Lecture 1: Units, physical quantities

and vectors (Part 1)

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Objectives
Convert measurements into different units
Use dimensional analysis in checking the
correctness of an equation
Differentiate vector and scalar quantities
Rewrite a vector in component form
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Example:




Units are very important!
Physical quantity
Physical quantity is any number that is used to
describe a physical phenomenon.
Physical quantity = number + unit
(magnitude) (standard)
Time 60 seconds
Length 1.0 meter
Mass 50 kilograms
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Fundamental units
International system (SI or the metric system)
Repeatability of measurements

Table 1. SI Base Units
Quantity Name of Unit Symbol
Length meter m
Mass kilogram kg
Time second s
Electric current ampere A
Thermodynamic temperature kelvin K
Amount of substance mole mol
Luminous intensity candela cd
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Unit prefixes
Easy to introduce larger or smaller units
Multiples of 10 or 1/10
1 nano- = 10
-9
1 micro- = 10
-6
1 milli- = 10
-3
1 centi- = 10
-2
1 kilo- = 10
3
1 mega- = 10
6 5
Unit consistency and conversion
Equations express relationships among physical
quantities.

Equations must be dimensionally consistent.

Examples:

Height = 163 cm = 1.63 x 102 m = 5 ft, 4 in

Length: = 100 m+0.25 in

Acceleration: = = (2
m
s
)(0.26hr)
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Sample problem: Unit conversion
The official world land speed record is 1228.0km/h
set on October 15, 1997 by Andy Green in the jet
engine car Thrust SSC. Express this speed in
meters per second.
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1228.0

= 1288.0

1000
1
1
3600
= 341.1

Most physical quantities can be expressed in
terms of fundamental dimensions []:
[Length] L
[Time] T
[Mass] M
[Current] A
[Temperature]
o

[Amount] N
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DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS
- check if the equation is dimensionally correct
- know the units or the dimension of a physical quantity
Example: Dimensional Analysis
Check whether the following equations is correct:
1. =
2. = +2

Use: = m = Mass

=

=

=

2


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*substitute dimensions of the physical
quantities
*simplify the dimension of the LHS and
RHS of the equation
*check if the dimension is consistent
Exercise: Dimensional Analysis
Check whether the following equations is correct:
1. =




2. = +2



RHS:
=

= Length
LHS:
s = Length
LHS:
=

RHS:
m+ = +

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Scalar
A scalar is a quantity that is described by a
number.

Example: = 5 kg, = 60 s

Magnitude of a vector is a scalar (number) and is
always positive.
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Scalar and Vector
Vector
A vector is a quantity that has both magnitude and
direction (displacement, velocity, force).

Example: = 45 to the east, = 45, 26 north of east
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Vector from the movie Despicable Me, because
hes committing crimes with both magnitude and
direction!
Vector notation
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Describing a vector
1. Bearing
Angle with respect to a chosen axis





4 m
= 45


Displacement,

4 m, 45 north of east
4 m, 45 with respect to the horizontal
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Describing a vector
2. Component form: (, , ) coordinates

Unit vectors = 1 magnitude
, ,

unit vectors
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Components of a vector
In general form:
= P
x
+P
y
+

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Components of a vector
components of vector P in
x-, y- and z-axis
In general form:
= P
x
+P
y
+

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Components of a vector
unit vectors in
x-, y- and z-axis
components of vector P in
x-, y- and z-axis
In general form:
= P
x
+P
y
+

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Components of a vector
P
z
P
x
P
y
http://www.intmath.com/vectors/7-vectors-in-3d-space.php
= P
x
+P
y
+

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P
x
= 2m/s
P
y
= 3m/s
P
z
= 5m/s
= 2m/s +3m/ +5/

sometimes
simply
written as
x, y & z
How to calculate the components of a vector
4m
= 45


x-component
y-component
Components form a right triangle

or =

or =


=
2
+
2
= tan
1

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Given = 4m, = 45,
= 4m cos 45 = 2 2m
= 4m sin 45 = 2 2m
= x + +

= m + m
component form of
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How to calculate the components of a vector
4m
= 45


x-component
y-component

= m + m
component form of r
(vector form)
What is the magnitude of r?
=

= ( )

+( )

=
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How to calculate the components of a vector
4m
= 45


x-component
y-component

Example: vectors in bearing
and component form
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Bearing form:
= 8.00m, South

= 15.0m, 30.0
o
East
of North
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Example: vectors in bearing
and component form
Component form:
= - 8.00m

for :

= . = .

= . = .
= 7.5m + 13.0m
B
x
B
y
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Example: vectors in bearing
and component form
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= . +.
Given the components, how to get the
magnitude and direction from a vector?
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= . +.
a
x
a
y
Recall the general form:
=

Given the components, how to get the
magnitude and direction from a vector?
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=

2
+

2
(manitude of vector a)

= tan
1

(angle of vector a)
= . +.
a
x
a
y
Given the components, how to get the
magnitude and direction from a vector?
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= . +.
=

2
+

2
= (1.2)
2
+(7.1)
2
= 7.2
= tan
1

= tan
1 7.1
1.2
= 80.4
o
, 260.4
= 7.2m,
80.4
o
from horizontal
x
y
Given the components, how to get the
magnitude and direction from a vector?
Useful trick:
Any angles that differ by
180
O
have the same
tangent
80.4 and 260.4 are tan
-1
(5.9).
Seatwork
- solve problems in your
notebooks
- write the answers only in
your bluebook
- indicate the date

August 8, 2014
1. Blah?

2. Blah blah!

3. Blah blah blah!

4. Blah blah blah blah!
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1.Determine the dimension on the
LHS and RHS of the equation:

= +
1
2

2

= m = Mass

=

=

=

2

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C
y
D
x
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2 and 3: Write vector and
bearing form:
4 and 5: Write vector and
component form:

D
y
C
x
6 and 7. What is the magnitude and
direction of vector q (include which
quadrant)?

= 2 +4
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Hint: sketch vector q

your CRS email address will be used for
sending the following:

Lecture 1 Slides (to be emailed later)

Problem Set # 1 (to be emailed next week)
(use the last page of your bluebooks
in answering the problems sets,
include solutions)
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