Units and Measurement

Physics Mrs. Coyle

International Space Station http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0706/iss_sts117_big.jpg

It All Starts with a Ruler!!!

Math and Units

Math- the language of Physics SI Units International System MKS Meter m Mass kg Time s National Bureau of Standards Prefixes

SI Unit Prefixes - Part I

Name teragigamegaSymbol T G M Factor 1012 109 106

kilohectodeka-

k h
da

103 102
101

SI Unit Prefixes- Part II

Name Symbol Factor

decicenti-

d
c

10-1
10-2

millimicronanopicofemto-

m
n p f

10-3
10-6 10-9 10-12 10-15

The Seven Base SI Units Quantity Unit Symbol

Length
Mass Temperature Time

meter
kilogram kelvin second

m
kg K s mol cd a

Amount of mole Substance Luminous Intensity candela Electric Current ampere

Derived SI Units (examples)

Quantity Volume unit cubic meter Symbol m3

Density Speed
Newton Energy Pressure

kilograms per kg/m3 cubic meter meter per second m/s

kg m/ s2 Joule (kg m2/s2) Pascal (kg/(ms2) N J Pa

SI Unit Prefixes for Length

Name gigameter megameter kilometer decimeter centimeter millimeter micrometer nanometer picometer Symbol Gm Mm km dm cm mm m nm pm Analogy 109 106 103 10-1 10-2 10-3 10-6 10-9 10-12

Scientific Notation

Mx

n 10

M is the coefficient 1<M<10 10 is the base n is the exponent or power of 10

Other Examples:
5.45E+6
5.45 x 10^6

or

Numbers less than 1 will have a negative exponent. A millionth of a second is: 0.000001 sec 1.0E-6 1x10-6 1.0^-6

Factor-Label Method of Unit Conversion

Example: Convert 5km to m: Multiply the original measurement by a conversion factor.
NEW UNIT 85km x 1,000m 1km OLD UNIT

85,000m

Factor-Label Method of Unit Conversion: Example Example: Convert 789m to km: 789m x 1km =0.789km= 7.89x10-1km 1000m

Convert 75.00 km/h to m/s

75.00 km x 1000 m x 1 h___ = 20.83m/s h 1 km 3600 s

Limits of Measurement
Accuracy and Precision

 Accuracy - a measure of how close a measurement is to the true value of the quantity being measured.

Example: Accuracy
Who is more accurate when measuring a book that has a true length of 17.0cm? Susan: 17.0cm, 16.0cm, 18.0cm, 15.0cm

Amy: 15.5cm, 15.0cm, 15.2cm, 15.3cm

 Precision a measure of how close a series of measurements are to one another. A measure of how exact a measurement is.

Example: Precision
Who is more precise when measuring the same 17.0cm book?

Susan: 17.0cm, 16.0cm, 18.0cm, 15.0cm

Amy: 15.5cm, 15.0cm, 15.2cm, 15.3cm

Example: Evaluate whether the following are precise, accurate or both.

Accurate

Not Accurate Accurate Precise

Not Precise Precise

Significant Figures
The significant figures in a measurement include all of the digits that are known, plus one last digit that is estimated.

Centimeters and Millimeters

Finding the Number of Sig Figs:

When the decimal is present, start counting from the left.
When the decimal is absent, start counting from the right. Zeroes encountered before a non zero digit do not count.

How many sig figs?

100 10302.00

0.001 10302 1.0302x104

Sig Figs in Addition/Subtraction

Express the result with the same number of decimal places as the number in the operation with the least decimal places. Ex: 2.33 cm + 3.0 cm 5.3 cm (Result is rounded to one decimal place)

Sig Figs in Multiplication/Division

Express the answer with the same sig figs as the factor with the least sig figs. Ex: 3.22 cm x 2.0 cm 6.4 cm2 (Result is rounded to two sig figs)

Counting Numbers
Counting numbers have infinite sig figs.

Ex: 3 apples

Solving Word Problems

Analyze List knowns and unknowns. Draw a diagram. Devise a plan. Write the math equation to be used. Calculate If needed, rearrange the equation to solve for the unknown. Substitute the knowns with units in the equation and express the answer with units. Evaluate Is the answer reasonable?