Specific Objectives:

At the end of the session, students are expected to:

1. express numbers using scientific notation
2. solve problems involving conversion of units

LESSON 1: Units of Measurements

LESSON 2: Significant digits
LESSON 3: Scientific Notation
LESSON 4: Conversion of Units
Physics is the study of everyday phenomena. It aims
to explain these phenomena in terms of the
fundamental laws, or the laws of nature. As the
“basic Science”, it serves as a foundation to other
field of sciences like Astronomy, Meteorology,
Biology, Chemistry and others.
Some branches under Some branches under
Classical Physics includes: Modern Physics includes:
1. Mechanics 1. Atomic and Nuclear
2. Acoustics Physics
3. Optics 2. Quantum Physics
4. Thermodynamics 3. Relativistic Physics
5. Electromagnetism 4. Solid State Physics
5. Plasma Physics
Some branches under Classical Physics
includes:
Mechanics- Mechanics is the branch of
physics that deals with the motion of an
object without or with the reference of force.
Some branches under Classical Physics
includes:
Acoustics-Acoustics deals with the study of
sound and its transmission, production, and
effects. Acoustics mainly involves the
mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids,
which include vibration, sound, ultrasound, and
infrasound.
Some branches under Classical Physics
includes:
Optics -This branch of physics deals with the
behaviour, propagation, and properties of
light. Optics can be simply described as the
study of the behaviour of infrared light, visible
light, and ultraviolet.
Some branches under Classical Physics
includes:
Thermodynamics-Thermodynamics deals with
the study of heat and its relation with work and
energy. Thermodynamics also deals with the
transmission of heat energy by means of
convection, conduction, and radiation.
Some branches under Classical Physics
includes:
Electromagnetism-Electromagnetism deals
with the study of electromagnetic force like
electric fields, light, magnetic fields, etc. There
are two aspects of electromagnetism which are
“electricity” and “magnetism”.
Some branches under Modern Physics
includes:
Atomic and Nuclear Physics –study of the
components, structure and behavior of the
nucleus atom.
Some branches under Modern Physics includes:
Quantum Physics -Quantum physics is the study
of matter and energy at the most fundamental
level. It aims to uncover the properties and
behaviors of the very building blocks of nature.
Some branches under Modern Physics includes:
Solid State Physics- the study of all properties of
solid materials including electrical conduction in
crystals of semiconductors and metals,
superconductivity and photoconductivity
Some branches under Modern Physics includes:
Plasma Physics- the study of the fourth state of
matter, Plasma.
Low Temperature Physics- the study of the
production and maintenance of temperatures
down to almost absolute zero, and the various
phenomena that occur only at such temperature.
LESSON 1: Units of measurement
Measurement is simply a comparison of a physical
quantity with the measurement standard. However, a
physical quantity would make sense to everyone when
compared to a reference standard.
The use of standard units of measurement can be traced
back to ancient times using ropes, stones, sticks and even
body parts to measure other objects.
•Body parts however vary from one person to another. Hence,
Body
peopleparts however
would givevary from one
different person to another.
measurement. Hence, people
To eliminate
would give different
confusion, measurement.
an international To eliminate
convention confusion,
agreed an
to use standard
international convention agreed to use standard units. A standard
units. A standard is an amount/quantity that everyone agrees. is
an amount/quantity that everyone agrees.

•Since 1960, the system of units used by scientists and

Since 1960, the system of units used by scientists and engineers
engineers is the “metric system”, which is officially known as is
the
the “metric system”,System”
“International which is officially known
or SI units as the “International
(abbreviation for its
System” or SI units (abbreviation for
French term, Système International). its French term, Système
International).
Systems of measurement
1. Metric System- mks and cgs
2. English System- fps

SI System of units: (mks)

The international system of units established by the
International Committee on Weights and Measures.
Such units are based on strict definitions and are the
only official units for physical quantities.
Seven SI Fundamental Units
Quantity Unit Symbol
Length Meter m
Mass Kilogram kg
Time Second s
Electric Current Ampere A
Temperature Kelvin K
Luminous Intensity Candela cd
Amount of Substance Mole mol
Length – 1 meter is defined as the distance travelled by
light in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 second. Based on the
definition that the speed of light is exactly 299,792,458
m/s.
Time – 1 second is defined as 9,192,631,770 cycles of
the microwave radiation due to the transition between
the two lowest energy states of the cesium atom. This is
measured from an atomic clock using this transition.
• Mass – 1 kg is defined to be the mass of a cylinder of
platinum-iridium alloy at the International Bureau of
weights and measures (Sèvres, France).
LESSON 2: Significant digits
Significant digits represent the accuracy with which you
know your values.
-All non zero digits are significant
-Zeroes between non-zero digits are significant
-Leading zeroes are not significant
-Trailing zeroes are significant if there is a decimal point
-to remove ambiguity, we can place a bar on top of the zero
or express it in scientific notation.
When you add or subtract numbers:
Line up the decimal points; the last significant digit in
the result corresponds to the right-most column where all
numbers still have significant digits.
Calculating the perimeter of a triangle whose sides are
1.5 m, 0.826 m and 10.62 m.
When you multiply or divide numbers
The result has the same number of significant digits as
original number that has the fewest significant digits.
Calculating the area of a piece of bond paper with a length of
27.9 cm and a width of 21.6 cm.
LESSON 3: Scientific Notation
Scientific notation is a convenient and widely used method
of expressing large and small numbers. For example,
suppose you’re measuring the mass of an electron in the
MKS system. You put an electron on and you measure the
following: 0.0000000000000000000000000000091 kg.
Fortunately, you can convert the number into the following:
9.1 ×10–31 kg.
Scientific notation works by extracting the power of 10
and putting it on the side, where it’s handy. You convert
a number to scientific notation by counting the number
of places you have to move the decimal point to get the
first digit in front of that decimal point. For example,
0.050 is 5.0 × 10–2 because you move the decimal point
two places to the right to get 5.0. Similarly, 500 is 5.0 ×
102 because you move the decimal point two places to
the left to get 5.0.
 Full Number Scientific notation Using SI Prefixes
0.0000000037 m 3.7 x 10 -9 m 3.7nm
4300000 g 4.3 x 10 6 g 4.3Mg
0.0043 s 4.3 x10 -3 s 4.3ms
LESSON 4: Conversion of Units

Some countries use the British system of units (e.g., the

United States). Thus, it often needed to convert one type of
unit to another. The simplest way to convert one unit to
another is to form a conversion ratio (equal to one) with the
desired unit on the numerator and the unit to be converted at
the denominator.
Steps in Converting Units
1. Write down quantity to be converted.
2. Define each unit in terms of desired unit. Form a
conversion ratio (equal to one)
3. Multiply the quantity to be converted by those factors
that will cancel all but the desired units.
Given quantity x Conversion= Quantity sought
factor
1.Mount Everest, at 29,028 feet, is the tallest mountain on
earth. What it its height in kilometers?
1.0 m= 3.28 ft
1.0 km = 1000m
2. Soccer field vary in size. A large soccer filed is 115m long
and 85 m wide. What are its dimensions in feet and in inches?
1.0 m= 3.28 ft
1.0 ft = 12 in
2. Soccer field vary in size. A large soccer filed is 115m long
and 85 m wide. What are its dimensions in feet and in inches?
1.0 m= 3.28 ft
1.0 ft = 12 in
3.A car is travelling at a speed of 33 m/s. (a) what is its speed
in km/h? (b) is it exceeding the 90 km/h speed limit?
1.0 km= 1000 m 1.0 hr = 3600s
4. A nice apartment has a floor area of 920 square feet. What
is its area in square meters? ft-in-cm-m
12in= 1.0ft 1.0 in= 2.54cm 100 cm = 1.0 m