At the end of this section, you should be able to:
Identify careers that are related to Physics in various sectors of the economy.
Use basic mathematical concepts to solve problems i.e. trig ratios, Pythagoras theorem, sine and cosine rules, and indices.
Identify the basic units in Physics.
Determine the dimensions of common quantities e.g. velocity, acceleration, mass, length, time, weight, energy, and force.
Identify the errors in the use of a meter rule, protractor, electronic balance, Vernier calliper, micrometre screw gauge, voltmeter and ammeter.
Explain the type of errors; systematic, random, and parallax.
Explain scientific notations and their unit multipliers.
Distinguish scalars from vectors (qualitative treatment).
Identify the various states of matter.
Distinguish between the molecular arrangements of the various states of matter.
KEY IDEAS
• Physics-related careers span various sectors of the economy, such as healthcare, engineering, energy, technology, and research.
• Basic mathematical concepts like trigonometric ratios, the Pythagorean Theorem, sine and cosine rules, and indices are essential for problem- solving.
• It is fundamental to understand and use the basic units in physics, including meters, kilograms, and seconds, and adhere to the International System of Units (SI).
• Dimension expresses quantities using mass, length, and time. We can also determine the dimension of other physical quantities such as velocity and work among others.
• Measurement errors include parallax errors, systematic errors, and random errors. All these errors occur in measurements using instruments such as metre rule, protractor, electronic balance, vernier calliper, micrometer screw gauge, voltmeter, and ammeter.
• Systematic errors skew results, random errors cause variations, and parallax errors arise from incorrect eye alignment. All these can be minimised through calibration and proper reading techniques.
• Scientific notation provides a concise way to represent extremely large or small numbers by expressing them as a coefficient multiplied by a power of 10.
• The coefficient is a number between 1 and 10, while the power of 10 indicates how many places the decimal point should be moved.
• Matter refers to anything that has mass and occupies space.
• Energy is the capacity to do work or produce change, existing in various forms such as kinetic, potential, thermal, and electromagnetic.
• Forces involve interactions that cause changes in the motion of objects, including gravity, electromagnetism, and nuclear forces.
• Matter encompasses everything that occupies space and possesses mass. It exists in various states: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.
• Solids maintain a fixed shape and volume, while liquids conform to the shape of their container while retaining a definite volume. Gases lack both definite shape and volume, filling the space available. Plasma, an ionised gas, represents the less familiar fourth state.
• Understanding states of matter involves grasping concepts like intermolecular forces, which bind molecules in different states, and intermolecular motion, which denotes molecular movement within substances.