1.

1
UNDERSTANDING PHYSICS
What is physics?
Physics is a branch of science which
studies physical and natural phenomena
around us.
Observe the following things :
 Lightning
 Tsunami
 Mobile phones
 Emails
Fields of study in Physics
Heat
Sound
Electricity and magnetism
Light
Atomic
Nuclear physics
 • Scientist
Research
•Professor
•astronaut
Engineering
Education
• Mechanical
• Lecturer
• Electrical
CAREERS IN • Teacher
• Computer
PHYSICS • Education officer
• Environmental engineers

Industry Medicine
• Geophysician • Radiologist
• Quality control engineer • Forensic expert
• technician
• Medical physician
 1.2
Understanding Base Quantities and
Derived Quantities
 Physical quantities Non-physical
quantities
A quantity that is measurable Quantities which cannot be
measured

Based quantities and derived -

quantities

Examples: Examples:
Mass, time, temperature. Beauty, feeling.

Length, l = 20 m unit -

Physical Numerical
quantities value
Base Quantities
Base quantities are physical quantities
that cannot be defined in terms of other
quantities.
Five base quantities
1. Length
2. Mass
3. Time
4. Electric current
5. temperature
Base quantities and SI units
Base quantity SI units
Name Symbol Name Symbol

Length l Metre m

Mass m Kilogram kg

Time t Second s

Electric current I Ampere A

Temperature T Kelvin K
Derived Quantities
physical quantities derived by combining
base quantities through multiplication or
division or both
Derived quantities and units
Derived quantity Symbol Formula Derived units

Area A Length x breadth m2

Volume V Length x breadth x height m3

Velocity v Displacement m s-1

Time

Acceleration a Velocity m s-2

Time

Force F Mass x Acceleration kg m s-2

Density  Mass kg m-3

Volume
Scientific notation / standard form
Isused for expressing very large and very
small numbers
General form :-

A x 10 N
 Where 1  A < 10 and N is a positive/negative
integer
Example:-
1. 0.00000051m = 5.1 x 10-7 m
2. 3000000 m s-1 = 3.0 x 106 m s-1
Prefix
Prefixes are used to represent physical
quantities which are very big or very
small in SI unit.
Example:
 2000m can be written as 2.0 km
 3cm can be written as 0.03m or 3x10-2 m
 Prefix Factor Symbol

Tera 1012 T
Giga 109 G
Mega 106 M
Kilo 103 k
Hecto 102 h
Deca 10 da
Deci 10-1 d
Centi 10-2 c
Milli 10-3 m
Micro 10-6 
Nano 10-9 n
Pico 10-12 p
CONVERSION OF UNITS
Example 1
convert 512 000 g to kilogram (kg) and
write answer in standard form

Solution:
1 kg = 1x103 g  1g = 1x10-3 kg
512 000 g = 512 000 x 10-3 kg
= 512 kg
Standard form  5.12 x 102 kg
Example 2
convert 102.3 MHz to Hz and write answer
in standard form

Solution:
1MHz = 1x106 Hz
102.3 MHz = 102.3 x 106 Hz
Standard form  = 1.023 x 102 x 106 Hz
= 1.023 x 108Hz
Example 3
1.05 g cm-3 = __________ kg m-3

Solution:
1kg = 1x103 g  1g = 1x10-3 kg
1cm = 1x10-2 m  1cm-3 = 1x106 m-3
1.05 g cm-3 =1.05 x 10-3 kg x 106 m-3
= 1.05 x 103 kg m-3
 Example 4
20 km h-1 = ___________m s-1

Solution:
1km = 1x103 m
1h = 3600s
20 km
20 km h-1 =
h
20 103 m
= = 0.0056 x 103 m s-1
3600 s

Standard form  5.6 m s-1

Exercise 1
Express the following measurement in the
unit specified
1. 15 m s-1 = _____________ km h-1
2. 643 mg = ___________kg
3. 3.86 Ms = ___________ ds
4. 6.37 km = ___________ m
5. 40 cm2 = ____________ m2
Exercise 2
Identify
the smallest and the largest
measurements from the following
-2
2.42 x 10 cm
2.42 x 1010 μm
3
2.42 x 10 km
2.42 x 108 nm
 1.3
Understanding scalar and vector
quantities
Scalar and vector quantities
Scalar quantities Vector quantities

a physical quantity which a physical quantity which

has only magnitude has both magnitude and
direction

examples: examples:
length, speed, time, density, force, acceleration, velocity
temperature

adding scalar using simple adding vector using

addition graphical method
Example 1
An object is displaced 8 m to the east followed by another
displacement of 10 m northwest. What is total distance
and the displacement of the object?
N

E W

S
Example 2
Which of the following is a scalar
quantity?
A Speed
B Momentum
C Acceleration
D Force
 1.4
Understanding measurements

Learning outcomes:
1.Measure physical quantities using appropriate
instruments
2.Explain accuracy and consistency
3.Explain types of experimental error
4.Use appropriate techniques to reduce errors
Measurements
Physics is a science which involves
measurements of various physical
quantities
Measure physical quantities using
appropriate instrument such as:-
1. A measuring tape
2. A metre rule
3. A vernier callipers
4. A micrometer screw gauge
1. Measuring tape
Measuring long distance such as length
and width of classroom
Has an accuracy of 1 cm
2. Metre Rule
Measure length from a few cm up to 1 m
Has an accuracy of 0.1 cm ( 1mm)
Precaution:-
1. Avoid parallax errors
2. Avoid end errors
3. Vernier Callipers
 Measure an object with dimensions up to 12.00 cm
 Has an accuracy of 0.01 cm
 To measure the internal or external diameter
3. Vernier Callipers
 Main scale – 5.3 cm
 Vernier scale – 0.07 cm
 Vernier scale reading = main scale + vernier scale

= 5.3 cm + 0.07 cm
= 5.37 cm
4. Micrometer Screw Gauge
 Measure small length between 0.10 mm and 25.00 mm
 Measures the diameter and thickness
 Has an accuracy of 0.01 mm
4. Micrometer Screw Gauge
 Mainscale (sleeve) = 2.50 mm
 Thimble scale = 0.09 mm
 MSG reading = main scale + thimble scale

= 2.50 mm + 0.09 mm
= 2.59 mm

mm