Physics data booklet

First assessment 2016

Diploma Programme
Physics data booklet

Published February 2014

Published on behalf of the International Baccalaureate Organization, a not-for-profit
educational foundation of 15 Route des Morillons, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex, Geneva,
Switzerland by the
International Baccalaureate Organization (UK) Ltd
Peterson House, Malthouse Avenue, Cardiff Gate
Cardiff, Wales CF23 8GL
United Kingdom
Website: www.ibo.org
International Baccalaureate Organization 2014
The International Baccalaureate Organization (known as the IB) offers four high-quality
and challenging educational programmes for a worldwide community of schools, aiming
to create a better, more peaceful world. This publication is one of a range of materials
produced to support these programmes.
The IB may use a variety of sources in its work and checks information to verify accuracy
and authenticity, particularly when using community-based knowledge sources such as
Wikipedia. The IB respects the principles of intellectual property and makes strenuous
efforts to identify and obtain permission before publication from rights holders of all
copyright material used. The IB is grateful for permissions received for material used
in this publication and will be pleased to correct any errors or omissions at the earliest
opportunity.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission
of the IB, or as expressly permitted by law or by the IBs own rules and policy. See
http://www.ibo.org/copyright.
IB merchandise and publications can be purchased through the IB store at
http://store.ibo.org.
Email: sales@ibo.org

International Baccalaureate, Baccalaurat International and Bachillerato Internacional

are registered trademarks of the International Baccalaureate Organization.

4082

Contents
Fundamental constants

Metric (SI) multipliers

Unit conversions

Electrical circuit symbols

EquationsCore

EquationsAHL

EquationsOptions

10

Physics data booklet

Fundamental constants
Quantity
Acceleration of free fall (Earths surface)
Gravitational constant

Symbol

Avogadros constant

Boltzmanns constant

Coulomb constant

Gas constant

StefanBoltzmann constant
Permittivity of free space

Permeability of free space

Plancks constant

Electron rest mass

Speed of light in vacuum

Elementary charge
Proton rest mass

Neutron rest mass

Unified atomic mass unit

Solar constant
Fermi radius

Physics data booklet

n
u

Approximate value
9.81 m s2

6.67 1011 N m2 kg2

6.02 1023 mol1
8.31 J K1 mol1

1.38 1023 J K1

5.67 108 W m2 K4
8.99 109 N m2 C2

8.85 1012 C2 N1 m2
4 107 T m A1
3.00 108 m s1
6.63 1034 J s
1.60 1019 C

9.110 1031 kg = 0.000549 u = 0.511 MeV c2

1.673 1027 kg =1.007276 u = 938 MeV c2
1.675 1027 kg =1.008665 u = 940 MeV c2
1.661 1027 kg = 931.5 MeV c2
1.36 103 W m2
1.20 1015 m

Metric (SI) multipliers

Prefix

Abbreviation

Value

peta

1015

109

tera

mega

hecto

giga
kilo

deca

da

centi

deci

1012
106
103
102
101

101

milli

103

nano

micro
pico

femto

Physics data booklet

p
f

102
106
109

1012
1015

Unit conversions
1 radian (rad)

180

Temperature (K) = temperature (C) + 273

1 light year (ly) = 9.46 1015 m

1 parsec (pc) = 3.26 ly

1 astronomical unit (AU) =1.50 1011 m

1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) = 3.60 106 J

hc = 1.99 10-25 J m = 1.24 106 eV m

Physics data booklet

Electrical circuit symbols

cell

battery

ac supply

switch

voltmeter

ammeter

resistor

variable resistor

lamp

potentiometer

light-dependent resistor
(LDR)

thermistor

transformer

heating element

diode

capacitor

Physics data booklet

EquationsCore
Note: All equations relate to the magnitude of the quantities only. Vector notation has not been used.
Sub-topic 1.2 Uncertainties and errors

Sub-topic 1.3 Vectors and scalars

If: =

then: = +

then:
=
+
+

If: =

If: =

then:

Sub-topic 2.1 Motion

H = cos
V = sin

Sub-topic 2.2 Forces

= +

2 = 2 + 2

f = d

1
2

= + 2
=

( + )
2

f s

Sub-topic 2.3 Work, energy and power

Sub-topic 2.4 Momentum and impulse

K = 2 2
1

P = 2 2

P =

power =

useful work out

total work in
useful power out
=
total power in

Eficiency =

Physics data booklet

K =

2
2

Impulse = =

Sub-topic 3.1 Thermal concepts

=
=

Sub-topic 3.2 Modelling a gas

=
A
=

3
3
K = 2 B = 2

Sub-topic 4.1 Oscillations

=

Sub-topic 4.2 Travelling waves

=

Sub-topic 4.3 Wave characteristics

2

= 0 2

Sub-topic 4.4 Wave behaviour

1 sin 2 2
=
=
2 sin 1 1
=

Constructive interference: path difference =

Destructive interference:

path difference = ( + 2)

Sub-topic 5.1 Electric fields

Sub-topic 5.2 Heating effect of electric currents

1 2
= 2

1
=
40

Kirchhoffs circuit laws:

= 0 (loop)

= 0 (junction)

= = 2 =

total = 1 + 2 +
1

total

1
1
+
+
1 2

Sub-topic 5.3 Electric cells

= ( + )

= sin

Physics data booklet

Sub-topic 5.4 Magnetic effects of electric currents

= sin

Sub-topic 6.1 Circular motion

Sub-topic 6.2 Newtons law of gravitation

=
=

2 4 2
= 2

2
= 2

Sub-topic 7.1 Discrete energy and radioactivity

Sub-topic 7.2 Nuclear reactions

= 2

Sub-topic 7.3 The structure of matter

Charge
2

Quarks
u

1

3

c
s

Baryon
number
t

Charge
1

1
3

1
3

Particles mediating

All leptons have a lepton number

of 1 and antileptons have a lepton
number of 1

All quarks have a strangeness number of 0

except the strange quark that has a
strangeness number of 1

Particles experiencing

Leptons

Gravitational

Weak

Electromagnetic

Strong

All

Quarks, leptons

Charged

Quarks, gluons

Graviton

W+,

W,

Z0

Sub-topic 8.1 Energy sources

Sub-topic 8.2 Thermal energy transfer

energy
Power =
time

= 4

Power = 2 3

Physics data booklet

max (metres) =

Gluons

2.90 103
(kelvin)

power

total scattered power

albedo =
total incident power

EquationsAHL
Sub-topic 9.1 Simple harmonic motion
=

Sub-topic 9.2 Single-slit diffraction

=

= 2

Sub-topic 9.3 Interference

= 0 sin ; = 0 cos

= sin

= (0 2 2 )

Destructive interference:

= 0 cos ; = 0 sin

K =

1
2

2 (0 2

T = 2 2 0 2

2)

Constructive interference: 2 = ( + 2)
2 =

Pendulum: = 2

Massspring: = 2

Sub-topic 9.4 Resolution

= 1.22
=

Sub-topic 10.1 Describing fields

Sub-topic 9.5 Doppler effect

Moving source: =

s
Moving observer: =

=

Sub-topic 10.2 Fields at work

=
=

P = =
G =
esc =

1 2
2

P = e =
E =

1 2

1 2
2

orbit =

Physics data booklet

Sub-topic 11.1 Electromagnetic induction

Sub-topic 11.3 Capacitance

= cos

Sub-topic
11.2
transmission
rms =

rms =

parallel = 1 + 2 +
1

Power

generation

and

2
0

2
0 rms
= =
0 rms
max = 0 0
1
= 2 0 0

p p s
=
=
s s p

series
=

1
1
+ +
1 2

1
2
2

= 0

= 0

= 0

Sub-topic 12.1 The interaction of matter with

radiation

Sub-topic 12.2 Nuclear physics

= 0 1/3

13.6

=
2

= 0

max =
=

() = ||2

= 0
sin

Physics data booklet

EquationsOptions
Sub-topic A.1 The beginnings of relativity

Sub-topic A.3 Spacetime diagrams

= tan1

Sub-topic A.2 Lorentz transformations

=

1 2

= ( ) ; = ( )
= (
=

1 2

) ; = (

= 0
=

Sub-topic A.4 Relativistic mechanics (HL only)

= 0 2
0 = 0

K = ( 1)0 2
= 0

2 = 2 2 + 0 2 4

= K

Physics data booklet

( )2 ( )2 = ()2 ()2

Sub-topic A.5 General relativity (HL only)

= 2

s =

2
2
0

1 s

10

Sub-topic
dynamics

B.1

Rigid

bodies

and

rotational

= sin

= +
3

= 2

= 2

= 2

f = i +

f2 = i2 + 2
1
2

= i +

Krot = 2 2

Sub-topic B.3 Fluids and fluid dynamics (HL only)

= f f

= 0 + f

= constant
1
2

Sub-topic B.2 Thermodynamics

2 + + = constant

D = 6

3 = constant (for monatomic gases)

useful work done

energy input

Carnot = 1

cold
hot

Sub-topic B.4 Forced vibrations and resonance

(HL only)
= 2

energy stored
energy dissipated per cycle

= 2 resonant frequency

energy stored
power loss

Sub-topic C.1 Introduction to imaging

Sub-topic C.2 Imaging instrumentation

1 1 1
= +

Sub-topic C.3 Fibre optics

=
=
o

i
o

near point

o
e

1
sin

attenuation = 10 log

Sub-topic C.4 Medical imaging (HL only)

= + 1 ; ininity =

I = 10 log
= 0

1
0

1 = ln2
2

Physics data booklet

11

Sub-topic D.1 Stellar quantities

(parsec) =
=
=

1
(arcsecond)

4 2

Sub-topic D.3 Cosmology

=

1
0

1
0

= 0

Physics data booklet

Sub-topic D.2 Stellar characteristics and stellar

evolution
max = 2.9 103 m K
3.5

Sub-topic D.5 Further cosmology (HL only)

4
=

3
c =

3 2
8

12