CHAPTER 1

PHYSICAL QUANTITIES &

MEASUREMENTS (3 hours)
1.1 Physical Quantities
and Units
1.2 Scalars and Vectors
1.3 Measurement and
Errors (Laboratory
work)

How fast does light travel? How much do you weigh ?

What is the radius of the Earth?
What temperature does ice melt at?
We can find the answers to all
of these questions by
measurement.
Speed, mass, length and
temperature are all examples
of physical quantities.

Measurement of physical quantities is an essential

part of Physics.

1.1 Physical Quantities and Units (1 hour)

LEARNING OUTCOMES
a) State basic quantities and their respective SI units:
length (m), time (s), mass (kg), electrical current (A),
temperature (K), amount of substance (mol) and
luminosity (cd).
b) State derived quantities and their respective units and
symbols:
velocity (m s-1), acceleration (m s-2), work (J), force (N),
pressure (Pa), energy (J), power (W) and frequency
(Hz).
c) State and convert units with common S.I. prefixes.

Physical Quantities
- quantities that are measurable.
- consists of a numerical value & a unit.

Two categories:
1. Base Quantities
2. Derived Quantities

Physical Unit
- standard for measurement of physical quantities that
need clear definition to be useful.
- ex: metre (m) unit for length / distance
second (s) unit for time
Kelvin (K) unit for temperature

SI Unit
- International System of Units
- has been agreed internationally.

Base Quantity
- fundamental quantity that can not be derived in
terms of other physics quantities.
Base
Name of SI
Unit
unit
symbol
Quantity
Length , l
meter
m
Mass, m
kilogram
kg
Time, t
second
s
Electric current, I
ampere
A
Temperature, T
kelvin
K
Amount of substance, n

mole

mol

Luminous intensity

candela

cd

- Some physical quantities have no units.

- Example: refractive index, strain

Derived Quantity
- physical quantity which can be expressed in term of
base quantity.
Physical
Quantity
Velocity
Density
Frequency
Force
Pressure

Defining
equation
v=s/t
=m/V
f=1/T
F = ma
P=F/A

SI unit
m s-1
kg m-3
s-1
kg m s-2
kg m-1 s-2

Special
name
--Hz (hertz)
N (newton)
Pa (pascal)

Work

W = Fs

kg m2 s-2

J (joule)

Charge

Q = It

As

C (coulomb)

Prefix
- can be added to SI base & derived units to make
larger or smaller units
For example:
Wavelength of an X-ray
= 0.000 000 001 m
= 1 109 m
= 1 nm

Multiple

Prefix ( & abbreviation )

1012

tera- (T)

109

giga- (G)

106

mega- (M)

103

kilo- (k)

102

hecto- (h)

10-1

deci- (d)

10-2

centi- (c)

10-3

milli- (m)

10-6

micro- ()

10-9

nano- (n)

10-12

pico- (p)

10-15

femto- (f)

Unit Conversions
- S.I. unit system is predominant throughout the world.

- Units can be expressed

in the same quantity.

- It is necessary to
change from one set of
units to another.

Example
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Express the speed limit of 65 km/hour in terms of
meters/second.
Solution
Knowing that
1 km = 1000 m
1 hour = 3600 s

1000 m
Speed =65 (
)
3600 s
18.06 m s

Example of Conversion of Units in SI system

1000 m
1
15 km h 15
4.17 m s
60(60) s
1

5 mm 5 (10 m) 5 10 m
3

10 kg
3
7g cm 7 2 3 7000 kg m
(10 m)
3

30 C (30 273.15) K 303.15 K

Remember: Every answer for physics problem
solution must followed with unit of that quantity
otherwise mark will be deducted.

Follow Up Exercise
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. The largest diamond ever found had a size of 3106
carats. One carat is equivalent to a mass of 0.200 g.
Determine the mass of this diamond in kg.
2. A hall bulletin board has an area of 2.5 m 2. What is
this area in square centimeters (cm2)?
3. A football field is 110 m long and 90 m wide. What is
the area of the field kilometers ?
4. The density of metal mercury is 13.6 g/cm 3. What is
this density as expressed in kg/m3?

1.2 Scalars and Vectors (1 hour)

LEARNING OUTCOMES
a) Define scalar and vector quantities, unit vectors in
Cartesian coordinate.
b) Perform vector addition and subtraction operations
graphically.
c) Resolve vector into two perpendicular components
(2-D) and three perpendicular components (3-D):
i) Components in the x, y and z axes.
ii) Components in the i, j , k unit vectors.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
d) Define
r r and use dot (scalar) product;
A B = A (B cos ) = B (A cos )
e) Define and use cross (vector) product;

r r
A B

= A (B sin ) = B (A sin ).

Direction of cross product is determined by

corkscrew method or right hand rule.

If you know the library is 5 m from you, it could be

anywhere on a circle of radius 5.0 m. Instead, if
you are told the library is 0.5 m northwest, you
knows it precise location.

Scalar Quantity
- Quantity which has only magnitude.
- Example: mass, distance, speed, work.

Vector Quantity
- Quantity which has both magnitude and direction.
- Example: displacement, velocity, force, momentum

Representing vectors
- Symbols for vectors are printed bold or use an arrow
over a letter,

- A vector A can be represented by arrow where its

length indicates the magnitude & direction of the
arrow represents direction of the vector.

- Magnitude of the vector A is written as A

Equality of two vectors

- 2 vectors A

& B are equal if they have the same

magnitude and point in the same direction.

Negative of a vector

- The vector B is a vector with the same

magnitude as B but points in opposite

direction.

Multiplying a vector by a scalar

When a vector A is multiplied

by a scalar k,

the product is a vector kA of magnitude kA .

The direction
of the vector kA is same as

that of A if k is positive, and opposite if k is

negative.

Unit vectors
A unit vector is a dimensionless vector having a
magnitude of exactly 1 and points in a particular
direction.
Are use to specify a given direction in space.
i , j & k is used to represent

unit vectors pointing in the

positive x, y & z directions.
| i | = | j | = | k | = 1

Vector Addition & Subtraction

Addition

- The addition of 2 vector, A and B will result in a

third vector R called resultant vector.

- Resultant vector is a single vector which produces

the same effect ( in both magnitude and direction )
as the vector sum of 2 or more vectors.
- 2 methods of vector addition:
(1) Drawing / Graphical method - tail to head &
Parallelogram
(2) Mathematic Calculation unit vector &
trigonometry

Recall
Addition of vectors in the same directions

Addition of vectors in the opposite directions

The direction of
resultant vector S is
in the direction of
the bigger vector

For two or more coplanar vectors point in different

directions can be added by using the tail to head
method or parallelogram method.
(a) Tail to head graphical method

Placing the tail of each successive arrow at

the head of the previous one. The resultant
vector is the arrow drawn from the tail of the
first vector to the head of the last vector.

(b) Parallelogram method

Resultant vector, R : diagonal of a parallelogram

formed with A & B as two of its 4 sides.

Vectors Subtraction

The subtraction of 2 vectors
( A
B) can be written as the
addition of two vectors (

A ( B ) ).

Resolving vector into 2 perpendicular components (2D)

Any type of vector may be expressed in
terms of its component.

with the aid of trigonometry:

Ax
cos
A
Ay
sin
A

Ax A cos

Ay A sin

Magnitude of vector A :

| A | Ax Ay
2

Direction of vector A :

Ay
tan
Ax

* is always
measured from x
axis.


consider a vector
A

The vector A

lying in the xy plane ( 2D vector ) :

can be written as:

A Ax i Ay j

Unit vector form

Example
A force of 800 N is exerted on a bolt A as shown in Fig.
below. Determine the horizontal and vertical
components of the force.

Solution
with the aid of trigonometry:

Fx F cos
800 cos 35
Fx 655 N
Fy F sin
800 sin 35
Fy 459 N

We may write F in the unit vector form

F (655 N ) i (459 N ) j

Resolving vector into 3 perpendicular components (3D)

In 3D space, vector A can be

written as :

A Ax i Ay j Az k

Magnitude of vector A :

2 2 2
| A | Ax Ay Az

Example :

Given vector A 2i 5 j 8k

| A | (2) 2 (5) 2 (8) 2 9.64


vector A can be resolved into 3 components : Ax, Ay
& Az

Ax A cos x

Ay A cos y

Az A cos z

where x, y and z are the angles that vector A forms

with x, y & z axes respectively

Addition of vectors by means of components

Suppose we have 2 vectors A and B and
we want to find their resultant, R. The
components of a vector provide the most
convenient & accurate way of adding (or
subtracting) any number of vectors.

Adding vectors using components

1. Resolve each vector into its x and y
components.
Pay careful attention to signs:
any component that points along the
negative x or y axis get a sign.

2. Add all the x components together to

get the x component of resultant.
Ditto for y:

Rx Ax Bx any other

Ry Ay By any other
* do not add x components to y
components

3. The magnitude of the resultant

vector, R is given by:

2 2
| R | Rx Ry

Direction of the resultant

vector :

Ry
tan
Rx

vector diagram drawn help to obtain the

correct position of the angle

Example
The magnitudes of the 3 displacement vectors shown in
drawing. Determine the magnitude & directional angle
for the resultant that occurs when these vectors are
added together.

Solution
Component x
Ax=+10 cos 45

Component y
Ay =+10 sin 45

Bx=5 cos 30

By=+5 sin 30

Cx=0

Cy= 8

Resultant vector along x axis:

Rx = Ax + Bx + Cx
= +7.07 + ( 4.33 )+0
= + 2.74 m
Resultant vector along y axis:
Ry = Ay + By + Cy
= +7.07 + 2.50+ (8)
= + 1.57 m

Magnitude of resultant vector

2 2
R Rx Ry

(2.74) 2 (1.57) 2
3.16 m
Direction of resultant
vector

Ry 1.57
0.573
tan
Rx 2.74
29.81 above x

Resultant of the displacement write in unit vector form

R (2.74 m) i (1.57 m) j

Follow Up Exercise
Four forces act on bolt A shown. Determine the
resultant of the forces on the bolt .

Answer :
R = (199.1N )i + (14.3N)j
or R = 199.6 N at 4.1 above positive x axis.

Example

Let : a 2i 5 j

b 5i 3 j

Find : (a) a b

(b) 2a 3b

(c) | 2a |

Solution

(a) a b (2i 5 j ) (5i 3 j )
7i 2 j


(b) 2a 3b 2(2i 5 j ) 3(5i 3 j )
4i 10 j 15i 9 j
11i 19 j

(c) To find the magnitude of | 2a | , 1st we have to

calculate 2a

2a 2(2i 5 j ) 4i 10 j )

| 2a | 4 2 10 2

10.77

Check your understanding

1. Find the sum of two vectors A and B lying in the xy
plane and given by

A (2.0i 2.0 j ) m
B (2.0i 4.0 j ) m
and
2. A particle undergoes
three consecutive

displacements: d 1 (15i 30 j 12k) cm

d 2 (23i 14 j 5k) cm and d 3 (13i 15 j ) cm

Find the components of the resultant displacement
and its magnitude.

ans : (1) R (4.0i 2.0 j ) m or R is 4.5 m at an angle 27 from - x

(2) Rx 25 cm; Ry 31 cm ; Rz 7.0 cm; R 40 cm

Multiplying a vector by a vector

Scalar product A B

Vector product A B

Dot Product (A B

( dot product )
( cross product )

A B | A | | B | cos

where |A| : magnitude of vector A

|B|: magnitude of vector

B
: angle between A & B
0 180


Physical Meaning of A B

of Amultiplied by the
A B is the magnitude

component of B parallel to A .
or

A B is the magnitude
of B multiplied by the

component of A parallel to B .

B cos

A cos


A B = zero when = 90

A B = maximum value when = 0
Commutative law applied to dot product :

A B B A

Example of physical quantity : W F s
Dot product Calculation

A B ( Axi Ayj Azk ) ( Bxi Byj Bzk )
All 3 vectors are perpendicular to each other
i i j j k k (1)(1) cos 0 1

i j i k j k (1)(1) cos 90 0

A B AxBx AyBy AzBz

Example
Given 2 vectors :

A (3i 2 j 4k )

B (5i 8 j 2k )

Calculate

(a) the value of A B
(b) the angle between 2 vectors
Solution

(a) A B (3i 2 j 4k ) ( 5i 8 j 2k )

(3)(5) (2)(8) (4)(2)

A B 9 Dot product is a scalar quantity

(b)

from :

A B A B cos

2
2
2
| A | (3) (2) (4) 5.39

| B | (5) 2 (8) 2 (2) 2 9.64

A B
9

cos
(5.39)(9.64)
| A || B |

80.03


Cross Product ( A B

- create a new vector

- The magnitude of the cross product is given
by:

| A B || A | | B | sin

0 180

| A B | is equals the magnitude of A

multiplied
by the component of B perpendicular

to A .

B
q

B sin

A sin

Alternatively:

B
| A B | is equals the magnitude of
multiplied
by the component of A perpendicular

to B .

-- if A & B is parallel @ anti parallel ( =0 @ 180 )

A B 0


-- if A & B is 90
| A B | max

Example of physical quantity :

Force acting on a charge moving in magnetic field

Fm q v B

Moment or Torque, r F


- the direction of new vector ( A B ) is normal to the
plane that contain vector A & B given by Right
Hand Rule

A B ( B A)

Cross product Calculation

i

A B Ax

j
Ay

k
Az

Bx

By

Bz

Ay
By

Az Ax
i
Bz
Bx

Az Ax
j
Bz
Bx

Ay
k
By

[ AyBz ByAz ] i [ AxBz BxAz ] j [ AxBy BxAy ] k

Keep In mind (RHR) :
i i j j k k 0
i j k
j k i

j i k
k j i

k i j

i k j

Fig. (a)

Fig. (b)

Example
Given 2 vector :

A (3i 2 j 4k )

B (5i 8 j 0k )

Calculate :
A(a)
B
(b)| A B |
Solution

(a) A B ( 3i 2 j 4k ) ( 5i 8 j 0k )

A B 3

2 4

5 8

[2(0) 8(4)] i [3(0) (5)(4)] j

[3(8) (5)(2)] k

A B 32i 20 j 34k

cross product is a vector quantity

(b)

| A B | 32 2 20 2 34 2

50.79

Follow Up Exercise

1. A force F (i 5 j ) is acting on an object.

The
displacement of the object is given by x (10i j )
Find
(a) the work done by this force
(b) the angle between the force & the
displacement.

2. Given 2 vector
as below :

A 3i 3 j

B 5i 2 j

Find the cross product of the two vector
A B
State its magnitude & draw the vector
diagram to shows
the direction of the
new vector ( A B ).