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Chapter 1 - Introduction To Measurement (PHY400)

This document provides an outline for Chapter 1 of a physics textbook on measurements and units. It introduces physical quantities, including base and derived quantities. It discusses the SI system of units and prefixes used to modify units. Examples are provided for converting between units and solving physics problems using unit conversions. Significant figures are also introduced, including rules for determining the number of significant figures in measurements and calculations. Worked examples are included to illustrate unit conversions and applying significant figures. The goal is for students to understand basic and derived units, unit conversions, and proper use of significant figures.

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Anis Nasuha
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85 views27 pages

Chapter 1 - Introduction To Measurement (PHY400)

This document provides an outline for Chapter 1 of a physics textbook on measurements and units. It introduces physical quantities, including base and derived quantities. It discusses the SI system of units and prefixes used to modify units. Examples are provided for converting between units and solving physics problems using unit conversions. Significant figures are also introduced, including rules for determining the number of significant figures in measurements and calculations. Worked examples are included to illustrate unit conversions and applying significant figures. The goal is for students to understand basic and derived units, unit conversions, and proper use of significant figures.

Uploaded by

Anis Nasuha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PHY 400

Physics For Non-Majors

Chapter 1
Introduction to Measurement

Owned by: Nurul Izrini Binti Ikhsan, PhD


[email protected]
[email protected]
OUTLINE
Introduction to Measurements

1. Physical Quantities : Base and Derived Quantities


2. Units (SI units and Prefixes)
3. Conversion of Units
4. Significant Figures
At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:-

vState basic quantities with their respective SI units: length (m),


time (s), mass (kg), electrical current (A), temperature (K) and
amount of substance (mol).

vState derive quantities and their respective units and symbols:


velocity (ms-1), acceleration (ms-2), work (J), Force (N),
pressure (Pa), energy (J), power (W) and frequency (Hz).

vPerform conversion units.


Chapter 1
• Physical quantity is defined as a quantity which can be
measured.
• It can be categorised into two types
1. Basic (base) quantity
2. Derived quantity
• Basic quantity is defined as a quantity which cannot be
derived from any physical quantities.
• Derived quantity is defined as a quantity which can be
expressed in term of base quantity which is a combination of
two or more physical quantities.
Chapter 1

Basic (base) quantity


Chapter 1
Derived Quantity
Chapter 1
2.1 UNITS
• Physics experiments involve the measurement of a variety
of quantities.

• These measurements should be accurate and reproducible.

• The first step in ensuring accuracy and reproducibility is


defining the units in which the measurements are made.
Chapter 1

The common system of units used today are:-

• S.I unit (System International System)


e.g: meter, kilogram, second.

• CGS Unit- UK.


e.g: centimetre, gram, second.
Chapter 1
PREFIXES OF UNIT
• It is used for presenting larger and smaller values.
• Written in the following form (standard scientific
notation)

A x 10b
Example:
An electron mass is about 0.000 000 000 000 000 000
000 000 000 000 910 938 22 kg.
In scientific notation, written as 9.1093822 x 10-31 kg.
Chapter 1
• Table shows all the unit prefixes
Chapter 1
CONVERSION OF UNITS

• Conversion factors between SI and British units for length


and mass only
Chapter 1
CONVERSION FACTORS TO REMEMBER
1 km = 1000 m 1km = 0.621 mi
1 kg = 1000 g 1 mi = 1.609 km
1 m = 100 cm 1 m = 3.281 ft
1 inch = 2.54 cm
1 cm = 10 mm
1 lb = 0.453592 kg
1 m = 1000 mm
1 h = 60 min
1 min = 60 s
1 h = 3600 s
THE ROLE OF UNITS IN PROBLEM SOLVING

Example 1: The World’s Highest Waterfall

The highest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls in Venezuela, with a


total drop of 979.0 m. Express this drop in feet.

Since 3.281 feet = 1 meter, it follows that

(3.281 feet)/(1 meter) = 1

Length = (979.0 meters)çæ


3.281feet ö
÷ = 3212 feet
è 1 meter ø
THE ROLE OF UNITS IN PROBLEM SOLVING

Reasoning Strategy: Converting Between Units

1. In all calculations, write down the units explicitly.

2. Treat all units as algebraic quantities. Whenidentical units are


divided, they are eliminated algebraically.

3. Be guided by the fact that multiplying or dividing an equation


by a factor of 1 does not alter the equation.
THE ROLE OF UNITS IN PROBLEM SOLVING

Example 2 Interstate Speed Limit

Express the speed limit of 65 miles/hour in terms of


meters/second.

Use 5280 feet = 1 mile and 3600 seconds = 1 hour and


3.281 feet = 1 meter.

Speed = æç65 miles ö÷= æç65 miles ÷ç


öæ 5280 feet öæ 1hour ö= 95 feet
÷ç ÷
è hour ø è hour øè mile øè 3600 s second
ø

feet ö æ feet öæ 1 meter ö = 29 meters


Speed = æç95 =
÷ ç95 ÷ç ÷
è second ø è second øè 3.281 feet ø second
APRIL 2011

a) Bicyclists in the Tour de France cycle at a speed of 34.0 miles per hour (mi/h) on
flat sections of the road. What is this speed in
i) kilometers per hour (km/h)
ii) meters per second (m/s)
(1.609 km = 1 mi, 1 mi = 1609 m, 1 h = 3600s)
(4 marks)

OCT 2010

Consider the density of a liquid is 980 kg/m3. Convert the


density to g/cm3. (0.98 g/cm3)
(2 marks)
a)i) æ mi ö æ mi ö æ 1.609 km ö 54.7 km
Speed = ç 34.0
h ø÷(1) = ç 34.0 ÷ç ÷ =
è è h øè 1 mi ø h

æ mi ö æ mi öæ 1609m öæ 1 h ö 15.2 m
a)ii) Speed = ç 34.0 ÷(1)(1) = ç34.0 ÷ç ÷ ç ÷ =
è h ø è h øè 1 mi øè 3600s ø s
Chapter 1
Example 1:

Solve the following problems:

a) 300 cm to inch
b) 200 m2 to cm2
c) 450 km h -1 to ms -1
d) 150 g cm -3 to kg m -3
Chapter 1
Example 2:
The sides of a rectangle are 5 inches and 10 inches
respectively. Find the area of the rectangle in m2.
(Given 1 inch = 2.54 cm)

Ans: 0.0323 m2
In-Class Exercise

• A sheet of paper is 0.28 m long, 18.5 cm wide and 0.10 mm


thick. What is the volume of the sheet of paper in m3?

Ans: 5.18 × 10-6 m3

22
In-Class Exercise

• Calculate the area of a circle of diameter 15 mm.


Give the answer in SI unit.

Ans: 1.77 × 10-4 m2 23


In-Class Exercise

• The speed limit is 55 miles per hour (mi/h or mph).


What is this speed in ;
i) m/s
ii) km/h
Given 1 mile = 1.609 km

Ans: 24.6 m/s , 88.51 km/h24


SIGNIFICANT FIGURES (SF) Chapter 1
Example
1. All non zero digits in a
number are SF. 1. (i) 3421 : 4 sf
(ii) 62.5 : 3 sf
2. Zero in between two non
2. (i) 503 : 3 sf
zero digits are SF.
(ii) 1.006 : 4 sf

3. For any whole number, 3. (i) 63 000 : 2 sf if the precision


zero at the end of a is to the nearest thousand.
number can be a SF or not
a SF. It depends on the of (ii) 63 000 : 3 sf if the precision
is to the nearest hundred.
precision of the reading.
Chapter 1
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES (SF)
Example
4. For a decimal number less
than 1, zero placed before any 4. (i) 0.0028 : 2 sf
non-zero digit is not a sf (ii) 0.0902 : 3 sf

5. For a decimal number, zero 5. (i) 7.40 : 3 sf


placed after a non-zero digit is (ii) 0.020 : 2 sf
a sf.
Chapter 1
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES (SF):
Multiplication & Division

The final results of multiplication or division should have


only as many digits as the number with the least number of
significant figures used in the calculation.

E.g : 24. 3 x 7.6 = 184.68 = 185 (round off to 2 sf)


PHYSICS IS FUN!

PHYSICS IS FUN !

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough


-Albert Einstein
Thank you

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