01_Lecture
Chapter 1: Units, Physical Quantities, and Vectors
Goals for Chapter 1
Presentation of physical quantities using accepted standards for units.
Understanding the significance of significant figures in data calculations.
Manipulation of vector components and vector addition.
Preparation of vectors using unit vector notation.
Understanding and using scalar and vector products.
The Importance of Physics
Physics is a fundamental science that integrates mathematics into practical applications.
It is present in daily life, influencing many aspects of everyday experiences.
Solving Physics Problems
The problem-solving approach involves:
Identify: Recognizing the problem's specifics.
Set Up: Organizing the problem for analysis.
Execute: Carrying out the necessary calculations.
Evaluate: Checking for accuracy and reasonability of results.
Idealized Models
Example: A real baseball's flight versus an idealized model.
Real baseball: Involves complex shapes, air resistance, and gravitational
variations based on altitude.
Idealized model: Treated as a point object without air resistance and with a
constant gravitational force.
Standards and Units
The Metric System (SI)
Time (sec): Defined based on the mean solar day; precise measurement established in
1967.
Base units include:
Length (meters)
Time (seconds)
Mass (kilograms)
Time Measurement
Modern atomic clocks use the cesium atom's energy levels to define a second.
One second = time for 9,192,631,770 cycles of microwave radiation from cesium.
Length Measurement
Defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second (1 meter).
Mass Measurement
The kilogram is defined by the mass of a specific platinum-iridium cylinder maintained at
SV.
Unit Prefixes
Common conversions:
1 km = 10^3 m
1 kg = 10^3 g
1 kW = 10^3 W
1 nm = 10^-9 m
1 μm = 10^-6 m
1 mm = 10^-3 m
1 cm = 10^-2 m
Measurement Units Examples
Observable Universe: 10^26 m
Distance to the Sun: 10^11 m
Diameter of Earth: 10^7 m
Size of a Red Blood Cell: 10^-10 m
Understanding Uncertainty and Significant Figures
Accurate operations maintain the integrity of data:
For multiplication/division, round to the least number of significant figures.
For addition/subtraction, round to the least precise measurement.
Vectors
Vectors represent magnitude and direction, typically depicted as arrows.
Addition follows the “head to tail” method.
Vector Addition
Rules for Adding Vectors
Two vectors (A & B) are parallel:
Magnitude of their sum = sum of magnitudes: C = A + B.
When vectors are in opposite directions:
Magnitude of their sum = difference of magnitudes: C = |A - B|.
Components of Vectors
Any vector can be decomposed into x and y components using trigonometric functions:
x-component: V*cos(θ)
y-component: V*sin(θ)
Calculations Using Components
Magnitude and direction can be derived from components:
Sketching a diagram helps visualize the calculations.
Scalar and Vector Products
Scalar Product (dot product): A • B = ABcos(θ)
A scalar quantity derived from two vectors.
Vector Product (cross product): A x B = ABsin(θ)
Yields a new vector perpendicular to the plane formed by A and B.
Summary of Key Concepts
Scalars: Quantities described only by magnitude (e.g., mass, speed).
Vectors: Quantities defined by both magnitude and direction (e.g., force, velocity).
Vectors combine based on vector addition rules and can be represented in component
form.
The relationship between vectors is quantified by scalar and vector products.
