Units and Measurement

Topics in this chapter

1. 1Units and Measurement: Chapter IntroductionA number alone means nothing: every measurement is a number and a unit. The chapter builds the SI system, significant figures and dimensions, the base of all physics. Watch
2. 2Physics and its scopeComing soon
3. 3Fundamental versus derived quantitiesComing soon
4. 4The SI System: Seven Base UnitsIn 1999 NASA lost the Mars Climate Orbiter because one team used pound-force and another newtons. Why the world uses one system, the SI, built on seven base units. Watch
5. 5Dimensions of physical quantitiesComing soon
6. 6Dimensional formulaComing soon
7. 7Dimensional analysisComing soon
8. 8Checking equations using dimensionsComing soon
9. 9Limitations of dimensional analysisComing soon
10. 10Significant figuresComing soon
11. 11Rules for significant figuresComing soon
12. 12Accuracy versus precisionComing soon
13. 13Errors in measurementComing soon
14. 14Absolute, relative and percentage errorComing soon
15. 15Least count of an instrumentComing soon
16. 16Order of magnitudeComing soon
17. 17Scientific notationComing soon
18. 18Parallax error and how to reduce itComing soon
19. 19Scalar and vector quantitiesComing soon
20. 20Unit conversion and dimensional consistencyComing soon