Physics

Physics is a science which deals with matter

and energy.
It is a science which treats of bodies and
phenomena in nature.
It is a science of measurement where the
experimental method is exemplified to the
highest degree.
The modern science of Physics maybe said to
begin with the work of Galileo in 1564 1642.

Physics originated as the study of natural

philosophy. Among those who explained the
material universe in the field of natural
philosophy were: Democritus, the first
atomist, Epicurus, Hipparchus, Lucretius,
Aristotle, Socrates, and Archimedes. They
were followed by Ptolemy, Copernicus,
Bacon, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo who was
called the father of experimental Physics
and Sir Isaac Newton who is famous in
formulating the 3 Newtons Laws of Motion.

Measurement and Units

Two commonly used systems:
1. English System or the fps system
- foot pound second
2. Metric System or the mks and cgs
system
- meter kilogram-second
-centimeter-gram-second

Units of Length ( Metric)

Units of Length (English)

1 kilometer

1000 meters

1 foot

12 inches

1 hectometer

100 meters

3 feet

1 yard

1 dekameter

10 meters

5280 feet

1 mile

unit

meter

1000 mils

1 inch

1 decimeter

0.10 meter

1 centimeter

0.01 meter

1 millimeter

0.001 meter

Conversion Table of Lengths

Metric to English
1 km

0.6214 mi

1m

3.28 ft

1m

39.37 in

English to Metric
1 mi

1.609km

1 mi

1609m

1 ft

0.305m

1 in

2.54cm

Units of Mass
Metric

English

1 kilogram

1000 grams

1 pound mass

16 ounces

1 hectogram

100 grams

1 ton

2000 pounds

1 dekagram

10 grams

1 ounce (oz)

437.5 grains

unit

1 gram

1 decigram

0.10 gram

1 centigram

0.01 gram

1 milligram

0.001 gram

1 metric ton

1000 kg

Conversion Table of Mass

1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds
1 pound = 0.454 kg
1 pound = 454 gm
1 metric ton = 2200 pounds

Abbreviation of Units
Millimeter

mm

inch

in

Centimeter

cm

foot

ft

meter

mile

mi

gram

gm

pound

lb

kilogram

kg

ounce

oz

second

sec

kilometer

km

liter

yard

yd

newton

Conversion Chart
Length (Metric to English)
To convert
Multiply
From
To
By
Millimeters
Inches
0.039
Centimeters inches
0.39
Meters
inches
39.37
Meters
yards
1.09
Meters
feet
3.28
Kilometers
miles
0.62

Area (Metric to English)

From
To
Multiply By
Sq. centimeters
sq. in.
0.155
Sq.meters
sq. ft
10.763
Sq. meters
sq. yards 1.2
Sq. kilometers
sq. mi
0.4
MASS (Weight) Metric to English
Grams
ounces
0.035
Kilograms
pounds
2.205
Ton
pounds
2205

Volume (Metric to English)

From
Cubic cm.
Cubic meters
Milliliters
Liters
Liters
Liters
Liters

To
Cu.in.
cu. Yds.
fl.oz.
fl.oz
pints
quarts
gallons

Multiply By
0.061
1.308
0.033
33.814
2.113
1.056
0.264

Temperature (Metric to English)

From
formula
Celcius

To

Fahrenheit

Use this

9(C + 32)
5

Length (English to Metric)

To Convert
From
Inches
Inches
Inches
Feet
Yards
Miles

To
millimeters
centimeters
meters
meters
meters
kilometers

Multiply
By
25.4
2.54
0.0254
0.304
0.914
1.609

Area (English to Metric)

From
To Multiply By
Sq. in
sq. cm
6.451
Sq. ft
sq. m
0.092
Sq. yd
sq. m
0.8
Sq. mi
sq. km
2.6
MASS (English to Metric)
Ounces grams
28.35
Pounds kg 0.453
Tons kg 907.2

Volume (English to Metric)

From
cu. in
cu. yd
fl. oz.
fl. oz.
pints
quarts
gallons

TO
cu.cm
cu. m
ml
liters
liters
liters
liters

Multiply By
16.387
0.764
29.574
0.029
0.473
0.946
3.785

Temperature (English to Metric)

From
formula
Fahrenheit

TO

Celcius

Use this

5(F 32)
9

Notes about conversion factors:

The conversion chart is a handy tool to
convert quickly between English and SI
systems. But, the conversion chart sacrifices
exactness for quickness. The conversion
factors are only an approximation of exact
answers.
To demonstrate the appropriate nature of the
conversion factors, observe these two
problems solved by the Conversion Method
and the Exact Method.

Problem 1. Convert 100 sq.ft to sq. m

Conversion Method:
100 X 0.092 = 9.2 sq.m
Exact Method:
100 sq. ft x144sq.in x 6.4516sq.cm x 1 sq.m
1sq. ft
1 sq. in 10000sq.cm
= 9.290 sq. m
The difference in the answers is 0.090 sq. m

Problem 2. Convert 5000sq. ft to sq. m

By Conversion Method:
500 x 0.092 = 460 sq.m
By Exact Method:
500 sq. ft x 144sq.in x 6.4516sq.cm x 1 sq.m
1 sq.ft
1 sq. in 10000sq.cm
= 464.515 sq.m

The difference in the answers is 4.5 sq.m

From these two methods, we can see that
the greater the factor of conversion the
greater the deviation from exactness.

Length Measurements
-Decimal movement between linear units is one
place to the left or to the right

unit

kilometer

hectometer

dekameter

Meter

decimeter

centimeter

millimeter

symbol

1 km =

1 hm =

1 dam =

1m =

1dm =

1cm =

1mm =

Base unit
value

1000m

100m

10m

1m

0.1m

0.01m

0.001

Converting units of Length

1. 10m =____cm

2. 5cm =_____mm

3. 35cm =___m

4. 100mm =____m

5. 5mm =____km

6. 500km =______m

7. 35.5 cm =____m

8. 50dm =______hm

9. 600dm =____km

10. 165mm =_____m

Square Measurements
- Remember for square measurements, the
decimal moves two places per square unit.

unit

kilometer

hectometer

symbol

1sq. km =

1 sq.hm =

Base unit
value

1,000000
sq.m

10,000
sq.m

dekameter

Meter

decimeter

centimeter

millimeter

1 sq.dam =

1sq.m
=

1 sq.dm =

1 sq.cm =

1sq.mm =

100 sq.m

1
sq.m

0.01sq. m

0.0001
sq. m

0.000001
sq.m

Problem Solving - Convert the following:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

100 sq.m =________sq.cm

10,000 sq.hm=_________sq.km
100,000 sq.mm =________sq.m
1000 sq.dam =_______sq.mm
8000 sq.dm=__________sq.cm
40,000sq.cm =__________sq.mm
16,000 sq.km =__________sq.hm
5000 sq.m =_______sq.dam
70,000sq. hm =___________sq. dam
6000 sq. m =__________sq. dm

Worded Problems
1. A piece of plywood has a rectangular
shape with dimensions of 4 ft X 8 ft.
Find the area in sq. ft__________
Find the area in sq. in_________
Find the area in sq. cm________
Find the area in sq.dm_________
Find the area in sq.m__________

2. Each of the 60 rectangular pieces of metal

measures 6 dm on one side and 10 dm on the
other side.
Find the total area of the 60 pieces in sq.m?
Find the total area in sq. dm?
3. A square measures 4meters on one side.
Find the area in sq. m?
Find the area in sq. mm?
Find the area in sq. cm?
Find the area in sq. ft?

Volume Measurements
- Remember for volume measurements, the decimal
moves three places per cubic unit.

Cubic Cubic Cubic Cubic Cubic Cubic Cubic

Km Hm
Dam
M
Dm
Cm Mm
Example: Convert the following
1. 100 cu.m=__________cu.dm
2. 10,000 cu.dm=________cu.m
3. 10 cu.km =_______cu. Dam
4. 1,000,000 cu. mm =________cu.dm

5. 800 cu. hm =________cu. dm

6. 1000 cu.cm =________cu. mm
7. 400 cu. m =_______cu. dam
8. 200 cu.dm =_______cu. mm
9. 500 cu. dam =______cu. dm
10. 1000 cu.mm =________cu. M
Worded Problems:
1. Determine the volume of a box with
Length= 1m, width= 150 cm and height= 80
dm

Find the volume in sq. m?__________

Find the volume in sq. cm?_________
Find the volume in sq. dm?_________
Find the volume in sq. mm?________
Find the volume in sq. dam?_________
Find the volume in sq. hm?__________