Lectures of General Physics

Tishk International University

Dept. of Civil engineering
First Year Students

Lecturer: Dr. Bestoon Mustafa

MSC of Nanoscale Science and Technology-Sheffield/UK
PhD in Medical Physics-SU/ERB
Department of Computer Engineering
e-mail: [Link]@[Link]
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ASSESSMENT
• Quizzes (10%)
• Midterm exam (30%)
• Final exam (40%)
• Laboratory (20%)

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 Chapter one
Units, Physical Quantities and Vectors

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 What is physics?
• Physics is the branch of science which deals with matter and its relation to energy.

• It involves study of physical and natural phenomena around us. Examples of these
phenomena are formation of rainbow, occurrence eclipse, the fall of things from up to
down, the cause of sunset and sunrise, formation of shadow and many more.

• Physics divided into classical physics and modern physics.

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Brunches of physics

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 Relationship between physics and other subjects
1. PHYSICS AND MATHEMATICS
Many physics formulae are expressed mathematically.
2. PHYSICS AND BIOLOGY
Knowledge of lenses in physics is used in microscopic images to study biological cells.
3. Physics and Chemistry.
Physics has helped to explain forces within atoms and therefore atomic structure.
4. Physics and Geography
Accurate use of instruments and physics concepts can explain formation of rainfall, pressure variations and etc.
5. Physics and Technology.
Some areas of technology are:
In medicine: X-rays, lasers, scanners which are used in diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
Communication: Satellite communication, internet, fiber optics.
In industrial applications: In the area of defense, physics has many applications e.g. war planes.
etc……….
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 Mechanics
• Mechanics is the physical science which deals with the effects of forces on objects.
• The principles of mechanics have wide application in engineering.
• The principles of mechanics are central to research and development in the fields of vibrations, stability and
strength of structures and machines, robotics, rocket and spacecraft design, automatic control, engine
performance, fluid flow, electrical machines and apparatus, and molecular, atomic, and subatomic
behavior.

• Mechanics can deal with : rigid-body mechanics, deformable body mechanics and fluid mechanics.
• Engineering Mechanics is divided into these two parts,
• Statics
• Dynamics.
• The mechanical statics concerns the equilibrium of bodies under action of forces.
• The mechanical dynamics concerns the motion of bodies.

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 Basic concepts
• Space is the geometric region occupied by bodies whose positions are described by linear and angular measurements
relative to a coordinate system. For three-dimensional problems, three independent coordinates are needed. For two-
dimensional problems, only two coordinates are required.
• Length is used to locate to locate the position of a point in space and thereby describe the size of a physical system.
• Time is the measure of the succession of events and is a basic quantity in dynamics. Time is not directly involved in the
analysis of statics problems.
• Mass is a measure of the inertia of a body, which is its resistance to a change of velocity. Mass can also be thought of as
the quantity of matter in a body. The mass of a body affects the gravitational attraction force between it and other bodies.
This force appears in many applications in statics.
• Force is the action of one body on another. A force tends to move a body in the direction of its action. The action of a
force is characterized by its magnitude, by the direction of its action, and by its point of application. Thus force is a
vector quantity.
• A particle is a body of negligible dimensions. In the mathematical sense, a particle is a body whose dimensions are
considered to be near zero so that we may analyze it as a mass concentrated at a point. We often choose a particle as a
differential element of a body. We may treat a body as a particle when its dimensions are irrelevant to the description of
its position or the action of forces applied to it.
• Rigid body: A body is considered rigid when the change in distance between any two of its points is negligible for the
purpose at hand.

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 Units
• In mechanics we use four fundamental quantities called dimensions. These are length, mass, force,
and time.
• SI Units: The International System of Units, abbreviated SI is accepted in the United States and
throughout the world.

• Force (N) = mass (kg) x acceleration (m/s^2)

• U.S. Customary Units: The U.S. customary, or British system of units, also called the foot pound-second
(FPS) system, has been the common system in business and industry in English-speaking countries.
• Force (lb) =mass (slugs) x acceleration (ft/sec^2),

MKS (m for meter, k for kilogram, and s for second).

cgs (c for centimeter, g for gram and s for second).
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➢ Derived quantities and their units
Length L m (SI)
Area L2 m2 (SI)
Volume L3 m3 (SI)
Velocity (speed) L/T m/s (SI)
Acceleration L/T2 m/s2 (SI)

1 mile = 1609 m = 1.609 km

1 ft = 0.3048 m = 30.48 cm
1m = 3.281 ft
1m =100 cm=1000mm
1 in = 0.0254 m = 2.54 cm
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Prefixes

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 Example1
The sizes of the computer chip (shown in the below figure are: Width = 0.02 in and Length= 0.04 in. What is
the surface are of the computer chip in cm2, and Meter square (m2)? (Take; 1 in = 2.5 cm).

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 Coordinate Systems
You will learn:
1. Types of coordinators
2. Using coordinators to determine dimensions

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 Coordinate Systems
• A coordinate system is used to determine each point uniquely in a plane.

• A coordinate system is an artificial mathematical tool that we construct in order to

describe the position of a real object.

• Coordinate system (frame) consists of:

• a fixed reference point called the origin.
• specific axes with scales and labels.
• instructions on how to label a point relative to the origin and the axes.

• Coordinating system can be:

• 1D Coordinate systems
• 2D Coordinate systems
• 3D Coordinate systems

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 1D Coordinate systems
• The easiest coordinate system to construct is one that we can use to describe
the location of objects in one dimensional space.
• For example, we may wish to describe the location of a train along a
straight section of track that runs in the East-West direction.
• First define an “origin”, (x=0) which is the reference point of our coordinate
system.
• We can describe the position of the train by specifying how far it is from the
train station (the origin), using a single real number, say X-direction.

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2D Coordinate systems
• To describe the position of an object in two dimensions

• We need to specify two numbers to define two axes, x and y, whose origin and
direction we must define.

• Examples of 2D coordinating system:

• ‘’Cartesian” coordinate system, and
• “Polar” coordinate system

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 3D Coordinate systems
• In three dimensions, we need to specify three numbers to describe the position of an object (e.g. a bird
flying in the air).

• In a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, we simply add a third axis, z, that is mutually
perpendicular to both x and y.

• Examples of three dimensions:

• “cylindrical” coordinates system and,
• “spherical” coordinates system

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 Cartesian Coordinate Systems

• It is also called rectangular coordinate

system
• x- and y- axes
• Points are labeled as (x,y)

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 Plane polar coordinate system
Here:
• The origin and reference line are noted.

• The point (r, ɵ) is a distance (r) from the origin in

the direction of angle .

• The points are labeled as (r, )

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 Conversion between the two systems
• On a polar coordinating system, the values of r of which corresponded to the x and y-axis can be
measured as following:
• If x, and y given, the value of r is determined.
• The angle which the vector r makes with an original axis is measured.
• Other approaches can contribute to find out one of the four parameters (x, y, r, and θ) on the below
diagram.

• These approaches are:

1) sine, cosine and tan function or
2) Pythagorean Theorem

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❑Math Review: Trigonometry
opposite side
sin  =
hypotenuse
adjacent side
cos  =
hypotenuse
opposite side
tan  =
adjacent side
❑ Pythagorean Theorem

c2 = a2 + b2
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Example 2: How high is the building?

Known: angle and one side

Find: another side

Key: tangent is defined via two sides!

Fig. 1.7, p.14

Slide 13

height of building
a
tan a = ,
dist .
height = dist .  tan a = (tan 39.0 )(46.0 m) = 37.3 m
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 Example 3: Finding Polar Coordinates

If the rectangular coordinates of a point are given by (3, y) and its polar
coordinates are (r, 60o), determine y and r.

Note : sin 30 = cos 60 = ½ sin 60 = cos 30 =3 / 2

Solution:
Y= r sinɵ, x = r cosɵ, x=3
Thus: 3 = r cos60, r = 3/cos60 = 3*2 = 6 m

Y = r sin 60 = 6* 3 /2=3 3 m
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 Scalar and Vector Quantities

You will learn:

1. The principles of scalar and vector quantities
2. Mathematical combinations of vector quantities
3. Unit vectors

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 Scalar Quantities
• A SCALAR is a quantity of physics that has MAGNITUDE only, however,
direction is not associated with it.
• Magnitude – A numerical value with units.

• Some examples of scalar quantities

Scalar Magnitude
Example
Speed 20 m/s
Distance 10 m

Age 15 years
Heat 1000 calories 25
 Vector Quantities
▪ A VECTOR is a quantity which has both MAGNITUDE and DIRECTION.
▪ Examples: force, displacement, velocity….
Vector Magnitude &
Direction

Velocity 20 m/s, North

Acceleration 10 m/s/s, East

Force 5 N, West

Vectors are typically illustrated by drawing an ARROW above the symbol. The arrow is used to
convey direction and magnitude.

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 Some properties of Vectors
▪ Equality of Two Vectors
 Two vectors are equal if they have the same magnitude and the same
direction.

A= B= C

 Negative Vectors
 Two vectors are negative if they have the same magnitude but are 180° apart
(opposite directions)

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 Vector Applications

• Adding vectors
• Subtracting vectors
• Vector multiplication

• There are two approaches of vector applications:

1. Graphical Methods: the vectors are plotted.
• Use scale drawings.
2. Algebraic Methods: mathematics is used.
• More convenient

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 Adding Vectors graphically
• When adding vectors, their
directions must be taken
into consideration.
• Units must be the same.

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• Example 4: A man walks 54.5 meters east, then another 30
meters east. Calculate his displacement relative to where he started?

54.5 m, E + 30 m, E Notice that the SIZE of

the arrow conveys
MAGNITUDE and the
84.5 m, E way it was drawn conveys
DIRECTION.

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 Subtracting vectors graphically
•The vectors A & –A have the same magnitude but point in opposite directions. Therefore, when
we add negative vector we get zero.

• Example 5: A man walks 54.5 meters east, then 30 meters west. Calculate his displacement
relative to where he started?

Solution

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 Components of a Vector
▪ The projections of a vector on the x and y axis are called the components of
the vector.

▪ The y-component of a
vector is the projection
along the y-axis.
Ay = A sin 
• The x-component of a vector
is the projection along the x-
axis.
Ax = A cos 
Ay
A= A + A
2
x
2
y and  = tan −1

Ax
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 Vectors with two and three components
• Vectors with two components

• Vectors with three components

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 Fig. 1.18a the component Bx is negative, the cosine of an angle
in the second quadrant is negative. The component By is
positive (the second quadrant). In Fig. 1.18b both Bx and By are
negative (both are in the third quadrant).

ϴ is positive 34
Example 6

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Vector sum (resultant) of two or more vectors
• Tow or more vectors can be added with adding vector components of
each vector due to a specific direction.

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Example 7

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 Vector application (algebraic method)
Add and subtracts vectors
Example 8: Using the two vectors below, determine: A+B and B+A, A-B and B-A.

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Multiplying or Dividing a Vector by a Scalar quantity
• A vector can be multiplied or divided by a quantity (such as a
number).

• If the scalar is positive, the direction of the resultant is the same

as of the original vector.

A 5 x A = 5A ½A

• If the scalar is negative, the direction of the resultant is opposite

that of the original vector.

A -2 x A = -2A

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 Unit Vectors
❑Vector quantities are often expressed in terms of unit vector.
❑ A unit vector is a dimensionless vector having a magnitude of exactly one.
❑Unit vectors are used to specify a given direction and have no other physical significance.
❑Symbols i, j and k are used for unit vectors and pointing in the positive x, y and z direction
respectively.

j
x
i
k
z
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Unit vectors (2D)

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Unit vectors (3D)

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Example 9

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Example 10: From the below diagram, find the angle between the resultant and east components.
oppositeside 160
200 km Tan = = = 1.333
adjacent side 120
160 km, N  = Tan−1 (1.333) = 53.1o
 N of E 120 km, E

Example 11


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Example 12: A man walks 95 km East then 55 km north. Calculate his resultant displacement.

c2 = a2 + b2 → c = a2 + b2
c = Resultant = 952 + 552
55 km, N
c = 12050 = 109.8 km

95 km,E

Example 13: (HW) From the diagram below, determine the value of d.

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Example 14
A boat moves with a velocity of 15 m/s, N in a river which flows with a velocity of 8.0 m/s, west.
Calculate the boat's resultant velocity with respect to due north.

Rv = 82 + 152 = 17 m / s
8.0 m/s, W
8
15 m/s, N
Tan = = 0.5333
Rv  15
 = Tan −1 (0.5333) = 28.1

The Final Answer : 17 m/s, @ 28.1 degrees West of North

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 Example 15
A plane moves with a velocity of 63.5 m/s at 32 degrees South of East. Calculate the plane's horizontal
and vertical velocity components.

adjacent side opposite side

cosine  = sine =
H.C. =? hypotenuse hypotenuse
32˚ adj = hyp cos  opp = hyp sin 
V.C. = ?

63.5 m/s
adj = H .C. = 63.5 cos 32 = 53.85 m / s, E
opp = V .C. = 63.5 sin 32 = 33.64 m / s, S

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 Example 16
A storm system moves 5000 km due east, then shifts course at 40 degrees North of East for 1500 km. Calculate
the storm's resultant displacement.

adjacent side opposite side

cosine  = sine =
1500 km hypotenuse hypotenuse
V.C.
adj = hyp cos  opp = hyp sin 
40
5000 km, E H.C.
adj = H .C. = 1500 cos 40 = 1149.1 km, E
opp = V .C. = 1500 sin 40 = 964.2 km, N

5000 km + 1149.1 km = 6149.1 km R = 6149.12 + 964.2 2 = 6224.2 km

964.2
Tan = = 0.157
6149.1
R
964.2 km  = Tan−1 (0.157) = 8.92o

6149.1 km The Final Answer: 6224.2 km @ 8.92
degrees, North of East
 48
Vector multiplication (algebraic method)

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• Multiplying two vectors (for example A and B) sometimes gives you a SCALAR quantity which we call it the
SCALAR DOT PRODUCT.

Example 17: Use the two vectors below to calculate A.B.

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Example 18

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Vector Product (cross product)

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Example 19

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 Cosine law
The Law of Cosines is useful for finding:
•The third side of a triangle when we know two sides and the
angle between them (like the example above)
•The angles of a triangle when we know all three sides

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Example 20: determine the value of C between AB

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Example 21: Determine angle C in the below diagram

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EXAMPLE 22
Find Angle "C" Using The Law of Cosines.

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Sines Law

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Example 23: Prove sines law from the below diagram

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Example 24: Calculate side "c"

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HomeWorks

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