Midterm Reviewer in ➢ Accuracy refers to how close a measurement
is to the true or accepted value.
GENERAL PHYSICS 1
Professor: Sir Rozene Santiago
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
• When we express measured values, we can
only list as many digits as we initially
measured with our measuring tool. Using the
method of significant figures, the rule is that
the last digit written down in a measurement
is the first digit with some uncertainty. In
order to determine the number of significant
digits in a value, start with the first measured
value on the left and count the number of
digits through the last digit written on the
right.
Rules for Significant Figures
- Any digit that is not zero is
significant.
- Zero/s between nonzero digits
are significant.
- Zero/s to the left of the first nonzero
digits are not significant. Their
purpose is to indicate the placement
of the decimal point.
- If a number before the decimal is
greater than 1, then all zeros written
to the right of the decimal point count
as significant figures.
- If the number before the decimal is
less than 1, then only the zeros that
are at the end of the number and the
zeros that are between nonzero digits
are significant.
- For numbers that do not contain
decimal points, the trailing zeros (i.e.
the zeros after the last nonzero digit)
may or may not be significant.
ACCURACY vs. PRECISION
➢ Precision and accuracy are two ways that
scientists think about error.
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➢ Precision refers to how close measurements
of the same item are to each other.
➢ Precision is independent of accuracy. That
means it is possible to be very precise but not
very accurate, and it is also possible to be
accurate without being precise.
➢ The best-quality scientific observations are
both accurate and precise.
RANDOM ERROR vs. SYSTEMATIC
ERROR
➢ Systematic error - (also called systematic
bias) is consistent, repeatable error associated
with faulty equipment or a flawed experiment
design.
➢ Random error - (also called unsystematic
error, system noise, or random variation) has
no pattern. One minute your readings might
be too small. The next they might be too
large. You can’t predict random errors and
these errors are usually unavoidable.
The main differences between these two error types
are:
• Random errors are (like the name suggests)
completely random. They
are unpredictable and can’t be replicated by
repeating the experiment again.
• Systematic Errors produce consistent errors,
either a fixed amount (like 1 lb.) or a
proportion (like 105% of the true value). If
you repeat the experiment, you’ll get the
same error.
VECTOR ADDITION
➢ Resultant Displacement - is represented by
the arrow labeled Dr. The subscript R stands
for resultant.
 ➢ Vector Equation - the feature of adding two
vectors that are not along the same line is that
the magnitude of the resultant vector is not
equal to the sum of the magnitudes of the two
separate vectors but is smaller than their sum.
➢ Tail-to-tip Method - Adding vectors can be
extended to three or more vectors. The
resultant is drawn from the tail of the first
vector to the tip of the last one added.

➢ Parallelogram Method - The two vectors

are drawn starting from a common origin,
and a parallelogram is constructed using
these two vectors as adjacent.

1D KINEMATICS
➢ Mechanics - The study of the motion of
objects, and the related concepts of force and
energy.
- Kinematics - description of how
objects move.
- Dynamics - deals with force and why
objects move as they do.
➢ Reference Frame - Any measurement of
➢ COMPONENTS - Any vector can be
position, distance, or speed must be made
expressed as the sum of two other vectors.
with respect.
➢ Position - coordinate axes, to represent a
frame of reference.
➢ Displacement - how far the object is from its
starting point.

*To add vectors using the method of components, we

need to use the trigonometric functions sine, cosine,
and tangent. ➢ Average Speed - total distance traveled along
its path divided by the time it takes to travel
this distance.

➢ Velocity - how fast an object is moving and

also the direction in which it is moving.

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 ➢ Average Velocity - is defined in terms of
displacement, rather than total distance
traveled. Also, defined as the displacement
divided by the elapsed time.
x for the displacement of an object, which is basically
the distance it moves (Δd "delta d" or change in
displacement in some references)
t for time object was moving
a for acceleration
Vo for initial velocity
V for final velocity

➢ Instantaneous Velocity – the average

velocity over an infinitesimally short time
interval.

POSITION vs. TIME GRAPH

➢ Average Acceleration - is defined as the
change in velocity divided by the time taken
to make this change.

➢ Acceleration - specifies how rapidly the

velocity of an object changes.
➢ Deceleration - Velocity and acceleration
point in opposite directions when there is
deceleration.

GRESA Method * For an object moving with a constant velocity, the

slope of the straight line in a position–time graph
Given – given quantities in the problem
gives the velocity.
Required – what to solve or look for in a problem
Equation – What formula to use
Solution – how the formula is written in a portion
Answer – final answer
➢ Constant Acceleration - when the
magnitude of the acceleration is constant.

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 VELOCITY vs. TIME GRAPH TYPES OF PROJECTILE MOTION
• Horizontal Projectile Motion – launched
horizontally
from height.

• Vertical Projectile Motion – launched at

angle.

*the slope of the straight line in a velocity–time

graph is the average acceleration.

➢ Free Falling Objects - The speed of a falling

VERTICAL “VELOCITY” COMPONENT
object is not proportional to its mass.
- It changes (due to
*At a given location on the Earth and in the absence gravity), and does NOT
of air resistance, all objects fall with the same cover equal displacements
constant acceleration. in equal time periods.
Distance covered increases
with each second.

2D KINEMATICS

PROJECTILE MOTION Examine the y-component

➢ Projectile - is an object moving in two
dimensions under the influence of Earth's
gravity.
- The object thrown is called a
projectile.
- Its path is called its trajectory.
• Once the ball leaves the table (t = 0 s), it
experiences a vertically downward acceleration g,
the acceleration due to gravity.
𝒂𝒚 = −𝒈
• Thus, v0y is zero but increases continually in the
downward direction until the ball hits the ground.
𝒗𝟎𝒚 = 0

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 HORIZONTAL “VELOCITY” COMPONENT
-It NEVER changes and covers equal displacements
in equal time periods. This means the initial
horizontal velocity equals the final horizontal
velocity.

-In other words, the horizontal velocity is

CONSTANT.
Applying these conditions in our kinematic
Examine the x- equations,
component
• In horizontal
motion, there is no
influence of the
gravity
(acceleration)
𝒂𝒙 = 𝟎
• The horizontal
component of
velocity 𝑣𝑥
remains constant,
equal to its initial value 𝑣0𝑥 and thus has the same
magnitude at each point on the path.
𝒗𝟎𝒙 = 𝒗𝒙

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 VERTICALLY LAUNCHED PROJECTILE Dynamics - is the study of the forces that cause
objects and systems to move.
• Newton’s laws of motion are the foundation
of dynamics.
• These laws provide an example of the breadth
and simplicity of principles under which
nature functions.
Force - is a push or pull.
• An object at rest needs a force to get it
moving; a moving object needs a force to
change its velocity.
• SI unit is Newtons (N) - 1 N = 1 kg m/s2

The magnitude of a force can be measured using a

spring scale.

CONTACT FORCES: NON-CONTACT

interactions between FORCES: Attract or
objects that touch. repel, even from a
distance.
• Applied force • Magnetic force
There are several • Spring force • Electric force
things you must • Drag force • Gravitational
consider when doing force
these types of • Frictional force
projectiles besides • Normal force
using components. If
it begins and ends at THE FOUR FUNDAMENTAL FORCES
ground level, the “y” displacement is ZERO: y = 0.
OF NATURE
➢ Gravitational Force - is the attraction
between two objects that have mass or
energy, whether this is seen in dropping a
rock from a bridge, a planet orbiting a star, or
the moon causing ocean tides.
➢ Electromagnetic Force - also called the
Lorentz force, acts between charged
particles, like negatively charged electrons
LAW’S OF MOTION and positively charged protons.
➢ Kinematics - deals with the concepts that are ➢ Strong Nuclear Force - also called the
needed to describe motion. strong nuclear interaction, is the strongest of
➢ Dynamics - deals with the effect that forces the four fundamental forces of nature because
have on motion. it binds the fundamental particles of matter
Together, kinematics and dynamics form the branch together to form larger particles.
of physics known as Mechanics.

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 ➢ Weak Nuclear Force - The weak force, also Inertia, Mass, and Weight
called the weak nuclear interaction, is ➢ The tendency of an object to resist any
responsible for particle decay. attempt to change its velocity is called
inertia.
Vector Nature of Force ➢ Mass is the property of an object that
• Arrows are used to specifies how much resistance an object
represent forces exhibits to changes in its velocity.
(just like vectors). ➢ Mass is the measure of the inertia of an
• The length of the object. In the SI system, mass is measured in
arrow is kilograms.
proportional to the ➢ Mass is not weight. Mass is a property of an
magnitude of the object. Weight is the force exerted on that
force. object by gravity.
• When forces are Inertial Reference Frame
applied • An inertial reference frame is one in which
perpendicularly to Newton’s first law is valid.
each other, the • In accelerating reference frames, Newton’s
resultant (or net) first law does not hold.
force is the For example, if your reference frame is an
hypotenuse. accelerating car, an object such as a cup resting on
• Forces are vectors, so you must use the rules the dashboard may begin to move toward you (it
for vector addition to find the net force acting stayed at rest as long as the car’s velocity remained
on an object. constant). The cup accelerated toward you, but
If two people push in different directions on a third neither you nor anything else exerted a force on it in
person, as illustrated, we might expect the total force that direction.
to be in the direction shown. Since force is a vector,
it adds just like other vectors for two ice skaters, Net Force - is the vector sum of the forces acting on
an object.
FREE-BODY DIAGRAM
-is a technique used to illustrate all the external
forces acting on a body.
If the sum of the forces is equal to zero there is no
The body is represented by a single isolated point (or
net force thus, they are considered balanced, and the
free body), and only those forces acting on the body
object is at rest.
from the outside (external forces) are shown.

BALANCED AND UNBALANCED FORCE

NEWTON’S FIRST LAW OF MOTION
➢ Law of Inertia - It defines a special set of
reference frames called inertial frames. We
call this an inertial frame of reference.
“Every object continues in its state of rest, or of
uniform velocity in a straight line, as long as no net
force acts on it.”

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 • Balanced Forces - forces acting on an object *To every action there is an equal and opposite
are equal in magnitude but opposite in reaction.
direction and lie along the same line.
• Unbalanced Forces - is no more force that
counteracts the pull of gravity.

Forces are said to be balanced forces if the net force

is equal to zero and there is no motion.

Forces are said to be unbalanced forces if the net

force is not equal to zero. Unbalanced forces may
cause acceleration and change in object motion,
When a cord or rope pulls on an object, it is said to
speed, or direction.
be under tension, and the force it exerts is called a
tension force.
➢ Static Equilibrium - is a system that remains
at rest without any external force acting on it.
➢ Friction - when an object is in contact with a
➢ Dynamic Equilibrium - a system that
surface there is a force acting on that object.
continuously moves in a straight path without
acceleration (constant velocity).
➢ Frictional Force - the component of this
force that is parallel to the surface.
NEWTON’S SECOND LAW OF MOTION
➢ STATIC FRICTION - when the two
“The acceleration of an object is directly surfaces are not sliding across one another the
proportional to the net force acting on it and is friction.
inversely proportional to the object’s mass. The
direction of the acceleration is in the direction of the
net force acting on the object.”

Weight - is the force exerted on an object by gravity.

• Static friction opposes the impending relative
Close to the surface of the Earth, where the
motion between two objects.
gravitational force is nearly constant, the weight is:
• Kinetic Friction - opposes the relative sliding
motion that actually does occur.

NEWTON’S THIRD LAW OF MOTION

“Whenever one object exerts a force on a second

object, the second object exerts an equal force in the
opposite direction on the first.”

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