FOUNDATION PHYSICS
Chapter 1 – Introduction to Physics
LEARNING OBJECTIVE(S)
1. To study the basic concepts in Physics
2. To study about physical quantities and unit conversions
3. To understand the measurement errors
4. To understand the uses of scalars and vectors quantity
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INTRODUCTION
§Physics is an experimental science that require measurements and using
number to describe the results of measurements.
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PHYSICS
Why U Need to Study Physics???
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1.1 FUNDAMENTAL OF PHYSICS
ü It is one of the most fundamental of sciences
ü It’s also the foundation of all engineering and technology.
ü Study of natural phenomena – light, sound, magnetism,
electricity, heat & etc.
Physical Quantity = is one that can be measured and consists of a
al Quantitiesmagnitude and unit. Physical Quantities
cal quantityü Example:
is one weight,
that can be height
measured , length, speed
nsists of a magnitude and unit.
Measuring length • A physical quantity is one that ca
and consists of a magnitude and
4.5 m
Meas
70 4.5 m
km/h
SI units are
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used in
1.2 PHYSICS AND MEASUREMENT
Standards of Length, Mass and Time
• Basic quantities ® are the quantities on the basis of which other
quantities are expressed such as like Length (L), Mass (M), Time (T)
• Basic unit ® to report the results of a measurement, a standard
must be defined.
• SI system (metric system)
® a set of standards for length, mass, time, and other basic quantities.
® the units of length, mass, and time are the meter, kilogram, and second.
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1.3 BASIC QUANTITY
SI unit
Base Quantity Quantity Symbol
Name Symbol
Length l meter m
Time t second s
Mass m gram kg
Electrical current I ampere A
Thermodynamic T Kelvin K
temperature
Amount of substance n mole mol
(mole)
luminosity φ candela cd
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1.4 DERIVED QUANTITIES & EQUATIONS
A derived quantity has an equation which links to other quantities.
It enables us to express a derived unit in terms of base-unit
equivalent.
Example: F = ma ; Newton = kg m s-2
P = F/A ; Pascal = kg m s-2/m2 = kg m-1 s-2
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1.4 DERIVED QUANTITY
The quantity derived from the basic quantity
Derived Quantity
Formula Unit
quantity symbol
Velocity #$%&'()*+*,- .
v != =
-$+* - ms-1
Acceleration !*'/)$-0 !
a (= =
-$+* - ms-2
Work W 1 = 2/3)* ∗ 5$%-(,)* = 2. J
Force F 2 = +(%% ∗ ())*'*3(-$/, = +( N
Pressure 2/3)* 2
p &= = Pa
63*( 6
Energy E 7,*380 = 9/3: #/,* J
Power 7,*380 7
P ;= = W
-$+* -
Frequency 1 1
f <= = Hz
&*3$/# >
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1.5 COMMON SI PREFIXES
Prefixes
Prefixes simplify
• Prefixes the writing
simplify of very large
the writing or very
of very largesmall
or very
quantities
small quantities
Prefix Abbreviation Power
nano n 10−9
micro 10−6
milli m 10−3
centi c 10−2
deci d 10−1
kilo k 103
mega M 106
giga G 109
Tera ? ??
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1.5 COMMONLY USED PREFIXES IN THE METRIC SYSTEM
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1.6 CONVERSION OF UNITS
• Conversion factors between the SI units and conventional units of length ,
mass and volume are as follows :
Length:
Ø 1 m = 100 cm
Ø 1 km = 1,000 m
Ø 1 in (inch) = 2.54 cm
Ø 1 m = 39.37 in
Ø 1 mile = 5,280 ft = 1.609 km
Mass:
Ø 1 kg = 1,000 g
Volume:
Ø 1litre = 1000ml
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1.6 CONVERSION FACTORS
A ball drops 5meters. How many centimeters did it drops?
--we know that : 1 m = 100 cm
so ;
Practice Questions:
1. How many centimetres are in 2.35 meters?
2. How many seconds are in 1.25 minutes?
3. How many grams are in 3.25 kg?
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1.6 Conversion Factors
1. Convert 2.35 meters into centimeters:
2. Convert 1.25 minutes into seconds:
3. Convert 3.25 kilograms into grams:
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1.7 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS
DIMENSION = the relationship between a physical quantity & its base
quantities
I.e :- mass (M), length (L) and time (T).
Example:
• Area: [A] = L x L = L²
• Volume: [V] = L x L x L = L³
• Density: [ρ] = mass / volume = M / L³ = ML ̄³;
• [velocity] = L/T
NOTE: V represents a quantity; while [V] represents the dimension of a
quantity.
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The dimensions of area, volume, speed, and acceleration
are listed in Table below
System Area Volume Speed Acceleration
(L2) (L3) (L/T) (L/T2)
SI m2 m3 m/s m/s2
British ft2 ft3 ft/s ft/s2
Engineering
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1.9 MEASUREMENT ERRORS
• Measurement always introduce error.
• Error may be expressed either as absolute or percentage of error.
!"#$%&'( ())$), ( = ,- − /-
,- = (01(2'(3 4!%&( ( 6)&( 7!%&()
/- = 9(!#&)(3 4!%&( ( :01();9(<'!% 7!%&()
=> ?@>
% ())$), ( = x 100%
=>
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EXAMPLE
Given expected voltage value across a resistor is 80.5V.
The measurement is 79V. Calculate,
i. The absolute error
ii. The % of error
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HOW IF IT IS A REPEATED
MEASUREMENTS?
How to identify the error?
Does it higher compare to the single measurement?
This can be solve by using range of error.
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EXAMPLE
A set of independent voltage measurements taken by four observers
was recorded as 117.02 V, 117.11 V, 117.08 V, and 117.03 V.
Calculate the error range.
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MEASUREMENT ERROR AND
MEASUREMENT ACCURACY
The accuracy of the measurement will also will can be determine from
the measurement error.
The higher the error…The accuracy?
The higher the error…The quality of measurement?
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ERRORS IN MEASUREMENT
In every measurement there are always errors.
The errors may be due to a damaged or faulty instrument, the wrong
way of taking measurements, not conducive surroundings, and etc.
Such an error is also known as ‘uncertainty’.
There are two major types of errors
1. systematic error
2. random error
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SYSTEMATIC ERRORS
Systematic errors are cumulative errors that can be compensated for,
if the errors are known.
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RANDOM ERRORS
Random errors occurs due to mistakes made when making
measurement either through incorrect positioning of the eyes,
surrounding temperature, method used and others.
It will produce a different error every time you repeat the experiment.
They may vary from observation to observation.
It can be minimized by repeating the measurements several times and
taking the average or mean value of the readings.
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RANDOM ERRORS
A parallax error is an error caused by incorrect positioning of the eye
when reading a measurement.
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1.9 SCALARSScalars
AND VECTORS
and Vectors
• Scalar quantities are quantities that have
magnitude only. Two examples are shown below:
Measuring Mass Measuring Temperature
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PROPERTIESScalars
OF A VECTOR QUANTITY
and Vectors
• Scalar quantities are added or subtracted by using
simple arithmetic.
Example: 4 kg plus 6 kg gives the answer 10 kg
6 kg
4 kg
+ =
10 kg
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Scalars and Vectors
• Vector quantities are quantities that have both
magnitude and direction
A Force
Magnitude = 100 N
Direction = Left
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Scalars and Vectors
• Examples of scalars and vectors
Scalars Vectors
distance displacement
speed velocity
mass weight
time acceleration
pressure force
energy momentum
volume
density
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Direction of vector
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VECTOR ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION
Scalar quantities can be added or subtracted using algebraic methods.
If the mass of A is 50g and the mass of B is 20g, the total mass = 50+20 =
70g.
Scalars
If 30g is removed from A, and mass
the remaining Vectors
of A is 50 – 30 = 20g.
Adding/Subtracting Vectors using Graphical
Method
• Parallel vectors can be added arithmetically
4N
6N 4N
2N
2N 2N
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EXAMPLE 1
A ship is travelling due to north with speed of 12km/h relative to the water. There is a
current in the water flowing at 4km/h in an easterly direction. Determine the velocity of
the ship by :
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EXAMPLE 2 : USING GRAPHICAL METHOD
If two forces F1 = 3N and F2 = 4N, act on an object as shown below.
Find the resultant force, R, graphically.
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EXAMPLE 2 ANSWER
Use the scale 1cm:4N to construct the parallelogram.
The magnitude of R = 6.60N and the direction of R, θ = 17°.
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EXAMPLE 2 : USING PARALLELOGRAM
a) In triangle ABD, we can get F1 + F2 = R by the triangle law of vector
addition.
b) The resultant vector is determined as follows:
- Draw the vector AB. A is the head and B is the tail.
- Draw vector BD where the head of BD joins with the tail of AB. (head-to-tail rule).
- The hypotenuse of the triangle ABD is the resultant vector.
- The direction of the resultant vector must be in an opposite direction to both vectors.
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Resolution of vectors
• Resolving vectors into two perpendicular components
A vector can be broken down into components, which
are perpendicular to each other, so that the vector sum of
these two components, is equal to the original vector.
Splitting a vector into two components is
called resolving the vector. It is the reverse of using
Pythagoras' theorem to add two perpendicular vectors,
and so adding the two components will give you the
original vector.
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49
Resolution of vectors
• Resolving vectors into two perpendicular components
• Resolving a vector requires some simple trigonometry. In the
diagram, the vector to be resolved is the force, F for angle A;
the horizontal component of F :
the vertical component of F :
Note that the two components do not have to be horizontal and
vertical. The angle can be changed to any required direction, and
both components will still be perpendicular to each other
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Example 3 : Vector Resolution
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Resolution of vectors
• Resolving vectors into two perpendicular components
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Example 4 : Vector Resolution
A glider is launched by an aircraft with a cable as shown below. At
one particular moment the tension in the cable is 620N and the cable
makes an angle of 25 with the horizontal. Calculate :
a) the force pulling the glider horizontally
b) the vertical force exerted by the cable on the nose of the glider
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