Chapter 1 B

Physics And Measurement

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 Units Of Chapter 1

2
 Prefixes
Prefixes correspond to powers of 10
We usually express multiples of 10 or 1/10 in exponential notation:
1000 =103, 1/1000 = 10-3

Each prefix has a specific name

Each prefix has a specific abbreviation

The prefixes can be used with any basic units

They are multipliers of the basic unit

3
Base units are set for length, time, and
mass.
Unit prefixes size the unit to fit the
situation.
 .

5
Unit prefixes (examples )
Length
1 nanometer = 1 nm = 10-9 m
1 micrometer = 1 m = 10-6 m
1 millimeter = 1 mm = 10-3 m
1 centimeter = 1 cm = 10-2 m
1 kilometer = 1 km = 103 m
Mass
1 microgram = 1 g = 10-6 g = 10-9 kg
1 milligram = 1 mg = 10-3 g = 10-6 kg
1 gram = 1 g = 10-3 kg

Time
1 nanosecond = 1 ns = 10-9 s
1 microsecond = 1 s = 10-6 s
1 millisecond = 1 ms = 10-3 s
 Example1
Write the following as full (decimal) numbers with
standard units:
(a) 286.6 mm
(b)85 V
(c) 760 mg
(d) 60.0 ps
(e) 22.5 fm
(f) 2.50 gigavolts.

7
 Solution
(a) 286.6 mm =
1m 3
286.6mm 3
286.6 10 m 0.2966m
10 mm
(b) 85 V=
1V
85V 85 10 6
V 0.000085V
10 V
6

= 760 mg)c(
1g 3 1Kg 6
760mg 3
760 10 g 3
760 10 Kg
10 mg 10 g
0.000760 Kg
(d)60.0 ps= 60.0 x10-12 s = 0.000 000 000 0600 s
(e) 22.5 fm= 22.5x10-15 m =0.000 000 000 000 022 5 m
(f)2.50 gigavolts= 2.50x109 volt = 2, 500, 000, 000 volt

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Example 2

Express the following using the prefixes of Table 14:

1 10 6 volts megavolt 1MV

2 10 6 meters 2micrometers 2m

8 10 9 second 8nano sec onds 8ns

9
 Dimensional Analysis
Technique to check the correctness of an equation or to
assist in deriving an equation
Dimensions (length, mass, time, combinations) can be
treated as algebraic quantities
add, subtract, multiply, divide
Both sides of equation must have the same dimensions
Any relationship can be correct only if the dimensions
on both sides of the equation are the same
Cannot give numerical factors: this is its limitation

10
 Basic Quantities and Their
Dimension
Dimension has a specific meaning it denotes the
physical nature of a quantity

Dimensions are denoted with square brackets

Length [L]

Mass [M]

Time [T]

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 Dimensions and Units
Each dimension can have many actual units
Table 1.5 for the dimensions and units of some derived
quantities

12
 Dimensional Analysis,
example
Given the equation: x = at 2
Check dimensions on each side:
L
L 2 T2 L
T
The T2s cancel, leaving L for the
dimensions of each side
The equation is dimensionally correct
There are no dimensions for the constant

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 Dimensional Analysis to
Determine a Power Law
Determine powers in a proportionality
Example: find the exponents in the expression
x amt n
You must have lengths on both sides
Acceleration a has dimensions of L/T2
Time t has dimensions of T
Analysis gives
x at
2

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 Solution

xa t m n

where n and m are exponents that must be determined and

the symbol ( indicates proportionality).
This relationship is correct only if the dimensions of both
sides are the same
Because the dimension of the left side is length [L]
the dimension of the right side must also be length[L]
That is:
[a m t n ]= L = L1T0
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(L/T 2) m T n = L 1T 0
(L m T n-2m ) = L 1T 0
The exponents of L and T must be the same on both sides of
the equation ,
From the exponents of L, we see immediately that m = 1.

m=1 This result

L =L m 1

From the exponents of T, we see that : differs by a

Tn-2m = T0 factor of
n -2m = 0, n = 2. from the
correct
xa t m n
expression,
which is .
x at 2
x=
16
at2
17
18
 Exercise 1 ;
Suppose we wish to calculate the distance x traveled
by the car but are not sure whether the correct relation
is
x = vt2 or x = vt.

We can decide by checking the quantities on both sides

of the equal sign to see whether they have the same
dimensions .

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 Solution

X = vt2 X = vt

Dimension L


L 2
T LT
Dimension L L T L
T
T
The dimension on the left side
[L] = [L][T] on the right side, The dimension on the left
the relation is incorrect [L] = [L] on the right side.
The relation is right

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 Exercise 2: The period P of swinging pendulum depends only
on the length of the pendulum d and the acceleration of gravity
g.
Which of the following formulas for P could be correct ?
(Given: d has units of length (L) and g has units of (L / T 2).

a) P = 2 (dg)2

d
b) P 2
g

d
c) P 2
g
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 Solution

Realize that the left hand side P has units of

time (T )
Solution: (a) Solution: (b) Solution: (c)
2
L L4 L L
L 2 4 T T2 T T2 T
T T L L
T2 T2
LHS RHS
LHS RHS LHS =RHS

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 Exercise 1
The speed, of an object is given by the equation v At 3 Bt ,
where t refers to time. What are the dimensions of A and B?

Answer: A distance time 4 .

B distance time 2 .

25
 Exercise 2
The equation for the change of position of a
1
train starting
x at at
2
2
bt is given by .
3

The dimensions of b are

a. T -1
b. L T -3
c. L T -2
d. L T -1
e. L -1T-1

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