PHY 101: Chapter 1

Introduction, Units, Physical Quantities and Vectors

Introduction:

Physics is the science of matter and its motion, as well as space and time. It uses concepts such
as energy, force, mass, and charge. Physics is an experimental science, creating theories that are
tested against observations. Broadly, it is the general scientific analysis of nature, with a goal of
understanding how the universe behaves.
Physics is an empirical study. Also physics is inherently a science of measurement.

Physical system:

Everything that can be analyzed by the physical law is a physical system. There are numbers of
physical systems. We will study here mechanical system.

Physical Systems

Mechanical Thermal Optical Electrical

Figure 1: Some common physical systems

Measurement:

Measurement is the process of estimating the magnitude of some attribute of an object, such as its
length or weight, relative to some standard (unit of measurement), such as a meter or a kilogram.

Physical quantity:

Any number or sets of number used for a quantitative description of a physical phenomenon is
called a physical quantity.

Unit:

A unit of measurement is a standardized quantity of a physical property, used as a factor to

express occurring quantities of that property.
For example, suppose a rod is 30m long, i.e. it is 30 times long as an object whose length has been
defined to be one meter. Such a standard is called a unit of the quantity.

There are different systems of unit in the world.

1. MKS System:
Unit of length− meter
Unit of mass− kilogram
Unit of time− second

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 PHY 101: Chapter 1

2. CGS system:
Unit of length− centimeter
Unit of mass− gram
Unit of time− second

3. FPS system:
Unit of length− foot
Unit of mass− pound
Unit of time− second

Unit consistency:

Relations among physical quantities are often expressed by equations in which the quantities are
represented by algebraic symbols, only if they have the same units. An equation must always be
dimensionally consistent; this means that two terms may be added or equated only if they have the
same units.
Suppose, if a body moving with constant speed v travels a distance s in time t, these quantities are
related by the equations s = vt.
If s is measured in meters, then the product must also have units of meters. Thus an equation must
always be dimensionally consistent.

Physical quantities are often divided into fundamental quantities and derived quantities.

Fundamental quantities:

Quantities are organized in a dimensional system built upon base quantities, each of which is
regarded as having its own dimension. Fundamental quantities are not defined in terms of other
quantities. For example, mass, length, time, etc.

According to the international System of Quantities (ISQ) the fundamental quantities and their
dimensions are listed in the following table:

ISQ fundamentals quantities

Name Symbol for quantity Symbol for dimension SI fundamental unit
Length l L meter
Time t T second
Mass m M kilogram
Electric current I I ampere
Thermodynamic
T  Kelvin
temperature
Amount of substance n N mole
Luminous intensity Iv J candela

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 PHY 101: Chapter 1

Derived quantities:

Derived quantities are those whose defining operations are based on other physical quantities. For
example, velocity, acceleration, volume, etc.

Scalar and Vector quantities:

The physical quantities that can be completely specified by a number and unit, i.e. they have
magnitudes only are called scalar quantities. For example, mass, length, time, etc.
The physical quantities that have both magnitude and direction are called vectors. For example,
displacement, force, acceleration, etc.
Graphically a vector is represented by an arrow (→) defining the direction, the magnitude of the
vector being indicated by the length of the arrow.
 
A vector quantity is expressed by A or A or A and the magnitude is represented as A or A.

P1 P2

Figure 2: Showing a vector A

We consider a vector quantity called displacement vector. Suppose an object moves from a point
P1 to another point P2, then we represented as shown in the above figure.

If the magnitude of the vector is A then we can write the vector as A .

Vector Addition:

Suppose an object undergoes a displacement vector A, then

changes its direction and undergoes another displacement B. The
total effect of these two vectors is C which can be found by the tail
to head method, i.e. if we join the starting point to the ending point Figure 3
and the line we find gives the sum of the two vectors.
This method of vector addition is also known as triangle method.

Components of vector:

A single vector can be split up in two components of vector. The components will be at right angle
to each other.
If Ax and Ay are two components of vector A, then from the definition of trigonometric functions
Ax
Cos 
A
 Ax  ACos
and
Ay
Sin 
A
 Ay  ASin
Figure 4: Components of vector
From Pythagoras,

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 PHY 101: Chapter 1

Ay
A2  Ax  Ay and tan  
2 2

Ax

Unit vector:

A unit vector is a vector having a magnitude of unity, with no units. Its only purpose is to describe a
direction in space.
In the rectangular coordinate system:
Unit vector i shows a direction in +ve X direction
Unit vector j shows a direction in +ve Y direction
Unit vector k shows a direction in +ve Z direction

If we have a vector C in three dimensional space, then

𝐶⃗ = 𝑖̂𝐶𝑥 + 𝑗̂𝐶𝑦 + 𝑘̂ 𝐶𝑧
Cx, Cy, Cz are the components of vector C. Figure 5: Unit vectors

Product of vectors:

There are two types of vector multiplication. They are Scalar or dot product and vector or cross
product.

a) Scalar or dot product:

In this case the result of the multiplication of two vectors is a scalar quantity. Suppose 𝐴⃗ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵
⃗⃗ are
two vectors drawn from a common point and the angle between them is . The scalar product of
these two vectors is given by
𝐴⃗ ∙ 𝐵
⃗⃗ = 𝐴𝐵 cos 𝜃
If 𝐴⃗ = 𝑖̂𝐴𝑥 + 𝑗̂𝐴𝑦 + 𝑘̂ 𝐴𝑧 and 𝐵
⃗⃗ = 𝑖̂𝐵𝑥 + 𝑗̂𝐵𝑦 + 𝑘̂ 𝐵𝑧

⃗⃗ = (𝑖̂𝐴𝑥 + 𝑗̂𝐴𝑦 + 𝑘̂ 𝐴𝑧 ) ∙ (𝑖̂𝐵𝑥 + 𝑗̂𝐵𝑦 + 𝑘̂ 𝐵𝑧 )

𝐴⃗ ∙ 𝐵
⃗⃗ = (𝑖̂ ∙ 𝑖̂) 𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑥 + (𝑖̂ ∙ 𝑗̂) 𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑦 + (𝑖̂ ∙ 𝑘̂ ) 𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑧
𝐴⃗ ∙ 𝐵
+(𝑗̂ ∙ 𝑖̂) 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑥 + (𝑗̂ ∙ 𝑗̂) 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑦 + (𝑗̂ ∙ 𝑘̂ ) 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑧
+(𝑘̂ ∙ 𝑖̂) 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑥 + (𝑘̂ ∙ 𝑗̂) 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑦 + (𝑘̂ ∙ 𝑘̂ ) 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑧

 iˆ.iˆ  ˆj. ˆj  kˆ.kˆ  1.1Cos(0)  1 

 
& iˆ. ˆj  iˆ.kˆ  ˆj.iˆ.  ˆj.kˆ  kˆ.iˆ  kˆ. ˆj  1.1Cos(90)  0

∴ 𝐴⃗ ∙ 𝐵
⃗⃗ = 𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑥 + 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑧
Now,
𝐴⃗ ∙ 𝐵
⃗⃗ = 𝐴𝐵 cos 𝜃 = 𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑥 + 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑧

𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑥 + 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑧 𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑥 + 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑧
cos 𝜃 = =
𝐴𝐵
√𝐴𝑥 2 + 𝐴𝑦 2 + 𝐴𝑧 2 √𝐵𝑥 2 + 𝐵𝑦 2 + 𝐵𝑧 2

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 PHY 101: Chapter 1

If two vectors 𝐴⃗ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵

⃗⃗ are perpendicular to each other (𝜃 = 90°), then the dot product is zero
(𝐴⃗ ∙ 𝐵
⃗⃗ = 0)
𝐴⃗ ∙ 𝐵
⃗⃗ = 𝐴𝐵 cos 𝜃 = 𝐴𝐵 cos 90° = 0

b) Vector or cross product:

In this case the result of the multiplication of two vectors is a vector quantity. The vector product of
two vectors 𝐴⃗ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵⃗⃗ is denoted by 𝐴⃗ × 𝐵⃗⃗, which is another vector with a direction perpendicular to
plane of 𝐴⃗ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵
⃗⃗.
   
If C  A  B , then the magnitude of C is
  
C  nˆ A B Sin ,
where n̂ is a unit vector indicating the direction
and is the angle between them.

If 𝐴⃗ = 𝑖̂𝐴𝑥 + 𝑗̂𝐴𝑦 + 𝑘̂ 𝐴𝑧 and 𝐵

⃗⃗ = 𝑖̂𝐵𝑥 + 𝑗̂𝐵𝑦 + 𝑘̂ 𝐵𝑧

⃗⃗ = (𝑖̂𝐴𝑥 + 𝑗̂𝐴𝑦 + 𝑘̂ 𝐴𝑧 ) × (𝑖̂𝐵𝑥 + 𝑗̂𝐵𝑦 + 𝑘̂ 𝐵𝑧 )

𝐴⃗ × 𝐵 Figure 6: vector product
 iˆ  iˆ Ax Bx   iˆ  ˆj Ax By   iˆ  kˆ Ax Bz   ˆj  iˆAy Bx   ˆj  ˆj Ay By   ˆj  kˆAy Bz 
 kˆ  iˆ Az Bx   kˆ  ˆj Az By   kˆ  kˆ Az Bz 

But
iˆ  iˆ  ˆj  ˆj  kˆ  kˆ  1.1Sin (0)  0
& iˆ  ˆj  kˆ, ˆj  iˆ   kˆ, ˆj  kˆ  iˆ, kˆ  ˆj  iˆ, kˆ  iˆ  ˆj , iˆ  kˆ   ˆj

 
 
Therefore A  B  iˆ Ay Bz  Az By  ˆj  Ax Bz  Az Bx   kˆ Ax By  Ay Bx  
Thus we can write the vector product of two vectors in terms of Matrix.
𝑖̂ 𝑗̂ 𝑘̂
𝐴⃗ × 𝐵
⃗⃗ = |𝐴𝑥 𝐴𝑦 𝐴𝑧 |
𝐵𝑥 𝐵𝑦 𝐵𝑧
⃗⃗ = 𝑖̂ (𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑧 − 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑦 ) + 𝑗̂(𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑥 − 𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑧 ) + 𝑘̂ (𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑦 − 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑥 )
𝐴⃗ × 𝐵

If two vectors 𝐴⃗ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵

⃗⃗ are parallel to each other (𝜃 = 0°), then the cross product is zero (𝐴⃗ × 𝐵
⃗⃗ =
0)
𝐴⃗ × 𝐵
⃗⃗ = 𝜂̂ 𝐴𝐵 sin 𝜃 = 𝜂̂ 𝐴𝐵 sin 0° = 0

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 PHY 101: Chapter 1

Mathematic Problems: (P 16-17)

1. The components of a vector are given by (a) Ax = 3 cm, Ay = -4 cm, (b) Ax = –5 m, Ay = –12
m; Construct the vectors, find their magnitude & directions and show them in figure. [Ans: (a)
5 cm; -53.1° (b) 13 m, -112°]

2. Find the angle between two vectors A = 3i +4j + 5k and B = 3i +4j – 5k [Ans: 90°]

3. Given that A = 2i +3j - 5k and B = mi + 2j +10k, Find the value of m when A and B are
perpendicular to each other. [Ans: m = 22]

4. What will be the value of a if A and B are parallel. Given that A = 5i +2j - 3k and B = 15i + aj
- 9k [Ans: a = 6]

5. Given that A = 2i - 6j - 3k and B = 4i + 3j – k, Find the unit vector perpendicular to the

vectors A and B. [Ans: (15i - 10j + 30k)/35]

6. Given that A = i +3j + 5k and B = 2i – 2j – 3k, Find (a) A + B, (b) A – B, (c) the Dot
product between A & B and find the angle between them (d) the cross product between A & B
and prove that A × B = – (B × A) (e) the value of A . (B× A) [Ans: (a) 3i + j + 2k, (b) -i + 5j +
8k , (c) -19, 130° (d) 𝐴 × 𝐵 = 𝑖 + 13𝑗 − 8𝑘, (e) 𝐴 ∙ (𝐵 × 𝐴) = 0]

7. Check whether the vectors A = – i + j + 4k and B = – 3i + j + 4k are parallel or perpendicular

to each other. If none of them, find the angle between them. [Ans: 22.41°]

8. An airplane flies 20 km in a direction 60° north of east, then 30 km straight east, then 10 km
straight north. How far and in what direction is the plane from the starting point? [Ans: 48.4
km; 34.3° north of east]

9. A car drives 5 km east, then 4 km south, then 2 km west. Find the magnitude and direction of
the resultant displacement? [Ans: 5 km, 53.1° south of east]

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