Formulas and Definitions List

2. Kinematics
2.1 Total Distance Travelled
Average Speed 
Total Time Taken

Distance = CONSTANT speed  time

Distance = AVERAGE speed  time
(but “Distance = final speed  time” is wrong)
2.2 Relationships between graphs
Gradient Gradient

Scalar: Distance Scalar: Speed

Vector: Acceleration
Vector: Displacement Vector: Velocity

Area under graph

2.3 v v  u a = constant or average acceleration (in m/s2)
a  v = final velocity (in m/s)
t t
u = initial velocity (in m/s)
= Gradient of velocity-time graph
∆t = time interval (in s)
2.4 Displacement
= Area under velocity-time graph
2.5** v  u  at 4 kinematics equations - only applicable if
1 acceleration is constant.
s  ut  at 2
2
** (not required to know but good to know for
v 2  u 2  2as this EYA)
1
s  (u  v)t
2 However, if forces
are balanced, then
3. Dynamics rF = 0 and there is
3.1 Newton’s Second Law Fnet = resultant force (in N) no acceleration!
Fnet = m a m = mass (in kg)
a = acceleration (in m/s2)
F2 Direction
of motion
F1

F1 =Forward force F1 - Opposing force F2

3.1 Newton’s First Law
Stationary  acceleration = 0  Fnet = 0
Constant velocity (constant speed and direction)  acceleration = 0  Fnet = 0
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4. Mass, Weight, Density g in italics is gravitational

field strength.
4.1 W=mg W = weight (in N) g in normal font is grams.
m = mass (in kg)
g = gravitational field strength (in N/kg or m/s2). [Earth: g = 10 N/kg]
4.2 m ρ = density (in kg/m3) (or g/cm3)
 m = mass (in kg) (or g)
V
V = volume (in m3) (or cm3)

5. Turning Effects of Forces

5.1 M=Fd M = Moment of a force about a point (in N m)
F = Force (in N)
d = Perpendicular Distance from point to line-of-action of force (in m)
[add/subtract ruler markings if needed to obtain the correct distance]

5.2 Rotational Equilibrium: (Principle of Moments)

Total anti-clockwise moments = Total clockwise moments
[Note: If pivot is not at C.G., then the weight also contributes to the moments.]

5.3 Translational Equilibrium (Newton’s First Law)

Total upward force = Total downward force
[Note: Don’t forget to include F4
the weight of the balancing beam.] d3 Rotational Equilibrium:
d1 d2 F1 d1 = F2 d2 + F3 d3

pivot Translational Equilibrium:

F3 F4 = F1 + F2 + F3
F1 F2

6. Pressure
6.1 P = F/a P – pressure (Pa or N/m2)
F – Force (N)
a – area (m2)
6.2 P = h g  = density of liquid (in kg/m3)
(for fluid) g = gravitational field strength (in N/kg)
h = height/depth of liquid column (in m)

7. Energy, Work, Power

7.1 Work done = F x s// Work Done by force (in J),
F = Force (in N)
s// = Distance moved in the direction of the force (in
m)
7.2 G.P.E. = m g h G.P.E. = Gravitational Potential Energy (in J)
m = mass of body (in kg)
g = acceleration due to gravity (10 N/kg on Earth)
h = height above zero G.P.E. level (in m)
7.3 1 K.E. = Kinetic Energy (in J)
K.E. = mv 2 m = mass of body (in kg)
2
v = velocity (speed) of body (in m/s)
7.4 W E P = Power (in W)
P  W = Work done (in J), E = Energy converted (in J)
t t
t = Time taken (in s)
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7.5 energy converted to useful output

efficiency   100%
total energy input

12 Waves

12.1 v = f or T V = velocity of wave (m/s)

f = frequency of wave (Hz)
 = wavelength (m)
T = period (in s)
12.2 f=1/T T = period (in s)
f = frequency of wave (Hz)
(note: frequency = no. of waves per
second)
12.3 Speed = distance / time

13B. Refraction
13B.1 c c = speed of light in vacuum (3.00 × 108 m/s)
n
v v = velocity (speed) of light in medium

13B.2 Snell’s Law

𝑛1 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃1 = 𝑛2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃2 𝑛1 = refractive index of medium 1
𝜃1 = angle (from normal) in medium 1
𝑛2 = refractive index of medium 2
𝜃2 = angle (from normal) in medium 2
13B.3 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐶 = 𝑛1 C = critical angle [not speed of light in vacuum]
𝑛2 n1 = refractive index of optically less dense
medium
n2 = refractive index of optically less dense
medium

13B.4 1 If light is travelling from a denser medium (n) to

𝑠𝑖𝑛𝐶 =
𝑛 air. Then 13B.3 can be written as such.

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Definitions
Measurement

1. Scalar quantities: Physical quantities having magnitude only.

eg: time, mass, speed, distance, power, energy

a) G means x 109 or 1000 000 000, M means x 106 or 1000 000, k means x 103 or
1000,

m means 1000

eg: 2 km = 2 x 103 m = 2000 m, 3 mg = 3 1000 g = 0.003 g

Vector quantities: Physical quantities that have both magnitude and direction.
eg: velocity, acceleration, displacement

Kinematics, Dynamics, Moment, Work, Energy and Power

2. Speed, u or v: Distance traveled per unit time. (m/s)

eg: speed = 2 m/s  Every 1s, distance traveled of 2m.

3. Velocity, v: rate of change of displacement (m/s)

4. Acceleration, a: Rate of change of velocity or change of velocity per unit time. (m/s2)

eg: acceleration = 12m/s2  Every 1s, there is an increase in velocity of 12m/s.

acceleration = -5m/s2  Every 1s, there is a decrease in velocity of 5m/s.

or deceleration = 5m/s2

5. Uniform acceleration, a: Rate of change of velocity is constant

(Uniform = constant)
Not required to
quote Newton’s
eg: acceleration = 12 m/s  an uniform (constant) acceleration.
2
law
 Every 1s, there is a constant increase in velocity of 12 m/s.

6. Newton's first law: An object will remain in its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight
line unless a resultant (net) force acts on it. (or an unbalanced force acts on it)

7. Newton's 2nd law: When a resultant force acts on an object of a constant mass, the
object will accelerate in the direction of the resultant force. The product of the mass and
acceleration of the object gives the resultant force.

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8. Newton's 3rd law: Whenever a body A exerts a force on body B, body B will exert an
equal and opposite force on object A.
9. Acceleration due to gravity g: Constant rate of change of velocity and value is 10m/s2

10. Mass, m: Amount of matter in a body. (kg)

11. Weight: gravitational force acting of an object. (N)

12. Inertia: the reluctance of a body to change its state of rest or motion, due to its mass.

13. Centre of gravity or mass: The point where the whole weight of the body seems to act
for any orientation of the object.

14. Gravitational field: a region in which a mass experiences a force due to

gravitational attraction.

15. Gravitational field strength g: gravitational force acting per unit mass

eg: gravitational field strength g, 10N/kg = acceleration due to gravity g, 10m/s2

16. Density, d : mass per unit volume. (kg/m3) or (g/cm3)

17. Momemt, M: The turning effect of a force about a pivot and is given by
M = Force x perpendicular distance of force from pivot. (Nm)

18. The Principle of Moments: For a body in equilibrium (not rotating), the sum of
anticlockwise moments about a point is equal to the sum
of clockwise moment about the same point.

19. Principle of the conservation of energy: Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can
only be converted from one form to
another, transferred from one body to antoher
and total energy in an isolated system is
constant.

20. Kinetic energy, k.e: energy due to the motion of an object, given by ½ mv2. (J)

21. Gravitational potential energy, p.e: energy due to the height of an object, given by
mgh. (J)

22. Power, P: Work done or energy transformed per unit time.

OR Rate of work done. (W or J/s)

eg: Power =10W  10 J of energy is transformed into another form in 1s.

or 10J of work done in 1s.

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Pressure

23. Pressure, Force acting per unit area. (N/m2) or (Pa)

Waves

24. Wave motion: A periodic motion/ travelling disturbance repeated at regular intervals,
which transfer energy from one place to another without any transfer
of matter. (or the medium)

25. Transverse Wave: Waves that travel in a direction perpendicular to direction of vibration
of particles

26. Longitudinal Wave: Waves that travel in a direction parallel to the direction of the
vibration of particles.

27. Wavefront: An imaginary line on a wave that joins all points which have the same
phase of vibration. (same crests or trough)

eg: a round stone produces a circular wave, will have a

circular wavefront.

28. Frequency, f : Number of complete waves produced per second. (Hz)

eg: frequency = 6Hz  6 complete waves produced in 1 s.

29. Wavelength, λ : Shortest distance between two points on a wave that are in phase.
or distance between two successive crests or troughs. (m)

30. Period, T: Time taken to produce one complete wave. (s)

eg: Period T = 2s  One complete wave produced in 2s.

2s

31. Amplitude, A: Maximum displacement from the rest or central position. (m)

Optics

32. Normal: the line that is perpendicular to the reflecting surface.

33. Angle of incidence, i: the angle between the incident ray and the normal (˚)

34. Angle of reflection, r: the angle between the reflected ray and the normal (˚)

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35. Angle of refraction, r: the angle between the refracted ray and the normal. (˚)

36. For reflection: the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection

37. Refractive index, n: The refractive index, n, of a medium is defined as the ratio of the
speed of light in vacuum to the speed of light in the medium.

38. Critical angle, c : angle of incidence in the optically denser medium for which the
angle of refraction in the less dense medium is 90˚.

39. Total internal reflection:

Total internal reflection is the complete reflection of a light ray inside an optically denser
medium at its boundary with an optically less dense. This occurs when the angle of
incidence in the denser medium is greater than critical angle.

40. Focal length, f: Distance between the optical centre C, and the focal point F.

EM waves

41. E.M. waves: All electromagnetic waves (gamma, X-ray, UV, light, infra-red,
microwave, radio) are transverse waves that travel with the same
high speed in vacuum which is 3.0 x 108 m/s

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Concept Stuff

Kinematics

Dynamics – Forces

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TEF

How to find perpendicular distance

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Light

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Lenses

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What happen if I move the object closer or further away from lens.

Analgoy - https://youtu.be/_-CJRFZyqXA

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