CHAPTER 1:

Physical Quantities and Measurements

1
 Subtopic For Chapter 1:
1.1 Dimensions of physical quantities

1.2 Scalars and vectors

1.3 Significant figures and uncertainties and

analysis

2
1.1 Dimensions of physical quantities

At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:

Define dimension
Determine the dimensions of derived quantities.
Verify the homogeneity of equations using dimensional
analysis

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1.1 Dimension
technique or method which the physical quantity
can be expressed in terms of combination of basic
quantities.

Can be written as
[physical quantity or its symbol]
And uses to:

verify the
deduce units of
homogeneity of
derived quantities
physics equations
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 Table shows the dimension of basic quantities.
[Basic Quantity] Symbol Unit
[mass] or [m] M kg

[length] or [l] L m

[time] or [t] T s

[electric current] or [I] A@I A

[temperature] or [T]  K

[amount of substance] or [N] N mole

Table 1.1

Square bracket
Round bracket
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Table 1.2 shows some examples of dimension for derived quantity.
Derived quantity Symbol Formulae Dimension SI Unit
Velocity v s/t L T-1 m s-1
Volume V lwt L3 m3
Acceleration a v/t L T-2 m s-2
Density  m/V M L-3 kg m-3
Momentum p mv M L T-1 kg m s-1
Force F ma M L T-2 kg m s-2 @ N
Work W Fs M L2 T-2 kg m2 s-2 @ J
Power P W/t M L2 T-3 kg m2 s-3 @ W
Frequency f 1/T T-1 s-1 @ Hz
Pressure P F/A M L-1 T-2 kg m-1 s-2 @ Pa
Table 1.2

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 Note:
 Dimension of dimensionless constant is 1,

e.g. [2] = 1, [refractive index] = 1

 Dimensions cannot be added or subtracted.

 The validity of an equation cannot determined by

dimensional analysis.
 The validity of an equation can only be
determined by experiment.
Principle of homogeneity:

Dimension on the L.H.S. = Dimension on the R.H.S

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 Example 1.1 : Solution 1.1 :

Determine whether the following a) Dimension on the LHS

expressions are dimensionally
correct or not
2s   2s   L

a) 2 s  2ut  at 2 where s, u, a Dimension on the RHS

and t represent the 2ut  2ut   1LT1 T  L
displacement, initial velocity, and
acceleration and the time of
an object respectively.
at   at   LT T   L
2 2 2 2

Dimension on the LHS =

dimension on the RHS
Hence the equation above is
homogeneous or
dimensionally correct. 8
 Example 1.1 : Solution 1.1 :

Determine whether the following b) Dimension on the LHS

expressions are dimensionally
correct or not
2 1 2

v  LT  L2T 2 
b) v 2  u 2  2 gt where t, u, v Dimension on the RHS

and g represent the time, u 2


 LT 
1 2
 L2T 2
initial velocity, final velocity 2gt  2g t   1LT2 T  LT1
and the gravitational
acceleration respectively. and
Thus v   u   2gt
2 2

Therefore the equation

above is not homogeneous
or dimensionally incorrect.

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 Example 1.1 : Solution 1.1 :

Determine whether the following c) Dimension on the LHS:

expressions are dimensionally 1
correct or not  f      T 1

T 
1 g Dimension on the RHS:
c) f  where f, l and g
2π 1 g   1  12  12
   g  l 
l

represent the frequency of  2π l   2π 
  L
a simple pendulum , length
 1 LT
1
2  12
of the simple pendulum and
2
 T 1
the gravitational  1 g
acceleration respectively. f   
 2π l 
Therefore the equation above is
homogeneous or
dimensionally correct.
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 Example 1.2 Solution 1.2

Determine a dimension a)
and the S.I. unit for the
Velocity  change in displacement 
following quantities
time interval
a)
b)
Velocity
Acceleration
or
v  s 
c) Linear momentum t 
d) Density v   LT 1
L
e) Force T
The S.I. unit of velocity is m s1.

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 Example 1.2 Solution 1.2

Determine a dimension b)
a   v
and the S.I. unit for the t 
following quantities LT 1
a  
T
a)
b)
Velocity
Acceleration
a   LT 2
c) Linear momentum The S.I. unit : m s2.
d)
e)
Density
Force
c)  p   m v
 p  MLT1 
 p  MLT 1
The S.I. unit : m s2.

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 Example 1.2 Solution 1.2

d) ρ  m
Determine a dimension
and the S.I. unit for the V 
following quantities ρ  m
l  w h
a) Velocity
 ρ  M
b) Acceleration L L L
c)
d)
Linear momentum
Density
ρ  ML3
e) Force The S.I. unit : kg m3.
e) F   m  a 

F   MLT2 
F   MLT 2
The S.I. unit : kg m s2.
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1. Determine the unit of  in term of basic unit by using the
equation below:
2
Pi  Po 
R
where Pi and Po are pressures of the air bubble and R is
the radius of the bubble.

2. Show that the equation below is dimensionally correct.

πR4 P1  P2 
Q
8 ηL
Where R is the inside radius of the tube, L is its length,
P1-P2 is the pressure difference between the ends,  is
the coefficient of viscosity ( N s m-2) and Q is the volume
rate of flow ( m3 s-1).
ANS: kg s-2 ,U think 14
1.2 Scalars and Vector

At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:

Define scalar and vector quantities
Resolve vector into two perpendicular components
( x and y axes )
Illustrate unit vectors (iˆ, ˆj , kˆ ) in Cartesian coordinate
State the physical meaning of dot ( scalar ) product:
 
A  B  AB cos θ 
State the physical meaning of cross (vector) product:
 
A  B  AB sin θ

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 Scalar Quantities

is a physical quantity that has only magnitude. It is

independent of direction. Example are mass,
speed and work

Vector Quantities

is a physical quantity that has both magnitude and

direction. It is. Example are force, velocity and
acceleration

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direction

magnitude
magnitude

direction

direction
direction

magnitude
magnitude
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 SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITY

Scalar quantity Vector quantity

quantity with both magnitude & direction
quantity with magnitude only.

Example Example
Direction of vector
 mass  displacement
 time  velocity
 temperature  acceleration

Vector A
Length of an arrow– magnitude of vector A
Direction of arrow – direction of vector A
It can be represent by
i. direction of compass
ii. angle with reference line
iii. cartesian coordinates
iv. polar coordinates
v. denotes with + and - sign
 Addition of vector

Parallelogram Triangle


A 
B

Parallelogram Triangle
   
 A B A B
B 
B
O  O 
A A
   
A B  B  A Commutative Rule
 Associative Rule Distributive Rule

  

P
PQ R


R
  
 
 A  B  A  B


Q   
   A  A  A

P  Q   R  
AB


P 
 
PQ  
R 
B
 A

 
 
Q
2 AB

     

PQ  R  P Q R  
 Adding Parallel Vectors
(1) vectors in the same directions
 
A  3N B  7N

Resultant, R  10 N

R  (3 N )  (7 N )  10 N To the right

(2) vectors in the opposite directions

 
A  3N B  7N The direction of
resultant vector R is
 in the direction of
Resultant, R  4 N the bigger vector

R  (7 N )  (3N )  4 N To the right
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Resultant , R= 9 N to the East

Resultant, R = 40 N to the East

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 Resolving vector

1st method : 2nd method :

y y

 
 R   R 
Ry Ry

0  x
0  x
Rx Rx
Rx
 cos θ  R x  R c os θ Rx
 sin   R x  R sin 
R R
 R y  R cos 
Ry
 sin θ  R y  R sin θ
Ry
 cos
R R
The magnitude of vector R :


R or R  R x  2
 
 Ry
2

Direction of vector R :

1 
Ry Ry 
tan θ  θ  tan  
or

Rx  Rx 


Vector R in terms of unit vectors written as R  Rxiˆ  Ry ˆj