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GENERAL PHYSICS

PHYSICAL QUANTITIES AND UNITS

 A quantity is a measurable characteristic of a body or action.

 All measurements of quantities consist of a magnitude and unit.
 Dimensionless quantities have no units e.g. sin, cosine, tan.
 The SI system of units uses 7 base units from which all other units can be
defined.

BASE QUANTITIES AND BASE UNITS

The seven base quantities and their corresponding SI units are listed in the following
table.

BASE QUANTITY NAME (Common) BASE UNITS BASE UNITS

Quantity
symbol/s (SI unit name) (SI unit symbol)
Length a, b, c, d, h, l, r, Metre m
s, w, x, y, z
Mass m Kilogram kg
Time t Second s
Temperature T, θ Kelvin K
Electric Current i, I Ampere A
Amount of substance n Mole mol
Luminous intensity Iv Candela Cd

DERIVED QUANTITIES AND UNITS

Derived quantities (units) are ones formed by a combination of the base quantities
(units) eg

DERIVED QUANTITY DEFINING EQUATION SI unit DERIVED UNIT

Area (A) A = L2 m2
Volume (V) V = L3 m3
Density (ρ) ρ = m/V = m/ L3 kgm-3
Speed (v) L/T ms-1
Velocity (v) v =L/T ms-1
Acceleration (a) a = ∆v/t ms-2
Momentum (p) kgms-2

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Derived quantity Equation SI Unit Derived unit

Name Symbol
Force (F) F = ∆p/t Newton N kgms-2
Pressure (p) p = F/A Pascal Pa Kgm-1s-2
Work W=Fxd Joule J ..........?
Power (P) P = E/t watt W ..........?
Frequency (f) hertz Hz ..........?
Charge (Q) coulomb C ..........?
Potential difference (V) volt V ..........?
Resistance ohm Ω ..........?

Matrix prefixes

 Prefixes are used for multiples or submultiples of the unit.

PREFIX SYMBOL MULTIPLYING PREFIX SYMBOL MULTIPLYING

FACTOR FACTOR
peta P 1015 deci d 10-1
tera T 1012 cent c 10-2
giga G 109 milli m 10-3
mega M 106 micro μ 10-6
kilo K 103 nano n 10-9
pico p 10-12

GREEK ALPHABET [Normal used as symbols @ you level]

Lowercase 𝛼 𝛽 𝛾 𝛿 𝜀 𝜂 𝜃 𝜆 𝜇 𝜋 𝜌 𝜎 𝜏 𝜙 𝜔
Uppercase Δ Σ Φ Ω
Name alpha beta gamma delta epsilon eta theta lambda mu pi rho sigma tau phi omega

HOMOGENEOUS EQUATIONS

An equation is said to be homogeneous if it has the same units on each side of the
equation

USE OF BASE UNITS TO CHECK FOR HOMOGEINITY OF EQUATIONS

Examples: Use base units to check for the validity of the following equations

(a) Period of oscillation of a floating cylinder with length h, immersed in a liquid of

density d:
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ℎ𝑑
𝑇 = 2𝜋√
𝑔

SOLUTION:

For validity/homogeneity/consistence the RHS must be match the LHS (ignore

constants)

LHS = T = [s]
ℎ𝑑 𝑚𝑘𝑔𝑚−3
𝑅𝐻𝑆 = √ = √
𝑔 𝑚𝑠 −2

= √𝑘𝑔𝑚−3 𝑠 2

= 𝑠√𝑘𝑔𝑚−3

⇒ LHS ≠ RHS, so the equation is not valid/homogeneous.

(b) E = mc2, where E is the energy obtained from a mass m and c is the speed of
light.

SOLUTION:

LHS = E = F X d = [kgms-2m] = [kgm2s-2]

RHS = mc2 =[ kg (ms-1)2] = [kgm2s-2]

⇒ LHS = RHS = kgm2s-2

∴ The equation is homogeneous

Example 2: Consider the equation for drag force F on a sphere of radius r moving at
speed v through a fluid of viscosity ɳ;
F = 6πɳrv.
What are the base units of ɳ?

Solution:

ɳ = F/6πrv = [kgms-2/(m.ms-1)] = [kgm-1s-1 ]

Example 3:

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DIMENSIONS OF PHYSICAL QUANTITIES

The dimension of physical quantity is the relationship between the quantity and the basic
quantities, i.e. length (L), mass (M), time (T), electrical current (A), temperature (θ), amount
of substance (N) and luminous intensity (J).

The dimensional analysis of physical quantities refers how they are related to the above
fundamental quantities.

Quantity EQUATION Dimension

Area LXW [L2]
Volume LXWXH L3
Density Mass/Volume M L-3
Velocity Distance/Time LT-1
Acceleration Velocity/Time LT-2
Force Mass x Acceleration M LT-2
Energy/ work Force x Distance ML2 T-2
Pressure FORCE/AREA ML-1 T-2

Use of Dimensions to Derive check Equation validity/correctness

EXAMPLES

(a) Show that the equation for impulse Ft = mv – mu is dimensional correct.

F = [M LT-2] t = [T] m = [M] v = [LT-1]

⇒ (M LT-2)(T) = M(LT-1) – M(LT-1)

M LT-1 = MLT-1 - MLT-1

∴ LHS = RHS

M LT-1 = M LT-1 , equation is homogeneous, all components on either side has

same dimensions.

Use Dimensions to Derive Equations

Consider the oscillation of a simple pendulum. We will assume that the period of the
pendulum T depends on mass of the string m, length of the string Ɩ and gravitational
intensity g.

T ∝ mx Ɩygz

T = k mx Ɩygz (1), k is a dimensionless constant

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In demensions from (1), we have

T = MxLy(LT-2)z

= Mx . Ly+z .T-2z (2)

Equating indices on both sides for equation (2)

For M ⇒ 0=x

L ⇒ 0=y+z

T ⇒ 1 = -2z

From the 3 simultaneous equations if follows that:

[ x = 0; y = 1/2 and z = -1/2 ].

Hence the original equation (1) becomes

T = k m0 Ɩ1/2g-1/2

𝑙
⇒ 𝑇 = 𝐾√
𝑔

EXERCISE

1 A body moving through air at a high speed v experiences a retarding force F given by
F = k AρVx where k is a constant and ρ is the density of air. Deduce the value of x and
write down the correct equation.
2 The speed of sound v in a medium depends on its wavelength λ, the Young modulus
E and the density ρ of the medium. (i) Use the method of dimensions to derive the
formula for the speed of sound v in a medium. (ii) use the method of base units to
derive the formula for the speed of sound v in a medium.

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