Abou Bekr Belkaid University

Faculty of Technology
Department of Sciences & Technologies
Physics ( IST1.5 )

Chapter I:
Dimensional Analysis and Vector Analysis

Presented by Dr N.BENMESSAOUD
 I.1 Dimensional Analysis

A physical quantity is a quantity which relates to a

property and which can be measured.

Exp: Speed of light in the vacuum 3.108 m/s

 I.1 Dimensional Analysis

 Physicals quantities are divided into two categories:

fundamental physical quantities which are limited in number (7
quantities).

All other physical quantity can be expressed in fundamental

quantities we call them secondary or physical quantities derived
(speed, volume, force,…).

The value of any physical quantity is expressed as a function of

unit. We need these units to compare measurements but also to
make distinction between different physical quantities (Exp: C=
3.108 m/s).
 I.1 Dimensional Analysis

Physical Dimension IS unit

Quantities
Mass M Kilogram (kg)

Length L Meter (m)

Time T Second (s)

Temperature Θ Kelvin (K)

Electric current intensity I Ampere (A)

Luminous Intensity J Candela (cd)

Amount of substance N Mole (mol)

 I.1 Dimensional Analysis

 Meter is the unit of length. It was defined as the distance

traveled by light in vacuum during a time of 1/299 792 458
second.

derived units of meter

•centimeters, millimeters, kilometers
•Inches (1 inch = 2,54 cm), feet, miles (1609.34m)
•astronomical unit (mean distance between the earth and the sun)
(1AU= 149,597,871 km)
•light-year (the distance that light travels in one year) (1light-
year= 9.5 trillion km)
 I.1 Dimensional Analysis

The unit of time is second. One second is 9 192 631 770 times the
period of vibration of radiation from the cesium-133 atom.2

derived units
milliseconds, microseconds, days, weeks, hours, centuries, months..

Kg is the unit of mass (1Kg is defined as the mass of a specific

platinum–iridium alloy cylinder kept at the International
Bureau of Weights and Measures at Sèvres, France).

derived units
milligrams, pounds, metric tons..
 I.1Dimensional Analysis

•In physics, the word dimension denotes the physical

nature of a quantity. The dimensions of length, mass,
and time are L, M, and T, respectively. We shall often
use brackets [ ] to denote the dimensions of a
physical quantity.
 I.1 Dimensional Analysis

Dimensional analysis consists of verifying

the dimensional homogeneity of the
algebraic expressions that we establish,
that is to say that each of their terms has
the same dimensions or units.
 I.1 Dimensional Analysis

Physical physical formula Dimension unit in SI

quantity

Speed v d /t L/T m/s

Acceleration a v/t L/T2 m / s2
Volume
V l 3
L 3 m3
Force F  m.a M . L.T 2 kg.m.s 2  Newton 
Pressure PF/S M .L1.T 2 kg.m1.s 2  Pascal 
Electrical kg.m2 .s 3. A2
resistance R U / i M .L2 . I 2 .T 3
 Ohm 
Electrical charge Q  i.t I .T A.s
 Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional Equation

Definition:
it is an equation which links a derived quantity Q to the
fundamental quantities by a relation of form:

Q   M a
.L .T . . I . J . N
b c d e f g

Where:
M, L, T, θ, I, J, N are respectively mass, length, time, temperature, Electric current
intensity, Luminous Intensity and amount of matter
a, b, c, d, e, f, g are real numbers (are called dimensional exponents, they can be
positive, negative or zero)
 I.1 Dimensional Analysis
Exp:
Show that the expression x = ½.at2, where x represents the position, a acceleration,
and t an instant of time, is dimensionally correct.
Solution
using dimensional analysis is to set up an expression of the form.
x a n .t m
Where n and m are exponents that must be determined.
Because the dimension of the left side is length, the dimension of the right side must also be
length.
 x    a n .t m   L  L1.T 0
L
Because the dimensions of acceleration are and the dimension of time is T, we have:
T2
n
 L  m
 2
T 
T  L1
.T 0
  Ln
T m 2 n
  L1
.T 0

The exponents of L and T must be the same on both sides of the equation. From the exponents
of L, we see immediately that n = 1. From the exponents of T, we see that m- 2n = 0, which,
once we substitute for n, gives us m = 2. Returning to our original expression x ~ ant m, we
conclude that x ~ at2.
 Dimensional Analysis

In physics any measurement that you make without any knowledge of the
uncertainty is meaningless.

What is uncertainty?

Uncertainty represents the margin of error associated with values measured or

determined during an experiment.

uncertainty does not represent a value but an interval of values.

the exact value of the measurement is, definitely, in this interval.

we can right :

x  xmax  x
 I.1 Dimensional Analysis
Absolute Uncertainty

The absolute uncertainty ∆x is the maximum error that one is

likely to make in the evaluation of

xmax -∆x ≤ x ≤ xmax +∆x

lowest probable value highest probable value

Exp
Measure the thickness of a book : e  3  0.05 cm 2.95  e  3.05

2.95 3.05
 I.1 Dimensional Analysis
Relative Uncertainty

The relative uncertainty ∆x/x represents the importance of the error

in relation to the measured quantity. Relative uncertainty has no
units and is generally expressed in % (100.∆x/x).

Exp
What is the relative uncertainty in a measurement taken with a measuring ruler, given that
the length of the object to be measured is 21.3 cm?

Solution:

We will then express the measure taken by the rule as follows: 21.3 cm  0.2%
 I.1 Dimensional Analysis

Rules for calculating uncertainty

Addition or Subtraction: Multiplication or Division
A.B R A B C
If R then   
If: R=A+B-C C R A B C

R A
Then: ∆R=∆A+∆B+ ∆C If R  An then  n.
R A
 I.1 Dimensional Analysis

we speak of compound uncertainty when it concerns a

quantity A depending on other quantities x, y, z, that is to
say A=f(x, y, z). The uncertainty committed on this
quantity, A, can be expressed as a function of the other
absolute uncertainties ∆x, ∆y, ∆z by applying one of the
following methods

Differential method of
Total Differential Method
logarithmic function
 I.1 Dimensional Analysis

Total Differential Method

in order to calculate the absolute uncertainty: we take the

total differential of A
f f f
dA  df  x, y , z   dx  dy  dz
x y z

we replace the differentials by the absolute uncertainties and we

take the absolute values of the partial derivatives.

f f f
A  x  y  z
x y z
 I.1 Dimensional Analysis

Differential method of logarithmic function

Take the logarithm of the quantity A, then its differential.

Take the absolute value of the expressions obtained.

Replace the differentials with absolute uncertainties.

 I.2 Vector Analysis:

A scalar quantity is completely specified by a single value

with an appropriate unit and has no direction.

Exp: Mass, temperature, volume …

A vector quantity is completely specified by a number with an

appropriate unit (the magnitude of the vector) plus a direction.

Exp: Velocity, acceleration, force …

 I.2 Vector Analysis:
Representation of vector:
A

It represents with an arrow over the letter, such as: A

The magnitude of the vector A is written either A  unit   0
 I.2 Vector Analysis:
Properties of Vectors:
•Adding Vectors
 I.2 Vector Analysis:

When three or more vectors are added, their sum is independent of the way in
which the individual vectors are grouped together. A geometric proof of this rule
for three vectors is given in figure above. This property is called the associative
law of addition:
 I.2 Vector Analysis:

•Negative of a Vector:
The negative of the vector is defined as the vector that when added to A gives zero for the

 
vector sum. That is, A   A  0. The vectors A and  A have the same magnitude but

point in opposite directions.

A
 I.2 Vector Analysis:
•Subtracting Vectors:
The operation of vector subtraction makes use of the definition of the negative of a vector.
 
A   B as vector  B Added to vector A
We define the operation
 I.2 Vector Analysis:
•Multiplying a Vector by a Scalar:

If vector A is multiplied by a scalar quantity m, the product is a vector B  mA.

We find the vector B as follows:

B m A
If B have the same direction of A

If B have the opposite direction of A

 I.2 Vector Analysis:
Components of a Vector and Unit Vectors:

In two dimensions, a vector can be written as the sum of two perpendicular vectors

The projections of vectors along coordinate axes are called the components of the vector

or its rectangular components.

 I.2 Vector Analysis:
•Unit Vectors
Vector components can be replaced by unit vectors i and j scalar components.

A  Ax i  Ay j
A unit vector is a dimensionless vector having a magnitude of exactly 1.

Unit vectors are used to specify a given direction and have no other physical significance.
y
Ay j
A
j
x
i Ax i
 I.2 Vector Analysis:
•Three-dimensional vectors z
Az

k j Ay y
i
Ax

x A  Ax i  Ay j  Az k

A  Ax2  A2y  Az2

 I.2 Vector Analysis:
Vector algebra
y

Figure below illustrates two vectors A and B having the same module and the same

orientation. These vectors are equal: A  B.

A
This implies that the components of must be equal to the components of B :
 I.2 Vector Analysis:
•Addition:
Figure allow illustrates the graphic addition of two vectors parallel to the xy plane:

  
R  Ax i  Ay j  Bx i  B y j 
R  A B  R   Ax  Bx  i   Ay  B y  j
The extension of our methods to three-dimensional vectors is straightforward.

A  Ax i  Ay j  Az k

B  Bx i  By j  Bz k

R   Ax  Bx  i   Ay  B y  j   Az  Bz  k

And the magnitude of R is:

Exp:
 I.2 Vector Analysis:
•Subtraction:
To calculate the subtraction using the components D  A  B we subtract the components:

•Unit vector
Consider a vector A  Ax i  Ay j  Az k and its module A then the unit vector u A
A Ax i  Ay j  Az k
is defined by the fooling formula: uA  
A Ax2  Ay2  Az2

  
Given the vector: A  4.5i  2.0 j  5.3k m / s and B  2.5i  3.4 j  9.0k m / s
a) calculate the vector R  3A  2B

b) calculate the unit vector uR

 I.2 Vector Analysis:
•Multiplying a Vector by a Scalar
To calculate the multiplication of a vector by a scalar m, we multiply F  m.a each component
of the vector by the scalar.
Fx  m.a x
Fy  m.a y
Fz  m.a z
If m≥0 then F has the same direction of a
If m≤0 then F has the opposite direction of a

•The dot product (scalar product)

We define the scalar product A.B (we say “A point B”) as follows:

A.B  A.B.cos

A

B
The result is a scalar.
 Proprieties:

The dot product is:

 Commutative: A.B  B. A

 Distributive:  
A. B  C  A.B  A.C

The scalar product of the two vectors is:

 
A.B  Ax i  Ay j  Az k . Bx i  By j  Bz k  C  A B

From: A.B  A.B.cos  and A.B  Ax Bx . Ay By . Az Bz

We obtain:

Ax Bx . Ay By . Az Bz
cos  
AB
 I.2 Vector Analysis:
Example:

Two objects have respective speeds:

   
V 1  2.0i  1.1 j  2.0k m / s and V 2  1.0i  2.0 j  0.5k m / s
. Calculate the angle between the two speeds.

•The cross product:

Consider the two vectors A and B shown in the figure. The vector C  A  B (we
say “A cross B”) is the result of the vector product.

The module of C is given by:

C=A.B.sinθ
 I.2 Vector Analysis:
What is the direction of the vector?

A cross product is always perpendicular to both A and B but it leaves you with two
choices: It can either come out of the blackboard or it can go in the blackboard.

Cross product properties

Anticommutative A  B  B  A

The vector product obeys the distributiveness

 
A  B  C  A B  A  C

Example:
Calculate the vector W, product of the two vectors: V1= (2.1, 1) and V2= (1.0, 2).
Deduce the angle between them.
 I.2 Vector Analysis:
Differential operators:
Definitions:
A single-variable function is a function that depends on a single variable x:
F=f(x). If the function f is differentiable at any point x, we define F’ the derivative
of the function f such that 𝐹′=𝑑𝑓𝑑𝑥
On the other hand, if the function depends on several variables x, y, z,…, we
define what we call a differential.
A function with two variables is a function that depends on two variables:
F=f(x,y)
A three-variable function is a function that depends on three variables x, y and z:
F=f(x, y, z)
The total differential of an algebraic function F with three variables x, y, z is
written:
f f f
dF  df  x, y , z   dx  dy  dz
x y z
f f f
With , and are partial differentials
x y z
 I.2 Vector Analysis:

Example :

f  x, y, z   x 2  2 y  4 z

Its total differential is:

df  2 xdx  2dy  4dz

The operators :

 Nabla operator 

The nabla operator is a vector that acts on functions as follows:

  
 i j k
x y z
 I.2 Vector Analysis:
The gradient

The gradient is an operator which acts on algebraic functions and transforms them into
vector functions using the nabla operator. We define the gradient vector of the algebraic
function f as follows:
f f f
grad f   f  i j k
x y z
Example :

f  x, y, z   xyz 2

grad f  yz 2 i  xz 2 j  2 xyzk
The divergent

The divergent is an operator which acts on vector functions and transforms them into
algebraic functions using the nabla operator. It is defined as follows:

Vx V y Vz
divV  V   
x y z
 I.2 Vector Analysis:
Example:

V  x, y , z   2 xyi  xyz j  xyz 2 k

divV  2 y  xz  2 xyz
The rotational

Given the vector V  V x i  Vy j  Vz k . We define the rotational V of as follows:

 j
i k
  
rotV    V 
x y z
Vx V y Vz

 Vz V y   Vz Vx   V y Vx 

rotV     i     j     k
  z
 y   x z   x y 
 I.2 Vector Analysis:
Example :

V  x, y , z   2 xyi  xyz j  xyz 2 k

 j i k
  
rotV    V 
x y z
2 xy xyz  xyz 2

rotV    xz 2  xy  i    yz 2  0  j   yz  2 x  k

rotV    xz 2  xy  i  yz 2 j   yz  2 x  k
The Laplacian

 The Laplacian is defined as the divergent of the gradient or the gradient of the divergent
 The Laplacian of an algebraic function is given by the following relation:
 I.2 Vector Analysis:

2 f 2 f 2 f
  f     f   2  2  2
2

x y z

The Laplacian of a vector function is given by the following

relation:

 2V  2V  2V
 
 V    f   2  2  2
2

x y z