LIST OF COMMON FORMULAE

Section Name Formula in words Formula in

symbols
A- Weight = mass x acceleration due to gravity W = mg
( Physical
Density = Mass/Volume ρ= m/V
Measurements) ρs
density of substance
Relative density = ρr =
density of water ρw
Relative density
mass of substance ms
= ρr =
mass of same volume of water mw

Graph change in quantity on y − axis y2 − y1

gradient = g or S =
x2 − x1
change in quantity on x − axis

Simple 1
Pendulum Period = 1
frequency T=
f

Period = two pi x square root of (length/gravity) l

T = 2π√
g

B (Mechanics) Moment of a Moment = force x perpendicular distance M = Fd

force
Principle of Sum of clockwise moments = 𝑓1 d2 + f2 d2 + …
Moments sum of anticlockwise moments =
F1 D 1 + F2 𝐷2 + …
Hooke’s Law Force = spring constant x extension F = kx or F = ke
f1 f2
=
e1 e2
Constant distance d
speed only speed = v=
time t
Constant final velocity − initial velocity v−u
acceleration = a=
acceleration time t
Changing total distance travelled
speed average speed =
total time taken

Changing change in total displacement

velocity average velocity =
total time taken for the change
displacement s
velocity = v=
time taken t
Equations of v = final velocity v = u + at
Motion u = initial velocity 1
s = ut + at 2
a = acceleration 2
s = displacement (u + v)t
s=
t = time 2
v 2 = u2 + 2as
Motion in a g = acceleartion due to gravity v = u + gt
vertical plane v = final velocity 1
– free fall h = ut + gt 2
u = initial velocity 2
h = vertical height v 2 = u2 + 2gh
t = time
Circular mass x velocity 2 m v2
Motion centripetal force = FC =
radius of the circle r
distance travelled round circle 2πr
velocity = v=
time taken T
Newton’s Force = mass x acceleration F = ma
Law
Momentum momentum = mass x velocity ρ = mv
and impulse

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 impulse = change in momentum ΣF x t = m x∆v
the rate of change of momentum
change in momentum m(v2 − v1 )
= ∆ρ =
time t

Law of Objects not embedded m1 u1 + m2 u2

conservation Momentum before collision = + … =
of linear momentum after collision m1 v1 + m2 v2
momentum Objects embedded + …
Momentum before collision =
momentum after collision
m1 u1 + m2 u2
mass of bullet x velocity of bullet + … =
recoil velocity =
mass of rifle (m1 + m2
+ … )V
mb vb
vr =
mr

Pressure Force F
Pressure = P=
Area A
F1 F2
=
A1 A2

Presure = heighf x density x gravity P = hρg

Total Presure = atmospheric pressure PT = Pa + hρg

+ (heighf x density x gravity)

Work, work W = Fd
Energy and = force x distance moved in the direction of the force
Power Work done = mass x gravity x height W = mgh
Gravitational Potential energy Ep = mgh
= mass x acceleration due to gravity x height
1 1
kinetic energy = mass x velocity 2 Ek = mv 2
2 2
work done Energy W E
Power = = P= =
time taken Time
t t
Force x displacement Energy
Power = = Fs E
time taken Time P= =
t t
Law of
conservation kinetic energy = gravitational potential energy Ek = Ep
of energy 1
applied to mv 2 = mgh
2
potential and ∴ v = √2gh
kinetic v2
energy ∴h=
2g
Machines Load L
mechanical advantage = MA =
Effort E

distance moved by effort 𝑑𝐸

velocity ratio = 𝑉𝑅 =
distance moved by load 𝑑𝐿
energy output
efficiency of a machine = x 100%
energy input

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 Power output Eout
efficiency of a machine = x 100% η= x 100%
Power input Ein
work output Pout
efficiency of a machine = x 100% η= x 100%
work input Pin
Mechanical advantage η
efficiency of a machine = x 100%
Velocity Ratio L x dL
= x 100%
E x dE
MA
η= x 100%
VR
C Converting Temp. in Kelvins = Temp. in degrees Celsius + 273 T = θ + 273
Thermal Temperatures Temp. in degrees Celsius = Temp. in Kelvins − 273 θ = T − 273
Physics Linear Coefficient of linear expansion
Expansion Change in length ∆𝐿
= 𝛼=
Original length x change in temperature 𝐿 𝑥 ∆𝜃
Remember always convert temperatures to Kelvin when
solving problems involving the Gas Laws
𝑉 = 𝑘𝑇
Charles Law T1 = initial temperature
𝑉
T2 = Final Temperature =𝑘
𝑇
V1 = initial Volume
𝑉1 𝑉2
V2 = final volume =
𝑇1 𝑇2
P1 = initial Pressure
P2 = final Pressure
Pressure Law k = constant 𝑃 = 𝑘𝑇

𝑃
=𝑘
𝑇
𝑃1 𝑃2
=
𝑇1 𝑇2

Boyle’s Law
𝑘
𝑃=
𝑉

𝑃𝑉 = 𝑘

𝑃1 𝑉1 = 𝑃2 𝑉2

General gas
equation 𝑃𝑉
=𝑘
𝑇
𝑃1 𝑉1 𝑃2 𝑉2
=
𝑇1 𝑇2

Specific Heat heat energy EH

Heat Capacity = C=
Change temperature rise ∆θ
heat energy EH
Specific Heat Capacity = c=
mass xtemperature rise m∆θ

Heat Capacity = mass x specific heat capacity C=mc

Specific heat energy EH

Latent Heat Specific latent heat = 𝑙=
mass m

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D- Waves & Vibrations 1 1
and Motions Period = T=
Light frequency f
Wave 𝑤𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 = 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑥 𝑤𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑣 = 𝑓𝜆
equation
Speed of 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑑
sound and 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 = 𝑠=
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑡
echoes 2 𝑥 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 2𝑑
𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 = 𝑠=
𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑜 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡

Refractive sin i real depth sin i

refractive index = = n=
Index sin r apparent depth sin r
speed in incident medium (1) real depth
= =
speed in refracted medium (2) apparent depth
wavelength in incident medium (1) v1 λ1
= = =
wavelength in refracted medium (2) v2 λ2

Total internal 1 1
reflection sine of the critical angle = sin c =
refractive index n
Lens u = distance of object from lens
v = distance of image from lens
f = focal length of lens hi v
m= =
height of image image distane ho u
magnification = =
height of object object distance

1 1
The power, F, of a lens = 𝐹=
focal length in metres 𝑓
The lens equation
1 1 1 1 1 1
+ = + =
𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑢 𝑣 𝑓

Young’s 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑥 𝑠𝑙𝑖𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑦𝑑 𝑥𝑠

double slit 𝑤𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ = 𝜆= =
𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑐𝑒 − 𝑡𝑜 − 𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝐿 𝐷
𝑎𝑠
=
𝐷
E Static 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 = 1/𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 2 1
Electricity 𝐹=
Electricity & 𝑑2
Magnetism
𝑞 = 𝑁𝑒
𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑎 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑒 = 𝑁 𝑥 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛

Current charge 𝑄
Electricity 𝑐urrent = 𝐼=
time 𝑡
resistivity x length of conductor 𝜌𝑙
resistance = 𝑅=
cross − sectional area 𝐴
energy = charge x potential difference 𝐸 = 𝑄𝑉
Power = Current x Potential difference 𝑃 = 𝐼𝑉
Voltage2 𝑉2
Power = 𝑃=
Resistance 𝑅
Power = current 2 x resistnace 𝑃 = 𝐼2𝑅
𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝐸
𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 = 𝑃=
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡

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 1 1
Period = T=
frequency f
Ohm’s Law Voltage = current x resistance .V = IR
Energy = voltage x current x time 𝐸=𝑉𝐼𝑡
Series Circuit It = I1 = I2 = ..
R t = R1 + R 2 + ..
For identical
resistors
RT = nR
Vt = V1 + V2 + ..
Parallel Vt = V1 = V2 = ..
circuit
1 1 1
= + + ..
RT R1 R 2
For identical
resistors
RT = R/n
For two (2)
resistors
𝑹𝟏 𝑹𝟐
𝑹𝑻 =
𝑹𝟏 + 𝑹𝟐
It = I1 + I2 + ..
Transformers Secondary Turns Secondary Voltage Ns Vs IP
= = =
Primary Turns Primary voltage Np VP Is
Primary current
=
secondary Current
Input Power = primary current x primary voltage
Pin = Ip Vp
Output Power = secondary current x secondary voltage
Pout = Is Vs
Power output
efficiency of a Transformer = x 100%
Power input
Pout
η= x 100%
Pin
Is Vs
η= x 100%
IP VP

Transformer
Ns Vs IP
= = =K
Np VP Is
If K >1 it is a step-
up transformer
If K < 1 it is a step-
down transformer
F: 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 = 𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑐 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 + 𝑛𝑒𝑢𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝐴=𝑍+𝑁
Physics of the
Atom
The emission of alpha-particles

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 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑜𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑒 A
ZX
A−4
→ 𝑑𝑎𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑢𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑒 + 𝑎𝑙𝑝ℎ𝑎 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑒 → Z−2Y + 42He
+ 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 + energy
The emission of beta-particles
𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑜𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑒
→ 𝑑𝑎𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑢𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑒 + 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑎 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝐴
𝑍𝑋
+ 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝐴 0
→ 𝑍+1𝑌 + −1𝑒

+ 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦

1
𝐴𝑛 = 𝑥 𝐴0
2𝑛
𝐴
log 𝐴0
𝑛
𝑛=
log 2
Einstein’s Energy released = mass excess x (speed of light)2 E = mc2
Equation
Mass deficit m = mass of reactants – mass of products

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