JABATAN SAINS GUNAAN PHY130-FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICS I

CHAPTER 1 – SYSTEM OF UNITS

Lesson outcome

1. Able to define a physical quantity and its types.

2. Able to list the basic and derived quantities.
3. Able to derive the units for basic and derived quantities.
4. Able to conduct dimensional analysis for units of basic and derived
quantities.
5. Able to apply unit consistency in converting units of a physical
quantity between SI and non-SI units
6. Able to determine the precision and significant figure of a given value.

1.0 PHYSICAL QUANTITY

A physical quantity is a quantity that can be measured, such as time, length,

volume and temperature.

There are two types of physical quantity

(1) Basic quantities

Definition : Quantities that are “stand-alone”, cannot be defined in

terms of any other quantities.

These quantities are

a) Time.
b) Length
c) Mass
d) Temperature.
e) Electric current
f) Luminous intensity.
g) Amount of substance.

(2) Derived quantities

Definition : Quantities that can be defined in terms of any other

quantities.

Example : Density, area and acceleration.

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JABATAN SAINS GUNAAN PHY130-FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICS I

Example 1.1

Define acceleration and density in terms of the basic quantities.

Speed Length/Tim e Length

Acceleration = = =
Time Time Time 2

Mass Mass Mass

Density = = =
Volume Area × Length Length 2 × Length
Mass
=
Length 3

1.1 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS AND UNIT

The dimension of a quantity is the physical property that the quantity describes.

For basic quantities time, length and mass, their dimensions are time[T],
length[L] and mass[M].

For derived quantities, their dimensions will consist of combinations of these and
other fundamental quantities.

Example 1.2

Determine the dimension of acceleration and force.

Length
Acceleration =
Time 2

Dimension of acceleration, [A] = [L/T2]

= Mass × Acceleration
Force
Length
= Mass ×
Time2
 L 
Dimension of force,[F] =M × 2  =MLT −2 
 T 

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JABATAN SAINS GUNAAN PHY130-FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICS I

Example 1.3

Determine the dimension of k in equation Velocity = k(Density)

Velocity = k (Density )
Velocity Velocity Volume
k= = = Velocity ×
Density (Mass / Volume ) Mass

= Velocity ×
(Area)(Length )
Mass

 L (L2 )(L) 
[k ] =
 × M−1L4 T −1 
 =
T M 

1.2 UNIT OF A PHYSICAL QUANTITY

A unit is a scale with which a dimension is measured. For each dimension,

various units can be used.

In science and engineering fields, precise measurement is very important.

Scientists and engineers need definitions of units of measurement that do not
change and that can be duplicated by observers in various locations.

A standard system of units based on the metric system known as the

International System or SI is used where each basic quantity is assigned with a
particular basic unit as shown in Table 1.1 below.

Table 1.1 – Fundamental Quantities and Their Units

Quantity Unit Abbreviation

Length Meter m
Time Seconds s
Mass Kilogram kg
Temperature Kelvin K
Electric current Ampere A
Luminous intensity Candela cd
Amount of substance Mole mol

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JABATAN SAINS GUNAAN PHY130-FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICS I

In the metric system, larger or smaller units for the same physical quantity are
related to the basic units by multiples of 10 or 1/10. The names of these units are
derived by adding a prefix to the unit of the physical quantity. The following Table
1.2 lists the standard SI prefixes with their meaning and abbreviation.

Table 1.2 – Prefixes for powers of ten

Power of ten Prefix Abbreviation

10-18 Atto a
10-15 Femto f
10-12 Pico p
10-9 Nano n
10-6 Micro µ
10-3 Mili m
10-2 Centi c
103 Kilo k
106 Mega M
109 Giga G
1012 Tera T
1015 Peta P
1018 Exa E

Example 1.4

Write
i) 1 kilometer in mm, ii) 1 milligram in kg

i) 1 kilometer = 1 km = 103 meters = 103(103 mm) = 106 mm

ii) 1 milligram = 1 mg = (1/10)3 g = (1/10)3(1/10)3 kg = (1/10)6 kg

1.3 Unit Consistency and Conversions

We use equations to express relations among physical quantities that are

represented by algebraic symbols. Each algebraic symbol always denotes both a
number and a unit. We can use equality to represent the same physical quantity
when we express it in two different units.

An equation must always be dimensionally consistent.

Two terms may be added or subtracted if they have the same units.

In multiplication or division, units are treated just like algebraic symbols.

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 JABATAN SAINS GUNAAN PHY130-FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICS I

Example 1.4

European men in the age group 18 to 21 years have an average height of

5 ft 4 in. (a)What is this height in centimeters? (b)In meters? 1 in = 2.54
cm.

 12in   1m 
=
(a)5 ft =  ( 5ft ) 60in (b) In meters,163cm =   (163cm )
 1ft   100 cm 
⇒ 5ft 4in = 64in = 1.63 m
 2.54cm 
∴ In cm, 64in =  1in  ( 64in )
 
= 163cm

Example 1.5

An undergraduate of UiTM rides a motorcycle at 50kmh-1. Express this

speed in meters per second and miles per hour. 1.609km = 1 mi.

 1000 m   1h 
=50kmh−1 (=
50 kmh ) 
−1
  13.9 ms−1
 1km  
3600 s
 1mi 
=50kmh−1 (
50 kmh−1 
= )  31.1mih
−1

 1.609 km 

1.4 Precision and Significant Figure

The precision of a measured value of a physical quantity is reflected in the

number of the significant figure (or significant digit) used in stating the value.

A significant figure is a digit in a number, except the leading zeros are not
significant figures and trailing zeros are significant figures only if so specified.

In calculations with very large or very small numbers, we can show significant
numbers much more easily by using powers-of-ten notation, sometimes called
scientific notation. In this form, the usual practice is to express the quantity as a
number between 1 to 10 multiplied by the appropriate power of ten.

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JABATAN SAINS GUNAAN PHY130-FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICS I

Example 1.6

The distance from the earth to the sun is about 149,000,000,000 m.

Rewrite the value in powers-of-ten notation with 3 significant figure.

149,000,00,000 m = 1.49 × 10 11 m

Example 1.7

Using the Einstein’s equation, calculate the energy that correspond to the
mass of an electron if m = 9.11 × 10-31 kg and c = 3.00 × 108 ms-1. Give
your answer in SI units.

E = mc 2

( )( )
2
9.11× 10 −31kg 3.00 × 108 ms−1
=
= 8.20 × 10-14kgm2s−2

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT CONCEPTS

Physical quantity A quantity that can be measured
A quantity that cannot be defined in terms of any other
Basic quantity quantities.

Derived quantity A quantity that can be defined in terms of any other quantities
Dimension of a The physical property that the quantity describes.
quantity
Unit A scale with which a dimension is measured.
Precision a Reflected in the number of the significant figure (or significant
measured value digit) used in stating the value.
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