Transcript Physics Chapter 1

Physics
Chapter 1
Saul Beltran
Mr. Kim
12/9/05
Per. 7
A Summary
Physics, like other sciences, is a creative
endeavor. It is not simply a collection of
facts. Important theories are created with
the idea of explaining observations. To be
accepted, theories are tested by
comparing their predictions with the results
of actual experiments.
Models and Theories
• Scientists often devise models of physical
phenomena.
• A model is a kind of picture or analogy that
seems to explain the phenomena.
• A theory is usually deeper and more complex
that a simple model.
• A scientific law is a concise statement, often
expressed in the form of an equation, which
quantitatively describes a particular range of
phenomena over a wide range of cases.
Measurements and Units
• Measurements play a crucial role in physics, but
can never be perfectly precise. It is important to
specify the uncertainty of a measure either by
stating it directly using the ± notation, and/or by
keeping only the correct number of significant
figures.
• The number of reliably known digits in a number
is called the number of significant figures.
(Example: 202 has three significant figures, but
200 only has one significant figures. Reason:
when the zero is in between two numbers it is
important, otherwise it is not. )
Measures and Unites Continued
• Physical quantities are always specified relative to a
particular standard or unit.
• The unit used should always be stated.
• The commonly accepted set of units today is the System
International (SI), in which the standard units of length,
mass, and time are meter, kilogram, and second
• When converting units, check all conversion factors for
correct cancellation of units.
• Making rough, order-of-magnitude estimates is a very
useful technique in science as well as in everyday life.
Important Information
Length (or
distance)
Meters
(approximate)
Neutron or proton
(radius)
10٨(-15) m
Atom
10٨(-10) m
Virus
10٨(-7) m
Mt. Everest height
10٨4 m
Earth diameter
10٨7 m
Earth to Sun
10٨11m
10٨16 m
Sheet of paper
10٨ (-4) m
Nearest star,
distance
Finger width
10٨(-2) m
Nearest Galaxy
10٨22 m
Football field length
10٨(2) m
Farthest Galaxy
visible
10٨26 m
Some Typical Time Intervals and
Masses
Time Interval
Seconds
Object
Kilogram
Lifetime of very
unstable particle
10٨23s
Electron
10٨-30 kg
Lifetime of radioactive
elements
10٨22s to 10٨28s
Proton, neutron
10 ٨-27 kg
DNA molecule
10 ٨-17 kg
Lifetime of muon
10٨-6s
Time between human
heartbeats
10٨0s
Bacterium
10 ٨-15 kg
Mosquito
10 ٨-5 kg
One day
10٨5s
Plum
10 ٨-1kg
One year
3x10٨7s
Human life span
2x10٨9s
Person
10 ٨2 kg
Length of recorded
history
10٨11s
Ship
10 ٨8 kg
Earth
6x10 ٨24kg
Humans on Earth
10٨14s
Life on Earth
10٨17s
Sun
2x10 ٨30 kg
Age of Universe
10٨18s
Galaxy
10 ٨41 kg
Metric (SI) Prefixes
Prefix
Abbreviation
Value
Exa
E
10 ٨18
Peta
P
10 ٨15
Tera
T
10 ٨12
Giga
G
10 ٨9
Mega
M
10 ٨6
Kilo
K
10 ٨3
Hecto
H
10 ٨2
Deca
Da
10 ٨1
Deci
D
10 ٨-1
Centi
C
10 ٨-2
Milli
M
10 ٨-3
Micro
u
10 ٨-6
Nano
N
10 ٨-9
Pico
P
10 ٨-12
Femto
F
10 ٨ -15
Atto
A
10 ٨-18
The End?
Thank you for listing to this presentation. If
you are still reading this, then you have
too much time because you are interested
in physics. Now get ready for the test
suckers.
Quiz
http://www.homework55.com/physics/ph816-05/Significant%20Figures.htm