Chapter 1

Physical Quantities
and
Units
Mr. Chong Kwai Kun

Learning Outcomes
Candidates should be able to:
(a) show an understanding that all physical quantities
consist of a numerical magnitude and a unit
(b) recall the following SI base quantities and their
units: mass (kg), length (m), time (s), current (A),
temperature (K)
(c) express derived units as products or quotients of
the base units and use the named units listed in
this syllabus as appropriate
(d) use base units to check the homogeneity of
physical equations

Learning Outcomes
Candidates should be able to:
(e) show an understanding of and use the conventions for labeling
graph axes and table columns as set out in the ASE publication
Signs, Symbols and Systematic (The ASE Companion to 1619
Science, 2000)
(f) use the following prefixes and their symbols to indicate decimal
submultiples or multiples of both base and derived units: pico (p),
nano (n), micro (), milli (m), centi (c), deci (d), kilo (k), mega (M),
giga (G), tera (T)
(g) make reasonable estimates of physical quantities included within the
syllabus
(j) distinguish between scalar and vector quantities and give examples
of each
(k) add and subtract coplanar vectors
(l) represent a vector as two perpendicular components.

CHAPTER 1.1

Physical
Quantities

Physical Quantities
Physical Quantity

- a quantity that can be measured.

Notes:
1. has a numerical magnitude and a unit.
2. can be subdivided into:
Fundamental / Base Quantity
Derived Quantity

Base Quantities
Base Quantity

- Quantity that cannot be expressed in

terms of other quantities.

Notes:
1. There are seven base quantities.
Base Quantity

SI Units

symbol

Mass

kilogram

kg

Length

meter

Time

second

Temperature

Kelvin

Electric current

Ampere

Light intensity

candela

cd

Amount of substance

mole

mol

Derived Quantities
Derived Quantity
Notes:

- Quantity that is a combination of

two or more base quantities by meant
of multiplication, division or both.

1. Examples of derived quantities.

Derived Quantity

Relation with Base Quantity

Area

Length x width

Volume

Length x width x Height

Density

Mass / Volume

Speed

Distance / Time

Acceleration

Distance / (Time x Time)

Force

Mass x Acceleration

Moment of force

Force x Perpendicular Distance

Pressure

Force / Area

CHAPTER 1.2

SI Units

International System of
Units (SI)

A unit is a particular physical quantity, defined

and adopted by convention, with which other
particular quantities of the same kind are
compared to express their value.
The SI is founded on seven SI base units for
seven base quantities assumed to be mutually
independent.
The SI derived units for these derived quantities
are obtained from these equations and the
seven SI base units.

Derived SI Units
Derived quantity

SI derived unit

area
volume
speed, velocity

square meter
cubic meter
meter per second
meter per second
squared
reciprocal meter
kilogram per cubic
meter
cubic meter per
kilogram
ampere per square
meter

acceleration
wave number
mass density
specific volume
current density
magnetic field

Symbo
l
m2
m3
m/s
m/s2
m-1
kg/m3
m3/kg
A/m2

Important Derived Units

For ease of understanding and convenience, 20+ SI
derived units have been given special names and
symbols

Derived quantity
plane angle
frequency
force
pressure, stress
energy, work,
quantity
of heat
power, radiant flux
electric charge,

Expressio Expressio
n
n
in terms in terms
of
of
Symb other SI
SI base
Name
ol
units
units
radian
rad
mm-1 = 1
hertz
Hz
s-1
newton
N
mkgs-2
pascal
Pa
N/m2
m-1kgs-2
joule

Nm

m2kgs-2

watt

J/s

m2kgs-3

Important Derived Units

Expressio Expressio
n
n
in terms in terms
of
of
Symbol other SI
SI base
Derived quantity Name

units
units
electric potential
difference,
electromotive
force
capacitance

volt
farad

electric resistance ohm

magnetic flux
weber
magnetic flux
tesla
density
inductance
henry

W/A

m2kgs-3A-1

C/V

Wb

V/A
Vs

m-2kg1 4
s A2
m2kgs-3A-2
m2kgs-2A-1

Wb/m2

kgs-2A-1

Wb/A

m2kgs-2A-2

SI Prefixes
Prefixes are the preceding factor used to represent very
small and very large physical quantities in SI units.
Prefix

Decimal Multiplier

Symbol

Femto

10 15

pico

10 12

nano

10 9

micro

10 6

milli

10 3

centi

10 2

deci

10 1

kilo

10 3

Mega

10 6

Giga

10 9

Tera

10 12

Dimensions & Units

Dimension - abstract quantity (e.g. length)
Dimensions are used to describe physical quantities
Dimensions are independent of units
Unit - a specific definition of a dimension based upon a
physical reference (e.g. meter)

Fundamental Dimensions
1)Length L
2)Mass M
3)Time T
4)Electric Current I
5)Temperature
6)Amount of Matter N
7)Light Intensity J

Physical Quantities Dimensions

1)Velocity, [v] = LT-1
2)Acceleration, [a] = LT-2
3)Force, [F] = MLT-2
4)Density, [] = ML-3
5)Pressure, [P] = ML-1T-2
6)Energy, [E] = ML2T-2

Any Physical Quantity] = MaLbTcId

Dimension Rules
Rule 1

All terms that are added or subtracted must

have same dimensions

D A B C
All have identical
dimensions

Dimensions Rules
Rule 2

Dimensions obey rules of multiplication and

division

AB
D

[M]

2
[T ]

[T 2 ]

[L]

[M]
2
[L ]

[L]

Dimensions Rules
Rule 3
In scientific equations, the
transcendental
functions
dimensionless.
A ln( x)

C sin( x)

B exp( x)

D3

arguments of
must
be

x must be
dimensionless

Transcendental Function - Cannot be given by algebraic expressions consisting

only of the argument and constants. Requires an infinite series
2
3
x
x
e x 1 x ...
2! 3!

Dimensions and dimensional analysis

The dimension of an equation is said to be homogeneous
if all the terms in it have the same dimensions or units.
1 2
x f xi vi t at
2
(L/T2)T2=L
L

(L/T)T=L

Dimensional analysis
o method to check whether a physical equation is
homogeneous
o is only considered as a first step to prove whether an
equation is correct.

Question 1
Check the equation for dimensional consistency:
2

mc
2
mgh

mc
2
1 (v / c )
Here, m is a mass, g is an acceleration,
c is a velocity, h is a length

Question 2
Consider the equation:

v2
Mm
m
G 2
r
r
Where m and M are masses, r is a radius and
v is a velocity.
What are the dimensions of G ?

L3 M-1 T-2

Question 3
Given x has dimensions of distance, u has
dimensions of velocity, m has dimensions of mass
and g has dimensions of acceleration.
Is this equation dimensionally valid?

(4 / 3)ut
x
1 (2gt 2 / x)

Yes

Is this equation dimensionally valid?

vt
x
1 mgt 2

No

CHAPTER 1.4

Scalars and
Vectors

Scalars & Vectors

Scalars Quantities

Quantities that have magnitude only.

Vectors Quantities

Quantities that have both magnitude

and direction.

Scalars & Vectors

Examples of scalars and vectors
Scalars
distance
speed
mass
time
pressure
energy
volume
density
temperature

Vectors
displacement
velocity
weight
acceleration
force
momentum

Question 1

Question 2
Answer:

Answer:

Question 3
Answer:

Answer:

Adding Scalars
added or subtracted by using simple arithmetic.
Example: 4 kg plus 6 kg gives the answer 10 kg

10 kg
4 kg

6 kg

Adding Vectors
Addition of 2 vectors in the same direction

4N
6N
2N

Resultant force
=4N+2N=6N

Adding Vectors
Addition of
directions

4N

2N
2N

vectors

in

the

Resultant force
= 4 N + (2 N)
=4N2N
=2N

opposite

Adding Vectors Using Graphical

Method

Points to note:
All given vectors must be joined head to tail in order to
find the resultant vector
The order of the vectors to be added does not matter
The magnitude and direction of the resultant vector is
measured after the scale drawing is finished.

Graphical Method
Example 1: Add these vectors using the tip-to-tail
method.

+
C

B= C

Adding Vectors
Graphically
When you have many
vectors, just keep
repeating the process
until all are included
The resultant is still
drawn from the origin
of the first vector to
the end of the last
vector

A B

A B C

A B

Vector Subtraction
Special case of vector
addition

Add the negative of the

subtracted vector
r r
r
r
A B A B

Continue with standard

vector addition procedure

A

A B

Multiplying or Dividing a
Vector

The magnitude of the vector is multiplied or divided

by the scalar
If the scalar is positive, the direction of the result is
the same as of the original vector
If the scalar is negative, the direction of the result is
opposite that of the original vector

3A

3A

Example
Adding Vectors:
Diagram shows two forces F1 = 4N and F2 = 6N acting
on a body with an angle of 45o between them. What is
the resultant force R?
4N

45
6N

Solution (1)
Using a suitable scale, for example, 1 cm : 1 N
R
17.8
6N

4N

The resultant force is 9.3 N and makes an angle of 17.8

with the 6 N vector.

Solution (2)
Again, using a suitable scale, for example, 1 cm : 1 N

4N

6N
17.8
R

The resultant force is 9.3 N and makes an angle

of 17.8 with the 6 N vector.

39

Resultant force of 3 Forces in 2 Dimensions

(a) Unbalanced forces
When we apply 3 forces to a point object, the
resultant force acting on the object can be obtained
by adding the force vectors.

R
B

Resultant Force of 3 Forces in 2 Dimensions

(b) Balanced forces
When 3 forces acting on an
object are balanced, the object will not accelerate.
When we draw the vector diagram the 3 vectors form
a closed triangle.
Resultant is zero.

Question 4

Answer: C

Question 5

Answer: A

Resolution of vectors
It is often convenient to split a single vector
into two perpendicular components.

FV

Consider force F being split into vertical and

horizontal components, FV and FH.
In rectangle ABCD opposite:
sin = BC / DB = DA / DB = FV / F
Therefore: FV = F sin
cos = DC / DB = FH / F
Therefore: FH = F cos

FH

FV = F sin
FH = F cos
The cos component is always
the one next to the angle.

Question 6

Answer: A

Answer:

Question 7

Question 8

Answer: C

Question 9

Comments: When the object is in equilibrium state, the resultant vector is 0.

Vector Triangle Approach

Resolving Force Approach

Solving the equations:

7.5 N

7.5 N