CHAPTER: MEASUREMENT
Ordered Study Guide • Simple Words • Compact Format with Derived Quantities Table
#1 PHYSICAL QUANTITY
Concept
A physical quantity is any quantity which can be measured by an instrument and by means of which we can describe
the laws of physics. Examples: mass, velocity, speed, time, distance.
Formula: Physical Quantity = n × u (n = numerical value, u = unit)
Tricks
Since physical value is constant: n × u = constant → n ∝ 1/u. Trick: A larger unit always has a smaller number value,
and a smaller unit has a larger number value!
* CLASSIFICATION OF PHYSICAL QUANTITY
Concept
1. On the basis of direction:
• Scalar: Has only magnitude and no direction. Examples: distance, speed, time, mass.
• Vector: Has both direction and magnitude and follows vector addition laws. Examples: force, displacement,
velocity.
2. On the basis of dependency:
• Fundamental: Independent from all other quantities. Examples: length, mass, time.
• Derived: Quantities that can be derived from fundamental quantities . Examples: speed, velocity, density, force,
acceleration.
* DERIVED PHYSICAL QUANTITIES (DEFINITION & FORMULA)
Table of Derived Quantities
Physical
Definition / Meaning Formula SI Unit
Quantity
Distance Total length of path covered by a body Path Length m
Displacement Shortest straight line distance between two points Shortest Path m
Area Total surface covered by a 2D shape Length × Length m²
Length × Length ×
Volume Total space occupied by a 3D object m³
Length
Speed Distance covered by a body in a given unit of time Distance / Time m/s
Displacement covered by a body per unit time in a specific
Velocity Displacement / Time m/s
direction
Change in Velocity /
Acceleration Rate of change of velocity with respect to time m/s²
Time
Density Mass contained per unit volume of a substance Mass / Volume kg/m³
A push or pull that changes or tries to change the state of rest N (kg·m/
Force Mass × Acceleration
or motion s²)
Product of force applied and displacement covered in the
Work / Energy Force × Displacement J (N·m)
direction of force
Power The rate at which work is done over time Work / Time W (J/s)
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* SYSTEM OF UNITS
Concept
A system of units is a complete set of units for all kinds of physical quantities (both fundamental and derived).
Standard systems: CGS (cm, g, s), FPS (ft, lb, s), MKS (m, kg, s).
* SI System
An upgraded version of the MKS system. It contains 7 Fundamental Units and 2 Supplementary Units:
No. Fundamental Quantity SI Unit Name Symbol
1 Mass Kilogram kg
2 Length Meter m
3 Time Second s
4 Current Ampere A
5 Temperature Kelvin K
6 Luminous Intensity Candela cd
7 Amount of Substance Mole mol
Supplementary Units: 1. Plane Angle: Radian (rad) | 2. Solid Angle: Steradian (sr)
Tricks
Self-Reminder: "Jitna aaj padhaya usko revise karna hai!" Memorize these base units first.
#2 SUPPLEMENTARY QUANTITIES
Concept: Plane angle
Ratio of length of arc to the radius of a circle (2D flat angle): Plane Angle = arc (s) / radius (r). Unit: radian (rad) or
degree (°). Since it is meter/meter, it is dimensionless but has a unit.
Tricks: Degree ↔ Radian
• Degree to Radian: multiply by π / 180 | • Radian to Degree: Replace π with 180° .
Questions
To Radian: 30° = π/6 rad | 45° = π/4 rad | 60° = π/3 rad | 90° = π/2 rad | 120° = 2π/3 rad
To Degree: π/3 = 60° | π/6 = 30° | π/4 = 45° | 2π/3 = 120°
Concept: Solid angle
Ratio of intercepted area of spherical surface to the square of its radius: Ω = Area / radius². SI Unit: Steradian. Trick
note: "JYADA KAM ME NHL ATTA" — Just know the definition and unit.
* SOME IMPORTANT CONVERSION
Concept & Tricks
1 km = 1000 m | 1 m = 100 cm | 1 kg = 1000 g | 1 hr = 3600 s. Trick: To turn km/h into m/s, multiply by 5/18 .
Questions
• 72 km/h to m/s: 72 × 5/18 = 20 m/s
• 400 kg/m³ to g/cm³: 400 × 1000 / 1000000 = 0.4 g/cm³
• 1 Newton to CGS system: 1 N = 10&sup5; dyne
• 10 g·cm/s into SI system: 10 × (1/1000) × (1/100) = 10&sup4; kg·m/s
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* CUSTOM UNIT SYSTEMS
Concept
For any custom unit parameters, use the invariance rule: n₁u₁ = n₂u₂.
Questions
Q1. Mass is 2 kg, length is 5 m, time is 5 sec. Find the value of a 5 N force in this new system.
Force = [M¹ L¹ T²] → 5 = n₂ × 2 × 5 × (1 / 5²) → 5 = n₂ × 2/5 → n₂ = 25/2 = 12.5 custom units.
Q2. Mass is a kg, length is b m, time is c s. Find the value of 5 Joule of work.
Work = [M¹ L² T²] → n₂ = 5 × (1/a) × (1/b²) × (c²) = 5c² / ab² custom units.
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