ADDITIONAL SCIENCE

FORM 4
CHAPTER 1: PHYSICAL QUANTITY

1.1 BASE QUANTITIES AND DERIVED QUANTITIES

Physical quantity is a quantity that can be

measured and consists of a numerical
magnitude and a unit.
Physical quantity can be either base
quantities or derived quantities.
Base quantity is a quantity that is not
combined with one other or more
physical
quantities.

1.1 BASE QUANTITIES AND DERIVED QUANTITIES

Base quantity

Symbol of
base quantity

SI unit

Symbol for the unit

Length

Metre

Mass

Kilogram

kg

Time

Second

Temperature

Kelvin

Electric current

Ampere

A derived quantity is a combination of 2 or

more base quantities.

1.1 BASE QUANTITIES AND DERIVED QUANTITIES

Some derived units have specific names

such as newton, joule and watt. Others
just use combinations of the base units.
Derived quantity

Symbol of
derived
quantity

Relation with base quantity

SI unit

Volume

length (m) x length (m) x length

(m)

m3

Velocity

displacement (m)
time (s)

ms-1

Density

mass (kg)
volume (m3)

kgm-3

Force

mass (kg) x acceleration (ms-2)

N (newton)

Electric charge

current (A) x time (s)

C (coulomb)

1.1 BASE QUANTITIES AND DERIVED QUANTITIES

Prefix

Symbol

Meaning

Tera

1 000 000 000 000 = 1012

Giga

1 000 000 000 = 109

Mega

1 000 000 = 106

Kilo

1 000 = 103

Deci

1/10 = 10-1

Centi

1/100 = 10-2

Milli

1/1000 = 10-3

Micro

1/ 1 000 000 = 10-6

Nano

1/ 1 000 000 000 = 10-9

Pico

1/ 1 000 000 000 000 = 10-12

1.1 BASE QUANTITIES AND DERIVED QUANTITIES

Many physical quantities have very large

or very small value. Thus, we write them
in scientific notation:
M x 10n
1 < M < 10 and n is an integer

1.2 SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES

A scalar quantity has magnitude but no

direction. Examples of scalar quantities
are length, mass, time, temperature,
current and speed.
A vector quantity has both magnitude and
direction. Examples of vector quantities
are velocity, force and displacement.

1.2 SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES

1.2 SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES

Speed is a scalar quantity. Velocity is a vector quantity

1.2 SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES

There are many situations where additions

of vectors are involved in solving daily
problems. The total length of these 2 lines
represent a new vector.

1.2 SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES

Addition of vectors in the same direction

1.2 SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES

Addition of vectors in the opposite direction

1.2 SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES

Addition of vectors joined head-to-tail

(triangle method)
Resultant force

1.2 SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES

Addition of vectors joined head-to-head or

tail-to-tail (parallelogram method)

Resultant force