CHAPTER 1

Physical Units
 Learning Outcomes
• Differentiate base and derived quantity.
• Apply the conceptual of measurement.
 Physical Quantities
• Physical quantities are quantities that are
measurable with instruments in laboratory.
• Examples of measurement: length (ruler),
mass (balance), and temperature
(thermometer).
• Physical quantities are classified as either
i. base quantities
ii. derived quantities
 Base quantities and units
• Definition : Base quantity is the basis of a physical
measurement and it is not a combination of any other
quantities.
• There are 7 base quantities and units
Base quantity Base unit
Name Symbol Name Symbol

mass m kilogram Kg
Time t second s
length l metre m
Electric current I ampere A
Temperature T,θ kelvin K
Amount of substance n mole mol

Luminous intensity candela cd

 Derived quantities and units
• Definition : Derived quantity is a combination of more than two
base quantities.
• For example, the defining equation for the volume of a cube of side
l is:
V=lXlXl
• The derived unit of volume is obtained by multiplying together the
units of the base quantities. Thus the derived unit of volume is the
cubic meter (m3).

Derived Defining equation Derived unit

quantity
density Density = mass / volume Kgm-3
velocity Velocity = displacement / time ms-1
acceleration Acceleration = change of velocity / time ms-2

momentum Momentum = mass X velocity Kg ms-1

 Uncertainty
• Accurate measurements are an important part of physics. But no
measurement is absolutely precise.
• There is an uncertainty associated with every measurement.
• When giving the result of a measurement, it is important to state
the precision or estimated uncertainty.
• For example, the width of a board might be written as 8.8 0.1 cm.
The 0.1 cm represents the estimated uncertainty in the
measurement, so that the actual width most likely lies between 8.7
and 8.9 cm.
• For example, if the measurement is 8.8 and the uncertainty about
0.1 cm, the percent uncertainty is
 Combination of uncertainties
Addition or Subtraction
• If x = a + b – c
• ∆x = ∆a + ∆b + ∆c

Multiplication or Division
• If x =
• ∆x = x
 Example
A student has taken the following readings for a
rectangle plate: Length, a = 6.5 cm; width,
b = 2.4 cm, thickness, c = 1.26 cm.
a. What is the uncertainty of a, b, and c?
b. Calculate the area of the rectangle and write
down in term of x ∆x.
 Tutorial
1. A rectangular plate has a length of 21.3 0.3
cm and witdh of 9.8 01 cm. Compute the
area of the plate, including its uncertainty.
2. Find the volume of a spherical ball whose
radius is r = 0.84 0.04 m and determine its
uncertainty.
 Significant Figures (sf)

Rules For Significant Figures

1. All non-zero figures are significant

Ex: in 32.2 there are 3sf

2. All zeroes between non-zero digits are significant

Ex: in 302.8 and 33.8002 the zeroes are significant

3. All zeros to the right of a decimal point that follow a non-zero digit are significant
Ex: in 21.000 the zeroes are significant (5sf), but in 0.005 the zeroes are not
significant (1sf)

4. All other zeroes are not normally significant.

 Multiplying/dividing
• The number of sf in the final answer should be
the same as the number of sf in the least
accurate measurement.
• Least accurate means having the least number
of s.f.
Ex :
24.75 cm X 6.780 cm = 167.805 cm2 = 167.8 cm2
 Adding/subtracting
• The number of decimal places of the answer
must be equal to the least number of decimal
places of the given numbers
Ex :
26.2 + 5.67 = 31.87 = 31.9
 Tutorial
1. For questions below, give your answer with
correct significant figure or decimal point.
a) Calculate 44.56005 s + 0.0698 s + 1103.2 s
b) Compute
c) A rectangular shape of copper plate with
sides of 2.14cm by 4.07cm is usrd to cover a
mounting of a machine. Determine the
surface area of this copper plate.
 Scientific Notation
• One advantage of scientific notation is that it
allows the number of significant figures to be
clearly expressed.
Ex : 3.69 X 104 (3sf)
 Systems of units
• When dealing with laws and equations of physics it is very
important to use a consistent set of units.
• The most important is the System International, which is
abbreviated SI.
• In SI units, the standard of length is meter, the standard for time is
the second, and standard for mass is kilogram. This system used to
be called the MKS (meter-kilogram-second) system.
• A second metric system is the cgs system, in which the centimeter,
gram, and second are the standard units of length, mass, and time.
• The British engineering system takes as its standards the foot for
length, the pound for mass, and the second for time.
 Metric (SI) Prefixes
• In the metric system, the larger and smaller units are
defined in multiples of 10 from the standard unit, and
this makes calculation particularly easy.
Example
Length:
• 1 Tm = 1012 m
• 1 km = 103 m
• 1 µm = 10-6 m

Mass
• 1 Gg = 109 g
• 1 kg = 103 g
• 1 ng = 10-9 g

Time
• 1 Ms = 106 s
• 1 µs = 10-6 s
• 1 ps = 10-12 s
 Unit Conversion
• Any quantity we measure, such as a length, a speed, or
an electric current, consists of a number and a unit.
• SI unit can be divide into two types:
– mks system – meter – kilogram – second
– cgs system – centimeter – gram – second

Quantity Conversion factor

Length  1 km = 1000 m
 1 m = 100 cm
 1 cm = 10 mm
 1 ft = 12 in
 1 in = 2.54 cm
 1 mile = 1.61km
Mass  1 kg = 1000 g
 1 lbs (pound) = 0.45kg
 1 oz(ounce) = 28.3g
time  1 h = 60 min
 1 min = 60 s
 1 h = 3600 s
Prefix to unit

Unit to prefix
 Examples
a. 1564 mm in m

b. 1750 g in Kg

c. 6.16 X 10-2 km in m

d. 87 hour in second
 Tutorial
a) 110 km/h to m/s
b) 340 m/s to km/h
c) 15 cm2 to m2
d) 1 g/cm3 to kg/m3
e) 10 nm to m
f) 15 A to μA
g) 100 MW to kW
 Tutorial 2
1. According to the label on a bottle of salad dressing, the volume of the contents is
0.473 liter (L). Using only the conversions 1 L = 1000 cm3 and 1 in = 2.54 cm,
express this volume in cubic inches. (28.9 in3)

2. The most powerful engine available for the classic 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting
Ray developed 360 horsepower and had a displacement of 327 cubic inches.
Express this displacement in liters (L) by using only the conversions 1 L = 1000
cm3 and 1 in = 2.54 cm. (5.36L)

3. The Concorde is the fastest airliner used for commercial service. It cruises at
1450mi/h.
a. What is the cruise speed of the Concorde in km/h? (2330km/h)
b. What is it in m/s? (648m/s)
 Past Year
• Jan 2018 (Q1)
• Mac 2017 (Q1)
• Oct 2016 (Q1)