Lecture 1

> Introduction

> Measurement, Trigonometry

Giancoli, Physics 6/e

Serway & Vuille, College Physics 8/e
Serway & Jewett, Physics for Scientists & Engineers, 6/e
Tippens, Physics 7/e
Young, Freedman & Ford, University Physics 14/e

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 Nature of Science
> Aim of science: ideas from data, observations; collecting facts, making theories

> Observing nature, performing experiments

+ Aristotle, Galileo on the moving cart

+ Observation & experimentation

+ Formulating a theory
+ Testing the theory
+ Accepting the theory, range of the theory

> Theories: attempts at explaining observed phenomena

+ Observations lead to theories about how they came about
+ Theories are tested by further experiments and observations
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 Introduction to Physics
> Physics: expt'l science, sci method
+ Observe nature
+ Find patterns

> Physical theories: patterns

observed in nature;

Laws, principles: well established & Galileo Galilei

Aristotle 1564-1642
widely used physical theories 384-322 BC

> Galileo on falling objects

+ Experiment
> Falsifiability
~ Light, heavy + Testing theories through experiments
~ Rate of falling + New experiments: refine or discard
~ Weight-independent + How to disprove a theory: find an
observation inconstent w/ it
+ Experimental process, tests

+ Range of validity: ignoring air

resistance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_Galilei
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Villacorta--DLSUM-SCITECS-L01-1819Term03 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle
 Introduction to Physics contd
> Physics: the study of matter and
energy
+ Most basic of the sciences
+ Classical: motion, fluids, heat,
sound, light, electricity, & magnetism
+ Modern: relativity, atomic structure,
condensed matter, nuclear physics,
elementary particles, & cosmology and Real object
astrophysics Simplified
+ Physics is related to many fields:
mathematics, biology, chemistry, etc Point particle

> Picturing & explaining nature

+ Model: using simplified, known ideas &
applying it to other phenomena
+ Theory: more expansive, testable
results
+ Law: natural behavior
+ Principle: specific behavior
+ Prescription (setting limits) vs. description
(describe as observed)

Young, Freedman, c01

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 Measurement and Uncertainty
> Uncertainty from the inaccuracy of
measuring devices

Vernier caliper: ½ of 1/10 of 1/10

of a centimeter
or 0.005 cm

Ruler: ½ of 1/10 of a centimeter

or 0.05 cm

> Accuracy (closeness to the true

value)

vs Precision (measurement
repeatabilty)
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Villacorta--DLSUM-SCITECS-L01-1819Term03 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruler
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calipers
 Measurement and Uncertainty contd
> Significant figures: number of + Zeroes to the right of the decimal
reliable digits point are significant.
+ Since measuring devices can never 7.00 km → 3 significant figures
be completely accurate, the 1.0400 m → 5 significant figures
measurements taken using them cannot
be 100% reliable.
+ Zeroes to the right of a significant
+ Non-zeroes are always significant. digit and to the left of a decimal point
are NOT significant.
3.21 cm → 3 significant figures
14.77 kg → 4 significant figures 5600 lb → 2 significant figures
7090 m2 → 3 significant figures

+ Zeroes are significant when these

are between significant digits.
504.8 in → 4 significant figures
7001.9 s –> 5 significant figures

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 Measurement and Uncertainty contd
> When adding measures, the final > When multiplying measures, the
answer must have the same decimal final answer must have the same
places to the right of the decimal point number of significant figures as the
as the addend with the least number of factor with the least number of
decimal places. significant figures.

Ex. What is the total mass of three Ex. What is the area of a triangle that is 12.0
objects: cm tall and has a base 35.25 cm wide?
14.0 kg, 18.33 kg, and 5.790 kg?
Ans. Use the formula for the traingle area:
Ans. Simple addition
A = (½) b h = (½) (35.25 cm) (12.0 cm)
14.0 kg + 18.33 kg + 5.790 kg = 211.5 cm2
= 38.12 kg
Since the height measure only has three
Since 14.0 kg has one decimal place w/c significant figures (sf), then the final answer
is the least among those given, then the should be
final answer should be
212 cm2, w/c also has three sf.
38.1 kg,
w/c also has one decimal place.

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 Measurement and Uncertainty contd
> Scientific Notation, Powers of Ten: a compact way of writing very small,
large measures that keep the significant figures

> Ex. 2,300,000 kg = 2.3 x 106 kg (two s.f. before & after conversion)

> Ex. 0.000703 m = 7.03 x 10–4 m (three s.f. before & after conversion)

> Percentage Error: a measure of how far an experimental value is from an

accepted, theoretical value
∣Ex. Value−Th. Value∣
Percentage Error (%E)= ×100%
Th. Value

> Percentage Difference: a measure of how close two measurements are to

each other (Ex. The same quantity measured in different ways)

∣Meas. 1− Meas. 2∣
Percentage Difference (%D)= ×100%
Average Meas.

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 Units & Standards
> Physical quantity: number > Standard Units
describing a physical phenomenon + Time: second = “duration of
9,192,631,770 periods of cesium atom
Ex. height, weight, length, etc radiation”

Operational definition: fundamental

description of a physical quantity

Ex. length: measure using a ruler

time: measure using a stopwatch

> Unit: the measurement standard of

a quantity
+ Ex. centimeters, kilometers, grams
+ A number is not enough to describe
a quantity: the unit must be included

+ Standard: a reproducible measure

for a unit

Young, Freedman, c01 9

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 Units & Standards contd
+ Length: meter = “distance traveled + Mass: kilogram = “mass of a
by light in 1 / 299,792,458 seconds” platinum-iridium alloy in Paris, France”

FR Orig in Saint-Cloud US Prototype in Maryland

Early defn
(French Academy of Sciences, 1797):
Dist from N Pole to Equator
1 m=
10,000,000

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metre Young, Freedman, c01 10

Villacorta--DLSUM-SCITECS-L01-1819Term03 https://www.bipm.org/en/bipm/mass/image-ipk.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilogram
 Units & Standards contd
> Systems of Units + Imperial Units: foot-pound-second
+ International System (SI):
length: 1 inch (in) = 2.54 cm [defn]
metric system, 1 foot (ft) = 12 in
cgs (centimeter-gram-second), 1 yard (yd) = 3 ft
mks (meter-kilogram-second) 1 mile (mi) = 5280 ft = 1.609 km

length: meters (m) mass: 1 pound (lb) = 4.536 kg

1 kilometer (km) = 1000 m 1 stone (st) = 14 lb
= 103 m 1 ton (t) = 2240 lb

mass: kilograms (kg) area: 1 acre = 66 ft x 660 ft

1 metric ton/ tonne (t) = 1000 kg = 4840 yd2
= 4046 m2
time: second (s)
1 minute (min) = 60 s volume: 1 fluid ounce (fl oz) = 28.41 mL
1 hour (h) = 60 min = 3600 s 1 pint (pt) = 20 fl oz
1 quart (qt) = 2 pt
area: 1 hectare (ha) = (100 m)2 1 gallon (gal) = 4 qt
= 104 m2

volume: 1 liter (L) = (10 cm)3

= 0.001 m3

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_system
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Villacorta--DLSUM-SCITECS-L01-1819Term03 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_units
 Units & Standards contd
> Quantities can be:
+ Base: defined using the standard units.

7 Base Qts:

1. Length 5. Electric charge

2. Mass 6. Amount of substance
3. Time 7. Luminous intensity
4. Temperature

+ Derived: combination of base quantities:

Ex. speed, volume, force, etc.

Serway & Vuille, Ch01

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 Sample Problem
1. (a) The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of the trace metal magnesium is
410 mg/day for males. Express this quantity in μg/day.

(b) For adults, the RDA of the amino acid lysine is 12 mg per kg of body weight.
How many grams per day should a 75-kg adult receive?

(c) A typical multivitamin tablet can contain 2.0 mg of vitamin B 2 (riboflavin), and
the RDA is 0.0030 g/day. How many such tablets should a person take each
day to get the proper amount of this vitamin, if he gets none from other sources?

(d) The RDA for the trace element selenium is 0.000070 g/day. Express this dose
in mg/day. [Young, Freedman, c01]

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 Measure Estimates
> Order of magnitude > Dimensional analysis
+ Quick estimate of measure + Equations must have the same units
+ Rough estimate on both sides
+ Ex. area of an empty lot, floor space + Dimensions refer to the type of base
of a room, fluid ounces of medicine, quantities making up a unit
etc. + Ex. L = length, T = time, M = mass,
etc.

distance = (velocity) (time) or d=vt

dimension:
[distance] = L {length}
[velocity] = L/T {length over time}
[time] = T {time}

L = ( L/T ) (T) = L,
showing that the eq is consistent dimensionally

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 Trigonometric Functions
> The three trigonometric functions
+ Sine
+ Cosine
+ Tangent

Pythagorean Theorem Pythagoras

c570-495 BC
c2 = a2 + b2

SOH – CAH - TOA

90º

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagoras
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 Sample Problem
1. A high fountain of water is located at the center of a circular pool as shown...

Not wishing to get his feet wet, a student walks around the pool and measures
its circumference to be 15.0 m.

Next, the student stands at the edge of the pool and uses a protractor to gauge
the angle of elevation at the bottom of the fountain to be 55.0°.

How high is the fountain? [Serway, Vuille, c01]

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 Law of Cosines
> Relates the side of one triangle to the other sides and the angle opposite it

> Applicable for different kinds of triangles

c2 =a 2 +b2 −2 a b cos γ
a 2 =b2 +c 2 − 2 b c cos α
b2 =c 2 +a 2 −2 c a cos β β a

Ex. Two sides of a triangle have measures 3.0 cm

and 4.0 cm and form a 45º angle. What is the length
of the third side?
c
γ
Ans. Use the cosine law with a = 3.0 cm
b = 4.0 cm and
γ = 45º α
b
c2 = (3.0cm)2 + (4.0cm)2 – 2 (3.0cm)(4.0cm)cos 45º
= 8.029 cm2
=> c = 2.834 cm
Note: If γ = 90º, then the cosine
The third side is 2.8 cm long. law for c2 is just the Pythagorean
formula.
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 Law of Sines
> Gives the relationship between the different ratios of the sides of a triangle and
the angle opposite said side

> Applicable for different kinds of triangles

a b c
= =
sin α sin β sin γ β a

Ex. Find the angle opposite 3.0-cm side and the angle
opposite the 4.0-cm side in the triangle in the previous
item.
c
Ans. Use the sine law: sin α = (a/c) sin γ and γ
sin β = (b/c) sin γ.

sin α = (3.0cm/2.834cm) sin 45º = 0.7485

=> α =48.46º α
b
sin β = (4.0cm/2.834cm) sin 45º = 0.9980
=> β =86.41º Note: The sine law may lead
to 2 different triangles
Thus, the angle opposite the 3.0-cm side is 48º while under certain conditions.
that of the 4.0-cm side is 86º.
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 Sample Problem
1. You and a friend are out hiking across a large flat plain and decide to
determine the height of a distant mountain peak, and also the horizontal distance
from you to the peak...

In order to do this, you stand in one spot and determine that the sightline to the
top of the peak is inclined at 7.5º above the horizontal. You also make note of
the heading to the peak at that point: 13º east of north.

You stand at the original position, and your friend hikes due west for 1.5 km. He
then sights the peak and determines that its sightline has a heading of 15º east
of north.

How far is the mountain from your position, and how high is its summit above
your position? [Tipler, c01]

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 Sample Problem contd
1.

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