Diploma Programme

Physics data booklet

Published June 2014

Revised edition published November 2016

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Physics data booklet
First assessment 2016
Contents
Mathematical equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Fundamental constants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Metric (SI) multipliers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Unit conversions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Electrical circuit symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Equations—Core . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Equations—AHL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Equations—Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Physics data booklet

Physics data booklet
Mathematical equations
Area of a circle A = πr 2 , where r is the radius

Circumference of a circle C = 2πr , where r is the radius

Surface area of a sphere A = 4πr 2 , where r is the radius

Volume of a sphere 4
V = πr 3 , where r is the radius
3

Physics data booklet 1

Fundamental constants

Quantity Symbol Approximate value

Acceleration of free fall
g 9.81m s−2
(Earth’s surface)

Gravitational constant G 6.67 × 10−11 Nm2 kg−2

Avogadro’s constant NA 6.02 × 1023 mol−1

Gas constant R 8.31JK −1 mol−1

Boltzmann’s constant kB 1.38 × 10−23 JK −1

Stefan–Boltzmann constant σ 5.67 × 10−8 W m−2 K −4

Coulomb constant k 8.99 × 109 Nm2 C−2

Permittivity of free space ε0 8.85 × 10−12 C2 N−1 m−2

Permeability of free space µ0 4π × 10−7 T m A −1

Speed of light in vacuum c 3.00 × 108 m s−1

Planck’s constant h 6.63 × 10−34 Js

Elementary charge e 1.60 × 10−19 C

Electron rest mass me 9.110 × 10−31 kg = 0.000549 u = 0.511MeV c −2

Proton rest mass mp 1.673 × 10−27 kg = 1.007276 u = 938 MeV c −2

Neutron rest mass mn 1.675 × 10−27 kg = 1.008665 u = 940 MeV c −2

Unified atomic mass unit u 1.661× 10−27 kg = 931.5 MeV c −2

Solar constant S 1.36 × 103 W m−2

Fermi radius R0 1.20 × 10−15 m

2 Physics data booklet

Metric (SI) multipliers
Prefix Abbreviation Value
peta P 1015
tera T 1012
giga G 109
mega M 106
kilo k 103
hecto h 102
deca da 101
deci d 10 –1
centi c 10 –2
milli m 10 –3
micro µ 10 –6
nano n 10 –9
pico p 10 –12
femto f 10 –15

Unit conversions
180°
1 radian (rad) ≡
π
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 Jm = 1.24 × 10 −6 eV m

Physics data booklet 3

Electrical circuit symbols

cell battery

ac supply switch

voltmeter V ammeter A

resistor variable resistor

lamp potentiometer

light-dependent
thermistor
resistor (LDR)

transformer heating element

diode capacitor

4 Physics data booklet

Equations—Core
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: y = a ± b
AV A
then: ∆y = ∆a + ∆b

ab
If: y =
c
∆y ∆a ∆b ∆c
then: = + +
y a b c
θ
AH

If: y = a n AH = A cos θ

∆y ∆a
then: = n A V = A sin θ
y a

Sub-topic 2.1 – Motion Sub-topic 2.2 – Forces

v = u + at F = ma
1 2 Ff ≤ µsR
s = ut + at
2
Ff = µdR
v 2 = u 2 + 2as
(v + u ) t
s=
2
Sub-topic 2.3 – Work, energy Sub-topic 2.4 – Momentum
and power and impulse
W = Fs cos θ p = mv
1 ∆p
EK = mv 2
2 F=
∆t
1
Ep = k ∆ x2 p2
2 EK =
2m
∆Ep = mg ∆h

power = Fv impulse = F ∆t = ∆p
useful work out
efficiency =
total work in
useful power out
=
total power in

Physics data booklet 5

 Sub-topic 3.1 – Thermal concepts Sub-topic 3.2 – Modelling a gas
Q = mc ∆T F
p=
A
Q = mL
N
n=
NA

pV = nRT

3 3 R
=
EK = kBT T
2 2 NA

Sub-topic 4.1 – Oscillations Sub-topic 4.4 – Wave behaviour

1 n1 sin θ 2 v 2
T= = =
f n2 sin θ1 v1

Sub-topic 4.2 – Travelling waves λD

s=
d
c = fλ
Constructive interference:
Sub-topic 4.3 – Wave characteristics path difference = nλ
I ∝ A2
Destructive interference:
I ∝ x −2  1
path difference =  n +  λ
 2
I = I 0 cos2 θ

6 Physics data booklet

 Sub-topic 5.2 – Heating effect of
Sub-topic 5.1 – Electric fields electric currents
∆q Kirchhoff’s circuit laws:
I=
∆t ΣV = 0 (loop)
q1q2
F =k ΣI = 0 (junction)
r2
1 V
k= R=
4πε0 I
W V2
V= = I I 2R =
P V=
q R
F
E= Rtotal = R1 + R2 + ...
q
1 1 1
I = nAvq = + + ...
Rtotal R1 R2
RA
ρ=
L
Sub-topic 5.4 – Magnetic effects of
Sub-topic 5.3 – Electric cells
electric currents

ε = I (R + r ) F = qvB sin θ

F = B IL sin θ

Sub-topic 6.2 – Newton’s law of

Sub-topic 6.1 – Circular motion
gravitation

v = ωr Mm
F =G
r2
v 2 4 π2 r F
a= = 2 g=
r T m

mv 2 M
F= = mω 2 r g =G
r r2

Physics data booklet 7

 Sub-topic 7.1 – Discrete energy and
Sub-topic 7.2 – Nuclear reactions
radioactivity

E =hf ∆E = ∆mc 2

hc
λ=
E

Sub-topic 7.3 – The structure of matter

Baryon Charge Leptons

Charge Quarks
number
–1 e µ τ
2 1
e u c t 0 νe νµ ντ
3 3
All leptons have a lepton number
1 1 of 1 and antileptons have a lepton
− e d s b
3 3 number of –1
All quarks have a strangeness number
of 0 except the strange quark that has
a strangeness number of –1

Gravitational Weak Electromagnetic Strong

Particles Quarks, Quarks,

All Charged
experiencing leptons gluons
Particles γ
Graviton W + , W − , Z0 Gluons
mediating

Sub-topic 8.2 – Thermal energy

Sub-topic 8.1 – Energy sources
transfer
energy
power = P = eσ AT 4
time

1 2.90 × 10−3
power = Aρv 3 λmax (metres) =
2 T (kelvin)

power
I=
A

total scattered power

albedo =
total incident power

8 Physics data booklet

Equations—AHL
Sub-topic 9.1 – Simple harmonic
Sub-topic 9.2 – Single-slit diffraction
motion
2π λ
ω= θ=
T b

a = −ω 2 x Sub-topic 9.3 – Interference

x = x0 sin ω t ; x = x0 cos ω t nλ = d sin θ

v = ω x0 cos ω t ; v = −ω x0 sin ω t  1
Constructive interference: 2dn =  m +  λ
 2

v = ±ω ( x0 2 − x 2 ) Destructive interference: 2dn = mλ

1
EK = mω 2 ( x0 2 − x 2 )
2

1
ET = mω 2 x0 2
2

l
pendulum: T = 2π
g

m
mass-spring:T = 2π
k

Sub-topic 9.4 – Resolution Sub-topic 9.5 – Doppler effect

λ  v 
θ = 1.22 Moving source: f ′ = f  
b  v ± us 

λ  v ± uo 
R= = mN Moving observer: f ′ = f  
∆λ  v 
∆f ∆λ v
= ≈
f λ c

Physics data booklet 9

 Sub-topic 10.1 – Describing fields Sub-topic 10.2 – Fields at work

W = q ∆Ve GM kQ
Vg = − Ve =
r r

W = m∆Vg ∆Vg ∆Ve

g=− E=−
∆r ∆r
GMm kQq
Ep = mVg = − = =
Ep qVe
r r
GMm kQq
Fg = Fe =
r2 r2

2GM
v esc =
r

GM
v orbit =
r

10 Physics data booklet

 Sub-topic 11.1 – Electromagnetic
Sub-topic 11.3 – Capacitance
induction
Φ = BA cos θ q
C=
V
∆Φ
ε = −N
∆t Cparallel = C1 + C2 + ...

ε = Bv l 1 1 1
= + + ...
ε = Bv l N Cseries C1 C2

Sub-topic 11.2 – Power generation and A

C =ε
transmission d
I0 1
Irms = E= CV 2
2 2
V0
Vrms = τ = RC
2
t
V0V q = q0 e
−
τ
R = = rms
I 0 Irms
t
−
Pmax = I 0V0 I = I0e τ

1
P= I 0V0 −
t
2 V = V0 e τ

ε p Np I s
= =
ε s Ns I p

Sub-topic 12.1 – The interaction of

Sub-topic 12.2 – Nuclear physics
matter with radiation
1
E =hf R = R0 A 3

Emax = h f − Φ N = N0 e − λ t

13.6
E=− eV A = λ N0 e − λ t
n2

nh λ
mvr = sin θ ≈
2π D
2
P (r ) = ψ ∆V

h
∆ x∆p ≥
4π

h
∆E ∆t ≥
4π

Physics data booklet 11

Equations—Options
Sub-topic A.1 – The beginnings of Sub-topic A.2 – Lorentz
relativity transformations
x′ = x − v t 1
γ=
v2
u′ = u − v 1−
c2

Sub-topic A.3 – Spacetime diagrams x′ = γ ( x − vt ); ∆ x′ = γ ( ∆ x − v ∆t )

v   vx   v∆x 
θ = tan−1   t′ = γ t − ; ∆t ′ = γ  ∆t − c 2 
c  c 2   

u −v
u′ =
uv
1− 2
c

∆t = γ ∆t0

L0
L=
γ

(ct ′)2 − ( x′)2 = (ct )2 − ( x )2

Sub-topic A.4 – Relativistic mechanics Sub-topic A.5 – General relativity

(HL only) (HL only)
E = γ m0 c 2 ∆f g ∆h
=
f c2
E0 = m0 c 2
2GM
EK = (γ − 1) m0 c 2 Rs =
c2
p = γ m0v ∆t0
∆t =
Rs
E 2 = p 2c 2 + m0 2c 4 1−
r
qV = ∆EK

12 Physics data booklet

 Sub-topic B.1 – Rigid bodies
Sub-topic B.2 – Thermodynamics
and rotational dynamics
Γ = Fr sin θ Q = ∆U + W

I = ∑ mr 2 3
U= nRT
2
Γ = Iα
∆Q
ω = 2πf ∆S =
T
ωf = ωi + α t 5
pV 3 = constant (for monatomic gases)
ω f2 = ω 2i + 2αθ
W = p∆V
1
θ = ωi t + α t 2
2 useful work done
η=
L = Iω energy input

1 2 Tcold
EKrot = Iω ηCarnot = 1 −
2 Thot

Sub-topic B.3 – Fluids and fluid Sub-topic B.4 – Forced vibrations and
dynamics (HL only) resonance (HL only)

energy stored
B = ρ fVf g Q = 2π
energy dissipated per cycle

energy stored
P = P0 + ρ f gd Q = 2π × resonant frequency ×
power loss

Av = constant

1 2
ρv + ρ gz + p = constant
2

FD = 6πη rv

vr ρ
R=
η

Physics data booklet 13

 Sub-topic C.1 – Introduction to Sub-topic C.2 – Imaging
imaging instrumentation
1 1 1 fo
= + M=
f v u fe
1 Sub-topic C.3 – Fibre optics
P=
f
1
h
n=
v sin c
m= i =−
ho u
I
θi attenuation = 10 log
M= I0
θo
Sub-topic C.4 – Medical imaging
D D (HL only)
Mnear point = + 1; Minfinity =
f f I1
LI = 10 log
I0

I = I0e − µ x

µ x 1 = In2
2

Z = ρc

Sub-topic D.2 – Stellar characteristics

Sub-topic D.1 – Stellar quantities
and stellar evolution
1
d (parsec) = λmaxT = 2.9 × 10−3 mK
p (arc-second)

L = σ AT 4 L ∝ M 3 .5

L
b=
4πd 2
Sub-topic D.5 – Further cosmology
Sub-topic D.3 – Cosmology
(HL only)
∆λ v 4πG ρ
z= ≈ v= r
λ0 c 3

R 3H 2
z= −1 ρc =
R0 8πG

v = H0 d

1
T ≈
H0

14 Physics data booklet