General Physics 1

What is Physics ?

• Is a natural science; that is it deals with natural phenomena.

• Physics is also called Physical Science – it may seem redundant but it
is to emphasize that the goal is to discover the laws governing the
physical universe.
• Physics is the fundamental natural science because it examines the
principles that applies to all parts (astronomy, biology, chemistry, and
geology et. Al ) of the physical world.
Units

• Physics experiments involve the measurement of a variety of

quantities, and a great deal of effort goes into making these
measurements as accurate and reproducible as possible. The first
step toward ensuring accuracy and reproducibility is defining the
units in which the measurements are made.
• The unit is a unique name we assign to measures of that quantity for
example, meter (m) for the quantity of length.
•  REMEMBER! that only quantities with the same units can be added
or subtracted.
Units
• SI Units, which stands for French phrase “Le Systeme Intenational d’Unites”
• Employs meter (m) as the unit of length, the kilogram (kg) as the unit of
mass, and the second (s) as the unit of time.

System
SI CGS BE
Length meter (m) centimeter (cm) foot (ft)
Mass kilogram (kg) gram (g) slug (sl)
Time second (s) second (s) second (s)
Standard Prefixes
Prefix Symbol Factora
tera T 1012
giga G 109
mega M 106
kilo k 103
hecto h 102
deka da 101
deci d 10−1
centi c 10−2
milli m 10−3
micro μ 10−6
nano n 10−9
pico p 10−12
femto f 10−15
Converting between two units
1. In all calculations, write down the units explicitly.
2. Treat all units as algebraic quantities. In particular, when identical units are
divided, they are eliminated algebraically.
3. Use the conversion factors located on the page facing the inside of the front
cover. Be guided by the fact that multiplying or dividing an equation by a factor of 1
does not alter the equation. For instance, the conversion factor of 3.281 feet = 1
meter might be applied in the form (3.281 feet)/(1 meter) = 1. This factor of 1 would
be used to multiply an equation such as “Length = 5.00 meters” in order to convert
meters to feet.
4. Check to see that your calculations are correct by verifying that the units combine
algebraically to give the desired unit for the answer. Only quantities with the same
units can be added or subtracted.
Conversion Factors
Conversion Factors
Conversion Factors
Conversion of Units
Example
The highest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls in Venezuela,
with a total drop of 970.0 m. Express this drop in feet.

  100 𝑐 𝑚 1𝑖𝑛 1 𝑓𝑡
970 𝑚=970 𝑚× ( 1𝑚 )(× )( )
2 .54 𝑐 𝑚
×
12 𝑖𝑛

3182 ft
Conversion of Units
Example
Express the speed limit of 65 miles/hour in terms of meters/second.

   1km
mi  65mi    1000m
   1hr   1min 
65  
        
hr  1hr   0.0621mi
   1km   60 min   60 s 

Answer: 29 m/s
TRIGONOMETRY
• Trigonometry is one of the branch of mathematics that we will use in
problem solving. Throughout the text, three trigonometric functions
sill be used: sine, cosine and tangent.
PYTHAGOREAN
SOH-CAH-TOA THEOREM

  𝜃= h𝑜
sin
h
 h2= h𝑜2 +h𝑎2

 
Example
On a sunny day, a tall building casts a shadow that is 67.2 m long. The
angle between the sun’s rays and the ground is θ=50.0°. Determine the
height of the building.
opposite
sin  
hypotenuse

h0  (67.2m) sin(50o )
h0
sin(50o ) 
67, 2m

Answer: 80.0 m
Example
A lakefront drops off gradually at an angle θ, as Figure indicates. For
safety reasons, it is necessary to know how deep the lake is at various
distances from the shore. To provide some information about the
depth, a lifeguard rows straight out from the shore a distance of 14.0 m
and drops a weighted fishing line. By measuring the length of the line,
the lifeguard determines the depth to be 2.25 m.
• (a) What is the value of θ?
• (b) What would be the depth d of the lake at a distance of 22.0 m
from the shore?
Nature of Physical Quantities
• Scalar Quantities – is one that can be describes by a single number
(including any units) giving its size or magnitude.
• Vector quantities – is one the deals with both magnitude and
direction.

Note: DIRECTION is an important characteristic of vectors, arrows are used to represent them; the
direction of the arrow gives the direction of the vector. The arrow below is called the displacement
vector because it shows how the car is displaced from its starting point. The length of the vector
arrow is proportional to the magnitude of the vector.
Give examples of vector and scalar
quantities.
SCALAR QUANTITIES VECTOR QUANTITIES
• Length • Displacement
• Area • Velocity
• Volume • Acceleration
• Speed • Force
• Density • Weight
• Pressure
• Temperature
Question
There are places where the temperature is + 20°C at one time of the
year and - 20°C at another time. Do the plus and minus sign that signify
temperatures imply that temperature is a vector quantity ?
Question
Determine if Scalar or Vector:
(a) I walked 2 miles along the beach.
(b) I walked 2 miles due north along the beach.
(c) I jumped off a cliff and hit the water traveling at 17 miles per hour.
(d) I jumped off a cliff and hit the water traveling straight down at a
speed of 17 miles per hour.
(e) My bank account shows a negative balance of −25 pesos.
Vector Addition and Subtraction
•Example
 
A car moves along a straight line, with a displacement vector  of 275 m, due
east. Then the car moves again in the same direction, with a displacement
vector   of 125 m, due east. These two vectors add to give the total displacement
vector 

 =+
= 275 m, due east + 125 m, due east =400 m, due east
•Example
 
This figure applies to a car that first travels with a displacement vector  of 275
m, due east, and then with a displacement vector   of 125 m, due north. The
two vectors add to give a resultant displacement vector  .
B
R  275m  125m
2 2   tan 1  
 A
R  302m  125m 
  tan 1  
 275m 

  24.4o
Finding the resultant using graphical
methods

1. Arrows are drawn tail to head

2. The lengths of the vector are drawn to
a scale using a ruler
3. Use of protractor for measurement of
direction.
Subtraction
The subtraction of one vector from another is carried out in a way that
depends on the following fact. When a vector is multiplied by -1.

Example
1. A woman climbs 1.2 m up a ladder, so that her displacement vector D is 1.2
m, upward along the ladder .

A displacement of vector – D is (-1)D, has the same magnitude but is opposite

in direction.
Example

 In practice, vector subtraction is carried out exactly like vector addition. These vectors add
together to give a third vector  , according to = + However, we can also write this result as   and
treat it as vector addition. 
Vector Components
•  The components and , when added vectorially, convey exactly the same
meaning as does the original vector  .  and   are not just any two vectors
that add together to give the original vector  : they are perpendicular
vectors.
Example
A displacement vector r has a magnitude of r = 175 m and points at an angle of
50.0 ° relative to the x axis in the figure. Find the x and y components of this
vector.
𝑜 𝑜 𝑜
𝛼
  =180 − 90 − 50
𝑜
𝛼 = 40

y x
sin 50 
o cos 50o 
175m 175m
y  (175m) sin(50o ) x  (175m) cos(50o )
y  134.05m x  112.50m
•Example
 
A jogger runs 145 m in a direction 20.0° east of north (displacement vector  ) and
then 105 m in a direction 35.0° south of east (displacement vector  ). Using
components, determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector   for
these two displacements.

Answer:

C = 155m, 29o North of East
Step 1: Step 3: Solving for  :
  Cy
Ax  A sin  Bx  B sin  Cx  Ax  Bx C x  (49.59m)  (86.01m) tan  
  Cx
Ay  A cos  By  B cos  C y  Ay  By C y  (136.26m)  (60.23m)
 76.03m 
  tan 1  
 135.6m 
  29o
Ax  145m sin(20o ) Bx  105m cos(20o ) Step 4:
Ay  145m sin(20 )
o
By  105m cos(20 )
o

Cx  135.6m
C y  76.03m
Step 2:

Ax  49.59m Bx  86.01m
Step 5:
Ay  136.26m By  60.23m Final Answer:


C  Cx 2  C y 2 C  155m, 29o North of East

C  (135.6m) 2  (76.03m) 2

C  155m
Unit Vector
• A unit vector is a vector that has a magnitude of 1, but no dimensions. We will
use a caret (^) to distinguish it from other vectors. Thus,
• X^ is a dimensionless unit vector of length l that points in the
positive x direction, and
• Y^ is a dimensionless unit vector of length l that points in the
positive y direction.
Unit Vector
EXAMPLE
If x^ and y^ are unit vectors in x and y direction respectively, express b in
terms of x^ and y^.
References:
Physics - Cutnell & Johnson 11th Edition
Principles of Physics (International Student Version 10th Edition) – Walker|
Halliday|Resnick
University Physics 10th Edition – Young & Freedman
Physics for Scientists and Engineers Volume 1 – Debora Katz