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1.2 UNDERSTANDING BASE QUANTITIES & DERIVED QUANTITIES

Observe the photograph. Underline the quantities that can be measured :

mass of the man, height of the staircase, width of the frame, the person’s
skin colour, diameter of the pole, volume of the pole, area of the footsteps,
age, sex, weight, the boy’s emotion & maturity?

Physical quantities :

Base quantity: Derived quantity:

Identify and classify the physical quantities below into base quantity & derived quantity
A lorry with mass 3000 kg carried boxes of refrigerated fishes at the temperature of 0 0 C. The weight of
each boxes is 300 N. The lorry started it’s journey with the velocity 40 kmh –1 dan accelerated at 10 kmh-2.
The distance travelled was 240 km and time taken was 4 hours.
Base quantity :
Derived quantity :

Base quantity Quantity Symbol SI Unit Unit Symbol

Length l
Mass m
Time t
Temperature T
Current I

Derived Quantity Formula In Terms of base quantities In Terms of base units

quantity Symbol (using symbol)
Area A length x width Length x length = length2 mxm=m2
Volume V length x width x height m x m x m = m3
Velocity v

Density 

Acceleration a

Force F

Pressure P

Work W

Power P

Scientific Notation

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Is used for large and small numbers.

General form of a number in the scientific notation is : A x 10 n where 1 ≤ A < 10
n = integer
Base quantitiy Measurement Scientific notation
Height of a student 1.6 m 1.6 m
Height of Mount Kinabalu 4100 m 4.1 x 103 m
Distance from Kuala Lumpur to Penang 320 000 m
Mass of a grain of sand 0.00 000 005 kg 5 x 10 –8 kg
Current through a wire 0.000 000 035 A
Radius of the earth 6 370 000 m
Size of an atom 0.000 000 000 234 m
Speed of light 300 000 000 ms -1
Prefixes
Prefixes Symbol Multiple/submultiple Example
tera T 10 12 9 x 10 12 m = 9 Tm
giga G 10 9 8 x 10 9 s =
mega M 10 6 7 x 10 6 m =
kilo k 10 3 6.5 x 10 3 g =
hecto h 10 2 2.6 x 10 2 g =
deca da 10 1 4.3 x 10 1 m =
desi D 10 -1 5.8 x 10 –1 m =
centi c 10 –2 4.96 x 10 –2 m =
mili m 10 –3 3.4 x 10 –3 A =
micro  10 –6 2.83 x 10 –6 s =
nano n 10 –9 1.6 x 10 –9 m =
piko p 10 -12 9.2 x 10 –12 m =

Measurement Answers in unit Measurement Answers in unit

4 700 g kg 8 800 g kg
560 000 m km 670 000 m km
328 000 000 s Ms 670 000 m Mm
0.000 000 913 s s 0.000 006 3 s s
0.004 m cm 0.000 006 3 s ms
110 A kA 22.5 g kg
250 g hg 105.6 M Hz Hz

Convert :

(a) 5.7 cm = m (h) 37.2 mg = g

(b) 0.034 km = m (i) 0.054 GV = V

(c) 250 nm = m (j) 93.5 Mhz = Hz

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(d) 550 s = s (k) 28 mA = A

(e) 5 670 nm = m (l) 150 A = A

(f) 2.35 mJ = J (m)200 pF = F

(g) 0.12 MW = W (n) 0.075 Tm = m

Conversion of units
T G M k h da d c m  n p

10 12 10 9 10 6 10 3102 101 100 10 –1 10 –2 10 –3 10 –6 10 –9 10 -12

3.3 Mm converted to m
= 3.3 x10 6-(-6) m
= 3.3 x 10 12 m

T G M k h da d c m  n p

10 12 10 9 10 6 10 3102 101 100 10 –1 10 –2 10 –3 10 –6 10 –9 10 -12

7.5 cg converted to Gg
= 7.5 x10 –2 -(9) Gg
= 7.5 x 10 -11 Gg

Convert :
1. (a) 4.56 Tm to nm (e) 4 x 10 2 cm to pm

(b) 3 x 10 –4 cm to Gm (f) 73 kg to mg

(c) 0.0045 ms to Ms (g) 10 km to mm

(d) 7 300 nm to Gm (h) 0.004 72 mA to nA

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(i) 2.20 km + 450 m + 24 558 cm = m

(j) 5.056 kg + 5.40 mg + 7.85 g = g

(k) 1 250 mm + 12 cm + 0.4 dm + 0.08 m = m

2. Convert the following quantities to the unit given :

(a) 1 m = ……………. cm = …………………. mm (d) 1 mm =……………cm = ……………..m
(b) 1 m2 =……………….cm2 = ………………….mm2 (e) 1 mm2 =……………cm2 =………………m2
(c) 1 m3 =……………….cm3 = ………………….mm3 (f) 1 mm3 =……………cm3 =………………m3

Examples:
Calculate the area of rectangular. State your answers in
1. (a) cm2 (b) m2
20 cm

40 cm

2. Area of a table is 20 000 cm 2 . 3. Volume of a cuboid is 9 cm3.

Convert it to the SI unit. State its volume in SI unit.

4. Convert
(a) 36 km h-1 to ms-1 5. 1 g cm-3 to kgm-3

Questions
Convert the following quantities to the units given .
(a) 0.25 mm2 = (e) 0.25 g cm-3 =
m2 kgm-3
(b) 150 mm 3
= (f) 180 kg m -3
=
m3 gcm-3
(c) 0.062 cm 2
= (g) 72 km h -1
=
m2 ms-1
(d) 1 500 cm3 = (h) 15 ms-1 =
m3 km h-1

1.3 UNDERSTANDING SCALAR AND VECTOR QUANTITIES

Activity 1
Tick at the appropriate cell.
Event Requires Requires both
magnitude magnitude and
only direction

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(a) To lower the temperature of a room from 210C to 17 0C using air-

conditioner
(b) To describe how to go from home to the supermarket which is
located at a distance of 3 km away.
(c) To push a box of books from the door to the staircase with a force
500N
(d) To determine the time taken for 3 litre of water to boil.
(e) To travel in a bus at 110 kmh-1 from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka

Activity 2
The diagram shows the path taken by an athlete running from the starting point P to the finishing point U.
Q R N (a) Measure and calculate the total distance traveled by the athlete?

S T

(b) What is the final displacement of the athlete?

(c) Explain why distance is a scalar quantity whereas displacement is a

P U vector quantity?
Start Finish

1 cm : 400 m
Scalar quantity is …………………………………… A vector quantity is ………………………………
………………………………………………….......... …………………………………………………..........

Question
1. Classify the following quantities into vectors and scalars.
Speed, velocity, weight, mass, energy, momentum, temperature, time, density, pressure, force,
acceleration, power, electric current, work
Scalar quantities Vector quantities

2. Which of the following is correct ?

Scalar quantity Vector quantity
A. displacement velocity
B. frequency speed
C. power force

1.4 UNDERSTANDING MEASUREMENTS

1.4.1 Measuring Instruments

1. Name the following instruments and
its parts:

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(a) ……………………………………………..
(b) ……………………………….………………..

(c) ……………………………………..

2. What is the value of the vernier calipers reading ?

3. What is the value of the vernier calipers reading ? 4. Write down the readings for (a) and (b)

Without object

With object

Without object

With object

5. Write down the readings :

(a) (b)

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Without object
Without object

With object
With object

Activity 1
Apparatus and materials : micrometer screw gauge, vernier calipers, metre rule, beaker (500 ml),
stopwatch, boiling tube, thermometer, plastic ruler, 50 sen coin
Procedure :
1. Choose an appropriate instrument to measure each of the following measurement as shown in
table below.
2. Record your measurement in the space provided for each item.
Physical quantity Instrument used Reading
1. The height of the laboratory table
2. The width of the physics text book
3. The thickness of the physics text book
4. The thickness of a 50 sen coin
5. The external diameter of a boiling tube
6. The internal diameter of a test tube
7. The temperature of a beaker of tap water
8. The time taken for a piece of eraser to drop
from a height that equals to the height if the
person who drops it
9. Thickness of a plastic ruler

What is the smallest magnitude of quantity which can be detected by each of the
following instrument in the table below?
Instrument Smallest magnitude of quantity
Metre rule
Vernier calipers
Micrometer screw gauge
Thermometer
Stopwatch

Questions
1. What is the reading of the micometer screw gauge below?

A. 0.495 cm
B. 0.455 cm
C. 0.450 cm
D. 0.445 cm

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2.

metal
Johari uses the vernier callipers to measure the thickness of a piece of metal.
(i) What is the function of the part labeled X?
(ii) What is the zero error shown by the vernier callipers?
(iii) What is the thickness of the metal ?

3. What is the reading shown? 4. What is the zero error shown?

A + 0.04 cm B - 0.04 cm
C + 0.06 cm D - 0.06 cm

A 3.17 cm B 3.08 cm
C 2.18 cm C 2.07 cm

1.4.2 Consistency and Accuracy

1. The diagram shows the distribution of gunshots. Use the words accurate, not accurate, consistent and
not consistent in your description. Explain your answer.

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Target

Consistency
Explanation
Accuracy
Explanation

2. The diameter of a pipe is measured four times and the values of the measurement are 3.51 cm, 3.50 cm,
3.53 cm and 3.51 cm. If the actual value of the diameter is 3.31 cm, comment on the consistency and
accuracy of the measurement. Explain your answer.
(a) (i) Consistency :…………………………………………………………………………………..
(ii) Explanation :…………………………………………………………………………………….
(b) (i) Accuracy :…………………………………………………………………………………….
(ii) Explanation :…………………………………………………………………………………….

Consistency : Accuracy :

1.4.3 Sensitivity

Which weighing machine is more suitable to be use in weighing a handphone?

1. Sensitivity is ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2.
Measuring Instrument Smallest scale division (cm) Sensitivity
Measuring tape
Metre rule
Vernier callipers
Micrometer screw gauge

1.4.4 Errors In Measurement

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1. Types of Errors

Systematic Errors Random Errors

2. Techniques to reduce errors

-……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

-……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

-……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1.5 ANALYSING SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS

1. Two students of the same mass were swinging on swings of

different length. It seemed like the shorter swing took a shorter time
to complete a swing .
Using this information;
(a) make one suitable inference
(b) state on appropriate hypothesis that could be investigated
(c) describe how you would design an experiment to test your
hypothesis using a pendulum bob, retort stand and other
apparatus.
In your description, state clearly the following :
(i) aim of the experiment
(ii) variables in the experiment
(iii) list of apparatus and materials
(iv) arrangement of the apparatus
(v) the procedure of the experiment, which includes the
method of controlling the manipulated variable and
the method of measuring the responding variable
(vi) the way you would tabulate the data
Answers : (vii) the way you would analyse the data
1 (a) 1 Inference :

(b) 1 Hypothesis :

1 Aim :

2 Manipulated variable :

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Responding variable :

3 Fixed/Constant variable :

4 Apparatus & materials:

5 Arrangement of the apparatus:

6 Method of controlling the manipulated variable :

7 Method of measuring the responding variable :

8 Repeat 4 x

9 Tabulation of data

10 Analysis of data

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2.
Y
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Two identical towel X and Y was hang in two different ways

as shown in the diagram. It seemd like the towel X dry faster
than towel Y.

Using this information;

(a) make one suitable inference
(b) state on appropriate hypothesis that could be investigated
(c) describe how you would design an experiment to test your hypothesis using petry dish, stop watch and other
apparatus.
In your description, state clearly the following :
(i) aim of the experiment
(ii) variables in the experiment
(iii) list of apparatus and materials
(iv) arrangement of the apparatus
(v) the procedure of the experiment, which includes the method of controlling the manipulated variable and
the method of measuring the responding variable
(vi) the way you would tabulate the data
(vii) the way you would analyse the data
Answers :
2 (a) 1 Inference :

(b) 1 Hypothesis :

1 Aim :

2 Manipulated variable :

Responding variable :

3 Fixed/Constant variable :

4 Apparatus & materials:

5 Arrangement of the apparatus:

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6 Method of controlling the manipulated variable :

7 Method of measuring the responding variable :

8 Repeat 4 x

9 Tabulation of data

10 Analysis of data

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3.
Initial Initial
position position
Initial
position

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Each diagram above shows two positions of a student on a swing. The initial postion in each diagram is
different. Observe the positions of each of the swing in each diagram and the appearance of the student
when she swings.
Based on the observations:
(a) make one suitable inference
(b) state on appropriate hypothesis that could be investigated
(c) describe how you would design an experiment to test your hypothesis using trolley, stop watch and
other apparatus.
In your description, state clearly the following :
(i) aim of the experiment
(ii) variables in the experiment
(iii) list of apparatus and materials
(iv) arrangement of the apparatus
(v) the procedure of the experiment, which includes the method of controlling the manipulated
variable and the method of measuring the responding variable
(vi) the way you would tabulate the data
(vii) the way you would analyse the data
Answers :
3 (a) 1 Inference :

(b) 1 Hypothesis :

1 Aim :

2 Manipulated variable :

Responding variable :

3 Fixed/Constant variable :

4 Apparatus & materials:

5 Arrangement of the apparatus:

6 Method of controlling the manipulated variable :

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7 Method of measuring the responding variable :

8 Repeat 4 x

9 Tabulation of data

10 Analysis of data

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[MV]

4.

Baby X
Baby Y
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The diagram above shows baby X and baby Y of different masses in a cradle. Based on the
observations:
(d) make one suitable inference
(e) state on appropriate hypothesis that could be investigated
(f) describe how you would design an experiment to test your hypothesis using spring, slotted weights
and other apparatus.
In your description, state clearly the following :
(i) aim of the experiment
(ii) variables in the experiment
(iii) list of apparatus and materials
(iv) arrangement of the apparatus
(v) the procedure of the experiment, which includes the method of controlling the manipulated
variable and the method of measuring the responding variable
(vi) the way you would tabulate the data
Answers :
4 (a) 1 Inference :
Extension of spring depends on the mass

(b) 1 Hypothesis :
When mass increases the extension of spring also increases

1 Aim :
To investigate the relationship between extension of spring and the mass

2 Manipulated variable : mass

Responding variable : extension of spring

3 Fixed/Constant variable : type of spring

4 Apparatus & materials:

Spring, metre ruler, retort stand, slotted weights
5 Arrangement of the apparatus:

6 Method of controlling the manipulated variable :

Apparatus is arranged as shown in the diagram above by using mass of 10 g.

7 Method of measuring the responding variable :

Measure and record the extension of spring by using the metre ruler.
8 Repeat 4 x
The experiment is repeated for different masses of slotted weights that is 20g, 30g,

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40g, and 50 g.

9 Tabulation of data
Mass/g Extension of spring /cm

10 Analysis of data

Extension of spring

Mass/g

5.
Mass,m(g) Period,T(s) T2 (s2 ) Table shows the data collected in an experiment of a
2 decimal weighted spring that oscillates. T is the period of oscillation.
place (a) Complete the table
50 3.0 (b) Plot a graph of T2 against m
100 4.2 (c) State the relationship between T and m
150 5.2
200 6.0 ………………………………………………………………
(d) Determine the gradient of your graph
250 6.7
300 7.3

(e) Use the gradient of your graph to calculate k if k = 80 where m is the gradient of the graph,
m
( k= constant of the spring)

(f) If T = 2.0 s, determine the value of m (g) If m = 125 g, determine T

Experiment
Carry out the experiment 1.5 on page 8-9 Physics Form 4 Practical Book and write a complete report :
Format : 1. Inference
2. Hypothesis
3. Aim
4. Manipulated variable :

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Responding variable :
Fixed variable
5. Apparatus and materials
6. Arrangement of the apparatus
7. Procedure
8. Data collection
9. Analysis of data
10. Conclusion
11. Precautions

HOMEWORK :
Physics Form 4 Textbook : Page 15-16 : 1.5 Questions : Q1-Q4
: Page 17 : 17 Review questions

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