1 Units and Sig Digits

PHYSICS
EE109
- Units, Dimensions And Standards
- Significant Digits in Calculations
WHAT IS
PHYSICS????
Physics is the science that
attempts to answer
fundamental questions about
the nature of the physical universe in which we live in
Randall D. Knight
The two most important things about physics is CHANGE
and MOTION.
UNITS, DIMENSIONS, AND

STANDARDS
Accuracy & Precision

Dimensions & Units of Measure
Calculating & Converting
Significant Digits
One of the simplest methods of quantifying is to

COUNT.
This method is applicable wherever we have
individual units
Examples: apples, oranges, things, people, or atoms.
In principle, counting is an exact process of
quantifying because we are using whole numbers, or
integers, to express a quantity.
Another method of quantifying is to MEASURE.
Unlike counting, the process of measurement is not

exact/not precise.
Precision: repeatability; a measure of closeness
between the measured values towards each other.
When we measure, we are no longer using integers to
determine quantity. Instead, we are using the markings
on a meter stick, or thermometer, or the ticks of a clock to
measure quantities of length, temperature and time.
All such marks and ticks have an inherent limit of
precision that is determined by the design and
construction of the measuring device.
All such marks and ticks have an inherent limit of
precision that is determined by the design and construction
of the measuring device.
The limit of precision of a measuring device is the

smallest division of measurement the device is able to
display.
Thus:
A meter stick with 1 mm divisions has a limiting precision of 0.5 mm.

A vernier caliper that can be read to the nearest 0.1 mm has a
limiting precision of 0.05 mm.
A stopwatch with 0.5 second intervals has a precision of 0.25 s.
A digital stopwatch that displays to the nearest 0.1s has a
limiting precision of 0.05 s.
NOTE: sign indicates the reading could be more or less
than the actual reading. If a measurement exceeds the
devices limit of precision, the measurement must be
repeated.
A different/incorrect measurement uncertainty

involves the possibility of incorrect design or
calibration of the instrument, or incorrect reading or
interpretation of the instrument.
Such errors are called systematic errors.

These errors cause the measurement to be
consistently higher or lower than the true value.
Such a measurement is said to be inaccurate.
Accuracy: the extent to which systematic errors
make a measured value different from its true
value.
Random errors or statistical errors
Multiple measurements of the same quantity using the same

instrument often differ by more than the limit of precision of
the instrument.
Occurrence may be caused by fluctuations on the physical

property of the items being measured. eg: changes in
temperature, gas pressure, electric voltage, etc.
It cannot be eliminated.
But can be reduced by increasing the number of

measurements.
Dimensions and units of measure
When measuring a physical quantity, we first have to

identify what kind of physical property we are measuring.
There are only seven basic kinds of physical properties
necessary to describe all physical measurements.
These properties are called dimensions.
The properties are:
Length
Mass
Time
Temperature
Electric Current
Number of particles
Light Intensity
With each dimension, there is an associated unit.

The fundamental dimensions and their basic SI units
are shown.
Dimension
Unit
Symbol
Length
meter
Mass
kilogram
kg
Time
second
Temperature
Kelvin
Electric current
Ampere
Number of Particles
Mole
Luminous Intensity
Candela
cd
Calculating with Units

Calculating with measured quantities involves two
processes:
1) Doing the numerical calculation, and
2) Calculating the units of the resulting quantity.
Example for numerical calculation:
Dividing 20 grams (g) by 100 milliliters (ml):

20 g
100 ml
0.2
g
ml
0.2 g/ml
Multiplying 5 kilograms (kg) to 30 metres per

second (m/s):
5 kg X 30 m/s = 150 kg.m/s
Converting between systems of units
The units used in various systems to measure a

dimension usually have different names and
represent different amounts of the dimension.
We can convert any measurement from one
system to another by using the appropriate
equivalencies, called conversion factors.
For instance: 1 inch = 2.54 cm
We read this as:

There is 1 inch in 2.54 cm (1 inch/2.54 cm)
There are 2.54 cm in 1 inch (2.54 cm/1 inch)
EXERCISE
1)
2)
3)
4)
Convert 50 ounces into litres

Convert 20 litres into ounces
Convert 50 metres to feet
Convert 45 metres to feet
Given:
1 ounce = 0.03 l
1 ft = 0.3054 m
Significant Digit in Calculations
Since measuring instruments always have a limit of

precision and since statistical errors are often
present, every measurement in physics has a limit
on how many digits in the result are known with
certainty.
The digits that are known with certainty are called

significant digits.
Whenever you work a problem in physics, you must
use the correct number of significant digits to
express the results of both your measurement and
your calculation.
Examples:
Measurements
Significant
Digits
Remarks
35; 4.9
Numbers 1-9 are always significant
2.26
9.810
Zeroes at the end of a number is

significant only if they are placed
behind a decimal
5.007; 4003
Zeroes placed in between numbers 1-9

are significant
0.00875
Zeroes simply locate the decimal
8.75x10-3
Same example as above
The number 9500 is unclear, and could have either 2, 3 or 4 significant

digits.
9.500x10 = 4 significant digits
9.50x10 = 3
9.5x10 = 2
Significant Digits in Addition or Subtraction
When adding or subtracting measured quantities, the number

of decimal places of the answer can only be as great as the
number (added or subtracted) with the least decimal places.
All digits up to this limit of precision are significant.
Example:
6.3 + 2.198 +7.45 = 15.948
= 15.9
Significant Digits in Multiplying and Dividing
When multiplying or dividing measured quantities, the number

of significant digits in the result can only be as great as the
least number of significant digits in any factor in the
calculation.
Example: (31.3 cm)(28 cm)(51.85 cm) = 45,441.34 cm

Therefore,the answer is 4.5x104 cm
END OF UNITS 1.1 & 1.2

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PHYSICS

UNITS, DIMENSIONS, AND

Accuracy & Precision

One of the simplest methods of quantifying is to

Another method of quantifying is to MEASURE.

Unlike counting, the process of measurement is not

The limit of precision of a measuring device is the

A meter stick with 1 mm divisions has a limiting precision of 0.5 mm.

A different/incorrect measurement uncertainty

Such errors are called systematic errors.

Random errors or statistical errors

Multiple measurements of the same quantity using the same

Occurrence may be caused by fluctuations on the physical

But can be reduced by increasing the number of

Dimensions and units of measure

When measuring a physical quantity, we first have to

These properties are called dimensions.

The properties are:

With each dimension, there is an associated unit.

Calculating with Units

Example for numerical calculation:

Dividing 20 grams (g) by 100 milliliters (ml):

Multiplying 5 kilograms (kg) to 30 metres per

Converting between systems of units

The units used in various systems to measure a

For instance: 1 inch = 2.54 cm

We read this as:

Convert 50 ounces into litres

Significant Digit in Calculations

Since measuring instruments always have a limit of

The digits that are known with certainty are called

Numbers 1-9 are always significant

Zeroes at the end of a number is

Zeroes placed in between numbers 1-9

Zeroes simply locate the decimal

Same example as above

The number 9500 is unclear, and could have either 2, 3 or 4 significant

Significant Digits in Addition or Subtraction

When adding or subtracting measured quantities, the number

Significant Digits in Multiplying and Dividing

When multiplying or dividing measured quantities, the number

Example: (31.3 cm)(28 cm)(51.85 cm) = 45,441.34 cm

END OF UNITS 1.1 & 1.2

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