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Examples:
• Mass • Time
• Length • Temperature
Types of physical quantities
2. Derived quantities:
The physical quantities which depend on one or more
fundamental quantities for their measurements are
known as derived quantities.
Examples:
• Area • Speed
• Volume • Force
Units for measurement
The standard used for the measurement of
a physical quantity is called a unit.
Examples:
• metre, foot, inch for length
• kilogram, pound for mass
• second, minute, hour for time
• fahrenheit, kelvin for temperature
Characteristics of units
Well – defined
Suitable size
Reproducible
Invariable
Indestructible
Internationally acceptable
CGS system of units
Length metre m
Mass kilogram kg
Time second s
Temperature kelvin K
Electric current ampere A
Luminous intensity candela cd
Amount of substance mole mol
Definition of metre
θ = 1 radian
Two supplementary units
2. Steradian: It is used to measure solid angle
Ω = 1 steradian
Rules for writing SI units
1
Full name of unit always starts with small
letter even if named after a person.
• newton • Newton
• ampere not • Ampere
• coulomb • Coulomb
Rules for writing SI units
2
Symbol for unit named after a scientist
should be in capital letter.
3
Symbols for all other units are written in
small letters.
4
One space is left between the last digit of
numeral and the symbol of a unit.
• 10 kg • 10kg
• 5N not • 5N
• 15 m • 15m
Rules for writing SI units
5
The units do not have plural forms.
• 6 metre • 6 metres
• 14 kg • 14 kgs
not
• 20 second • 20 seconds
• 18 kelvin • 18 kelvins
Rules for writing SI units
6
Full stop should not be used after the
units.
• 7 metre • 7 metre.
• 12 N not • 12 N.
• 25 kg • 25 kg.
Rules for writing SI units
7
No space is used between the symbols for
units.
• 4 Js • 4Js
• 19 Nm not • 19 N m.
• 25 VA • 25 V A.
SI prefixes
Factor Name Symbol Factor Name Symbol
24 yotta Y −1 deci d
10 10
21 zetta Z −2 centi c
10 10
18 exa E −3 milli m
10 10
15 peta P −6 micro μ
10 10
12 tera T −9 nano n
10 10
9 giga G −12 pico p
10 10
6 mega M −15 femto f
10 10
3 kilo k −18 atto a
10 10
2 hecto h −21 zepto z
10 10
1 deka da −24 yocto y
10 10
Use of SI prefixes
−3
• 3 milliampere = 3 mA = 3 x 10 A
−6
• 5 microvolt = 5 μV = 5 x 10 V
−9
• 8 nanosecond = 8 ns = 8 x 10 s
−12
• 6 picometre = 6 pm = 6 x 10 m
3
• 5 kilometre = 5 km = 5 x 10 m
6
• 7 megawatt = 7 MW = 7 x 10 W
Some practical units for measuring length
−6 −9
1 micron = 10 m 1 nanometer = 10 m
Bacterias Molecules
Some practical units for measuring length
−10 −15
1 angstrom = 10 m 1 fermi = 10 m
Atoms Nucleus
Some practical units for measuring length
• Astronomical unit = It is defined as the mean distance of
the earth from the sun.
11
• 1 astronomical unit = 1.5 x 10 m
Distance of planets
Some practical units for measuring length
• Light year = It is the distance travelled by light in vacuum in
one year.
15
• 1 light year = 9.5 x 10 m
Distance of stars
Some practical units for measuring length
• Parsec = It is defined as the distance at which an arc of 1 AU
subtends an angle of 1’’.
• It is the largest practical unit of distance used in astronomy.
16
• 1 parsec = 3.1 x 10 m
1 AU 1”
Some practical units for measuring area
• Acre = It is used to measure large areas in British system of
units.
1 acre = 208’ 8.5” x 208’ 8.5” = 4046.8 m2
1
• 1 atomic mass unit = x mass of single C atom
12
−27
• 1 atomic mass unit = 1.66 x 10 kg
• It is the smallest practical unit for measuring
mass.
• It is used to measure mass of single atoms,
proton and neutron.
Some practical units for measuring time
• 1 Solar day = 24 h
−8
• 1 shake = 10 s
Seven dimensions of the world
Fundamental quantities Dimensions
Length [L]
Mass [M]
Time [T]
Temperature [K]
Current [A]
Amount of substance [N]
Luminous intensity [J]
Dimensions of a physical quantity
[M] [M]
[Density] = = 3 = [ML−3 ]
L × L × L L
To convert units
To derive a formula
To check the correctness of equation
Consider the equation of displacement,
1 2
∆x = vi t + a t
2
By writing the dimensions we get,
∆x = displacement = [L]
length
vi t = velocity × time = × time = [L]
time
length
at 2 = acceleration × time2 = × time 2 = [L]
time2
The dimensions of each term are same, hence the equation is
dimensionally correct.
To convert units
Let us convert newton SI unit of force into dyne CGS unit of force .
T = K 𝑙1/2 𝑔−1/2
Dimensions of 𝑙 = [L M T ]
1 0 0
𝑙
Dimensions of g = [L1 M 0 T −2 ] ∴ T=K
𝑔
Least count of instruments
1
All non-zero digits are significant.
Number Significant figures
16 2
35.6 3
6438 4
Rules for counting significant figures
2
Zeros between non-zero digits are significant.
3
Terminal zeros in a number without decimal are
not significant unless specified by a least count.
Number Significant figures
400 1
3050 3
(20 ± 1) s 2
Rules for counting significant figures
4
Terminal zeros that are also to the right of a
decimal point in a number are significant.
Number Significant figures
64.00 4
3.60 3
25.060 5
Rules for counting significant figures
5
If the number is less than 1, all zeroes before the
first non-zero digit are not significant.
6
During conversion of units use powers of 10 to
avoid confusion.
Number Significant figures
2.700 m 4
2
2.700 x 10 cm 4
−3 4
2.700 x 10 km
Exact numbers
• Exact numbers are either defined numbers or the
result of a count.
• They have infinite number of significant figures
because they are reliable.
By definition By counting
1 dozen = 12 objects 45 students
1 hour = 60 minute 5 apples
1 inch = 2.54 cm 6 faces of cube
Rules for rounding off a measurement
1
If the digit to be dropped is less than 5, then the
preceding digit is left unchanged.
Number Round off up to 3 digits
64.62 64.6
3.651 3.65
546.3 546
Rules for rounding off a measurement
2
If the digit to be dropped is more than 5, then the
preceding digit is raised by one.
Number Round off up to 3 digits
3.479 3.48
93.46 93.5
683.7 684
Rules for rounding off a measurement
3
If the digit to be dropped is 5 followed by digits other
than zero, then the preceding digit is raised by one.
Systematic errors
Gross errors
Random errors
1. Systematic errors
Personal errors
Instrumental errors
Environmental errors
a. Personal errors
These errors are arise due to faulty procedures
adopted by the person making measurements.
Parallax error
b. Instrumental errors
These errors are arise due to faulty construction
of instruments.
Zero error
c. Environmental errors
Trial no ( i ) 1 2 3 4 5
Measured value ( Xi ) 3.9 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.5
Mean value
The average of all the five readings gives the most probable
value for time period.
1
X= Xi
n
∆Xi = X − Xi
1
∆X = n ∆Xi
relative error = ∆X / X
0.1
∆X / X = = 0.0277
3.6
∆X / X = 0.028
Percentage error
The relative error multiplied by 100 is called as
percentage error.
∆X ∆A+∆B
=
X A±B
∆X = ∆A + ∆B
When X = A × B or A / B
∆X ∆A ∆B
= +
X A B
∆A ∆B
∆X = + X
A B
n
When X = A
∆X ∆A
= n
X A
∆A
∆X = n X
A
Estimation