CHAPTER 1

Physical Quantities & Measurement

Topics covered:

SI unit Base Unit Derived Unit Density Dimensions Dimensional Analysis

Quantities

Something that can be observed and measured Is a measurable value of size, number, weight or amount of something. i.e.:

mass (M) length (L) time (T) electrical current (I) temperature ()

Dimension

Dimensions are not the same as units

Speed
Unit : m/s or km/hr Dimensions : L/T

Area:
Dimension : L x L = L2 Units : m2

SI units

Systme Internationale or the international system convention of measurement The basis of measurement of SI units is the metric system SI units is a system of units introduced to remove barriers to international trade, based on the older metric system.

Base unit
Quantity Dimension Unit (SI) Symbol

Length
Mass Time Electric Current Temperature Amount of substance

L
M T I

meter
kilogram second Ampere kelvin mole

m
kg S A K mol

Luminous intensity

candela

cd

Derived SI units
Some SI derived units

Quantity
Area Velocity Density Frequency Acceleration Force Work, Energy, Heat Pressure

Dimensions
length length length/time mass/volume cycles/time velocity/time mass acceleration force distance Force / Area m2 m/s

SI units

Common name
square meter

kg/m3 s-1 m/s2 kg m/s2 kg m2/s2 kg m-1s-2 Newton (N) Joule (J) Pascal (Nm-2) hertz (Hz)

Dimensionless quantity

Dimensionless : a physical quantity may not have dimension, does not have unit

the sine of an angle :

ratio of the lengths of two particular sides of a triangle, L/L, or 1. Therefore, the sine function is said to be "dimensionless".

Principle of homogeneity of dimension

All terms appearing on both sides of an equation must have the same dimensions. If this is true then the equation is said to be dimensionally homogenous. If the equation is not homogenous, then the equation is incorrect.

Dimensional Analysis

way of managing the dimensions of physical quantities in algebraic equations. Example:

P = gh
Left side

Unit : kg m-1s-2 Dimension: M L-1 T-2

kg m-1s-2= kg/m3 x m/s2 x m Dimensional correct

P = gh

Right side

: density (kg/m3), g: gravitational acceleration (m/s2), and h : height (m).

Exercise: F=ma

Exercises:

Determine the dimensions of the following quantities: volume acceleration (velocity/time) density (mass/volume) force (mass acceleration)

Exercises:

You have already determined the dimensions of each of the following quantities. Can you determine the corresponding SI units?

volume density pressure energy

Dimension / dimensionless?
Quantities a. 68o
b. sin (68o) c. e68 d. force e. 6 f. frequency g. log (0.0034)

Dimension/dimensionless

Determine the dimensions of the following:

Quantities
[3] given sin (t), where t is time, [] = ? [sin (t)] [force] [height] [frequency] [displacement] [area volume] [0.5 volume]

Dimension

Learning Exercise 1:

Please do your Tutorial 1 To be submitted with your Learning Portfolio