IMPORTANT EQUATIONS IN PHYSICS

GENERAL PHYSICS
1. For constant motion v = velocity in meter per second
(m/s)
s s = distance or displacement in
v=
t meters (m)
t = time in seconds (s)

2. For acceleration u = initial velocity

v−u v = final velocity
a=
t t = elapsed time

3. Graph Area of Rectangular-shaped Graph In the velocity-time graph, the

= bh area under the graph is the total
Area of Triangular-shaped Graph = distance covered by an object.
1 b = base
bh
2 h = height

4. Weight and Mass w = weight in newton (N)

w=mg m = mass in kilograms (kg)
g = gravitational acceleration (9.8
m/s2)

5. Density in kg/m3 m m = mass

ρ=
V V = volume
6. Force in newton (N) F=ma m = mass
a = acceleration
7. Terminal Velocity Weight of an Object (downwards) = Air Resistance (upwards)
8. Hooke’s Law F = force
F=−kx k = spring constant
x = extension in meters (m)
9. Moment of a Force in Moment of a Force=Fd F = force
newton-meters (Nm) d = distance from the pivot
10. Principle of Moments Total Clockwise Moment = Total Anticlockwise Moment
F 1 d 1=F 2 d 2

11. Work Done in joules F = force

(J) W =Fd d = distance covered by an object

12. Kinetic Energy in m = mass in kilograms (kg)

joules (J) 1 2 v = velocity in meter per second
E K = mv
2 (m/s)
13. Potential Energy in m = mass in kilograms (kg)
joules (J) E P=mgh g = gravitational acceleration (9.8
m/s2)
h = height from the ground

14. Law of Conservation Loss of EP = Gain of EK

of Energy 1 2
mgh= mv
2

15. Power in Watts (W) work done Power is the rate of doing work.
P=
time taken
energy transfer
P=
time taken

16. Pressure in standard F F = force in newton (N)

ρ=
atmosphere (atm) A A = area in square meters (m2)

17. Pressure due to liquid ρ = density in kilogram per cubic

meter (kg/m3)
ρ=ρgh g = gravitational acceleration (9.8
m/s2)
h = height or depth of liquid in
meters (m)

18. Atmospheric Pressure ρ=760 mmHg=760 torr=101.325 kPa=1 atm

WAVES, LIGHT, AND SOUND

19. Wave Equation 1 v = speed of wave in meter per
v=fλ second (m/s)
f = frequency in hertz (Hz)
λ = wavelength in meters (m)

20. Wave Equation 2 1 T = time of wave in seconds (s)

f=
T

21. Movement of the Longitudinal Waves → back and forth in the direction of the waves
Particles of the Transverse Waves → perpendicular to the direction of the waves
Medium
22. Law of Reflection Angle of Incidence = Angle of Reflection
Angle i (∠i) = Angle r (∠r)
23. Law of Refraction from lighter to denser medium → light bends toward the normal
from denser to lighter medium → light bends away from the normal

24. Refractive Index sin ∠ i Refractive index has no unit.

n=
sin ∠ r

25. Refractive Index speed of light ∈air∨vacuum

n=
speed of light ∈any other medium
26. Image from a Plane Virtual, upright, same size, and laterally inverted
Mirror Same distance from the mirror inside
27. Image from a Convex When close: virtual, enlarged, upright
Lens When far: real, small, upside-down
28. Image from a virtual, upright, small
Concave Lens
29. Critical Angle When light goes from denser to lighter medium, the incident angle at
which the reflected angle is 90° is called the critical angle.
30. Total Internal When light goes from denser to lighter medium, the refracted ray bent
Reflection (TIR) inside the same medium is called total internal reflection.
31. Electromagnetic Spectrum: (frequency and wavelength are inversely proportional)
Gamma Rays ↔ X-rays ↔ Ultraviolet Radiation ↔ Visible Light ↔ Infrared Radiation ↔
Microwaves ↔ Radio Waves
32. Colors of Visible ROYGBIV (red orange yellow green blue indigo violet)
Spectrum (light)
33. Speed of Light In air: 3 ∙10 8 m/s In glass: 2 ∙10 8 m/s
34. Light Waves Electromagnetic Waves
35. Sound Waves Longitudinal Waves
particles of the medium close → compression
particles of the medium far apart → rarefaction
36. Echo v = speed of sound waves
2d d = distance in meters (m)
v=
t t = time for echo
37. Properties of Sound Pitch means the frequency of the wave.
Waves Loudness means the amplitude of the wave.
38. Speed of Sound Air: 330–440 m/s
Waves Water: 1,400 m/s
Concrete: 5,000 m/s
Steel: 6,000–7,000 m/s

THERMAL PHYSICS
39. Boyle’s Law (pressure p1 and p2 = pressures in standard
and volume) pV =constant atmosphere (atm)
p1 V 1=p 2 V 2 V1 and V2 = volumes in cubic
meters (m3)
40. Thermal Expansion ∆ L=α ∙ L0 ∙ ∆ θ
(Linear) L0 = original length in meters (m)
∆θ = change in temperature in degrees Celsius (°C)
ΔL = change in length in meters (m)
α = thermal linear expansion
41. Thermal Expansion ∆ A=β ∙ A0 ∙ ∆ θ
(Superficial) A0 = original area in square meters (m2)
∆θ = change in temperature in degrees Celsius (°C)
ΔA = change in area in square meters (m2)
β = thermal superficial expansion

42. Thermal Expansion ∆ V =γ ∙ V 0 ∙ ∆ θ

(Volumetric) V0 = original volume in cubic meters (m3)
∆θ = change in temperature in degrees Celsius (°C)
ΔV = change in volume in cubic meters (m3)
γ = thermal volumetric expansion

43. Charles’s Law Volume is directly proportional to V1 and V2 = volumes in cubic

(volume and the absolute temperature meters (m3)
temperature) V ∝T T1 and T2 = temperatures in
V Kelvin (K)
=constant
T
V1 V2
=
T 1 T2

44. Gay-Lussac's Law Pressure is directly proportional to p1 and p2 = pressures in standard

(pressure and the absolute temperature. atmosphere (atm)
temperature) p ∝T T1 and T2 = temperatures in
p Kelvin (K)
=constant
T
p1 p2
=
T1 T2

45. Combined Gas Law p1 and p2 = pressures in standard

atmosphere (atm)
pV V1 and V2 = volumes in cubic
=constant
T meters (m3)
p1V 1 p2V 2
= T1 and T2 = temperatures in
T1 T2 Kelvin (K)

46. Specific Heat Q = total heat in joules (J)

Capacity in joule per m = mass in kilograms (kg)
kilogram per degree Q ∆θ = change in temperature in
c=
Celsius (J/kg°C) m ∙ ∆θ degrees Celsius (°C)
47. Thermal Capacity in c = specific heat capacity in joule
joule per degree per kilogram per degree Celsius
Celsius (J/°C) Thermal Capacity=mc (J/kg°C)
Q Q = total heat in joules (J)
Thermal Capacity=
∆θ
m = mass in kilograms (kg)
∆θ = change in temperature in
degrees Celsius (°C)

48. Specific Latent Heat Q = total heat in joules (J)

of Fusion in joule per Q m = mass of liquid change from
Lf =
kilogram or gram m ice in kilograms or grams (kg or
(J/kg or J/g) g)

49. Specific Latent Heat Q = total heat in joules (J)

of Vaporization in Q m = mass of vapor change from
Lv =
joule per kilogram or m liquid in kilograms or grams (kg
gram (J/kg or J/g) or g)

50. Thermal or Heat In solid = conduction

Transfer In liquid or gas = convection
In vacuum = radiation
51. Emitters and dull, black surface = good emitter, good radiator, poor reflector
Radiators bright, shiny surface = poor emitter, poor radiator, good reflector

ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM

52. Ferrous Materials can be attracted by a magnet and iron, steel, nickel, cobalt, etc.
can be magnetized
53. Non-ferrous Materials cannot be attracted by a magnet copper, silver, aluminum, wood,
and cannot be magnetized glass, etc.
54. Electric Field F = force exerted by the source
Intensity in newton F charge in newtons (N)
E=
per coulomb (N/C) q q = test charge in coulombs (C)
55. Current in amperes Q Q = charge in coulombs (C)
I=
(A) t t = time in seconds (s)
56. Ohm’s Law Voltage across the resistor is V = voltage in volts (V)
directly proportional to the current. I = current in amperes (A)
V ∝I R = resistance in ohms (Ω)
V
=R
I

57. Voltage in volts (V) Energy Q = charge in coulombs (C)

V=
Q Energy in joules (J)
58. Electromotive Force Ir = lost volts
(EMF) EMF=Ir+ IR IR = terminal potential difference
59. Resistance and L = length of resistor in meters
Resistivity of Resistor L (m)
R=ρ
in ohms (Ω) A A = area of cross-section of
resistor in square meters (m2)

60. Circuit series circuit → the current stays the same and the voltage divides
parallel circuit → the voltage stays the same and the current divides
61. Resistance in Series R=R 1+ R 2+ R 3 R1, R2, and R3 are resistances of
1 1 1 1
resistor in ohms (Ω).
62. Resistance in Parallel = + +
R R 2 R 2 R3
63. Potential Divider V 1 R1
=
V 2 R2

V 1=
( R1
)
R 1+ R 2
V and V 2=
( R2
)
R 1+ R 2
V

64. Power in watts (W) P=IV P=I R

2
V
2
I = current in amperes (A)
P=
R R = resistance in ohms (Ω)
65. Power in watts (W) Energy Energy in joules (J)
P=
Time
66. Transformer Vp = voltage in primary coil
Vs = voltage in secondary coil
V p Np Np = number of turns in primary
= coil
V s Ns
Ns = number of turns in
secondary coil

67. Transformer Pp = power of primary coil

P p=P s Ps = power of secondary coil
I p V p =I s V s Vp = voltage in primary coil
V p Is Vs = voltage in secondary coil
=
Vs Ip Ip = current in primary coil
Is = current in secondary coil
68. Cathode Rays stream of electrons emitted from heated metal in a process called
thermionic emission
ATOMIC PHYSICS
69. Alpha Particles helium nucleus
(α-particles) stopped by paper
highest ionization potential
70. Beta Particles fast-moving electrons
(β-particles) stopped by aluminum
less ionization potential
71. Gamma Particles electromagnetic radiation
(γ-particles) only stopped by a thick lead sheet
least ionization potential
72. Half-life time in which the activity or mass becomes half
A
73. Atomic Symbol ❑Z X A = mass number
Z = atomic number
74. Isotopes same number of protons but different number of neutrons