1. Physics
 Study of Matter and Energy
• The goal of physics is to use a
small number of basic concepts,
equations, and assumptions to
describe the physical world.
• These physics principles can then be
used to make predictions about a
broad range of phenomena.
Physics discoveries often turn out to
have unexpected practical
applications, and advances in
technology can in turn lead to new
physics discoveries.

2. The Branches of Physics
Topic Subject Examples
Mechanics Describing the motion of Cars, trains, Sky divers,
objects planets, spinning objects
Thermodynamics Heat and Temperature Movement of fluids,
heating and cooling
objects
Electromagnetism Electricity, Magnetism, Charges, flowing
and Light electrons, circuits,
magnets, electromagnets
Vibrations and Waves Sound and Light Springs, pendulums,
sound, color, lasers
Modern Relativity, Quantum Atoms, the building
Mechanics, Nuclear blocks of atoms, their
physics behavior

3. The Scientific Method
• There is no single
procedure that
scientists follow in their
work. However, there
are certain steps
common to all good
scientific investigations.
• These steps are called
the scientific method.

4. Numbers as Measurements
• In SI, the standard measurement system for
science, there are seven base units.
• Each base unit describes a single dimension,
such as length, mass, or time.
• Derived units are formed by combining the
seven base units with multiplication or division.
For example, speeds are typically expressed in
units of meters per second (m/s).

5. Other Units/Definitions You
Should Know
Volume (liter, l, cm3) How much space an object
takes up
Weight (Newton’s, N)  How gravity affects your
mass
Density (g/cm3)  Mass per unit volume D = M/V

6. SI Prefixes
Power Prefix Abbreviation
10-12 pico- p
10-9 nano- n
10-6 micro- μ
10-3 milli- m
10-2 centi- c
103 kilo- k
106 mega M

7. Common Conversions you
should know
1in = 2.54 cm
5280 ft = 1 mile
3ft = 1 yd
.621 mi = 1 km
1 hour = 3600 seconds

8. Sample Problem
A typical bacterium has a mass of about 2.0 fg.
Express this measurement in terms of grams
and kilograms.
Given:
mass = 2.0 fg
Unknown:
mass = ? g mass = ? kg

9. Sample Problem, continued
Notice the two conversion factors below are
inverses (flipped.)
1×10 –15 g 1 fg
and
1 fg 1× 10 –15 g
Only the first one will cancel the units of femtograms
to give units of grams.
 1×10 –15 g 
(2.0 fg)   = 2.0 ×10 –15 g
 1 fg 

10. Sample Problem, continued
Take the previous answer, and use a
similar process to cancel the units of
grams to give units of kilograms.
 1 kg 
(2.0 ×10 –15 g)   = 2.0 ×10 –18 kg
 1×103 g 

11. Graphing
• Independent variable  you control (x-axis)
• Dependent variable  depends on the ind. (y-axis)
10 points on graphs
1. Title y vs x (dependent vs independent)
2/3 Label both axis correctly
4/5 Units on axis
6/7 Scale for both axis even
8 Dots with circle in correct place
9 Best fit line
10 Ruler

12. Inertia Balance Lab
• Inertia  the property of matter that opposes
any change in its state of motion
(mass is a measure of inertia)
• Amplitude  the distance the object travels
away from the equilibrium
• Period  The time for one complete back and
forth swing. (T=# of s/# of vibrations)