MCAT Physics Equation Sheet

EQUATIONS IN MOTION m1m2 G = 6.67×10-11 N·m2/kg2

FG = G
r2
Average speed Inclined Planes
d d = distance, t = time
v=
t F incline = mg sin θ θ is the angle between the inclined plane and
the horizontal surface
Fnormal = mg cos θ
Average velocity
∆x ∆x = displacement, ∆t = elapsed time
v=
∆t Hooke’s Law The further a spring is stretched, the more force
Average acceleration
∆v
∆v = change in velocity, ∆t = elapsed F = −k∆x it pulls back with.
a= time
∆t
Torque Torque, which can be roughly thought of as a
Linear motion kinematics 1-D To apply in two dimensions, the easiest
(constant acceleration a) way is to choose an x-y coordinate τ = Fl twisting force, is proportional to the force
applied and the lever arm length.
system so that the direction of the
v = v0 + at acceleration is entirely along either the x
or the y direction. This greatly simplifies
x = x0 + v0t + 12 at 2 things as the acceleration in the other WORK AND ENERGY
v 2 = v02 + 2a( x − x0 ) coordinate direction will have a
component of 0 and the motion in that
v = 2gh (Free fall from 0 velocity) Work done by a constant Work W done by a constant force of
other direction will have constant
force magnitude F on an object as it is displaced by
velocity. The components of motion in
the x and y directions are analyzed W = Fd cosθ a distance d. The angle between the directions
separately. of F and d is θ.
Vector components
Work is positive if the object is displaced in the
v x = v cos θ , v = v x2 + v y2 direction of the force and negative if it is
For a vector of magnitude v making an
angle θ with the x-axis displaced against the force. The work is zero if
vy
v y = v sin θ , tan θ = the displacement is perpendicular to the
direction of the force.
vx
Kinetic energy Kinetic energy K for a mass m traveling at a
Centripetal acceleration
v2
Centripetal acceleration aR is toward the K = 12 mv 2 speed v.
center of the circle of radius r for an
aR = object traveling with constant speed v Gravitational potential Potential energy U is the energy that an object
R energy of mass m has by virtue of its position relative
U = mgh (local ) to the surface of the earth. That position is
FORCES AND TORQUE GMm
measured by the height h of the object relative
U =− ( general ) to an arbitrary zero level.
r
Newton’s first law of At equilibrium, every body continues in its state Conservative forces A force is conservative if either:
motion (Equilibrium) of rest or of uniform speed as long as no net • Gravitational force • The work done by the force on an
r force and no net torque act on it. • Elastic spring object moving from one point to
∑F = 0 force another depends only on the initial
• and final positions and is
τ clockwise = τ counterclockwise
Electric force
Non-conservative forces independent of the particular path
• Frictional forces taken.
Newton’s second law of The acceleration a of an object is directly • Air resistance • The net work done by the force on
motion (Dynamics) proportional to the net force acting on it and is • Tension an object moving around any

F = ma inversely proportional to its mass. The direction • Normal force closed path is zero
of the acceleration is in the direction of the net • Propulsion of a
force action the object. motor
Newton’s third law of Whenever one object exerts a force on a Conservation of The total mechanical energy of a system,
motion second object, the second exerts an equal and Mechanical Energy (Only remains constant as the object moves,
opposite force on the first. holds true if non-conservative provided that the net work done by external
Force of static friction Opposes any impending relative motion forces are ignored) non-conservative forces (such as friction and
F fr ≤ µ s FN between two surfaces, where the magnitude
can assume any value up to a maximum of µsFN
E 2 = E1 air resistance) is zero.

where µs is the coefficient of static friction and K 2 + U 2 = K1 + U 1

FN is the magnitude of the normal force.
Force of kinetic friction Force between two surfaces sliding against one Work-energy Theorem The work due to non-conservative forces Wnc
Wnc = ∆K + ∆U + ∆Ei is equal to the change in kinetic energy ∆K
F fr = µ k FN another that opposes the relative motion of the
two surfaces, where µk is the coefficient of plus the change in gravitational potential
kinetic friction. energy ∆U plus any changes in internal energy
due to friction.
Force of gravity between The force FG between two objects of masses m1
Rest Mass Energy The energy inherent to a particle by nature of it
any two objects and m2 and separated by a distance r. The
E = mc 2
having a mass.
value of the universal gravitation constant is:

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Power Power P is defined as the rate at which work is

done. It can also be expressed in terms of the
P = ρgy
W
P= = Fv force F being applied to the object traveling at Buoyant Force The buoyant force on an object in fluid is upward
t a speed v. It is more correct to express this
version of the relationship as
Fbuoyant =ρ Vg and equal to the weight of the fluid that the object
displaces.
P = Fv cosθ Continuity Equation The volume flow rate of a fluid is proportional to
where θ is the angle between F and v. Q Av= the cross-sectional area of the pipe and the
velocity of the fluid. Qin must be equal to Qout.
Bernoulli’s Equation One way to remember the Bernoulli equation is to
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think of it as an energy conservation equation.
p + ρgy + ρv 2 = constan The three terms roughly correspond to pressure
2 energy, potential energy, and kinetic energy,
Linear momentum: Linear momentum p is the product of an respectively.
p = mv object’s mass m and velocity v. Linear Elastic modulus of a A high modulus material is hard and rigid.
r r momentum is a vector that points in the
p = mv same direction of the velocity.
solid Examples are metal and ceramic. A low modulus
material is elastic, like rubber.
Stress
Principle of conservation of Modulus =
linear momentum:
r r The total linear momentum of an isolated Strain
P2 = P1
system remains constant.

An impulse produces a change in an WAVES AND PERIODIC MOTION

Impulse-momentum theorem: object’s momentum. Impulse is given by
∆p = F ⋅ t r Wave Velocity The velocity of a wave is the product of its

r r r the product of average force F (F) and

the time interval ∆t (t) over which the force
v = fλ frequency and wavelength.
p 2 − p1 = Fnet ∆t is applied. Impulse is a vector that points Wave Period
in the same direction as the average force. 1
Elastic collisions: T=
• Bodies do not stick
f
together
• Kinetic energy is A completely inelastic collision is one in Sound decibels A difference of 10 in decibels corresponds to
sound intensity levels that differ by a factor of 10.
conserved which the bodies stick together completely I
• Momentum is after the collision. β = 10 log For example, 90dB is 10 times as loud as 80dB.
conserved Io
Inelastic collisions: In inelastic collisions, kinetic energy is not
• Bodies stick together if conserved as some of the initial kinetic Standing Waves When a standing wave is formed on a piece of
completely inelastic energy is converted into other forms of string, the string length is some fractional multiple
• Kinetic energy is not energy such as thermal and sound energy. Both ends fixed or free of the standing wave wavelength. Depending on
conserved nλ n how the string is fixed, each end can be a node
• Momentum is L= (n = 1,2,3,...) or an anti-node.
conserved
2
One end fixed one end
Center of Mass (CM or CofM)
free
n
∑ mi xi The center of mass is a point that nλn
represents the average location for the L= (n = 1,3,5,...)
xcm = i =1
total mass of the system. 4
M total Beat frequency When two waves of constant amplitude but
f beat = f 1 − f 2
For two bodies: In a collision, the velocity of the center of different frequencies interfere with each other,
mass of all the colliding objects remains the resulting wave’s amplitude is confined to an
m1 x1 + m2 x2
xcm = constant. envelope with some periodicity. The frequency of
m1 + m2 the envelope is the beat frequency and can be
heard as distinct beats because of the amplitude
variation with time.
FLUIDS AND SOLIDS Doppler effect The apparent frequency of the source is
∆f v ∆λ v increased as the source approaches the
= = observer, and is decreased as the sources
Density Density of a liquid at rest. Density can also be fs c λs c leaves the observer.
m measured relative to water, which is termed
ρ= specific gravity. A specific gravity > 1 means the
V liquid is more dense than water, A specific gravity ELECTROSTATICS AND MAGNETISM
< 1 means the liquid is less dense than water
Bolztmann’s constant k and has a value of: k = 9.0×109 N·m/C2
Pressure The hydrostatic pressure on a fluid volume is
Coulomb’s law (electric The magnitude of the force F between two
F dependent on its depth, and is equal in all
P= ( general definition ) directions.
force) charges (Q1 and Q2) in terms of the distance r
A Q1Q2 between the two charges. The direction of the
Hydrostatic pressure at F =k 2 force is directed along the line between the two
a fixed depth r forces. This force is repulsive if the two charges
are both positive or both negative, and attractive

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if the one charge is positive and the other Capacitors in series CS and For more than two capacitors:
negative. parallel CP
Electric field due to a E is a vector and points away from a positive 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
point charge q at a charge and toward a negative charge. = + = + + + + ...
distance r C S C1 C 2 C S C1 C 2 C 3 C 4
Q
E=k C P = C1 + C 2 C P = C1 + C 2 + C3 + C 4 + ...
r2
Electric potential energy The potential energy stored between the Electric energy stored by a Amount of electric energy stored in a
QQ
U =k 1 2
interaction between two point charges. capacitor
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Q 2
capacitor is given in terms of the
capacitance C and the potential difference
r U E = 12 CV 2 = 12 QV = 12 between the conductors V.
Electric potential The electric potential V due to a point charge q C
Q at a distance r away from the charge.
V =k
r
In constant electric fields Note that the force F is in the same direction as LIGHT AND GEOMETRICAL OPTICS
r r the electric field E if the charge q is positive and
F = qE U = qEd in the opposite direction if the charge is
Snell’s law The angle of incidence θ1 is with respect to
V = Ed U = Vq negative.

The energy gained by some charge in a field is

n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ 2 the perpendicular of the surface between the
two media (with indices of refraction n1 and
simply force times the distance traveled. n2). The angle of refraction θ2 is also with
Potential is the energy per unit charge. respect to the perpendicular.
Force on a charge moving r Total internal reflection The critical angle θc is the angle of incidence
in a magnetic field A charge q moving in a magnetic field
r B with beyond which total internal reflection occurs.
r r r r n2
F = qv × B a velocity v experiences a force F . The sin θ c = The index of refraction for the medium in
which the incident ray is traveling is n1
n1
F = qvB sin θ magnitude of this force can also be expressed
r r Energy of one photon The energy of light is dependent on its
in terms of the angle θ between v and B .
E = hf frequency. H is the planck constant
6.626068 × 10-34 m2 kg / s
Index of refraction The higher the index of refraction is for a
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS medium, the slower is the speed of light in
c
Ohm’s law The potential difference V across a device
n= that medium.
V = IR is given by its resistance R and the current I
that flows through it v
Resistance of a wire The resistance R of a length L of wire with a The lens equation The focal length of the lens f is:
cross-sectional area A and resistivity ρ. • Positive for a converging lens
L 1 1 1
R=ρ Resistivity has units Ω⋅m. + = • Negative for a diverging lens
do di f The object distance do is:
A • Positive if it is on the side of the
Electric power With help from Ohm’s law, electric power P lens from which the light is coming
can be calculated using any combination of •
V2 Negative if on the opposite side
P = IV = I 2 R = two of the following quantities: resistance R,
voltage V or current I
The image distance di is:
R • Positive if it is on the opposite side
of the lens from which the light is
RMS voltage and current (AC The root-mean-square values can be
coming
circuits) calculated from the peak values (V0 and I0)
• Negative if on the same side
V0 and are used to calculate the average
Vrms = Lateral magnification For an upright image, the magnification m is
2 power P in AC circuits: hi d positive and for an inverted image m is

I0
2
Vrms m= =− i negative.
I rms = P=I 2
rms R= ho do
2 R Power of a lens
Resistances in series For more than two resistances in series:
1
Req = R1 + R2 Req = R1 + R2 + R3 + R4 + ... P=
f
Resistances in parallel For more than two resistances in parallel:
Focal length of a spherical For a spherical mirror, the focal length is half
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
= + = + + + + ... mirror of the radius of curvature.
Req R1 R2 Req R1 R2 R3 R4 1
f = r
Capacitance A higher capacitance capacitor can store 2
Q more charge at the same voltage.
C=
V

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