2. 1.

speed
acceleration &
velocity


4. 3.

force
weight &
acceleration
 1. speed & velocity 2. acceleration

d v u •

u
• u = speed or velocity (m/s) a = acceleration (m/s2)
• d = distance or displacement (m)
• t = time (s) a •
•
v = final velocity (m/s)
u = starting velocity (m/s)
t t • t = time (s)

speed = distance
time acceleration = change in velocity
time taken
“Velocity is speed in a particular direction. It is
a vector.”
“Acceleration is the rate at which velocity changes.”

3. force & acceleration 4. weight
• W = weight (N)

F  ma
• F = (resultant) force (N)
• m = mass (kg) W  mg • m = mass (kg)
• g = gravitational field strength (N/kg)
• a = acceleration (m/s2)

weight = mass x gravitational

force = mass x acceleration field strength
“Weight is the gravitational
force acting on an object. If
“Acceleration is always in gravity changes then so will the
the same direction as the weight. The mass will remain
resultant force.” unchanged. ”
 6. 5.

force
& momentum
momentum


8. 7.

pressure Hooke’s Law

 5. momentum 6. force & momentum

p  mv • p = momentum (kg m/s) p

F
• F = (resultant) force (N)
• m = mass (kg) • Δp = change in momentum (Ns)

t
• v = velocity (m/s) • Δt = time taken (s)

force = change in momentum

momentum = mass x velocity
time taken

“Momentum is a vector.” “A change in momentum is called an impulse.”


7. Hooke’s Law 8. pressure

F  kx
• F = force (N)
F
P
• k = force constant (N/m) • P = pressure (Pa)
• x = extension (m) • F = force (N)
• A = area (m2)
A
pressure = force
force = force constant x extension area

“The same force applied over a larger area

“Extension is directly proportional to the force applied.
will mean a lower pressure.”
e.g. doubling the force will double the extension.”
10. 9.

pressure & depth density


11.

moment of a force
 9. density 10. pressure & depth

m P  hg

• ρ = density (kg/m3)
• m = mass (kg) • P = pressure (Pa)
• V = volume (m3) • h = depth (m)
V • p = density (kg/m3)
• g = gravitational field strength (N/kg)
density = mass
volume
pressure = depth x density x gravitational
field strength

“Objects with a high density are heavy for their size.” “Pressure in liquids increases with depth.”

11. moment of a force

M  Fd
• M = moment (Nm)
• F = force (N)
• d = (perpendicular) distance to pivot (m)

moment = force x distance to pivot

“The Law of Moments says,

for equilibrium, that the total
anticlockwise moments must
equal the total clockwise
moments.”
 2. 1.

kinetic energy work


4. 3.

gravitational
power
potential energy
 1. work 2. kinetic energy

W  Fd
• W = work done (J)
• F = force (N)
1 2
KE  mv
• d = distance moved (m) • KE = kinetic energy (J)
• m = mass (kg)
• v = speed (m/s)
2
work = force x distance

kinetic energy = ½ x mass x speed2

“When work is done, energy is transferred.” “Kinetic energy is the energy that moving objects have.”

3. gravitational potential energy 4. power

GPE  mgh W
P
• P = power (W)
• W = work done (J)
• GPE = gravitational potential energy (J) • t = time taken (s)
•
•
m = mass (kg)
g = gravitational field strength (N/kg)
t
• Δh = change in height (m)

gravitational potential = mass x gravitational field x change in height power = work done
energy strength time taken

“GPE is the energy gained by an object that is being lifted.” “Power is a measure of how quickly work is done.”
6. 5.

efficiency power & speed


5. power & speed 6. efficiency

P  Fv
• P = power (W)
• F = force (N) efficiency = useful power output
• v = speed (m/s)
total power input
Note: energy and work
power = force x speed can also be used in place
of power Efficiency = 0.75

“Power can also be calculated if the speed v of an object “Efficiency can be expressed as a percentage by
is known.” multiplying the answer to the calculation above by 100.”

 2. 1.

thermal capacity Boyle’s Law


4. 3.

specific latent heat specific heat capacity

 1. Boyle’s Law 2. thermal capacity

P1V1  P2V2
•
•
P1 = initial pressure (Pa)
V1 = initial volume (m3) 𝐸 • C = thermal capacity (J/°C)
•
•
P2 = final pressure (Pa)
V2 = final volume (m3) 𝐶= • E = energy transferred (J)
• ΔT = temperature change (°C)

pressure x volume = pressure x volume

Δ𝑇
at start at start at end at end
thermal capacity = energy transferred
temperature change
“Pressure is inversely proportional to
volume. e.g. doubling the pressure will “The thermal capacity of an object is the energy needed
halve the volume.” to raise its temperature by 1 °C .”

3. specific heat capacity 4. specific latent heat

E  mcT
• E = energy transferred (J)
• m = mass (kg)
• c = specific heat capacity (J/kg°C)
• ΔT = temperature change (°C)
E  mL
• E = energy transferred (J)
• Δm = mass changing state (kg)
• L = specific latent heat (J/kg)

energy = mass x specific heat x temperature energy = mass x specific latent

transferred capacity change transferred heat

“The specific heat capacity of a substance is the energy

“The specific latent heat of a substance is the energy
needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of the substance
needed to change the state of 1 kg of the substance.”
by 1 °C .”
 2. 1.

wave speed wave speed

& &
time period frequency


4. 3.

refractive index
refractive index & angle &
wave speed
 1. wave speed & frequency 2. wave speed & time period

v  f 
• v = speed of wave (m/s)
• f = frequency (Hz)

v
• v = speed of wave (m/s)
• λ = wavelength (m) • λ = wavelength (m)
• T = time period (s)
wave speed = frequency x wavelength T
wave speed = wavelength
“Electromagnetic waves all travel at period
the same speed in a vacuum. This
means that those of a higher frequency
will have a shorter wavelength.” “Frequency is the inverse of time period. They are linked
by the relationship, 𝑓 = 1 .”
 𝑇

3. refractive index & wave speed 4. refractive index & angle

sin i
n  speed of light in vacuum n  sin r
speed of light in medium • n = refractive index
• i = angle of incidence
• r = angle of refraction
• n = refractive index

“When light travels into a

substance with a higher refractive
index (i.e. more optically dense),
“Refractive index has no units. Nothing travels faster than
the angle of refraction is smaller
light in a vacuum, so n for any substance must always be
than the angle of incidence.”
greater than 1.”
 5.

critical angle


5. critical angle

1
n • n = refractive index
• c = critical angle
sin c
“Light travelling from a substance
(medium) with a high refractive
index to one with a lower
refractive index will undergo total
internal reflection if the angle of
incidence is greater than the
critical angle.”

 2. 1.

voltage electric current


4. 3.

resistors in series resistance

 1. electric current 2. voltage

Q • I = current (A)
E
V
• V = voltage (V)
I • Q = charge (C)
• t = time (s)
• E = energy transferred (J)

t Q • Q = charge (C)

current = charge voltage = energy transferred

time charge

“The charge carriers in a metal wire are electrons. The “The voltage measured across a circuit component such as
greater the flow of electrons in a given time, the higher the a light bulb is called a potential difference. The voltage of a
current.” power supply is known as the electromotive force (e.m.f).”

3. resistance 4. resistors in series

V
R
• R = resistance (Ω)
• V = voltage (V)
• I = current (A)
I
resistance = voltage RT  R1  R2 ....  Rn
current
“A circuit component, such as a fixed resistor, that obeys “When calculating the overall resistance of several
Ohm’s Law maintains a constant resistance provided that resistors connected in series, simply add the individual
the temperature does not change.” values together.”
6. 5.

electrical power resistors in parallel


7.

electrical energy
 5. resistors in parallel 6. electrical power

P  IV
R1 R2 • P = power (W)
RT  • I = current (A)
R1  R2 • V= potential difference (V)

or
1 1 1 1 power = current x voltage
  .... 
RT R1 R2 Rn
“The total resistance of several resistors connected in “Electrical power is a measure of how quickly electrical
parallel will always be smaller than the resistance of the energy is transferred to other forms such as light. A 100 W
smallest value resistor.” bulb transfers 100 J of energy each second”

7. electrical energy
• E = energy transferred (J)

E  IVt •
•
•
I = current (A)
V= potential difference (V)
t = time (s)

energy = current x voltage x time

transferred

“The amount of energy transferred is found by multiplying

the power rating of an appliance by the time it is being
used for.”
 1.

transformer equation


1. transformer equation

VS N S • VS = voltage across secondary

 •
•
VP = voltage across primary
NS = turns on secondary
VP N P • NP = turns on primary

“A transformer with twice as many turns on the secondary

coil will output a voltage twice as big as the primary
voltage.”
