INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS

OBJECTIVES :

1.2.1 BASE QUANTITIES

Physical
Quantiti
es
A physical quantity is a
quantity that can be
measured.
A physical quantity can
be divided into base
quantity and derived
quantity.

Physical
Quantiti
es
Base quantities are the quantities that
are conventionally accepted as
functionally independent of one
another.
It is a quantity that cannot be defined
in term of other physical quantity.
The base quantities and its units are
as in the table below:

PHYSICAL
QUANTITIES

1.2.2 DERIVED QUANTITIE

S A derived quantity is a Physics quantity
Derived
Quantities

that is not a base quantity. It is the

quantities which derived from the base
quantities through multiplying and/or
dividing them.Example

Derived
Unit

The derived unit is a

combination of base units
through multiplying and/or
dividing them.

EXAMPLE 1
Find the derived unit of
density.
?????????

UNIT CONVERSION
AREA AND VOLUME

COMPLETE THE
FOLLOWING UNIT
CONVERSION

a) 12 kmh-1= __________ ms-1

b) 12 ms-1= __________ kmh-1

1.3 SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES

Scalar
Quantity

Scalars are quantities which are fully

described by a magnitude only.
Magnitude is the numerical value of a
quantity.
Examples of scalar quantities are
----distance, speed, mass, volume,
temperature, density and energy.

 Vector
Quantity

Vectors are quantities which

are fully described by both a
magnitude and a direction.
Examples of vector
quantities are
---displacement, velocity,
acceleration, force,
momentum, and magnetic
field.

EXAMPLE 1

Categorize each quantity below as

being either a vector or a scalar.
Speed, velocity, acceleration,
distance, displacement, energy,
electrical charge, density, volume,
length, momentum, time,
temperature, force, mass, power,

Scalar Quantities:
speed
distance
energy
electrical charge
density
volume
length
time
temperature
mass
power
work

Vector Quantities
velocity
acceleration
displacement
momentum
force
impulse

Error

1.4.0 MEASUREMENTS
AND
ERROR
SYSTEMATI
C ERROR

Systematic errors
are errors which
tend to shift all
measurements in a
systematic way so
their mean value is
displaced.
Systematic errors
can be
compensated if the

EXAMPL
ES

zero error, which

cause by an
incorrect position
of the zero point,
an incorrect
calibration of the
measuring
instrument.
consistently
improper use of
equipment.

ZERO ERROR
1. A zero error arises when the
measuring instrument does not start
from exactly zero.
2. Zero errors are consistently
present in every reading of a
measurement.

 RANDOM
ERROR

1. Random errors arise

from unknown and
unpredictable variations in
condition.
2. It fluctuates from one
measurement to the next.
3. Random errors are
caused by factors that are
beyond the control of the
observers.
4. Random error can cause

personal errors such as

human limitations of
sight and touch.
lack of sensitivity of
the instrument: the
instrument fail to
respond to the small
change.
natural errors such as
changes in
temperature or wind,
while the experiment is
in progress.
wrong technique of
measurement.

PARALLAX ERROR
A parallax error is an error
in reading an instrument due to
the eye of the observer
and pointer are not
in a line perpendicular
to the plane of the scale.

PR

EC
IS

IO
N

CONSISTENCY,ACCURACY
AND SENSITIVITY
1. Precision is the ability to record almost
the same readings that are consistent
with little or no relative deviation
among the various reading of the
same physical quantity obtained.
2. A set of readings has a high
consistency when the readings have a
small deviation from the mean value..

SET A
a) 5.47 cm
b) 5.48 cm
c) 5.45 cm
d) 5.48 cm
e) 5.46 cm

SET B
a) 5.45 cm
b) 5.42 cm
c) 5.51 cm
d) 5.50 cm
e) 5.43 cm

Mean value :
= 5.468 cm

Mean value :
= 5.462 cm

EXAMPLE
SET A has a higher
consistency
because it has a
smaller deviation of
the readings from its
mean value
compared to SET B

AC

CU

RA

CY

1. The ability to record a reading

close to its actual value.
2. The precision of a reading can
be indicated by its relative
deviation.
3. A set of readings has a high
degree of accuracy when the
readings have a low relative
error.

Table below shows that the micrometer

screw gauge is more accurate than the
other measuring instruments.

 The difference
between
precision and
accuracy can be
shown by the
spread of
shooting of a
target

SE
NS
ITI
V
IT
Y

1. The sensitivity of an instrument

is its ability to detect small
changes in the quantity that is
being measured
2. Thus, a sensitive instrument
can quickly detect a small change
in measurement.
3. Measuring instruments that
have smaller scale parts are more
sensitive.

EXAMPLE
To measure the diameter of a beaker:

A metre rule records a reading of 1.5 cm

but the Vernier caliper shows a reading
of 1.47 cm.
The Vernier caliper is more sensitive
than the metre rule because the Vernier
caliper can sense a small change in
length.

MEASURING
INSTRUMENT

SMALLEST READING

Metre rule

0.1 cm

Vernier caliper

0.01 cm

Micrometer screw gauge

0.001 cm

1.5 SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATI

ON
A report of the investigation must include:

Objective of the experiment,

Inference,
Hypothesis,
Three types of variables: manipulated variable, responding
variable and fixed variable,
List of apparatus,
Procedure,
Tabulation of data,
Analysis of data,
Conclusion.

 PROCEDURE:
1) A 10 cm long simple pendulum is set up.
2) The pendulum is pulled to one side and then
released.
3) The time taken for the pendulum to make 10
swings is recorded. This step is repeated to obtain
a second reading.
4) Steps 2 and 3 are repeated using strings
lengths of 20 cm,30cm and 40 cm.
5) The results are recorded in Table 1.