Units, Measurements,

Conversion

Scalars and
Vectors
 Measurement of physical quantities

Physics is a quantitative science, based Fundamental Fundamental

on measurement of physical quantities. S.No. Symbol
Quantities Units
Certain physical quantities have been
1. Length meter m
chosen as fundamental or base
quantities. 2. Mass kilogram kg
3. Time second s
Each base quantity is defined in terms
4. Temperature Kelvin K
of a certain basic arbitrarily chosen but
properly standardize reference standard 5 Electric current Ampere A
called unit. 6 Capacitance Farad F
7 Magnetic Field Tesla T
 International System of units

The International System of units based on seven base units at present internationally accepted unit system and is widely
used throughout the world.

SI System This system contain seven fundamental units and CGS System In this system, the unit of
two supplementary fundamental units. The SI units are used in length is centimeter, the unit of mass
all physical measurements, for both the base quantities and the is gram and the unit of time is
derived quantities obtained from them. Certain derived units second.
are expressed by means of SI units of special names such as
joule, newton, watt etc. FPS System In this system, the unit of
length is foot, the unit of mass is
MKS System In this system, the unit of length is meter, the unit pound and the unit of time is second.
of mass is kilogram and the unit of time is second.
 Methods

Direct and indirect methods can be used for the measurement of physical quantities.

In measured quantities while expressing the result, the accuracy and precision of measuring instruments along with
errors in measurement should be taken into account.

In measured and computed quantities proper significant figures only should be retained.

The dimensions of base quantities and combination of these dimensions describe the nature of physical quantities.
Dimensional analysis can be used to check the dimensional consistency of equations, deducing relations among
physical quantities etc.
 Error

The uncertainty in the measurement of a physical quantity is called an error.

The errors in measurement can be classified as (i) Systematic errors and (ii) Random errors

Systematic errors:
These are the errors that tend to be either positive or negative.
Sources of systematic errors are
(i) Instrumental errors
(ii) Imperfection in experimental technique or procedure
(iii) Least count error is the error associated with the resolution of the instrument.

Random errors:
Those errors which occur irregularly. These errors arise due to unpredictable fluctuations in experimental
conditions. Sources of random errors is usually personal errors.
We can show the error using the
"Plus or Minus" sign: ±
 Error
The magnitude of the difference between the individual measurement and the true value of the quantity is called the
absolute error of the measurement.

The arithmetic mean of all the absolute errors is taken as the final or mean absolute error of the value of the
physical quantity a. It is represented by Δamean

Relative error - it is the ratio of the mean absolute error to the true value.
Relative error = Δamean/ amean

Percentage Error : When the relative error is expressed in per cent, it is called the percentage error (δa).
Percentage error =(Δamean/ amean) ×100
 Error
Example: a fence is measured as 12,5 meters long, accurate to 0,1 of a meter

Accurate to 0,1 m means it could be up to 0,05 m either way:

Length = 12,5 ±0,05 m

So it could really be anywhere between 12,45 m and 12,55 m long.

Absolute Error = 0,05 m

Relative Error = 0,05 m / 12,5 m = 0,004

Percentage Error = 0,4%

 Error

Example: The thermometer measures to the nearest 2 degrees. The

temperature was measured as 38° C

The temperature could be up to 1° either side of 38° (i.e. between 37° and 39°)

Temperature = 38 ±1°

Absolute Error = 1°

Relative Error = 1° / 38° = 0,0263...

Percentage Error = 2,63...%

 Significant figures
The significant figures are normally those digits in a measured quantity which are known reliably plus
one additional digit that is uncertain.

For counting of the significant figure rule are as:

(i) All non- zero digits are significant figure.

(ii) All zero between two non-zero digits are significant figure.

(iii) All zeros to the right of a non-zero digit but to the left of an understood decimal point are not
significant. But such zeros are significant if they come from a measurement.

(iv) All zeros to the right of a non-zero digit but to the left of a decimal point are significant.

(v) All zeros to the right of a decimal point are significant.

(vi) All zeros to the right of a decimal point but to the left of a non-zero digit are not significant. Single
zero conventionally placed to the left of the decimal point is not significant.

(vii) The number of significant figures does not depend on the system of units.
 Significant figures

Addition or subtraction with significant figures:

In addition or subtraction, the result should be reported to the same number of decimal places
as that of the number with minimum number of decimal places.

For ex: A= 334.5 kg; B= 23.45Kg then A + B =334.5 kg + 23.43 kg = 357.93 kg

The result with significant figures is 357.9 kg

Mutiplication and division in significant figures:

In multiplication or division, the result should be reported to the same number of significant
figures as that of the number with minimum of significant figures.
 Rounding Off
While rounding off measurements the following rules are applied:

Rule I: If the digit to be dropped is smaller than 5,then the preceding digit should be left unchanged.

For ex: 9.32 is rounded off to 9.3

Rule II: If the digit to be dropped is greater than 5, then the preceding digit should be raised by 1

For ex: 8.27 is rounded off to 8.3

Rule III: If the digit to be dropped is 5 followed by digits other than zero, then the preceding digit should
be raised by 1

For ex: 9.351 on being rounded off to first decimal, becomes 9.4

Rule IV: If the digit to be dropped is 5 or 5 followed by zeros, then the preceding digit is not changed if it
is even, is raised by 1 if it is odd.
For ex:
5.45, on being rounded off, becomes 5.4
5.450 on being rounded off, becomes 5.4
7.355, on being rounded off, becomes 7.4
 Dimensions
DIMENSIONS, DIMENSIONAL FORMULA AND DIMENSIONAL EQUATION:

(1)Dimensions of a derived unit are the powers to which the fundamental units of mass, length and time etc. must
be raised to represent that unit.

(2)Dimensional formula is an expression which shows how and which of the fundamental units are required to
represent the unit of a physical quantity.

M1L1T-2 is the dimensional formula of Force.

Ex; Force = Mass x length / time ^2 = M1L1T-2

 Dimensional Analysis
Scientists generally work in metric units. Common prefixes used are the following:

Prefix Abbreviation Meaning Example

1 megameter
mega- M 106 (Mm) = 1 x 106 m

kilo- k 103 1 kilogram (kg) = 1

x 103 g

1 centimeter (cm)
centi- c 10-2 = 1 x 10-2 m

1 milligram (mg) =
milli- m 10-3 1 x 10-3 g

micro- m 10-6 1 micrometer (g) =

1 x 10-6 g

1 nanogram (ng) =
nano- n 10-9 1 x 10-9 g
 Dimensional Analysis

English-Metric conversions:

1 inch = 2.54 centimeters

We can make two unit factors from this information:

Example: How many centimeters are in 6.00 inches?

 Dimensional Analysis

Example: How many seconds are in 2.0 years?

Example: Convert 50.0 mL to liters.

Example: What is the density of mercury (13.6 g/cm 3) in units of kg/m3?

 Dimensional Analysis

Q: How many millimeters are present in 20.0 inches?

A: 508 mm

Q: The volume of a wooden block is 6.30 in3. This is equivalent to how many cubic centimeters?

A: 103 cm3

Q: A sample of calcium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2, with a formula weight of 164 g/mol, has 5.00 x 10 27 atoms of oxygen.
How many kilograms of Ca(NO3)2 are present?
A: 227 kg
 Additional Questions
1) Earth is approximately a sphere of radius 6,37 106 m. What are
a) its circumference in kilometers,

b) its surface area in square kilometers, and

c) its volume in cubic kilometers?

Solution:

r = 6,37 106 m.

a) The circumference of Earth is 2  r = 2  3,14  6,37 106 m.

= 40,024 10 6 m.
= 40,024 10 6 103 km.

2r 4,0024 10 4 km.

=
b) 4  r 2 = 4  3,14  6,37 106 (1 km 2  106 m 2 )
2
m
12 2
= 509,904 10
The surface mEarth
area of is 4  r 2
=5,099 108
km2

c) The volume of a sphere is V 4  r 3

=  3,14  6,37 106 m = 1082,697 1018 m3
4 3

3 3

(1 km 3  109 m3 )

V 10,083 1012 km3

2) Antartica is roughly semicircular, with a radius of 2000 km.
The average of thickness of its ice cover is 3000 m
.
How many cubic centimeters of ice does Antartica contain? (İgnore the
curvature of Earth)
Solution:

r = 2000 km = 2 106 102 cm  2 108 cm d = 3000 m = 3 103

102cm The volume of half disc is

r 2 d 3,14  2 108 cm 3
2


Vice  2 5
10 cm 2

Vice  18,841021
3) cm3
a) Assuming that each cubic centimeter of water has a mass of exactly 1 g., find

the mass of one cubic meter of water in kilograms.

b) Suppose that it takes 10 h. to drain a container of 5700 m 3 of water. What is the
“mass flow rate”, in kilograms per second of water from the container?
a)  Vm  1 kg / lt  1 kg /
water (1lt 1dm  10 3 3

Solution: dm3
cm3 )

103 g (1 kg  103 g )
 water  1 g / cm3  constant
 103 cm3

So the density of the water is constant.

For one cubic meter of water, the mass is

1
m  water V  1 kg / dm3  1 1 m3  1000
kg
10 m3 kg.
-3
m3 
b) The mass of water is obtained by the density equation.

water  1kg / dm3

1
m  water V  1 kg / dm3  5700  5700 m3  5,7 106
kg
10 m3 kg.
-3
m3 
 t  10 h.10 60 min.  10 60 60 s. 
36000s.

The mass flow rate:

m 5,7 106 2
 1,583 10 kg/s.  158,3
v flow  kg 36000 s. kg/s.
t
4) Express
 the speed of light, 3 108 m/s , in
a)feet per nanosecond and
b)millimeters per picosecond.

Solution:
c) 1 m.= 3,281 ft.

1 ns.=10 9 s.
 s 
3,281 ft10 9   0,98 ft/ns.
3 108 m/s  3 s 
8
m m ns
10    

b) Using 1 m. = 103 mm. and 1 ps.=10 12 s., we find

3108 m/s  310 8 m 
10 3 mm 10 12 s   0,30
s mm/ps.

   ps
5) The displacement of a particle
m
moving under uniform acceleration is some
function of the elapsed time and the acceleration. Suppose we write this
displacement s=kamtn, where k is a dimensionless constant.
Show by dimensional analysis that this expression is satisfied if m=1 and
n=2. Can this analysis give the value of k?

L  L m n
Solution: s  L, a T 2 ,t  T , s  ka
m n
L T 2  T   m  1, n 
 t  2
DISCUSSION
What are the units of
time and Temperature

???

Second and Kelvin

What are the units of Length
in
CGS and MKS systems???

Centimeter and Meter

My height is measured as 172.5 cm
long, accurate to 0,1 of a cm
then what is the Absolute Error
?

0,05 cm
My height is measured as 172.54 cm long,
then what is the significant figure ?

172.5 cm
 If M is Mass and L is Length
then how Density can be written ?

Mass/volume= M/L^3
How small is 1
nanogram (ng)
?

= 1 x 10-9 g
Scalars and Vectors
 Scalar quantity

• A Scalar quantity has magnitude but NOT direction

• Examples:
Distance
Time
Speed
Mass
Temperature
Energy
 Vector quantity

• A Vector quantity has BOTH magnitude and direction

• (ex. 50 meters North)
• Examples:
Displacement
Acceleration
Force
Momentum
Electric Force
Magnetic Force
 Scalar vs. Vector
Difference Between Scalar and Vector is crucial to understand in
physics learning.
Below are a few differences for better understanding.

Vector Scalar

A physical quantity with both

Definition the magnitude and A physical quantity with only
direction. magnitude.

A number (magnitude),
Representation direction using unit cap or A number (magnitude) and
arrow at the top and unit. Unit

Quantity symbol in bold and

Symbol an arrow sign above Quantity symbol

Direction Yes No

Example Velocity and Acceleration Mass and Temperature

 Drawing Method

Draw a vector as a line with an arrowhead at its tip.

The length of the line shows the vector’s magnitude.
The direction of the line shows the vector’s direction.
 Adding two vectors graphically

Two vectors may be added graphically using either the parallelogram method or the head-to-tail method.
Substracting vectors
Multiplying a vector by a scalar
Components of a vector
Components of a vector
Components of a vector
Unit vectors
Unit vectors
Example:
Adding vectors using unit-
vector notation
Adding vectors using unit-
vector notation
Dot Products of Unit Vectors
Vector Multiplication
 Scalar Product

The scalar product (also called the “dot product”) of two vectors is
Properties of Scalar Product
 Angle between two vectors

Example:
The angle between vectors
Example of scalar products in
physics
Vector products
Vector products
Vector products
 Vector products

Example:
Example:
 Vector products

Example:
 Vector products
Example:
Example of vector products in physics
 Vectors (Additional Questions)
1) Each of the displacement vectors A and B shown in figure has a magnitude of 3.00 m.
Find graphically
(a) A + B,
(b) A - B,
(c) B - A,
(d) A - 2B.
Report all angles counterclockwise from the positive x axis.

Solution:
To find these vector expressions graphically, we draw each set of vectors.
Measurements of the results are taken using a ruler and protractor.

(a) A + B = 5.2 m at 60°

(b) A – B = 3.0 m at 330°
(c) B – A = 3.0 m at 150°
(d) A – 2B = 5.2 m at 300°.

2) Two vectors are given by

→
a  4 m.iˆ  3 m.ˆj  1 m.kˆ and
→
b  1m.iˆ  1 m.ˆj  4 m.kˆ .
In unit-vector notation, find
→ →
a) a  b

→ →
b) a 
b
→ → →
c) a unit vector →
c such that a  b  c  0 .

Solution:
→
a) a→ 
 4 m.iˆ
 3 m.ˆj
 1m.kˆ
 1m.iˆ
 1m.ˆj
 4 m.kˆ
b
→ →
a  
3 m.iˆ 
2am.
→ ˆ→ j
→ → →
50m. kˆ →c
c)
  c →
ba a 
b b →
→
 b
c   →5 m.iˆ  4 m.ˆj 

→
b)→a 
kˆ5iˆm.i  4 m. j 

 ˆ ˆ
c 3m.
4 m.
33m.m.kˆˆj
 1 m.kˆ
3)
 The iˆ vectors in figure have magnitudes a  3 m. , b  4 m., c  10
1 m.three
 m.What
1 m.ˆj  are
4 m.kˆ
b
→ →the x component and
a a)  →
5 m.the
b) iˆ  y component of a ;
4 m.
c) the
ˆj  x component and
→
3 m.
d) kˆ
b the y component of b ; and
e) the x component and
→
f) → → →
the y component of c ? If c  pa
 qb , what are the values of
g) p and
h) q ?
Solution:

→ b→ →
From the figure, we note that c  , which implies that the angle between c and the  x
is 120∘ .
axis
a) Direct application of a x  a cos yields the answer for this and the next few parts.
a x  a cos0 ∘  a  3 m.
b) a y  a sin 0 ∘  0
c) bx  b cos30∘  4 m.cos30∘  3,46 m.
 d) b y  b sin 30 ∘  4 m.sin 30 ∘  2 m.
e) c x  c cos120∘  10 m.cos120∘  5 m.
f) c y  c sin 120 ∘  10 m.sin 120 ∘  8,66 m.
g) In terms of component (first x and then y ), we must have

 5 m.  p3 m.  q3,46 m. 8,66 m.  p0 m.  q2 m.

Solving these equations, we find p  6,67 .
h) and q  4,33 (note that it’s easiest to solve for q first). The numbers p and q have no units.

4) Vector A has x and y components of -8.70 cm and 15.0 cm, respectively; vector B has x and y components of 13.2
cm and -6.60 cm, respectively. If A - B + 3C = 0, what are the components of C?

Solution:

A = -8.70 iˆ +15.0 ˆj and B=13.2 iˆ −6.60 ˆj

A−B+3C=0:

3C = B - A= 21.9 iˆ -21.6 ˆj

C = 7.3 iˆ - 7.2 ˆj or

Cx = 7.30 cm ; Cy = −7.20 cm

5)Obtain expressions in component form for the position vectors having the following polar coordinates:
(a) 12.8 m, 150° (b) 3.30 cm, 60.0° (c) 22.0 in., 215°.

Solution:

x = rcos and y = rsin , therefore:

(a) x =12.8 cos150°, y =12.8 sin150°, and (x, y )= (−11.1 iˆ +6.40 ˆj ) m

(b) x =3.3 cos60°, y =3.3sin 60°, and

(x, y) = (1.65 iˆ + 2.86 ˆj ) cm

(c) x =22 cos215°, y =22 sin 215°, and (x, y) = (−18.0 iˆ −12.6 ˆj ) in

6)A man pushing a mop across a floor causes it to undergo two displacements.
The first has a magnitude of 150 cm and makes an angle of 120° with the positive x axis.
The resultant displacement has a magnitude of 140 cm and is directed at an angle of 35° to the
Solution:

We have B=R-A:

Ax  150cos120o  75
cm
Ay  150sin 120o  130
cm 140cos35o 
R x

115cm
R o
y  140sin 35  80.3

cm
Therefore
B  [115 (75)]iˆ [80.3 130] ˆj  (190iˆ  49.7 ˆj)
cm
B  190
1
2
 49.7
 49.7 
2
 196o cm
  tan    14.7
190 

7) A rectangular parallelepiped has dimensions a, b, and c as in figure.

(a)Obtain a vector expression for the face diagonal vector R1. What is the magnitude of this vector?
(b)Obtain a vector expression for the body diagonal vector R2. Note that R1, c kˆ , and R2
make a right triangle and prove that the magnitude of R2 is a 2  b2  c2 .

Solution:

(a)From the picture, R1 = a iˆ +b ˆj and R 1 = a2+b2.

(b)R2 =a iˆ + b ˆj + c kˆ ; its magnitude is

2
R c2  a2
b 2 c 2 .
1
 8) For the following three vectors, what is 3C  2 
→
 → →

→ ?
A B
A  2iˆ  3ˆ j  ˆ
→
4k 3i  4 j 
B ˆ ˆ ˆ
→
2k 7iˆ  8 ˆ
C
j
Solution:
2→AB 3 j  4k
→
ˆ ˆ  ˆ
ˆ   3i  4 ˆj 

2 2i   
 2  6i⏟ˆ 0 iˆ ⏟8iˆ  ˆj⏟ ˆ 4iˆ ⏟kˆ  9 ˆj  ⏟ iˆ  
⏟ iˆ  12⏟ˆj  ˆj ⏟6ˆ ˆj  kˆ⏟ 12kˆ 

2kˆ


 kˆ
j
kˆ
0
iˆ
j
iˆ
0

16kˆ  ˆj  8kˆ  kˆ
ˆ
 44i  16 j  ˆ
→ →

3C→ 34k
ˆ
  
2 A  B3 ˆ 8 ˆj  ˆ44i ˆ16 j ˆ
 3  308 
 7i  34k 
128
 540
DISCUSSION
Time, Speed, Mass, Temperature and Energy
are they scaler or Vector?

Scaler
 How about
Acceleration, Force,
Momentum ?

Vector
 Which one is the x

A Cosϴ or A Sinϴ
component of Vector A?

A Cosϴ
What is the magnitude
of a Unite Vector

ONE ( 1)
 If
Ax = 4 and Ay=3
then
what is the magnitude of A?

A=5
What is the dot product
of Unit vector by itself?

One (1)
 What is the scalar
product of vector A and
B

them is ϴ?
if the angle between

A B Cos ϴ
What is the vector product of
vector A and B
if the angle between them is
ϴ?
?

A B Sin ϴ
in a vector products
C=AХB, what is the
direction of C ?
?

C is perpendicular to A, B plane
 Unit vectors i and j are given,
what is the resultant unit vector
of i Х j =?

k
THE END
 QUIZ TIME
1-What are the units of time and Temperature
2-height is measured as 172.54 cm long, then what is the significant figure ?
3-How small is 1 nano gram (ng)?
4-What are the units of Length in CGS and MKS systems???
5-Time, Speed, Mass, Temperature and Energy are they scaler or Vector?
6-Which one is the x component of Vector A? A Cosϴ or A Sinϴ
7-What is the magnitude of a Unite Vector?
8-If Ax = 4 and Ay=3 then what is the magnitude of A?
9-What is the dot product of Unit vector by itself?
10-What is the scalar product of vector A and B ,if the angle between them is ϴ?
11-in a vector products C=AХB, what is the direction of C ?
12-Unit vectors i and j are given, what is the resultant unit vector of i Х j ?
13-Which one is the x component of Vector A ,A Cosϴ or A Sinϴ ?

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