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