PHYSICAL WORLD

1. What is Physics ?
Physics is study of nature and its laws.
PHYSICAL QUANTITIES

All quantities that can be measured and used to define laws of nature are
called physical quantities.
Classification on the basis of dependency
PHYSICAL QUANTITIES

 FUNDAMENTAL

 DERIVED
Fundamental or Base Quantities
The quantities which do not depend upon other quantities for their
complete definition are known as fundamental or base quantities.
Derived Quantities
Physical quantities which depend upon fundamental quantities, or
which can be derived from fundamental quantities are known as
derived quantities.
UNITS OF PHYSICAL QUANTITIES

All physical quantities are measured w.r.t. standard magnitude of the

same physical quantity and these standards are called UNITS.
Example: second, meter, kilogram, etc.
Properties of Units

They must be well defined.

They should be easily available and reproducible.

They should be invariable e.g. step as a unit of length is not invariable.

They should be accepted by all.

International System of Units (SI)
SUPPLEMENTARY UNITS

Plane Angle
Plane angle θ is defined as the ratio of length of arc to the radius.

Arc 
θ= =
Radius r

radian
SUPPLEMENTARY UNITS

Solid Angle
Solid angle Ω is defined as the ratio of the intercepted area A of the spherical surface,
described about the apex O as the center, to the square of its radius r.

Area⏊ A⏊
Ω= =
Radius r

steradian(sr)
Dimensions & Dimensional Formula

Dimensions of a physical quantity are the powers to which the fundamental

quantities must be raised to represent the given physical quantity.
Dimensions of Some Physical Quantities

Quantity Dimensions
Displacement [L]
Mass [M]
Time [T]
Area [L2]
Volume [L3]
Density [ML-3]
Velocity [LT-1]
Acceleration [LT-2]
Force [MLT-2]
Work [ML2T-2]
Energy [ML2T-2]
Power [ML2T-3]
Momentum [MLT-1]
Gravitational Constant [M-1L3T-2]
Angle [M0L0T0]
Angular Velocity [T-1]
Angular acceleration [T-2]
Applications of Dimensional Analysis
1. Principle of Homogeneity
If in a given relation, terms on both the sides have the same dimensions,
then the relation is dimensionally correct.

This is known as the Principle of Homogeneity of Dimensions.

According to this principle only same physical quantities can added or

subtracted.
 Example Which of the following combinations of three dimensionally different physical
quantities P, Q, R can never be a meaningful quantity :
PQ P−Q PR − Q
(a) PQ–R (b) (c) (d)
R R QR
Solution

Ans. (C)
 Example While solving a problem, a person ended up with the following equation at
some stage :
E= 25 kJ +7 kJ/kg, where E is the total energy and has the unit of kJ (kilojoules).
Determine how to correct the error and what may have caused it.
Solution
Applications of Dimensional Analysis
2. To find the dimensions of unknown physical quantities
 Example Distance covered by particle in time t is given by x = At2 + Bt + C
where x is position, t is time .Find the dimensions of A, B and C.

Solution

Ans. [A] = LT
[B] = [LT ]
[C] = [L]
 Example If relation between force and time is given by F = at + at − b
c
Find the dimensions of constants a, b and c .

Solution

Ans. [a] = M L T
[b] = [𝑀 𝐿 𝑇 ]
[c] = [𝑇 ]
 Example If y = A. e [ then find the dimensions of A,B and C given y,x represents
distance and t is time.

Solution

Ans. [A] = L
[B] = [T ]
[C] = [L ]
 Example Find the dimensions of a/b in the given Vander Waal’s equation for 1 mole of gas:
P :- Pressure
P+ V − b = RT.
V :- Volume
T :- Temperature
Solution R :- Universal Gas Constant

Ans. [a] = M L T –
[b] = [L ]
 Example If = sin + log then find the dimensions of 𝛼,𝛽 and 𝛾 if symbols

have their respective meaning (v is velocity).

Solution

Ans. [α] = M L T
[β] = [LT ]
[γ] = [L T ]
Applications of Dimensional Analysis
3. To check the correctness of a given equation
 mv
Example Check whether this equation F = is dimensionally correct or not.
R
Where:
F = force v = speed
m = Mass R = radius
Solution

Ans. (Correct)
 Example Check whether this equation P = 2mK is dimensionally correct or not.
Where:
P = momentum K = kinetic energy
m = Mass R = radius

Solution

Ans. (Correct)
 P
Example Check whether this equation v = is dimensionally correct or not.
ρ
Where:
v = speed
P = Pressure
 = density
Solution

Ans. (Incorrect)
 Note

If equation is correct, then it must be dimensionally correct but vice versa

is not always true.

v = u + 2at
Home Work

Race 1 - Q.No. – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Ex. 1 –Q.No. 7,2

Ex. 2 – Q.No. – 8
Applications of Dimensional Analysis
4. To find the relation between unknown physical quantities
 Example Kinetic energy of a body depends on the mass and speed of the body. Find the
relation between the physical quantities.

Solution

Ans. (E = mv )
 Example The force on a stone in a river depends on the speed, density and area. Find
the relation of the force with these physical quantities.

Solution

Ans. (F = kρAv )
k is dimensionless constant
 Example The time period of simple pendulum depends on mass, length and acceleration
due to gravity. Find the expression for the time period.

Solution

ℓ /
Ans. T = k
k is dimensionless constant
 Example If on Jupiter, force, velocity and time are considered as fundamental quantities
then find the dimensional formula of :
(a) Momentum (b) Energy.

Solution

Ans. [P]= [FT]

[E]= [FTV]
 Example If velocity, time and force were chosen as fundamental quantities, find the
dimensions of mass.

Solution

Ans. [M] = [FTV ]

 Example Which of the following can be predicted as fundamental quantities ?
(a) Energy, mass and speed
(b) Momentum, mass and velocity
(c) Force, mass and acceleration
(d) Work, force and time
Solution

Ans. (d)