Lecture 1

Chapter 01
Units, Physical Quantities, and

Vectors
PowerPoint® Lectures for

University Physics, Fourteenth Edition
– Hugh D. Young and Roger A. Freedman
Lectures by Lhoussaine Tenghiri

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.
Goals for Chapter 1
1. What a physical theory is?
2. The four steps you can use to solve any physics problem.
3. Three fundamental quantities of physics and the units
4. How to work with units in your calculations.
5. How to keep track of significant figures in your calculations.
6. How to make rough, order-of-magnitude estimates.
7. How to add and subtract vectors graphically.
8. What the components of a vector are and how to use them
9. What unit vectors are and how to use them with components
10. Two ways to multiply vectors: the scalar (dot) product

Science
• Science is both a body of knowledge and process: science is also a process
of discovery that allows us to link isolated facts into coherent and
comprehensive understandings of the natural world
❑ Formal science: is an area of study that uses formal systems to generate

knowledge such as in Mathematics and Computer Science
❑ Natural science: This branch of science holds the physical and chemical
explanation and knowledge of the phenomena
❑ Humanistic science: This sector of science discusses, justify, and evaluate

human behavior and discuss the changes in it in altered conditions.
The nature of Physics
• Science, also called natural philosophy,
encompasses the study of living things and
nonliving things, the life sciences and the
physical sciences.
• The life sciences include biology, zoology,

and botany. The physical sciences include
geology, astronomy, and chemistry.
• Physics is more than a part of the

physical sciences. It is the basic
science
• Physics is about the nature of basic things

such as motion, forces, energy, matter,
heat, sound, light, and the structure of
atoms.
• Physics is one of the oldest
topics of academic knowledge
• Physics is “a science that

deals with matter and energy
and their interactions.”
• During the initial stage of the

development of scientific
knowledge, physics was a part
of natural philosophy
• The oldest proof of the existence

of the study of physics dates to
the earliest stage of human
civilization.

• Physics is an experimental science: Physicists observe the
phenomena of nature and try to find patterns that relate these
phenomena. These patterns are called physical theories
• A hypothesis is a tentative explanation that can be tested by further

investigation.
• A scientific theory is an explanation of an aspect of the natural world

and universe that has been repeatedly tested
• A scientific law is a statement based on repeated experiments or

observations, that describe or predict a range of natural phenomena
• A fact is generally a close agreement by competent observers who

make a series of observations about the same phenomenon. A
scientific fact could change over time
The theories of science are not fixed; rather, they undergo
change. Scientific theories evolve as they go through stages
of redefinition and refinement.
Example,
The theory of the atom has been repeatedly refined as new
evidence on atomic behavior has been gathered.

• Chemistry is about how matter is put together, how atoms
combine to form molecules, and how the molecules
combine to make up the many kinds of matter around us.
• Biology is more complex and involves matter that is alive.

So, underneath biology is chemistry, and underneath
chemistry is physics.
• The concepts of physics reach up to these more

complicated sciences.
• That’s why physics is the most basic science.
• An understanding of science begins with an

understanding of physics.
Scientific Methods—Principle

Timeline of physics discoveries

Timeline of physics discoveries

• Legend has it that Galileo
Galilei (1564–1642) dropped
light and heavy objects from
the top of the Leaning Tower
of Pisa to find out whether
their rates of fall were
different.
• From examining the results

of his experiments, he made
the inductive leap to the
principle, or theory, that the
acceleration of a falling
object is independent of
its weight.
Solving Physics Problems
• In physics, truly understanding a concept means being
able to apply it to a variety of problems.
• Learning how to solve problems is essential; you don’t
know physics unless you can do physics.
• Different problem-solving techniques are useful for
solving different kinds of physics problems,
• In this course we’ve organized these steps into four
stages of solving a problem:
• Acronym: I SEE
o Identify,
o Set up,
o Execute, and Evaluate.
Solving Physics Problems

Idealized models
• In physics a model is a simplified version of a physical
system that would be too complicated to analyze in full
detail.
• Example: suppose we want to analyze the motion of a
thrown baseball
▪ The ball is not a perfect ▪ We ignore the size and shape
sphere (it has raised seams) of the ball by representing it
as a point object, or particle.
▪ It spins as it moves through
the air. ▪ We ignore air resistance by
making the ball move in a
▪ Air resistance and wind
vacuum, and
influence its motion,
▪ We make the weight constant.
▪ The ball’s weight varies a
little as its altitude changes,
and so on. Simplified Model

Idealized models
• If we ignore the effects of gravity completely, then our
model predicts that when we throw the ball up, it will go in a
straight line and disappear into space.
• A useful model simplifies a problem enough to make it

manageable yet keeps its essential features.

Idealized models
• Galileo’s prediction about

falling objects corresponds to
an idealized model that does
not include the effects of air
resistance.
• This model works well for a
dropped cannonball, but not so
well for a feather.
Standards and Units
• Physics is an experimental science that requires
measurements
• Numbers are used for the results of measurements.
• Any number that is used to describe a physical phenomenon

quantitatively is called a physical quantity
• Some physical quantities are so fundamental that we can

define them only by describing how to measure them.
• Such a definition is called an operational definition
❑ Example:
We might define the average speed of a moving object as the distance
traveled (measured with a ruler) divided by the time of travel (measured
with a stopwatch).
Standards and Units
• When we measure a quantity, we always compare it with
some reference standard.
• When we use a number to describe a physical quantity,

we must always specify the unit that we are using;
• To make accurate, reliable measurements, we need units of

measurement that do not change and that can be duplicated
by observers in various locations.
• The system of units used by scientists and engineers

around the world is commonly called “the metric system,”
but since 1960 it has been known officially as the
International System, or SI (the abbreviation for its French
name, Système International).
Standards and Units

Standards and Units

Standards and Units: Time
• The operational definition of the
time second (1967), is based on
an atomic clock, which uses the
energy difference between the
two lowest energy states of the
cesium atom (133Cs).
• When bombarded by microwaves

of precisely the proper frequency,
cesium atoms undergo a
transition from one of these states
to the other.
• One second (abbreviated s) is

defined as the time required for
9,192,631,770 cycles of this
microwave radiation

Standards and Units: Length

Standards and Units: Mass

Standards and Units: unit Prefixes
• Once the fundamental units are defined, it is easy to
introduce larger and smaller units for the same physical
quantities.
• In the metric system these other units are related to the

fundamental units by multiples of 10 or 1/10
• The names of the additional units are derived by adding a

prefix to the name of the fundamental unit.

Standards and Units: Unit Prefixes

Standards and Units

The British system
• Another unit system is the British system of units
• British units are now officially defined in terms of SI units, as follows:
• British units are used in mechanics and thermodynamics only; there

is no British system of electrical units.

Using and converting units

❑ Example 1.1: Converting speed units

❑ Example 1.1: Converting speed units
❑ Evaluate
This example shows a useful rule:
• A speed expressed in m/s is the value expressed in
km/h divided by 3.6 (hence, between one third and one
quarter of the value in km/h).
• A speed expressed in km/h is the value expressed in
m/s times 3.6. For example, 20 m/s = 72 km/h and 90 km/h
= 25 m/s.


Uncertainty and Significant Figures





5. Zeros at the end of a number which does not contain a
decimal point may or may not be significant (it is
unclear).
When in doubt, assume they are not significant. 2500 has two
significant figures. (2.5×103) and 140 has two significant
figures. (1.4×102)

Significant Figures in Calculations
1. When two or more quantities are added or subtracted,
the result is as precise as the least precise of the
quantities.
2. If the quantities are written in scientific notation with

different powers of ten, first rewrite them with the same
power of ten.
3. When quantities are multiplied or divided, the result

has the same number of significant figures as the
quantity with the smallest number of significant
figures.
4. In a series of calculations, rounding to the correct number

of significant figures should be done only at the end, not
at each step.


❑ Example 1.3: significant figures in multiplication

❑ Execute
Substituting the values of m and c into Einstein’s equation, we
find.
Since the value of m was given to only three significant

figures, we must round this to:


Estimates and Orders of Magnitude
• Sometimes we know how to calculate a certain
quantity, but we have to guess at the data we need for
the calculation.
• When the calculation might be too complicated to carry out

exactly, we make rough approximations.
• Such calculations are called order-of-magnitude

estimates.
• When doing estimations, don’t try to look up a lot of

data; make the best guesses you can.
• Even when they are off by a factor of ten, the results can be
useful and interesting.


Vectors and Vector Addition
• Some physical quantities, such as time, temperature, mass,
and density, can be described completely by a single
number with a unit.
• Other important quantities in physics have a direction

associated with them and cannot be described by a single
number.
• When a physical quantity is described by a single

number, we call it a scalar quantity.
• A vector quantity has both a magnitude (the “how

much” or “how big”) and a direction in space.
• Force, displacement, velocity are vector quantities


• We always draw a vector as a line with an arrowhead at its
tip.
• The length of the line shows the vector’s magnitude,

and the direction of the arrowhead shows the vector’s
direction.

• Displacement is always a straight-line segment directed
from the starting point to the ending point, even though the
object’s actual path may be curved


The meaning of vectors that have the same magnitude
and the same or opposite direction.

Vector Addition and Subtraction

Three ways to add two vectors.

• It’s a common error to conclude that if:
• Then magnitude C equals magnitude A plus magnitude

B. In general, this conclusion is wrong
• The magnitude of addition of two vectors depends on their

magnitudes and on the angle between them








Components of Vectors


• The components of a vector may be positive or negative numbers.

❑ Example 1.6: Finding components

❑ Example 1.6: Finding components


Using components to do vector calculations
1. Finding a vector’s magnitude from its component: We
can describe a vector completely by giving either its magnitude and
direction or its x- and y-components.
2. Finding a vector’s direction from its component: If θ is

measured from the positive x-axis, and a positive angle is measured
toward the positive y-axis



A vector in three dimensions

❑ Example 1.7: Using components to add vectors
• Three players on a reality TV show are brought to the center of a large,
flat field. Each is given a meter stick, a compass, a calculator, a shovel,
and the following three displacements:
• The three displacements lead to the point in the field where the keys to a
new Porsche are buried. Two players start measuring immediately, but
the winner first calculates where to go. What does she calculate?



Unit vectors

Unit vectors

Unit vectors

Unit vectors

Unit vectors

Products of Vectors

Products of Vectors
Calculating the scalar product of two vectors

Products of Vectors
Calculating the scalar product of two vectors

Products of Vectors

Products of Vectors

Products of Vectors

Products of Vectors

Products of Vectors

Products of Vectors
2. Vector Product:
Using Components to Calculate the Vector Product

Products of Vectors
2. Vector Product:
Evaluating these by using the multiplication table for the unit
vectors and then grouping the terms, we get:

Products of Vectors
Example 1.11: Calculating a vector product
Vector has magnitude 6 units and is in the direction of the +x-
axis. Vector has magnitude 4 units and lies in the xy-plane,
making an angle of 30° with the +x-axis.
Find the vector product
Identify and set up

We’ll find the vector product in two ways, which will provide a
check of our calculations.

Products of Vectors
Execute
The magnitude of the vector product is:
Evaluate
Both methods give the same result. Depending on the situation, one or the
other of the two approaches may be the more convenient one to use.

Lecture 1

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Chapter 01

Units, Physical Quantities, and

PowerPoint® Lectures for

Lectures by Lhoussaine Tenghiri

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

❑ Formal science: is an area of study that uses formal systems to generate

❑ Humanistic science: This sector of science discusses, justify, and evaluate

• The life sciences include biology, zoology,

• Physics is more than a part of the

• Physics is about the nature of basic things

• Physics is “a science that

• During the initial stage of the

• The oldest proof of the existence

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

• A hypothesis is a tentative explanation that can be tested by further

• A scientific theory is an explanation of an aspect of the natural world

• A scientific law is a statement based on repeated experiments or

• A fact is generally a close agreement by competent observers who

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

• Biology is more complex and involves matter that is alive.

• The concepts of physics reach up to these more

• That’s why physics is the most basic science.

• An understanding of science begins with an

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Timeline of physics discoveries

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Timeline of physics discoveries

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

• From examining the results

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

• A useful model simplifies a problem enough to make it

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

• Galileo’s prediction about

• Any number that is used to describe a physical phenomenon

• Some physical quantities are so fundamental that we can

• When we use a number to describe a physical quantity,

• To make accurate, reliable measurements, we need units of

• The system of units used by scientists and engineers

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

• When bombarded by microwaves

• One second (abbreviated s) is

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

• In the metric system these other units are related to the

• The names of the additional units are derived by adding a

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

• British units are now officially defined in terms of SI units, as follows:

• British units are used in mechanics and thermodynamics only; there

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.

Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education Inc.