ENGINEERING PHYSICS 1 (ENG 013) Topic 1 : Introduction and

Mathematical Concepts
Lecturer : Miss Christina Vargis • The nature of physics

Room : Bilik Pensyarah, Level 4, Bangunan FSK1 • Units

• Trigonometry
Text : Giancoli, D. C. (2005). Physics (6th Ed.),
• Scalars and Vectors
Pearson Education International
Lesson Plan

i-learn link: http://i-learn.uitm.edu.my/

The Nature of Physics The Nature of Physics

Physics has developed out of the efforts of men

and women to explain our physical environment.
Example: Aristotle believed that objects
Physics encompasses a remarkable variety of would return to a state of rest once put in
phenomena: motion.
planetary orbits Galileo realized that an object put in motion
radio and TV waves would stay in motion until some force
magnetism stopped it.
Lasers many more!

The Nature of Physics Units

The principles of physics are used in many
practical applications, including construction.
Communication between architects and engineers
is essential if disaster is to be avoided.
Physics experiments involve the measurement of a
variety of quantities.
These measurements should be accurate and
reproducible.

The first step in ensuring accuracy and

reproducibility is defining the units in which the
measurements are made.

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 Units Units

The units for length, mass, and time (as well as

a few others), are regarded as base SI units.

These units are used in combination to define

additional units for other important physical
quantities such as force and energy.

THE CONVERSION OF UNITS

1 ft = 0.3048 m

1 mi = 1.609 km

1 hp = 746 W

1 liter = 10-3 m3

The Role of Units in Problem Solving

Units
Reasoning Strategy: Converting Between Units Example 1 The World’s Highest Waterfall

The highest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls in Venezuela,

1. In all calculations, write down the units explicitly.
with a total drop of 979.0 m. Express this drop in feet.

2. Treat all units as algebraic quantities. When

identical units are divided, they are eliminated Since 3.281 feet = 1 meter, it follows that
algebraically.
(3.281 feet)/(1 meter) = 1
3. Use the conversion factors located on the page
facing the inside cover. Be guided by the fact that
multiplying or dividing an equation by a factor of 1  3.281 feet 
Length = (979.0 meters)  = 3212 feet
does not alter the equation.  1 meter 

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The Role of Units in Problem Solving
Units
Example 2 Interstate Speed Limit
Dimensions of a quantity are the base units that
Express the speed limit of 65 miles/hour in terms of meters/second.
make it up; they are generally written using square
Use 5280 feet = 1 mile and 3600 seconds = 1 hour and brackets.
3.281 feet = 1 meter.
[L] = length [M] = mass [T] = time

 miles   miles  5280 feet  1 hour  feet Example: Speed = distance/time

Speed =  65 (1)(1) =  65   = 95
 hour   hour  mile  3600 s  second
Dimensions of speed: [L/T]
Quantities that are being added or subtracted must
 feet   feet  1 meter  meters
Speed =  95 (1) =  95   = 29 have the same dimensions. In addition, a quantity
 second   second  3.281 feet  second
calculated as the solution to a problem should have
the correct dimensions.

The Role of Units in Problem Solving

Units
Dimensional analysis is the checking of dimensions
of all quantities in an equation to ensure that those Is the following equation dimensionally correct?
which are added, subtracted, or equated have the
same dimensions.
x = vt
Example: Is this the correct equation for velocity?

Check the dimensions: [L] =  L [T ] = [L]

T

Wrong!

Trigonometry Trigonometry
ho
sin θ =
h

ha
cos θ =
h

ho
tan θ =
ha

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 Trigonometry Trigonometry

Example 3:
Example 3:
ho
tan θ =
Determine the height of ha
the building.
ho
ho = ? tan 50o =
67.2m

ho = tan 50 o (67.2m ) = 80.0m

Trigonometry Trigonometry
h 
−1
θ = sin  o 
h

 ha 
θ = cos −1  
h
Example 4:

 ho  (a) What is the value of θ?

θ = tan −1  
 ha  (b) What would the depth d of the lake at a
distance of 22.0m from the shore?

Trigonometry Trigonometry
Example 4:
Pythagorean theorem: h 2 = ho2 + ha2

(a) What is the value of θ?

h  ;  2.25m 
θ = tan −1  o  θ = tan −1   = 9.13
o

 ha   14.0 m 
(b) What would the depth d of the lake at a
distance of 22.0m from the shore?
d = ho = ha tan θ = ( 22.0m) tan 9.13o = 3.54m

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 Scalars and Vectors Scalars and Vectors
A scalar quantity is one that can be described
by a single number:

temperature, speed, mass, volume, time

A vector quantity deals inherently with both

magnitude and direction:

velocity, force, displacement

The car moved a distance of 2 km in a direction
30o north of east

Scalars and Vectors Vector Addition and Subtraction

Arrows are used to represent vectors. The Often it is necessary to add one vector to another.
direction of the arrow gives the direction of the
vector.
By convention, the length of a vector arrow is
proportional to the magnitude of the vector.
r r r
R = A+ B

8 lb
4 lb , resultant vector

Vector Addition and Subtraction

Vector Addition and Subtraction

A= 5 m B=3m

R=5+3=8m

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Vector Addition and Subtraction Vector Addition and Subtraction

R 2 = (2.00 m ) + (6.00 m )
2 2

R= (2.00 m )2 + (6.00 m )2 = 6.32m

R
2.00 m 2.00 m

6.00 m 6.00 m

Vector Addition and Subtraction Vector Addition and Subtraction

tan θ = 2.00 6.00

θ = tan −1 (2.00 6.00) = 18.4o

When a vector is multiplied
by -1, the magnitude of the
vector remains the same, but
the direction of the vector is
reversed.

6.32 m
2.00 m
θ
6.00 m

Vector Addition and Subtraction The Components of a Vector

r r r
A+B B

r
A r r
A −B
r r r r
A−B x and y are called the x vector component
r
and the y vector component of r.

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The Components of a Vector The Components of a Vector

It is often easier to work with the scalar components

rather than the vector components.

Ax and Ay are the scalar components

r
of A.

xˆ and yˆ are unit vectors with magnitude 1.

r r
The vector components of A are two perpendicular A = Ax xˆ + Ay yˆ
r r
vectors A x and A y that are parallel to the x and y axes,
r r r
and add together vectorially so that A = A x + A y .

The Components of a Vector Addition of Vectors by Means of Components

Example

A displacement vector has a magnitude of 175 m and points at

an angle of 50.0 degrees relative to the x axis. Find the x and y
components of this vector.

sin θ = y r
y = r sin θ = (175 m )(sin 50.0o ) = 134 m

cos θ = x r
x = r cos θ = (175 m )(cos 50.0o ) = 112 m
r r r
C= A+B
r r r
r = (112 m )xˆ + (134 m )yˆ A = Ax xˆ + Ay yˆ B = Bx xˆ + B y yˆ

Addition of Vectors by Means of Components

Topic 1 Summary :
Introduction and Mathematical
Concepts

• The nature of physics

r • Units
C = Ax xˆ + Ay yˆ + Bx xˆ + B y yˆ
• Trigonometry
= ( Ax + Bx )xˆ + ( Ay + B y )yˆ
• Scalars and Vectors

C x = Ax + Bx C y = Ay + B y