Introduction

Quantities in Physics
The foundation of physics rests upon physical quantities
Physical quantities are divided into two categories: base quantities and
derived quantities.

 Base quantities are not defined in terms of other physical quantities.

Some of the base units for various physical quantities:
1 - Length (m)
2 - Mass (kg)
3 - Time (s)
4 - Temperature (k) - Kelvin
5 - Electric current (A)

 Derived quantities are based on other physical quantities.

Some of the derived units for various physical quantities:
1- Force (N)
2- Energy or Work (J)
3- Power (W)
4- Pressure (Pa)
5- Electric Charge (C)

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Significant figures
 Digits 1  9 are all significant.

 0 between 2 significant figures is significant.

3045 4
45008 5
209003 6
7.009 4
102.004 6

 0 to the left of significant figure is insignificant

0.000054 2
0.01202 4
000391 3

 0 to the right of significant figure is …..

No decimal point so
45000 2
zeros are insignificant
Zeros to the left of a
45000. 5 decimal point are
significant
Zeros to the right of a
45.000 5 decimal point are
significant
No decimal point so
1000 1
zeros are insignificant
Zeros to the right and
1000.00 6 left of a decimal point
are significant
0.006500 4

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Operations on significant figures

 In multiplication or division

43 x 55 = 2365 = 2400

12.4 x 4.0 = 49.6 = 50.

43211  37 = 1167.864864864 = 1200

 In addition or subtraction

62.00 + 13 = 75.00 = 75

90.21 – 14.8723 = 75.3377 = 75.34

60.00 + 14 + 23.124 = 97.124 = 97

9.783 + 0.9 + 4.97 = 15.653 = 16

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Scalars and Vectors
Vector quantities have both magnitude and directions

Scalar quantities have magnitude only.

Examples:

Scalars Vectors
Distance Displacement
Speed Velocity
Mass Force (weight)
Energy (work) Acceleration
Volume Momentum
Charge Torque

Vectors can be represented by an arrow drawn in a particular direction.

 The length of the line represents the magnitude of the vector.

 The direction of the line represents the direction of the vector.

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The direction in vectors can be determined by the following:

Orientations: left – right – up – down – forwards – backwards – north –

south – east – west …. Etc.

Using the frame of reference: along x-y axis

Using the frame of reference: by angles relatively to

x or y axis

Note: the sign in vectors is for direction only and it does not mean increasing
or decreasing values.

Example: If F1 = - 40 N and F2 = 30 N, this doesn’t mean that F1 < F2. In this

case F1 > F2 but F1 acts towards the + (x-axis) and F2 acts in the opposite
direction towards the – (x-axis).

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Motion

Speed

Speed is defined as the distance traveled in unit time (one second).

𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
The SI unit of speed is ms-1

The average speed is found by dividing the distance by the time and it
doesn’t tell anything about the speed at any instant.

The instantaneous speed is more important because it describes the speed

at a certain instant.

In distance – time graph the slope or gradient represents the instantaneous

speed.

Distance – Displacement

Distance is a scalar quantity which describes the length of the path.

Displacement is a vector quantity which describes the shortest distance from

the initial point to the final point in the motion of the body.

The direction of the displacement is always directed from initial point to the
final point

Velocity

Velocity is defined as the displacement traveled in unit time (one second).

𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
Velocity is a vector quantity and it has magnitude and direction.

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Acceleration

Acceleration is the rate of change in velocity.

Acceleration means change in speed or direction.

Increasing speed  + acceleration

Decreasing speed  - acceleration

Changing direction  acceleration

𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 − 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦

𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒

𝑣−𝑢
𝑎=
𝑡

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Motion Graphs
Distance-Time Graphs

 Both objects A and B are moving  Both Objects A and B are

with constant steady speed, stationary (at rest), object B is at
because the lines are straight. the origin and object A is 10 m
 The gradient of straight lines is the away from the origin.
speed.  The gradient of the horizontal line
 B is faster than A because the line is equal to zero.
is steeper.

 Object A is moving with constant  Object A is moving with constant

speed because the line is straight. speed towards the origin and
 Object A is moving backwards continues into the negative direction.
towards the origin.

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 The Object is increasing speed.  The Object is decreasing speed.
 The gradient increases.  The gradient decreases.

 Object A is increasing speed while  Object B is increasing speed while

moving from the negative direction moving from the positive direction
into the positive direction. into the negative direction.
 Object A increases speed because  Object B increases speed because
gradient increases. gradient increases.
 Object B is decreasing speed while  Object A is decreasing speed while
moving from the negative to the moving from the positive to the
positive direction negative direction
 Object B decreases speed because  Object A decreases speed because
gradient decreases. gradient decreases.

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Speed-Time Graphs

 Both objects A and B are moving  Object A is moving with constant

with constant acceleration, speed (10 ms-1).
because the lines are straight.  Object B is stationary (at rest).
 The gradient of straight lines is the  The gradient of the horizontal line
acceleration. is equal to zero, therefore both
 B has greater acceleration than A object have zero acceleration.
because the line is steeper.

 Object A is moving with constant  Object A is moving with decreasing

negative acceleration (constant acceleration because the gradient is
deceleration), its speed is decreasing decreasing.
constantly.  Object B is moving with increasing
acceleration because the gradient is
increasing.

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 From A to B constant deceleration  From A to B constant deceleration
and the object comes to rest. but in the negative direction and the
 From B to C constant acceleration object comes to rest.
into the negative direction.  From B to C constant acceleration
 Acceleration and deceleration have into the positive direction.
same magnitude because same  Acceleration and deceleration have
gradient. same magnitude because same
gradient.

 Object A decreases speed  Object A decreases speed

(decelerates) and comes to rest (decelerates) and comes to rest
then increases speed (accelerates) then increases speed (accelerates)
 A has decreasing acceleration.  A has increasing acceleration.
 Object B decreases speed  Object B decreases speed
(decelerates) and comes to rest (decelerates) and comes to rest
then increases speed (accelerates) then increases speed (accelerates)
 A has increasing acceleration.  A has decreasing acceleration.
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Acceleration–Time graphs

 Object A has constant positive  Decreasing Positive acceleration

acceleration. constantly then increasing negative
 Object B has constant negative acceleration constantly.
acceleration.

 Decreasing negative acceleration constantly then increasing positive

acceleration constantly.

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Positive and negative acceleration

Examples:

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Note: In speed-time graph, the acceleration is found from the gradient and
the distance is found from the area under the graph.

 The gradient is found between any  The distance travelled is the area
two points. under the graph.
 The triangle method must be clearly
shown.
 Gradient is rise/run 1
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 𝑏ℎ
2
∆𝑦 ∆𝑣
𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 = = 1
∆𝑥 ∆𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 = × 8 × 14
2
14 − 5.6 8.4
𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 = = = 1.75 𝑚𝑠 −2 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 56 𝑚
8 − 3.2 4.8
14 − 0 14
𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 = = = 1.75 𝑚𝑠 −2
8−0 8

 For straight-line graph for any two

points the gradient is equal (constant
acceleration).

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For changing acceleration

Example [1]:

Find the acceleration at 6 s.

In this example the acceleration is found at t = 6s.

This method is also used to find the instantaneous speed in distance-time

graph.

A tangent to the graph at point 6 sec is sketched.

The gradient of the tangent is calculated between any two clear points.
𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒 ∆𝑣 10.8 − 0.8
𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 = = = = 2 𝑚𝑠 −2
𝑟𝑢𝑛 ∆𝑡 8.8 − 3.8
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Example [2]:

Find the distance travelled during 10 s.

The time axis is divided into equal time periods (i.e. 2 s).

The velocity is found at each mid-point.

𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑑 (𝑣1 + 𝑣2 + 𝑣3 + 𝑣4 … … . . + 𝑣𝑛 )

𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 2 × (2.8 + 7.6 + 10.7 + 12.5 + 13.8)

𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 94.8 𝑚

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Q1. Describe the motion of the
object from the graph on the right

From the graph on the right

Which object is moving at constant

speed and which object is
accelerating?

At what distance will both objects

meat?

Which object is faster at 8 s?

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Summery

18
Equations of motion
1- Motion with constant velocity
𝑠
𝑣=
𝑡

2- Motion with constant acceleration

𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 − 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦

𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒
𝑣−𝑢
𝑎=
𝑡
𝑣 = 𝑢 + 𝑎𝑡

𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑
𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛
𝑠
𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑔 =
𝑡
 𝑠 = 𝑣𝑎𝑣𝑔 × 𝑡
1
𝑠= (𝑣 + 𝑢) × 𝑡
2

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 1
𝑠= ((𝑢 + 𝑎𝑡) + 𝑢) × 𝑡
2

1
𝑠= (2𝑢 + 𝑎𝑡) × 𝑡
2
1
𝑠= (2𝑢 × 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 × 𝑡)
2
1
𝑠 = 𝑢 × 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2
2

2 × 𝑠 = (𝑣 + 𝑢) × 𝑡
(𝑣 − 𝑢)
2×𝑠= (𝑣 + 𝑢) × 𝑡
(𝑣 − 𝑢)
(𝑣 − 𝑢)
2×𝑠= (𝑣 + 𝑢) × 𝑡
(𝑣 − 𝑢)
Remember (𝑣 − 𝑢)(𝑣 + 𝑢) = 𝑣 2 − 𝑢2

(𝑣 2 − 𝑢2 )
2𝑠 = 𝑡
(𝑣 − 𝑢)
(𝑣 2 − 𝑢2 )
2𝑠 =
𝑎
2𝑎𝑠 = (𝑣 2 − 𝑢2 )
𝑣 2 = 𝑢2 + 2𝑎𝑠

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