FHSC 1014 MECHANICS

Lecturers
Mr. Lee Phui Han
Room No. A261
leeph@utar.edu.my
 WEBSITE (WBLE) OF
FHSC1014 MECHANICS

Discussion
[Tutorial]

Important Announcement
[Time / Venue of Test, Replacement Class]
 CONTENTS OF
FHSC1014 MECHANICS
Lecture Title
1 Introduction
2 Vector
3 Translational Kinematics
4 The Law of Motion
5 Work and Energy
6 Momentum and Collisions
7 Rotational Motion and Dynamics
8 Universal Gravitation
9 Properties of Matter
10 Fluid Mechanics
 Main References
1. Serway, R.A. & Vuille, C. (2012). College
physics. (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage
Learning Brooks/Cole.

2. Cutnell, J.D., & Johnson, K.W. (2010).

Introduction to physics. (8th ed.). Hoboken, NJ:
John Wiley & Sons.

3. Giancoli, D.C. (2005). Physics: Principles with

applications. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall.
Additional Reference(s):

4. Halliday, D., Resnick, R. & Walker, J. (2010).

Fundamentals of Physics. (9th ed.). Hoboken, NJ:
Wiley.
5. Serway, R.A., & Jeweet, J.W. (2008). Physics for
Scientists and Engineers (7th ed.). Belmont, CA:
Thomson Brooks/Cole.
6. Young, H.D. & Freedman, R. A. (2008). University
Physics with Modern Physics. (12th ed.). San
Francisco, CA: Pearson/Addison-Wesley.
 Course Structure of
FHSC1014 Mechanics

1. Coursework / Assessment:
Test 1 (Week 7) 15%
Test 2 (Week 11) 15%
Report 1 (Week 5) 10%
Report 2 (Week 10) 10%

2. Final Examination 50%

100%
 Lecture 1
Introduction
 Outlines
1. Brief Revision
2. Uncertainty and Significant Figures
3. Units and Dimensional Analysis
4. Coordinate Systems
5. Trigonometry
 Classical Oscillation
Mechanics and waves

Physics Quantum
Optics
Mechanics

Electromagnetism Thermodynamics
 Theories and
Experiments
The goal of physics is to develop theories
based on experiments
A physical theory, usually expressed
mathematically, describes how a given
system works
The theory makes predictions about how a
system should work
Experiments check the theories
predictions
Every theory is a work in progress
Physical Quantity
A quantity that is measurable is called a physical
quantity.
Every physical quantity is expressed as a
numerical value in a particular unit of
measurement.

Length of a meter ruler = 100 cm.

Physical Numerical
quantity value
Unit of
measurement
 Physical quantities

PHYSICAL
QUANTITIES

BASE DERIVED
QUANTITIES QUANTITIES

Length (m) Velocity (ms-1)

Mass (kg) Acceleration (ms-2)
Time (s) Density (kgm-3)
Electric current (A) Force (kgms-2 / N)
Temperature (K) Frequency (s-1 / Hz)
 SI Base Quantities and Units

SI Systme International
Agreed to in 1960 by an international committee.
 Fundamental Quantities and
Their Dimension
Mechanics uses three fundamental quantities
Length [L]
Mass [M]
Time [T]
Other physical quantities can be constructed from
these three

Length mass Time

 Other Systems of
Measurements
cgs Gaussian system
Named for the first letters of the units it
uses for fundamental quantities
US Customary
Everyday units
Often uses weight, in pounds, instead of
mass as a fundamental quantity
Units in Various Systems

System Length Mass Time

SI meter kilogram second
cgs centimeter gram second
US
foot slug second
Customary
 Scientific notation
The metric system is a decimal or base-10 system.
The larger or smaller units can be obtained by
multiplying or dividing respectively by power of 10.
It is sometimes convenient to express large or small
numbers in scientific notation.

Examples:
6000 = 6 103
0.0003 = 3 104
Prefixes
Prefixes correspond to powers of
10.

Each prefix has a specific name.

Each prefix has a specific

abbreviation.

Examples:

50,000 m = 5 104 m = 50 km

0.008 s = 8 103 s = 8 ms
Length
1 nanometer = 1 nm = 10-9 m
1 micrometer = 1 m = 10-6 m
1 millimeter = 1 mm = 10-3 m
1 centimeter = 1 cm = 10-2 m
1 kilometer = 1 km = 103 m
Mass
1 microgram = 1 g = 10-6 g = 10-9 kg
1 milligram = 1 mg = 10-3 g = 10-6 kg
1 gram = 1 g = 10-3 kg
Time
1 nanosecond = 1 ns = 10-9 s
1 microsecond = 1 s = 10-6 s
1 millisecond = 1 ms = 10-3 s
 Dimensional Analysis
Technique to check the correctness of an
equation.
Dimensions (length, mass, time, combinations)
can be treated as algebraic quantities.
Add, subtract, multiply, divide
Both sides of equation must have the same
dimensions.
Cannot give numerical factors: this is its limitation.
Allows a check for calculations which can show
up in the units.
Note: Some constants like are dimensionless but
other constant like spring constant k has the
dimension (MT-2)
Example 1:
Show that the expression v = v0 + at is dimensionally
correct, where v and v0 represent velocities, a is
acceleration, and t is a time interval.
Example 2:
Find a relationship between a constant acceleration
a, speed v, and distance r from the origin for a
particle traveling in a circle.
Example 3:
1
1. Show that the equation s = ut + 2
at2 is
dimensionally correct.

2. The period of a simple pendulum is measured

in time units and is given by
l
T 2
g
where l is the length of the pendulum and g is
the free fall acceleration in units of length
divided by the square time. Show that this
equation is dimensionally correct.
Example 4:
The displacement of a particle when moving under
uniform acceleration is some function of the elapsed
time and the acceleration. Suppose we write this
displacement

s = k a m tn
where k is dimensionless constant. By dimensional
analysis, what is the value of m and n if this
expression is satisfied?
Example 5:
Suppose we are told that the acceleration a of a particle
moving with uniform speed v in a circle of radius r is
proportional to some power of r, say rn, and some
power of v, say vm. Determine the values of n and m.
 Unit Analysis
Using units instead of symbols in dimension analysis.
Unit analysis can used to determine the units of a
quantity from a correct equation.
Example 6:
Check the validity of the following equation by using the unit
analysis.
vu
a
t
 Uncertainty in
There is Measurements
uncertainty (or sometimes called
error) in
every measurement, this uncertainty carries over
through the calculations.
- is written with a sign
We will use rules for significant figures to approximate
the uncertainty in results of calculations
A significant figure is a reliably known digit
All non-zero digits are significant.
Zeros are not significant when they only locate the
decimal point
Using scientific notion to indicate the number of significant
figures removes ambiguity when the possibility of
misinterpretation is present
 Significant Figures

The following rules summarize the significant digits:

a) Nonzero digits are always significant.

b) All final zeros after the decimal points are
significant.
c) Zeros between two other significant digits are
always significant.
d) Zeros used solely for spacing between the
decimal point are not significant.
 Examples of significant figure
i) 0.0075 m has 2 significant figures
The leading zeros are placeholders only
Can write in scientific notation to show more
clearly:
7.5 x 103 m for 2 significant figures
ii) 10.0 m has 3 significant figures
The decimal point gives information about
the reliability of the measurement
iii) 1500 m is ambiguous
Use 1.5 x 103 m for 2 significant figures
Use 1.50 x 103 m for 3 significant figures
Use 1.500 x 103 m for 4 significant figures
 Operations with Significant
Figures
When multiplying or dividing two
or more quantities, the number of
significant figures in the final result is
the same as the number of
significant figures in the least
accurate of the factors being
combined
Least accurate means having the lowest
number of significant figures
When adding or subtracting, round
the result to the smallest number of
decimal places of any term in the
sum (or difference)
Example:
a) 24.686 + 2.343 + 3.21 = 30.239 = 30.24

For adding and subtracting, the number of

decimal places is the important
consideration

b) 3.22 2.1 = 6.762 = 6.8

For multiplying and dividing, the number of

significant figures is the important
consideration

c) 3.6 0.3 + 2.1 = 1 + 2.1 = 3

 Rounding
Calculators will generally report many more
digits than are significant
Be sure to properly round your results
Slight discrepancies may be introduced by
both the rounding process and the algebraic
order in which the steps are carried out
Minor discrepancies are to be expected and are
not a problem in the problem-solving process
In experimental work, more rigorous
methods would be needed
 Conversions
When units are not consistent, you may
need to convert to appropriate ones
See the inside of the front cover for an
extensive list of conversion factors
Units can be treated like algebraic
quantities that can cancel each other
Example:
2.54 cm
15.0 in 38.1 cm
1in
Example 7:
If a car is travelling at a speed of 28.0 m/s, is the
driver exceeding the speed limit of 55.0 mi/h?
Example 8:
A beaker of water contains 255 mL of water. What is
the volume of the water in
(a) cubic centimeters? (b) cubic meters?
 Order of Magnitude
Approximation based on a number of
assumptions
May need to modify assumptions if more
precise results are needed
Order of magnitude is the power of
10 that applies
 Trigonometry Review

Pythagorean Theorem:
r2 = x2 + y2
Example 9:
A person measures the height of a building by walking out a
distance of 46.0 m from its base and shining a flashlight
beam toward the top. When the beam is elevated at an
angle of 39.0 with respect to the horizontal, as shown in
figure below, the beam just strikes the top of the building.
(a) If the flashlight is held at a height of 2.00 m, find the
height of the building.
(b) Calculate the length of the light beam.
 Coordinate System
(a) 2D Cartesian coordinate system

Also called rectangular coordinate system.

Points are labeled (x,y).
(b) Plane polar coordinate system

Origin and reference line

are noted

Point is at distance r
from the origin in the
direction of angle , ccw
(counterclockwise) from
the reference line

Points are labeled (r, )

 Rectangular Polar
Rectangular to polar
Given x and y, use Pythagorean theorem
to find r
Use x and y and the inverse tangent to
find angle
Polar to rectangular
x = r cos
y = r sin
Various units of angle:
Degrees
Radians
360 = 2 rad

Definition of radian
= s/ r
s is the length of arc
r is the radius

s and r must be measured in

the same units
Example 10:
(a) The Cartesian coordinates of a point in the xy-
plane are (x, y) = (-3.50 m, -2.50 m). Find the
polar coordinates of this point.

(b) Convert (r, ) = (5.00 m, 37.0o) to rectangular

coordinates.
Problem Solving Strategy
 Problem Solving
Summary
Equations are the tools of physics
Understand what the equations mean
and how to use them
Carry through the algebra as far as
possible
Substitute numbers at the end
Be organized
 Past year question
(12/2012)
The equation of the De Broglie wavelength ,
h
where h Planck constant, m mass and
mv
v speed
a) What is the dimension for h, Planck constant ?

b)What is the SI unit for Planck constant?

 Past year question
(09/2012)
For an object moving with uniform
acceleration, the
velocity is given by v2=p+qx where p and q
are constants
with dimensions and x is displacement. Find
the dimension
of the term q.