LESSON 2

The ampere is the current carried by two long

parallel wires placed one meter apart, when the
attractive force per unit length between two
wires is 2 x 10-7 Nm-1.

Units Of Measurement
Introduction
Physics is an experimental science. Theories are
useful only if their predictions agree with the results of
experiments. So measurement plays an important
part in physics.Together with other scientists ,
physicists have agreed on a single system of units for
the measurement of physical quantities .
A physical quantity is clearly defined with a numerical
value and a unit. A physical quantity can be measured
using a standard size called the unit.
Units identify the quantity that has been measured.
The standard size used must
(i) be easily reproduced
(ii) not have its magnitude changed
(iii) be internationally accepted

Prefixes
Prefix is a scientific notation word before the base
units and have certain value uses powers of 10.
Prefix
Giga
Mega
Kilo
Desi
Centi
Mili
Mikro
Nano

Although various systems of units have been used

over the years, scientists have generally agreed to
use the International System of Units (S.I. Unit).
Units for the base quantities are known as base units,
i.e. metre , kilogram, second, kelvin and
ampere.

Symbol
G
M
k
d
c
m

Factor

Standard Form
The radius of earth 6400000000 mm and the
diameter a metal wire is 0.00000045 km. What is the
best way to write these numbers ?
The best way is try to write the numbers in shorthand
form.
The shorthand form of writing numbers is called
standard form.
In general, the standard form number is

The definition of base units.

The metre is the length of the path
traveled by light in vacuum during a time
interval of
1
of a second
299792458

a x 10n

The kilogram is the mass of a prototype

cylinder of platinum-iridium alloy that is kept
at the International Bereau of Weights and
Measures.

where 1 a<10
and n are positive integers or
negative integers.

Example 1

The second is 9192631770 periods of a

specified radiation from Cesium-133
atoms

Write the following numbers in standard form.

(a) 0.00008 m
(c) 0.0068 cm
(e) 345.2 x 104 m
(g) 7 x 10-5 x 8 x 106
(i) 6.2 x 109
3.1 x 103

The kelvin is

1 of the
273.16
thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of
water

Solution

(b)
(d)
(f)
(h)
(j)

5300 g
567.13 km
0.000078 x 10-6 s
3 x 108 + 8 x 106
3.8 x 10-2 - 7.2 x 10-3

Every number can be written in standard form,

particularly in the cases of
A
B
C

very small numbers

very large numbers
very small and very large numbers

Example 2
2
Convert the following lengths into the units of metre.
(a) 2.3 km
(b) 0.62 mm
(c) 3 x 106 cm

The standard form for 15200 is

A
C
E

Solution

Ekspress 22.5 g in the units of

(a) kg
(b) dg

1.52 x 10 3
0.152 x 10 -4

The product of 2.4 x 10 -2and 5.0 x 10 - 4 is

A
C
E

Example 3

15.2 x 10 2B
1.52 x 10 4D
1.52 x 10-5

1.2 x 10 6
1.2 x 10- 5
1.2 x 10 -8

B
D

1.2 x 10 5
1.2 x 10 - 7

If A = 2 x 10 - 4 and B = 3 x 10 - 5
then the value of A + 5B is

Solution
A
C
E

1.7 x 10 - 5
1.7 x 10 - 4
1.7 x 10 3

B
D

3.5 x 10 - 5
3.5 x 10 - 4

Example 4
Ekspress
(a) 73 kg in terms of mg
(b) 0.0045 ms in terms of Ms

What is 0.0455 kg expressed in standard form?

A
B
C
D

Solution

6
Example 5

The prefixes according to their value in

ascending order are
A
B
C
D

Convert
(a) 11.5 cm3 into the units of m3
(b) 72 km j-1 into the units of ms-1
(c) 5 g cm-3 into the units of kgm- 3

Solution

Giga,mega,kilo,centi
Mikro,mili,centi,kilo
Mega,giga,kilo,centi
Centi,giga,mikro,mili

Radio 5 RTM station operates at 105 .6 M Hz.

The expression of the frequency in units of
Hz is
A

TUTORIAL 2

0.455 x 10 - 1 kg
4.55 x 10 - 2 kg
45.5 x 10 - 3 kg
455 x 10 - 4 kg

1.056 x 10 8 Hz

B
C
D
E

1.056 x 10 6 Hz
1.056 x 10 4 Hz
1.056 x 10 - 4 Hz
1.056 x 10 - 8 Hz

14

5 x 10 - 4 seconds is equivalent to

0.05
B
C
D
E

A
B
C
D

microseconds
0.5 microseconds
50
microseconds
500 microseconds
5000 microseconds

0.00023 = 2.3 x 10 - 3
0.05 = 5 x 10 - 1
3450 = 3.450 x 10 4
46.531 =4.6531 x 10 4
5678.9 = 5.6789 x 10 3

15
Readings
7.2 x 10 5 m , 7.2 x 10-2 cm
7.2 x 103 mm and 7.2 x 10- 6 km

Which one of the following measurements is

different?
A
B
C

Which of the following is true?

The table above shows the measurement of

length for four different objects.

2.3 x 10 2 m
2.3 x 10 4 cm
2.3 x 10 6 mm

(a) Which reading is the longest ?

....................................................................

10

Which one of the following measurements is

smallest ?

(b)

1.5 x 10 2 kg
B
1.5 x 10 7 g
C
1.5 x 10 12 g

....................................................................
(c) Arrange the readings according
descending order.

Which reading is the shortest?

....................................................................
11

The measurents of length according to their

value in ascending order are
A
B
C

12

(d)

7 x 10 - 4 km , 7 x 10 2 cm , 7 x 10 4 mm
7 x 10 2 cm , 7 x 10 4 mm , 7 x 10 - 4 km
7 x 10 4 mm , 7 x 10 - 4 km , 7 x 10 2 cm

0.002
0.2
20

B
D

0.02
2

Which one of the following prefixes is less

then 1?
A
B
C

Which reading is more than 1 metre?

....................................................................
(e) A cube of sides 7.2 x 103 mm . State the
volume of the cube in unit of m3

The acceleration of a trolley is 2000 cms- 2

This acceleration ini S.I. unit is
A
C
E

13

....................................................................

Mega
Desi
Kilo