Lecture 1:

Ch_1:Physical Quantities and Measurement

Contents:
1. Physical Quantities and Units.
2. Units of Length.
3. Dimensional Analysis Theory.
4. Density.
5. Conversions of Units.
• Physical quantity is a feature of something which can be measured, e.g.
Length, Mass or Time.
• Every physical quantity has a numerical value and a unit.
• A physical quantity has many different units depending on the location and
culture.
• Fundamental units of Length, Mass and Time are the Meter, kilogram and
Second.

• Other standards for SI fundamental units are Temperature (kelvin), Electric

current (ampere), Luminous intensity (candela), Amount of substance (mole).

• Two systems of units are used in the world, the Metric and the British systems.

• The Metric system was formalized into the International System of Units (S I).
Fundamental quantities Unit Symbol
(SI System)
Length Meter m
Mass Kilogram kg
Time Second s
Electric current Ampere A
Temperature Kelvin K
Amount of substance Mole mol
Luminous intensity Candela cd
 Length:
 Length is defined as the distance between two points in space.

yard foot
• Meter was defined as the distance travelled by light in vacuum
during a time of 1/299 792 458 second.

• SI (System International) fundamental unit of length, the Meter.

 Mass:
The SI unit of Mass, the kilogram (kg), is defined as the mass of a
specific platinum–iridium alloy cylinder kept at the International
Bureau of Standards in France.
 Time:

The SI unit of Time is the second.

One second is now defined as 9 192 631 770 times the period of
vibration of radiation from the cesium-133 atom.
• CGS system, where all the units were based on centimetre, gram and second.
• MKS system, where all the units are based on the metre, kilogram and second.

• As an example: The unit for Force.

 In CGS system dyne =gm. cm/ s2 .

 In MKS system Newton (N) = Kg. m/ s2

Newton=(1000 gm).(100 cm) / s 2 = 105 gm.cm/s2 = 105 dyne.

• The Metric system is used in
scientific work.
• Other units are used for
multiples and submultiples of
the metric units based on
various power of ten.
 3. Dimensional Analysis Theory
• The word “dimension” denotes the physical nature of a quantity.

• For dimensional analysis, the dimensions of Length, Mass, and Time are
L, M, and T, respectively.

• We shall often use brackets [ ] to denote the dimensions of a physical

quantity.

 For example, the symbol we use for speed is v, and in our notation, the
dimensions of speed are written [v] = L / T = L T-1.
 3. Dimensional Analysis Theory

Derived Area (A) Volume Speed (v) Accelerati Force =ma Work=F.d Frequency Momentu Angular
Quantity (V) on (a) (f) m (m.v) acceleratio
n
Dimension L L = L2 LLL= L/T= L / T2 = M L T‐2 M L T‐2 L T‐1 M L T‐1 T‐2
s L3 L T‐1 L T‐2
MKS m2 m3 m/s m/s2 Newton= Joule= S‐1 Kg.m/s 1/s2
system Kg.m/s2 Kg.m2/s2
CGS cm2 cm3 cm/s cm/s2 dyne= erge= S‐1 gm.cm/s 1/s2
system gm.cm/s2 gm.cm2/s2
1Newton= 1Joule=
105 dyne 107 erge
 3.1. Verification of Physical Laws
The dimensional analysis is used to check the formula, since the dimension of the
Left-hand side and the Right-hand side of the formula must be the same.

 Example 1:
Using the dimensional analysis, check that this equation x = ½ at2 is correct, where
x is the distance, a is the acceleration and t is the time.
Solution
• By applying the dimensional analysis theory :
The left-hand side dimension: x = L
And the right-hand side dimension: ½ at2 = T L
• This equation is correct because the dimension of the left and right side of the
equation have the same dimensions.
 3.1. Verification of Physical Laws
 Example 2:
A particle moving with initial velocity v0, and acceleration a, its velocity becomes, after
time t, v v a t ,Show that the expression is dimensionally correct.
Solution
• By applying the dimensional analysis theory :
The right-hand side (R. H. S.) = L / T + (L / T2) T= L / T.
The left-hand side (L.H.S.) = L / T.

• This equation is correct because the dimension of the Left and Right side of the
equation have the same dimensions.
 3.1. Verification of Physical Laws

v v 2a t
• By applying the dimensional analysis theory :
The right-hand side (R. H. S.) = L / T + (L / T2). T= L / T.
The left-hand side (L.H.S.) = L / T .
• This equation is correct because the dimension of the Left and Right side of the
equation have the same dimensions.

• Actually this is not the case, because of factor 2.

• In this way a final decision concerning the correctness of a physical relation cannot be
easily found in the theory of dimensions.
 3.1. Verification of Physical Laws
 Example 3:
Poiseuille's law describes the flowna1
of a fluid through a tube as flows.
na2
na3Q = (  r4P) / 8  L

where
Q: Volumetric flow rate, P: pressure, r: radius of the tube, : the viscosity and L: the
length of the tube.
Solution
 = (force / area) time = M L-1 T-1
• The left-hand side (L.H.S.) = L3 T-1
• The right-hand side (R. H. S.) = ( L 4 M L-1 T -2 )/( M L -1 T -1 L)
• The two sides are test of the dimensionally identical , i.e., the relation has passed the
test of the theory of dimension.
 3.2. Derivation of Some Relations
 For example:
• When a particle suspended in a thread and vibrates under
the acceleration due to earth. The periodic time T (the time
of one period) and the length L of the thread are related to
each other.
Solution
𝑇∝𝐿 𝑔

a and b are constants 𝑇 𝑘𝐿 𝑔 , K is proportionality

constant.
• This relationship is correct only if the dimensions of both
sides are the same.
 3.2. Derivation of Some Relations
𝐿 𝐿
𝑇 𝑘𝐿 𝑔 𝑇 𝐿
𝑇 𝑇
A + b=0, 1 = -2b b = -1/2, a = 1/2

𝐿 𝐿
𝑇 𝑘 2𝜋
𝑔 𝑔
• The constant K has been assumed to be a dimensionless quantity.
• This is a formula relating the periodic time T of a suspended particle to the length L of
thread of suspension and to the gravitation g due to earth.
• It is called an “empirical” formula is obtained without Theoretical Derivation.
 3.3. Dimensions of the Constants of Proportionate
 For Example:
The general law of gravity states that, there is a gravitational force
between two bodies of mass m and M and of distance r between the
two centers
𝑚𝑀
𝐹 𝐺
𝑟
G is constant.
 3.3. Dimensions of the Constants of Proportionate
𝑚𝑀
𝐹 𝐺
𝑟
Solution
• L.H.S dimension = M L T-2
• R.H.S dimension = G M2 L-2
• Since the equation is correct, therefore, the dimensions of the constant
G are:

G = M L T -2 / M2 L-2 = M -1 L3 T-2
 5. Density
 Density:
• Density defined as the amount of mass contained in a unit volume, is a property of any
substance.

𝑚 Unit: 𝑔⁄𝑐𝑚
𝜌
𝑉
𝜌 2.7 𝜌 11.3
• The difference in density from substance to another is due to their different atomic
masses, the size of atoms, and how they are arranged.

 Atomic mass of an element:

• The atomic mass is the average mass of all isotopes of that element.

• The unit for atomic mass is the atomic mass unit (amu).
5. Density
 4. Conversion of Units

• Sometimes it is necessary to convert units from one system to another.

• Conversion factors between the SI units and U.S. conventional units of
length are as follows:

1 mi = 1 609 m = 1.609 km

1 m = 39.37 in. = 3.281 ft

1 ft = 0.304 8 m = 30.48 cm

1 in. = 0.025 4 m = 2.54 cm (exactly)

 4. Conversion of Units

 Example 1:
Convert 15.0 in. to centimeters.

Solution
15.0 in. =(15.0 in)(2.54 cm/in) = 38.1 cm
 4. Conversion of Units
 Example 2:
The mass of a solid cube is 856 g, and each edge has a length of 5.35 cm.
Determine the density ρ of the cube in basic SI units.
Solution
• 1 g = 10 kg and 1 cm = 10 m, the mass m and volume V in basic SI
units:
• m 856g 10 kg 0.856kg
•V L 5.35 cm 10 m⁄cm 1.53 10 m
• Therefore,
.
•ρ 5.59 10 𝑘𝑔⁄𝑚
.