Chapter 1: Introduction to Physics

Physical quantities
QUANTITIES that are measurable
Base quantities
PHYSICAL QUANTITIES that cannot be defined in terms of other
physical quantities but has its own definition
Derived quantities
PHYSICAL QUANTITIES that are derived from base quantities
by multiplication or division or both
Scientific notation/standard form
POWERS of the base number 10 to show a very large or small
number
Prefixes
GROUP OF LETTERS placed at the beginning of a word to
modify its meaning, which act as multipliers
Scalar quantity
QUANTITY which has only magnitude or size (time,
temperature, mass, volume, distance, density, power)
Vector quantity
QUANTITY which has both magnitude or size and direction
(force, velocity, displacement, acceleration, momentum)
Error
DIFFERENCE between actual value of a quantity and the value
obtained in measurement

Systematic errors
CUMULATIVE ERRORS that can be corrected, if the errors are
known. (Zero error, incorrect calibration of measuring
instrument)
Random errors
ERRORS that arise from unknown and unpredictable variations
in condition, and will produce a different error every
time. Random errors are caused by factors that are beyond the
control of observers. (Human limitations, lack of sensitivity,
natural errors, wrong technique)
Zero error
ERROR that arises when the measuring instrument does not
start from exactly zero
Parallax error
ERROR in reading an instrument because the observers eyes
and the pointer are not in a line perpendicular to the plane of
scale
Measurement
PROCESS of determining value of a quantity using a scientific
instrument with standard scale
Consistency
ABILITY to register the same reading when a measurement is
repeated (improve eliminates parallax error, greater care,
not detective instrument)
Accuracy

DEGREE to which a measurement represents the actual value

(improves repeat readings, avoid parallax/zero error, high
accuracy instrument)
Sensitivity
ABILITY to detect quickly a small change in the value of a
measurement (thermometer thin wall bulb, narrow capillary)
Inferences
EARLY CONCLUSION that you draw from an observation or
event using information that you already have on it
Hypothesis
GENERAL STATEMENT that is assumed to be true regarding the
relationship between the manipulated variable and responding
variable
Chapter 2: Forces and Motion
Distance
How far a body travels during motion
Displacement
CHANGE IN POSITION of an object from its initial position in a
specified direction
Speed
RATE OF CHANGE of distance
Velocity
RATE OF CHANGE of displacement
Mass

MEASURE of an objects inertia AMOUNT of matter in the

object
Acceleration
RATE OF CHANGE of velocity
Inertia
PROPERTY of matter that causes it to resist any change in its
motion or state of rest
Momentum
PRODUCT of mass and velocity
Force
pulling or a pushing ACTION on an object
Impulsive force
LARGE FORCE which acts over a very short time interval RATE
OF CHANGE in momentum
Gravity
FORCE originated from centre of the Earth that pulls all objects
towards the ground
Free fall
FALLING of an object without encountering any resistance from
a height towards the earth with an acceleration due to gravity
Forces in equilibrium
An object is said to be in a state of equilibrium when forces act
upon an object and it remains stationary or moves at a
constant velocity

Resultant force

SINGLE FORCE which combines two or more forces which act

on an object
Work
Work is done when a force causes an object to move in the
direction of the force.
Energy
CAPACITY of a system to do work
Gravitational P
ENERGY STORED in the object because of its height above the
earth surface
Elastic P
ENERGY STORED in the object as a result of stretching or
compressing it
Kinetic energy
ENERGY possessed by a moving object
Power
RATE at which work is done or energy is changed and
transferred
Efficiency

ABILITY of an electrical appliance to transform energy from

one form to another without producing useless energy or
wastage
Elasticity
PROPERTY of an object that enables it to return to its original
shape and dimensions after an applied force is removed

Spring constant
FORCE needed to extend a spring per unit length
Elastic limit
MAXIMUM STRETCHING FORCE which can be applied to an
elastic material before it ceases to be elastic
PRINCIPLE
Hookes Law
Hookes law states that the force applied to a spring is directly
proportional to the springs extension or
compression, x ,provided the elastic limit is not exceeded.
Principle of conservation of energy
Principle of conservation of energy states that total energy in
an isolated system is neither increased nor decreased by any
transformation. Energy cannot be created nor destroyed, but it
can be transformed from one kind to another, and the total
amount stays the same.
Principle of conservation of momentum
The principle of conservation of momentum states that, in any
collision or interaction between two or more objects in an

isolated system, the total momentum of the system will

remain constant; that is, the total initial momentum will equal
the total final momentum.
Newtons first law of motion
Newtons first law of motion states that a body will either
remain at rest or continue with constant velocity unless it is
acted on by an external unbalanced force.

Newtons second law of motion

Newtons second law of motion states that the acceleration a
body experiences is directly proportional to the net force
acting on it, and inversely proportional to its mass.
F =ma
Newtons third law of motion
Newtons third law of motion states that to every action there
is an equal but opposite reaction.