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Version 1.1
Annotated by YPhysics (Version 1.0)
Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Mathematical equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Uncertainties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Fundamental constants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Metric (SI) multipliers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Unit conversions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Electrical circuit symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Electromagnetic spectrum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
A. Space, time and motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
B. The particulate nature of matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
C. Wave behaviour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
D. Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
E. Nuclear and quantum physics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4 3
Volume of a sphere V= πr
3
θ
AH
AH A cos
AV A sin
sin θ
Trigonometric relationships tan θ =
cos θ
sin2 θ + cos2 θ = 1
Fundamental constants
Quantity Symbol Approximate value
peta P 1015
tera T 1012
giga G 109
mega M 106
kilo k 103
hecto h 102
deca da 101
1
deci d 10
2
centi c 10
milli m 10 3
micro μ 10 6
nano n 10 9
pico p 10 12
15
femto f 10
Unit conversions
180°
1 radian (rad) ≡
π
Temperature (K ) = temperature ( °C ) + 273
Light-dependent resistor
Variable resistor Thermistor
(LDR)
Electromagnetic spectrum
energy
16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 100 102 10 4 106 108 wavelength / m
V I B G Y O R
400 700
wavelength / nm
A.1 Kinematics u +v
s= t
s: displacement 2
u: initial velocity
v: final velocity v = u + at
a: acceleration
t: time 1 2
s = ut + at
2
(Use + or - to include direction)
v 2 = u 2 + 2as
Ff: frictional force (friction)
A.2 Forces and momentum Ff ≤ µsFN μs: coefficient of static friction
FH: elastic force from helical spring (Hooke’s Law) μd: coefficient of dynamic friction
Ff = µdFN FN: normal contact force
k: spring’s constant
x: extension or compression of spring
FH = −k x Fd: drag force (resistive force from fluids)
η: coefficient of viscosity
Fb: buoyant force (upthrust) Fd = 6πη rv r: radius
ρ: density of fluid
v: speed
V: volume submerged in fluid Fb = ρVg
g: acceleration of free fall
Fg mg Fg: gravitational force (weight close to Earth’s surface)
m: mass
p: momentum
g:acceleration of free fall
m: mass p mv
v: velocity
J = F ∆t J: impulse
F: force
F: resultant/net force
∆p Δt: time taken
m: mass F = ma =
a: acceleration ∆t
Δp: change in momentum (Δp=mv-mu)
a: centripetal acceleration
Δt: time taken v2 4π 2 r
a= = ω 2r = 2 v: linear speed
r T r: radius
T: period
2π r ω: angular speed
v= = ωr
T
A.3 Work, energy and power W: work done by force F
W = Fs cos θ F: force
Ek: kinetic energy s: displacement of point of action of force F
m: mass 1 p2 θ: angle between direction of F and direction of s
v: speed Ek ! mv 2 !
p: momentum
2 2m
ΔΕp: change in gravitational potential energy
∆Ep = mg ∆h m: mass
EH: elastic potential energy stored in helical spring
k: spring’s constant g: acceleration of free fall
1 Δh: change in height
Δx : extension or compression of the spring EH = k ∆x 2
2
P: Power
∆W
ΔW: work done / energy transferred P= = Fv
Δt: time taken ∆t
F: average force
v: average speed useful work out useful power out
η= =
total work in total power in
η: efficiency
ωf + ωi
∆θ = t
Δθ: angular displacement 2
ωf: final angular velocity
ωi: initial angular velocity
ωf = ωi + α t
a: angular acceleration
t: time 1
∆θ = ωit + α t 2
(use + and - to include direction ) 2
I: current R
V: potential difference
R: resistance Series circuits Parallel circuits
I I1 I2 ... I = I1 + I 2 + ...
V = V1 + V2 + ... V V1 V2 ...
1 1 1
ε: electromotive force (emf) Rs = R1 + R2 + ... = + + ...
Rp R1 R2
I: current
R: resistance of connected circuit
r: internal resistance
ε = I(R + r )
Additional higher level
B.4 Thermodynamics Q = ∆U + W Q: amount of thermal energy (heat)
W: work done by gas ΔU: change in internal energy
P: pressure
W = P ∆V W: work done by the gas
ΔV: change in volume
3 3
∆U = nR ∆T = NkB ∆T ΔU: change in internal energy of a gas
ΔS: change in entropy 2 2 n: number of moles
ΔQ: amount of thermal energy (heat) that flows into a body R: Gas constant
∆Q ΔΤ: change in temperature
T: temperature ∆S = N: number of atoms
T
kB: Boltzmann constant
S: entropy S = kB ln Ω
kB: Boltzmann constant
Ω: number of possible micro states of the system 5 (Model for adiabatic processes)
PV 3
constant P: Pressure of monatomic ideal gas
V: Volume of monatomic ideal gas
useful work
η: efficiency η=
ηCarnot: efficiency of a Carnot cycle input energy
Tc: temperature of cold gas
Th: temperature of hot gas Tc
ηCarnot = 1 −
Th