Table of Information and Equation Tables for AP Physics Exams

The accompanying Table of Information and Equation Tables will be provided to students when
they take the AP Physics Exams. Therefore, students may NOT bring their own copies of these
tables to the exam room, although they may use them throughout the year in their classes in
order to become familiar with their content. Check the Physics course home pages on AP
Central for the latest versions of these tables (apcentral.collegeboard.com).

Table of Information
For both the Physics B and Physics C Exams, the Table of Information is printed near the front
cover of the multiple-choice section and on the green insert provided with the free-response
section. The tables are identical for both exams except for one convention as noted.

Equation Tables
For both the Physics B and Physics C Exams, the equation tables for each exam are printed only
on the green insert provided with the free-response section. The equation tables may be used by
students when taking the free-response sections of both exams but NOT when taking the
multiple-choice sections.
The equations in the tables express the relationships that are encountered most frequently in
AP Physics courses and exams. However, the tables do not include all equations that might
possibly be used. For example, they do not include many equations that can be derived by
combining other equations in the tables. Nor do they include equations that are simply special
cases of any that are in the tables. Students are responsible for understanding the physical
principles that underlie each equation and for knowing the conditions for which each equation is
applicable.
The equation tables are grouped in sections according to the major content category in which
they appear. Within each section, the symbols used for the variables in that section are defined.
However, in some cases the same symbol is used to represent different quantities in different
tables. It should be noted that there is no uniform convention among textbooks for the symbols
used in writing equations. The equation tables follow many common conventions, but in some
cases consistency was sacrificed for the sake of clarity.
Some explanations about notation used in the equation tables:
1. The symbols used for physical constants are the same as those in the Table of
Information and are defined in the Table of Information rather than in the right-hand
columns of the tables.
2. Symbols in bold face represent vector quantities.
3. Subscripts on symbols in the equations are used to represent special cases of the
variables defined in the right-hand columns.
4. The symbol D before a variable in an equation specifically indicates a change in the
variable (i.e., final value minus initial value).
5. Several different symbols (e.g., d, r, s, h, A ) are used for linear dimensions such as
length. The particular symbol used in an equation is one that is commonly used for
that equation in textbooks.

© 2011 The College Board. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.
 TABLE OF INFORMATION DEVELOPED FOR 2012 (see note on cover page)
CONSTANTS AND CONVERSION FACTORS
Proton mass, m p = 1.67 ¥ 10 -27 kg Electron charge magnitude, e = 1.60 ¥ 10 -19 C
Neutron mass, mn = 1.67 ¥ 10 -27 kg 1 electron volt, 1 eV = 1.60 ¥ 10 -19 J
Electron mass, me = 9.11 ¥ 10 -31 kg Speed of light, c = 3.00 ¥ 108 m s
Universal gravitational
Avogadro’s number, N 0 = 6.02 ¥ 1023 mol -1
constant, G = 6.67 ¥ 10 -11 m3 kgis2

R = 8.31 J (mol iK) Acceleration due to gravity

Universal gas constant,
at Earth’s surface, g = 9.8 m s2
Boltzmann’s constant, k B = 1.38 ¥ 10 -23 J K
1 unified atomic mass unit, 1 u = 1.66 ¥ 10 -27 kg = 931 MeV c2
Planck’s constant, h = 6.63 ¥ 10 -34 J is = 4.14 ¥ 10 -15 eVis
hc = 1.99 ¥ 10 -25 J im = 1.24 ¥ 103 eVi nm
Vacuum permittivity, 0 = 8.85 ¥ 10 -12 C2 N im 2
Coulomb’s law constant, k = 1 4 p 0 = 9.0 ¥ 109 N im 2 C2
Vacuum permeability, m0 = 4 p ¥ 10 -7 (T im) A
Magnetic constant, k ¢ = m0 4 p = 1 ¥ 10 -7 (T im) A
1 atmosphere pressure, 1 atm = 1.0 ¥ 105 N m 2 = 1.0 ¥ 105 Pa

meter, m mole, mol watt, W farad, F

kilogram, kg hertz, Hz coulomb, C tesla, T
UNIT
second, s newton, N volt, V degree Celsius, ∞C
SYMBOLS
ampere, A pascal, Pa ohm, W electron-volt, eV
kelvin, K joule, J henry, H

PREFIXES VALUES OF TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS FOR COMMON ANGLES

�
Factor Prefix Symbol q 0 30� 37� 45� 53� 60� 90�
10 9 giga G sinq 0 12 35 2 2 4 5 3 2 1
106 mega M cosq 1 3 2 4 5 2 2 35 12 0
103 kilo k tanq 0 3 3 34 1 43 3 •
10 -2 centi c
-3
The following conventions are used in this exam.
10 milli m I. Unless otherwise stated, the frame of reference of any problem is
10 -6 micro m assumed to be inertial.
-9 II. The direction of any electric current is the direction of flow of positive
10 nano n
charge (conventional current).
10 -12 pico p III. For any isolated electric charge, the electric potential is defined as zero at
an infinite distance from the charge.
*IV. For mechanics and thermodynamics equations, W represents the work
done on a system.

*Not on the Table of Information for Physics C, since Thermodynamics is not a

Physics C topic.

© 2011 The College Board. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.
 ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS B EQUATIONS DEVELOPED FOR 2012

NEWTONIAN MECHANICS ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM

u = u0 + at a = acceleration kq1q2 A = area
F =
F = force r2 B = magnetic field
1 2 f = frequency C = capacitance
x = x0 + u0 t + at F
2 h = height E= d = distance
q
J = impulse E = electric field
u 2 = u0 2 + 2a ( x - x0 ) kq1q2
K = kinetic energy UE = qV = e = emf
k = spring constant r F = force
 F = Fnet = ma
A = length V I = current
Eavg = -
F fric £ m N m = mass d A = length
N = normal force Êq q q ˆ P = power
u2 P = power V = k Á 1 + 2 + 3 + ...˜
ac = Ë r1 r2 r3 ¯ Q = charge
r p = momentum q = point charge
Q
t = r F sin q r = radius or distance C = R = resistance
V
T = period r = distance
p = mv t = time 0 A t = time
C =
U = potential energy d U = potential (stored)
J = FDt = Dp
u = velocity or speed 1 1 energy
Uc = QV = CV 2
1 2 W = work done on 2 2 V= electric potential or
K = mu
2 a system DQ potential difference
x = position I avg = u = velocity or speed
DUg = mgh Dt
m = coefficient of friction r = resistivity
rA
W = F Dr cos q q = angle R= q = angle
A
t = torque fm = magnetic flux
W V = IR
Pavg =
Dt P = IV
P = F u cos q C p = C1 + C2 + C3 + ...

Fs = - k x 1 1 1 1
= + + + ...
Cs C1 C2 C3
1 2
Us = kx Rs = R1 + R2 + R3 + ...
2
1 1 1 1
m = + + + ...
Ts = 2 p Rp R1 R2 R3
k
FB = qu B sin q
A
Tp = 2p
g FB = BI A sin q

1 m0 I
T = B =
f 2p r
fm = BA cos q
Gm1m2
FG = - Dfm
r2 eavg =-
Dt
Gm1m2 e= BAu
UG = -
r

© 2011 The College Board. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.
 ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS B EQUATIONS DEVELOPED FOR 2012

FLUID MECHANICS AND THERMAL PHYSICS WAVES AND OPTICS

r=mV A = area u = fl d = separation
e = efficiency f = frequency or
c
P = P0 + r gh F = force n= focal length
u
h = depth h = height
Fbuoy = rVg H = rate of heat transfer n 1 sin q1 = n 2 sin q2 L = distance
k = thermal conductivity n2 M = magnification
A1u1 = A2 u2 sin qc = m = an integer
Kavg = average molecular n1
kinetic energy n = index of
1 2 1 1 1
P + r gy + ru = const. A = length + = refraction
2 si s0 f
L = thickness R = radius of
D A = a A 0 DT m = mass curvature
h s
M = molar mass M = i =- i s = distance
h0 s0 u = speed
kA DT n = number of moles
H = x = position
L N = number of molecules R
f = l = wavelength
P = pressure 2
F q = angle
P= Q = heat transferred to a d sin q = ml
A system
m lL
PV = nRT = Nk BT T = temperature xm ª
d
U = internal energy
3 V = volume GEOMETRY AND TRIGONOMETRY
K avg = k T
2 B u = velocity or speed
Rectangle A= area
3 RT 3k B T urms = root-mean-square
A = bh
urms = = C= circumference
M m velocity Triangle V= volume
W = work done on a system 1
W = - PDV A = bh S = surface area
y = height 2 b = base
DU = Q + W a = coefficient of linear Circle
expansion h = height
m = mass of molecule A = pr2 A= length
W C = 2p r w= width
e=
QH r = density Rectangular Solid r = radius
V = Aw h
TH - TC Cylinder
ec =
TH V = p r 2A
S = 2p r A + 2p r 2
Sphere
4
ATOMIC AND NUCLEAR PHYSICS V = pr3
3
E = hf = pc E= energy S = 4p r 2
f = frequency
K max = hf - f K= kinetic energy Right Triangle
h m= mass a 2 + b2 = c 2
l = p = momentum
p a
l= wavelength sin q = c
c a
2 f= work function
DE = ( Dm) c b q 90°
cos q =
c b
a
tan q =
b

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 ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS C EQUATIONS DEVELOPED FOR 2012

MECHANICS ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM

u = u0 + at a = acceleration 1 q1q2 A = area
F =
F = force 4 p0 r 2 B = magnetic field
1 2 f = frequency C = capacitance
x = x0 + u0 t + at
2 h = height F d = distance
E=
I = rotational inertia q E = electric field
u 2 = u0 2 + 2a ( x - x0 )
J = impulse Q e = emf
 F = Fnet = ma K = kinetic energy �Ú E i d A = 0 F = force
k = spring constant I = current
dp � = length dV J = current density
F= E =-
dt L = angular momentum dr L = inductance
m= mass � = length
q
J = Ú F dt = Dp N = normal force V =
1
4 p0 Â rii n = number of loops of wire
P = power i per unit length
p = mv N = number of charge carriers
p = momentum 1 q1q2
r = radius or distance UE = qV = per unit volume
F fric £ m N 4 p0 r
r = position vector P = power
T = period Q Q = charge
W = Ú Fidr t = time
C =
V q = point charge
U= potential energy R = resistance
1 2 k 0 A
K = mu u = velocity or speed C = r = distance
2 d
W= work done on a system t = time
dW x = position Cp = Â Ci U = potential or stored energy
P=
dt m = coefficient of friction i V= electric potential
q = angle 1 1 u = velocity or speed
P = Fiv =Â
Cs r = resistivity
t = torque i Ci
DUg = mgh w = angular speed fm = magnetic flux
a = angular acceleration dQ k = dielectric constant
I =
u 2
f = phase angle dt
ac = = w2 r
r 1 1
Uc = QV = CV 2
t=r¥F Fs = - k x 2 2 �Ú B i d  = m0 I
 t = t net = I a 1 2 r� m0 I d  ¥ r
Us = kx R= dB =
2 A 4p r3
I = Ú r dm = Â mr
2 2
x = xmax cos( wt + f ) E = rJ
F= Ú I d ¥ B
rcm =  mr  m 2p 1 I = Neud A
T = = Bs = m0 nI
w f
u = rw V = IR

L = r ¥ p = Iw Ts = 2 p
m
k Rs = Â Ri
fm = Ú BidA
i
d fm
1
K = I w2 Tp = 2p
�
1 1
e = �Ú E i d  = - dt
2 g
Rp
= ÂR
i i
dI
w = w0 + at Gm1m2 e = -L
FG = - rˆ dt
r2
P = IV
1 2 1 2
q = q0 + w0 t + at Gm1m2 FM = qv ¥ B UL = LI
2 UG =- 2
r

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 ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS C EQUATIONS DEVELOPED FOR 2012

GEOMETRY AND TRIGONOMETRY CALCULUS

Rectangle A= area df d f du
C= circumference =
A = bh dx du dx
V= volume
d n
Triangle
S = surface area
dx
( x ) = nxn -1
1 b = base
A= bh
d x
2 h = height
dx
(e ) = e x
Circle A= length
w= width d
A = pr2 ( ln x ) = 1
r = radius dx x
C = 2p r
d
Rectangular Solid (sin x ) = cos x
dx
V = Awh
d
Cylinder (cos x ) = - sin x
dx
V = p r 2A 1 n +1
Úx
n
dx = x , n π -1
n +1
S = 2p r A + 2p r 2
Úe
x
Sphere dx = e x

4 3 dx
V =
3
pr
Ú x
= ln x

S = 4p r 2
Ú cos x dx = sin x
Right Triangle Ú sin x dx = - cos x
a 2 + b2 = c 2
c a
a
sin q = 90°
c q
b
b
cos q =
c
a
tan q =
b

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