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Chapter 1 Introduction to Physics

Physics is the study of natural phenomena and the Fields of physics:


properties of matter. 1. Force and motion: investigates the action of force
and motion.
Physical quantities are the physical characteristics that 2. Heat: studies the influence of heat on the different
can be measured. types of matter.
Base quantities are quantities that cannot be defined in 3. Light: explains the different phenomena due to
terms of other base quantities. light.
Base quantity Quantity SI unit Symbol 4. Waves: understands the properties of different
symbol types of waves and their uses.
5. Electricity and electromagnetism: investigates
Length ʅ meter m
the interactions of electric and magnetic fields.
Mass m kilogram kg 6. Electronics: studies the use of electronic devices
Time t second s in various fields.
Electric current I ampere A 7. Nuclear physics: study of nuclear structure and
Temperature T kelvin K their applications.
Derived quantity is a quantity that is derived by Prefixes is a number of the form 10n (where n is an
multiplication or division or both of base quantities. integer) placed in front of a unit of measurement and
acts as its multiplications factor.
Volume Density Energy
Acceleration Electric Velocity The magnitude of a physical quantity can be expressed
charge in standard form or scientific notation, that is in
Force Power Momentum power of 10: A x 10n, where 1 ≤ A < 10 and n is an
integer.
Prefix Symbol Multiplications factor Prefix Symbol Multiplications factor
Tetra T 1012 Centi c 10-2
Giga G 109 Milli m 10-3
Mega M 106 Micro µ 10-6
Kilo k 103 Nano n 10-9
Deci d 10-1 Pico p 10-12
Scalar vector are quantities that have magnitude but no Vector quantities are quantities that have both
direction. magnitude and direction.
Length Time Displacement
Area Volume Velocity
Distance Speed Force
Work Energy Acceleration
Temperature Density Momentum
Accuracy of a measurement is how close the value of Consistency in measurements refers to how little
the measurement to the actual value. deviation there is among the measurements made
Sensitivity of an instrument is its ability to detect a when a quantity is measured several times.
small change in the quantity to be measured.
An error is the difference between the actual magnitudeTypes of errors in measurement:
of a physical quantity and the value obtained in the a. Systematic error is an error that is either too
measurement. high or too low from the actual value. Due to:
zero error; incorrectly calibrated scale; wrong
A parallax error is the error in reading a measurement assumption; repeating errors
because the eye is in the wrong position. b. A random error has non constant size of
error that is sometimes too high or too low.
Zero error is the error when measurements do not start
Due to: parallax error; changes in
from exactly zero.
surroundings
Scientific method
observing analysing
identifying carrying
observing identifying forming planning and and making
the out the
phenomena problem hypothesis investigation collecting interpreting conclusion
variables investigation data data

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