Introduction to Physics

Introduction to Physics

• Physics is the study of everyday phenomena and aims to explain them based on fundamental laws of nature.
• Common misconceptions about physics include it being difficult, boring, or useless, but it is present in daily activities.
• Examples of physics in action include clocks, appliances, musical instruments, and light.

Importance of Measurement in Physics

• Measurement is a universal language, essential for describing quantities like length, weight, and area.
• Physics heavily relies on mathematics for accurate measurements, with various techniques like A-S-M-D and M-D-A-S.

Fundamental Quantities

• Basic physical quantities include:
  • Length (meter)
  • Mass (kilogram)
  • Time (second)
  • Electric current (ampere)
  • Thermodynamic temperature (kelvin)
  • Amount of substance (mole)
  • Luminous intensity (candela)

Derived Quantities

• Derived quantities emerge from combinations of fundamental quantities. Examples:
  • Speed: Length/Time
  • Acceleration: Speed/Time
  • Force: Mass × Acceleration

Examples of Measurement

• Diameter of the sun: 1,391,400 km
• Size of bacteria: 0.0005 m
• Speed of light: 299,792,458 m/s
• Distance from Earth to the Sun and the diameter of a proton are also significant measurement examples.

Scientific Notation

• A method to express large or small numbers compactly, enhancing readability and understanding.
• Example conversions:
  • 0.000646 → 6.46 x 10⁻⁴
  • 5,430,000 → 5.43 x 10⁶

Accuracy vs. Precision

• Accuracy: Refers to how close a measured value is to the true or known value.
  • Example: A measurement of 3.2 kg is inaccurate if the known weight is 10 kg.
• Precision: Indicates the closeness of multiple measurements to each other, regardless of accuracy.
  • Example: Repeated measurements yielding 3.2 kg are precise but may not be accurate.
• It is possible to be precise without being accurate, showcasing that precision does not ensure correctness of a measurement.

Introduction to Physics

• Physics is the study of everyday phenomena and aims to explain them based on fundamental laws of nature.
• Common misconceptions about physics include it being difficult, boring, or useless, but it is present in daily activities.
• Examples of physics in action include clocks, appliances, musical instruments, and light.

Importance of Measurement in Physics

• Measurement is a universal language, essential for describing quantities like length, weight, and area.
• Physics heavily relies on mathematics for accurate measurements, with various techniques like A-S-M-D and M-D-A-S.

Fundamental Quantities

• Basic physical quantities include:
  • Length (meter)
  • Mass (kilogram)
  • Time (second)
  • Electric current (ampere)
  • Thermodynamic temperature (kelvin)
  • Amount of substance (mole)
  • Luminous intensity (candela)

Derived Quantities

• Derived quantities emerge from combinations of fundamental quantities. Examples:
  • Speed: Length/Time
  • Acceleration: Speed/Time
  • Force: Mass × Acceleration

Examples of Measurement

• Diameter of the sun: 1,391,400 km
• Size of bacteria: 0.0005 m
• Speed of light: 299,792,458 m/s
• Distance from Earth to the Sun and the diameter of a proton are also significant measurement examples.

Scientific Notation

• A method to express large or small numbers compactly, enhancing readability and understanding.
• Example conversions:
  • 0.000646 → 6.46 x 10⁻⁴
  • 5,430,000 → 5.43 x 10⁶

Accuracy vs. Precision

• Accuracy: Refers to how close a measured value is to the true or known value.
  • Example: A measurement of 3.2 kg is inaccurate if the known weight is 10 kg.
• Precision: Indicates the closeness of multiple measurements to each other, regardless of accuracy.
  • Example: Repeated measurements yielding 3.2 kg are precise but may not be accurate.
• It is possible to be precise without being accurate, showcasing that precision does not ensure correctness of a measurement.