number is
602,214,141,070,409,084,099,072. If only the first 4
digits of this number were significant, how would you
express this number in standard form?
Solution
602214141070409084099072
 602200000000000000000000
 6.022 1023

http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/pub/an-exact-value-for-avogadros-number

© Sutharsan John Isles 29

Scalar and Vector Quantities
 A scalar quantity has magnitude only and
is completely described by a certain
number with appropriate units.
 E.g. The distance is 7 m.
 Other examples of scalar quantities
include mass, time and temperature.

© Sutharsan John Isles 30

Scalar and Vector Quantities
 A vector quantity has both a magnitude
and a direction and can be represented by
a straight line in a particular direction.
 E.g. The displacement is 5 m in the
direction
045°.
 Other examples of vector quantities
include velocity, force and momentum.

© Sutharsan John Isles 31

Scalar and Vector Quantities
 Why is it useful to understand which quantity is a vector
and which quantity is a scalar?
 Consider the following formula where v is the final velocity, u is
the initial velocity, a is the acceleration and t is the time for
which the vehicle accelerated:

v = u + at
 Solve for a when v = 10 m/s, u = 0 m/s and t = 2 s.
 Solve for a when u = 10 m/s, v = 0 m/s and t = 2 s.
 What do you observe about the answers?

© Sutharsan John Isles 32

Scalar and Vector Quantities
 The formula for a vector quantity is designed
with the allowance for positive and negative
values and difference in meaning for each.
 Acceleration is a vector quantity.
 A negative acceleration is actually a
deceleration.
 Negative values indicate “going in or doing the
opposite”.
 Can a scalar quantity have a negative value?
© Sutharsan John Isles 33
Scalar and Vector Quantities
 Temperature is a scalar quantity.
 While temperatures may have negative values,
they do not represent a change is direction.
 A temperature reading at any point in time is a
static figure.

© Sutharsan John Isles 34

Precision and Accuracy
 The term precision refers to how consistently an
instrument measures something.
 Accuracy, on the other hand, refers to how
close the measured value is to the actual value.
 Thus, an instrument can be precise, but
inaccurate.
 E.g.
A clock that is consistently one minute late at any
point in time.

© Sutharsan John Isles 35

Notes on Accuracy
 How accurate the reading is, is dependent
on the type of instrument being used. This
is referred to the degree of accuracy.
 It is important to keep in mind the
sensitivity and stability of the instrument
when measuring, especially in the case of
thermometers. These can affect
accuracy as well.
© Sutharsan John Isles 36
The Ruler
 Look at the ruler shown.
 What would you say is the degree of
accuracy of this instrument?

© Sutharsan John Isles 37

 The Modern Vernier Callipers

Can you name the

parts of this
instrument?

Image source: http://www.mitutoyo.co.jp/eng/useful/catalog/pdf/202.pdf

© Sutharsan John Isles 38

 The Modern Vernier Callipers
Inside jaws
Screw clamp

Depth probe

Main scale
Vernier scale

Outside jaws
Image source: http://www.mitutoyo.co.jp/eng/useful/catalog/pdf/202.pdf

© Sutharsan John Isles 39

The Modern Vernier Callipers
 Invented by Pierre
Vernier.
 The word “vernier” is
now used to refer to
certain movable parts of
measuring instruments.
 Measures to an accuracy
of 0.01 cm or 0.1 mm

© Sutharsan John Isles 40

 The Micrometer Screw Gauge

Do you think you can

name the parts of
this instrument?

Image source: http://www.mitutoyo.co.jp/eng/useful/catalog/pdf/50.pdf

© Sutharsan John Isles 41

 The Micrometer Screw Gauge
Anvil Spindle Sleeve (with main scale)

Lock

Thimble

Rotating Ratchet
scale
Frame

Image source: http://www.mitutoyo.co.jp/eng/useful/catalog/pdf/50.pdf

© Sutharsan John Isles 42

The Micrometer Screw Gauge
 The first micrometric
screw was invented by
William Gascoigne and
the modern day MSG is a
result of a series of
adaptations by other
inventors.
 Measures to an accuracy
of 0.001 cm or 0.01 mm

© Sutharsan John Isles 43

Comparing Accuracies
 Note: Device Accuracy
While the word Ruler 1 mm
“accuracy” has been Vernier Calipers 0.1 mm
used, it should be noted Micrometer
0.01 mm
Screw Gauge
that no measurement
can be said to 100%
accurate and there
would always be a
certain level of
uncertainty.

© Sutharsan John Isles 44

Acknowledgement
 Created by: Sutharsan John Isles

 References
 http://www.wikipedia.org
 http://www.bipm.org/en/home/
 Giancoli, D.C. (2005). Physics: Principles with applications. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
 Duncan, T. (2000). Advanced physics. London, UK: Hodder
Murray.
 Chang, R. (1994). Chemistry. Hightstown, NJ: McGraw-Hill, Inc.
 Hughes, E. (1888). Hughes electrical and electronic technology (10th
ed.). Harlow, England: Pearson Education Limited
 Poh, L.Y. (2007). Effective guide to ‘O’ Level Physics (2nd ed.).
Singapore: Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd.
 Billstein, R., Libeskind, S. & Lott, J.W. (2001). A problem solving
approach to mathematics for elementary school teachers. (7th ed.).
Reading, MA: Addison Wesley Longman
© Sutharsan John Isles 45