Physics 100

Unit 1:
Motion and Forces

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Mathematical Concepts

Physics: a branch of science concerned with the ultimate laws which

govern the structure of the universe and forms of matter
and energy and their interactions.

Physics has developed out of the efforts of men and women

to explain our physical environment. These efforts have
been so successful that the laws of physics now encompass
a remarkable variety of phenomena, including planetary
orbits, radio and TV waves, Magnetism and lasers, to
name a few.

Units of Measurement

SI Units stands for the French phrase “ Le Systeme International

d’ Unites.” This system employs the meter (m) as the
unit of length, the kilogram (Kg) as the unit of mass,
and the second (s) as the unit of time.

CGS System uses the centimeter (cm), gram (g) and the second
(s), for length, mass and time, respectively.
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BE System British Engineering system (the gravitational version) uses
the foot (ft), the slug (sl) and the second (s).

Units of Measurement

meter the distance that light travels in a vacuum in a

time of 1/299 792 458 seconds.

kilogram the mass of a standard cylinder of platinum-iridium alloy

kept at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.

second the time for a certain type of electromagnetic wave emitted

by cesium-133 to undergo 9 192 631 770 wave cycles.

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Some Conversion Factors
Length: Force:

1 in = 2.54 cm 1 lb = 4.448 N
1 ft = 0.3048 m 1 N = 105 dynes = 02248 lb
1 mi = 5,280 ft = 1.609 km
1 m = 3.281 ft Work and Energy:
1 km = 0.6214 mi
1 angstrom (Å) = 10-10 m 1 J = 0.7376 ft-lb = 107 ergs
1 Btu = 1055 J
Mass: 1 kWh = 3.60 x 10-6 J
1 eV = 1.602 x 10-19 J
1 slug = 14.59 kg
1 kg = 100 grams = 6.852 x 10-2 slug
1 atomic mass unit (u) = 1.6605 x 10-27 kg(1 kg has a weight of 2.205 lbs
where acceleration due to gravity is 32,174 ft/s2) )
Time: Power:

1 day = 24 hrs = 1.44 x 103 min 1 hp = 550 ft-lbs = 745.7 W

= 8.64 x 104 s 1 W = 0.7376 ft-lbs
1 yr = 365.24 days = 3.156 x 107 s

Speed: Angle

1 mi/hr = 1.609 km/ hr 1 radian = 57.300

1 km/hr = 0.6214 mi/hr = 0.2778 m/s I0 = 0.01745 radian
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Conversion of Units

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6
Solve the following: +
1. How many seconds are there in (a) one hour and thirty five minutes, and (b) one
day?

2. The largest diamond ever found had a size of 3106 carats. One carat is equivalent to a
mass of 0.200 g. Given that one kg is equal to 2.205 lb, find the weight of the diamond
in pounds.

3.How many square meters are there in 1330 ft2 ?

Trigonometry

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Ex. 3

A building casts a shadow 67.2 m long. The angle between the sun’s rays and the ground
is θ = 500. Find the height of the building.

Given: θ = 50o ; ha = 67.2 m

ho h tan θ = ho / ha
ho = tan θ x ha
θ = 50 0
= tan 500 x 67.2
ha = 67.2 = 1.192 x 67.2
= 80.1 m Ans.

Inverse Trigonometric Functions:

θ = sin-1 (ho/h)

θ = cos-1 (ha/h)

θ = tan-1 (ho/ha)

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Ex. 4

A lake front drops off gradually at an angle θ. A lifeguard rows straight out from the shore
14.0 m and drops a weighted fishing line. By measuring the length of the line, the
lifeguard determines the depth to be 2.25 m.

(a) what is the value of θ ?

(b) what would be the depth 22 m from the shore?

(a): ha = 14 m

θ ho = 2.25 m

θ = tan-1 (ho/ha)

= tan-1 (2.25/14) = tan-1 (0.1607)

= 9.13O Ans.
(b): h’o = 2.25 x (22/14) = 3.54 m Ans.

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Scalars and Vectors

Displacement a change of position of a particle

Scalar Quantity one that can be described with a single number

(including any units) giving its size and
magnitude, e.g., temperature, mass, time,
length, density and time.

Vector Quantity a quantity that deals inherently with both

magnitude and direction. Some quantities that
are vectors are force, velocity, acceleration,
momentum, the electric field, and the magnetic
field.+

Negative of a Vector another vector of equal magnitude but opposite

direction

The fact that a quantity is positive or negative does not necessarily

mean that the quantity is a scalar or a vector.

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Vector Addition and Subtraction

ADDITION

When two vectors are colinear, i.e., they point along the same direction, the
total vector or resultant vector R is given by:

R = A + B

A B

When two vectors are perpendicular, the resultant vector R is found by:

R B R = ( A2 + B2 )1/2
θ

θ = tan-1 (B/A)
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 When the vectors are neither colinear nor perpendicular, the resultant vector
R is found by graphical technique. A diagram is constructed in which the
arrows are drawn tail to head. The lengths of the vector arrows are drawn to
scale and the angles are drawn accurately. Then, the length of the arrow
representing the resultant vector is measured with a ruler. The length is
converted to the magnitude of the resultant vector by using the scale factor
with which the drawing is constructed.

R B

R is measured with a ruler and converted to the resultant vector by using the
scale factor.

SUBTRACTION

When a vector is multiplied by -1, the magnitude of the vector remains the
same, but the direction of the vector is reversed.

Vector subtraction is carried out exactly like vector addition, except that one of
the vectors added is multiplied by -1.
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The Components of a Vector

VECTOR COMPONENTS

In two dimensions, the vector components of a vector A are two perpendicular

vectors Ax and Ay, that are parallel to the x and y axes, respectively, and add
together vectorially so that A = Ax + Ay.

+y

Ay A

+x
Ax

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 +y
Addition of Vectors by
Components
C=A+B
C B By C = Cx + Cy

A Bx
Ay
+x
Ax

Cx = Ax + Bx

Cy = Ay + By

Example:

A man runs 145 m in a direction 200 east of north (displacement vector A)

and then 105 m in a direction 350 south of east (displacement vector B).
Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant vector C for these two
displacements.

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Diagram:
Ax Bx

350
Ay B = 105m

A=145m By

C C=A+B
200 C = Cx + Cy
C = √(Cx2 + Cy2)

Cx = Ax + Bx Ax = Asin200 = (145m) 0.3420 = 49.6 m

Bx = Bcos350 = (105m) 0.8191 = 86.0 m
= 49.6 + 86.0
= 135.6 m

Cy = Ay + By Ay = Acos200 =(145m) 0.9397= 136.3m

By = Bsin 350 = - (105) 0.5736= - 60.2m
= 136.3 + (-60.2)
= 76.1 m

C = √ (135.6)2 + (76.1)2 = 155.5 m Answer

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Solve:

The figure below shows two displacement vectors A and B, which add together
to give a resultant displacement C. Find the magnitude and direction of C.

+y

C
B (62 m)
35 0
+x

A (47 m)

Does the Pythagorean theorem apply directly to the problem? Does the
component method for vector addition apply to this problem, even though the vectors are
not perpendicular? +

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Solve.

•A highway is to be built between two towns, one of which lies 30 km south and 72 km
west of the other. What is the shortest length of highway that can be built between the
two towns, and at what angle would this highway be with respect to due west?

•Displacement vector A points due east and has a magnitude of 2.00 km. Displacement
vector B points due north and has a magnitude of 3.75 km. Displacement vector C points
due west and has a magnitude of 2.50 km. Displacement vector D points due south and
has a magnitude of 3.00 km. Find the magnitude and direction (relative to due west) of
the resultant vector A + B + C + D.

•On take-off, an airplane climbs with a speed of 180 m/s at an angle of 340 above the
horizontal. The sun is shining directly overhead. How fast is the shadow of the plane
moving along the ground?

• On a safari, a team of naturalists set out toward a research station 4.8 km away in a
direction 420 north of east. After travelling in a straight line 2.4 km, they stop and
discover that they have been travelling 220 north of east, because their guide misread his
compass. What are (a) the magnitude and (b) direction relative to due east of the
displacement vector now required to bring the team to the research station?

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