Great Tools of Physics
Physics is a quantitative science. That means we measure things, draw graphs and use mathematics to discover new and exciting events about the world in which we live.There are some skills and techniques that you need to become comfortable with so you can DO physics without letting the math get in the way of the physics. Some of those concepts are listed below.
- vectors
- the metric system and unit anslysis
- significant figures
- making graphs with Excel spreadsheet
- scientific notation
Science measurements are almost always made in the metric system, and the following video helps you begin to understand how to use the metric system easily and naturally. The video also shows an easy way of converting from one measurement to another. This system is called Unit Analysis, and is one of the most useful tools you can put into your intellectual toolbox.
Whenever scientists work with numbers, it is critical that the number itself gives a proper indication of the precision of the data. That is, if your measuring instrument can only measure precisely to plus or minus one millimeter, it would be incorrect to show a measurement as 3.432345 mm.
Watch the following video to learn about SIGNIFICANT FIGURES.
