Physical Quantities, units and measurement

A physical quantity is one that can be measured and that consists of numerical magnitude and
unit.
Physical Quantity: Vector (magnitude, direction) and Scalar (magnitude,no direction) Quantities
Example of Scalar Quantity: volume, time, density, power, pressure, energy, speed, distance,
mass
Example of Vector Quantity: displacement, force, velocity, weight, acceleration

Adding Vector
In adding two vectors we need to consider the direction of the vector quantities.
Hea
d

Tail
The arrow shows the direction of the vector. The length
represents the magnitude of the vector.

Vector Addition - Parallelogram Method

Join the tail of the 2nd vector to the tail of the 1st vector. Normally the resultant vector is marked
with a double arrow.

Measurement Techniques
The metre or meter is a base unit of length in the metric system used around the world for
general and scientific purposes.Metre rule is used to measure length of object.
• Precaution to be taken when using a ruler:
*Avoid parallax error – the position of the eye must be in line with the reading to be taken.
*Avoid zeros errors and end errors – if the ends of the ruler are worn-out, it is advisable that
measurements should start from the 1 cm mark of the scale.
Any instrument that is out of adjustment or with some minor fault is still accurate as long as the
zero error is added or subtracted from the reading shown on the scale.

VERNIER CALIPER
Measure thickness or diameter of object correct to 2 decimal places of decimals of a centimetre.
*The inside jaws which can be used to measure the internal diameters of tube and containers.
*The depth bar at the end is used to measure the depth of a container.
 MICROMETER SCREWGAUGE
Measure diameter of wire or thin rod correct to 3 decimal places of centimetre.
Micrometer screw gauge is used to measure the diameter of fine wires, the thickness of paper
and similar small lengths.
• It has two scales: the main scale on the sleeve and the circular scale on the thimble which
have 50 divisions. One complete turn of the thimble moves the spindle by 0.50 mm.
• Hence each divisions represents a distance of 0.50mm/50 =0.01mm

There are number of precautions one

should take when using a micrometer:
• The thimble should never be tightened too much.
• Clean the ends of the anvil and spindle before making a measurement.
• Check for systematic error by closing the micrometer when there is nothing between its anvil
and spindle.

RANGE AND PRECISION

Instrument Range of measurement Precision

Measuring tape 0–5m 0.1 cm

 Metre rule 0–1m 0.1 cm

Vernier calipers 0 – 15 cm 0.01 cm

Micrometer screw gauge 0 – 2.5 cm 0.001 cm

TIME
Time is measured in years, months, days, hours,minutes & seconds.
• The second is the SI unit of time.
• All timing devices make use of some regular process such as regularly repeating motions
called oscillations.
• One regular oscillation is referred to as the period of the oscillation.

STOPWATCH
• Stopwatches are used to measure short intervals of time.
• There are two types; the digital stopwatch and analog watch.
• The digital stopwatch is more precise as it can measure time intervals of 0.01 seconds while
the analogue stopwatch measures in intervals of 0.1 seconds.
• One common error in using stopwatches is the reaction time in starting and stopping the watch
which is few hundredths of a second (typically 0.3 s)

PRECISION

Measuring Instrument Smallest Division Precision Examples

Analogue stopwatch 0.1 s 0.1 s 25.1 s, 25.2 s, 25.3 s

Digital stopwatch 0.01 s 0.01 s 25.12 s, 26.13 s,

26.14 s

Quantity Symbol Unit

length l Km, m cm, mm, etc

mass m Kg, g, mg, etc

time t h, min, s, ms

Temperature θ, T Degrees celsius and

fahrenheit

Current I A , mA

Volume V m^3, cm^3 etc

density p g/cm^3, kg/m^3

speed u, v km/h, m/s, cm/s

work done W,E J, kWh

pressure p, P Pa, N/m^2

resistance R Ω