General Physics

1
 Subject Description
• Mechanics of particles, rigid
bodies, and fluids; waves; and heat
and thermodynamics using the
methods and concepts of algebra,
geometry, trigonometry, graphical
analysis, and basic calculus
GRADING SYSTEM
LEARNING COMPETENCIES
LEARNING COMPETENCIES
LEARNING COMPETENCIES
LEARNING COMPETENCIES
LEARNING COMPETENCIES
 Units, Physical Quantities,
Measurement, Errors and Uncertainties
Learning Competency:

Solve measurement problems involving conversion of units, expression of measurements in scientific notation
(STEM_GP12EU-Ia-1)

•Physics is an
experimental science
and it is largely a science
of measurement.
Units, Physical Quantities,
Measurement, Errors and
Uncertainties
Measurement is simply a
comparison with a standard. To
carry out accurate
measurements, it is necessary to
establish a system of standards
and a system of units in which to
express the standards.
PART 1: PHYSICAL
QUANTITIES

•Standards and Units

• Any number that is
used to describe a
physical
phenomenon
quantitatively is
called a physical
quantity.
PART 1: PHYSICAL
QUANTITIES
• Standards and Units
• In the first case we might use
• “A ruler to measure distance”, or
a “stopwatch to measure a time
interval.”
• In the second case we might
define average speed of a
moving object as a distance
travelled (measured with a ruler)
divided by the time travel
(measured with a stopwatch)
PART 1: PHYSICAL
QUANTITIES

length, mass, time,

temperature,
electric charge,

Fundamenta
l
luminous intensity,
and amount of
substance
Quantities

Speed,
Derived acceleration,
density, work, and
energy.
PART 1: PHYSICAL
QUANTITIES
PART 1: PHYSICAL
QUANTITIES
• Since 1960 the system
of units used by
scientists and engineers
is the
• “metric system”, which
is officially known as the
“International System”
or SI units (abbreviation
for its French term,
Système
International).
PART 1: PHYSICAL
QUANTITIES
PART 1: PHYSICAL
QUANTITIES
• Examples of using
prefixes with units:
• kilo- means 1000
times of a meter
Therefore 1 kilometer
is 1000 times a meter
milli- means a one
thousandth of a
meter Therefore 1
millimetre is 0.001
meter
 Quantity Equivalent Values
Mass
PART 1: PHYSICAL QUANTITIES
1 kg = 1000 g = 0.001 metric ton = 2.20462 lb m = 35.27392 oz
1 lbm = 16 oz = 5x10-4 ton = 453.593 g = 0.453593 kg
1m
= 100 cm = 1000 mm = 106 microns (µm) = 1010 angstrom (Å)
= 39.37 in. = 3.2808 ft = 1.0936 yd = 0.0006214 mile
• Unit Conversions
1
= 1000 m
• In some of the problems you Length km
1 ft = 12 in. = 1/3 yd = 0.3048 m = 30.48 cm
encounter in this activity, you may be 1 m3 = 1000 L = 106 cm3 = 106 mL
required to convert one system of = 35.3145 ft3 = 220.83 imperial gallons = 264.17 gal

unit to another. Volume

1 ft3
= 1056.68 qt
= 1728 in.3 = 7.4805 gal = 0.028317 m3 = 28.317 L
= 28,317cm3
• Because a single quantity can be Force 1N = 1 kg∙m/s2 = 105 dynes = 105g∙cm/s2 = 0.22481 lbf

expressed in many different units, it 1 lbf

= 32.174 lbm∙ft/s2 = 4.4482 N = 4.4482x105 dynes
= 1.01325x105 N/m2 (Pa) = 101.325 kPa = 1.01325 bar
Pressure
is deemed practical to use a 1 atm

consistent set of units to avoid = 1.01325x106dynes/cm2

confusion.
= 760 mm Hg at 0 (torr) = 10.333 m H2O at 4

• Thus, SI units are used to express = 14.696 lbf/in.2 (psi) = 33.9 ftH2O at 4

different quantities. = 29.921 in. Hg at 0

1J = 1 N∙m = 107 ergs = 107dyne∙cm
Energy
• Quantities that are not expressed in = 2.778x10-7kW∙h = 0.23901 cal

= 0.7376 ft∙lbf = 9.486x10-4 Btu

SI units are converted for practical Power 1W = 1 J/s = 0.23901 cal/s = 0.7376 ft∙lbf/s = 9.486x10-4

purposes. Conversion of units is done Btu/s

using the factor-label method with 1s

= 1.341x10-3hp
= 0.016666666 minute (min)
Time
the aid of the conversion table = 2.777777778 x 10-4 hour (h)
Quantity Equivalent Values

Mass 1 kg = 1000 g = 0.001 metric ton = 2.20462 lb m = 35.27392 oz

1 lbm = 16 oz = 5x10-4 ton = 453.593 g = 0.453593 kg
1m
= 100 cm = 1000 mm = 106 microns (µm) = 1010
angstrom (Å)
1 = 39.37 in. = 3.2808 ft = 1.0936 yd = 0.0006214
km mile

Length = 1000 m
1 ft = 12 in. = 1/3 yd = 0.3048 m = 30.48 cm
1 m3 = 1000 L = 106 cm3 = 106 mL
= 35.3145 ft3 = 220.83 imperial gallons = 264.17 gal
= 1056.68 qt
Volume
1 ft3 = 1728 in.3 = 7.4805 gal = 0.028317 m3 = 28.317 L
= 28,317cm3
1N = 1 kg∙m/s2 = 105 dynes = 105g∙cm/s2 = 0.22481 lbf
Force
1 lbf
= 32.174 lbm∙ft/s2 = 4.4482 N = 4.4482x105 dynes
 = 1.01325x10 5
N/m 2
(Pa) = 101.325 kPa =
Pressur 1 atm
1.01325 bar
e
= 1.01325x106dynes/cm2

= 760 mm Hg at 0 (torr) = 10.333 m H2O at

4
= 14.696 lbf/in.2 (psi) = 33.9 ftH2O at 4
= 29.921 in. Hg at 0
1J = 1 N∙m = 107 ergs = 107dyne∙cm
Energy
= 2.778x10-7kW∙h = 0.23901 cal
= 0.7376 ft∙lbf = 9.486x10-4 Btu
1W = 1 J/s = 0.23901 cal/s = 0.7376 ft∙lbf/s =
Power 9.486x10-4
Btu/s
= 1.341x10-3hp
1s = 0.016666666 minute (min)
Time
= 2.777777778 x 10-4 hour (h)
PART 1: PHYSICAL
QUANTITIES
• Example 1: Convert 15 minutes
to seconds Solution:
• Step 1: Create the
conversion factor(s) using the
conversion table.
• A conversion factor is a
fraction with the given unit and
the unknown unit. If the given
unit is located in the numerator
of the given quantity, the
similar unit will be located in the
denominator of the conversion
factor, and vice versa. Hence,
PART 1: PHYSICAL
QUANTITIES
• Example 2:
Convert 30
kilometers to
meters.
PART 1: PHYSICAL
QUANTITIES
• Example 3:
• A woman drives a car in
Tuguegarao at 50 km/h (50
kilometers per hour) express
this speed in meters per
second.
Base quantity Name of base Symbol
unit quantities
Length Meter m
Mass Kilogram kg
Time second s
Electric current Ampere A
Temperature Kelvin K
Luminous Candela Cd
intensity
Amount of Mole mo
substance
Significant Figures and Scientific Notation
• Significant figures (sig. figs)
are those digits in a number or
measurement that are not
being used and considered as
place-values. Zeroes are not
significant if they are used only
to indicate the position of the
decimal point.
• For example, if the length of a
computer desk, as measured
by a ruler graduated in
millimeters, was found to be
1564.3mm, the measurement
has five significant figures.
 SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
• What is scientific notation?
• Scientific notation (also
referred to as standard form or
standard index form) is a way
of expressing numbers in
decimal form. Scientific
notation was developed in
order to easily represent
numbers that are either very
large or very small. In this way,
very large or very small
numbers can be represented in
a much simpler way
• (any number between 1 and
10) x 10n
Summary
•Measurement is simply a comparison with a standard. To carry
out accurate measurements, it is necessary to establish a
system of standards and a system of units in which to express
the standards.

•Physical quantity is any number that is used to describe a

physical phenomenon quantitatively.

•Physical quantities may either be fundamental or derived.

There are seven fundamental quantities: length, mass, time,
temperature, luminous intensity, electric current, and amount
of substance. Derived quantities are defined in terms of
fundamental quantities.
Summary
•For each fundamental quantity, there is fundamental unit.
The fundamental units in the International System of units are
the meter, kilogram, second, kelvin, candela, ampere, and
mole.

•Significant figures (sig. figs) are those digits in a number or

measurement that are not being used and considered as
place-values.

•Scientific notation (also referred to as standard form or

standard index form) is a way of expressing numbers in
decimal form.