Physics

Data and Formula Sheet

To be used with
Bradford Colleges

FSP Physics
Semester 1
Examinations

The following tables show the symbols of common quantities and physical constants used in equations.
Other symbols used are shown next to the equations. Vectors are indicated by arrows. If only the
magnitude of a vector quantity is used, the symbol is not shown in bold type.

Symbols of Common Quantities

acceleration

frequency

momentum

time

wavelength

electric field

displacement

force

velocity

charge

F
q

kinetic energy
magnetic field

period

T
A

mass

m
V

electric current

B
I
R

area

potential difference

resistance

Physical Constants
Acceleration due to gravity at the
Earths surface

g = 9.8 ms2

Charge of the electron

e = 161019C

Constant of universal gravitation

G = 6671011Nm2kg2

Mass of the electron

me = 9111031kg

Speed of light in a vacuum

c = 300108ms1

Mass of the proton

mp = 16731027kg

Mass of the neutron

mn = 167510 kg

1
9 00 10 9 Nm 2 C 2
40

Coulombs law constant

27

Plancks constant

h = 6631034Js

Mass of the particle

m = 664510 kg

Rydbergs constant

R = 1097107m1

Radius of nuclei

ro = 12010 m

27

15

Astronomical Data
Mean radius of Earth

63710106m

Radius of Sun

6960108m

Mass of Earth

59771024kg

Mass of Sun

19911030kg

Mean distance of Earth from

Sun

14961011m

Radius of Moon

1738106m

Mean distance of Moon from

Earth

3844108m

Mass of Moon

73491022kg

Period of Moons rotation about the

Earth

2732 days

SI Prefixes
Refer to the following table when answering questions that involve the conversion of units
Factor

Prefix

Symbol

Factor

Prefix

Symbol

1012
109
106
103

tera
giga
mega
kilo

T
G
M
k

102
103
106
109
1012

centi
milli
micro
nano
pico

c
m

n
P

Section 1: Motion in Two Dimensions

v u at

v = velocity at time t

F G

u = velocity at t =0

m1 m2
r2

r = distance between masses m1 and m2

M = mass of object orbited by satellite
r = radius of orbit

GM
r

v 2 u 2 2as

1
s ut at 2
2

T 2 GM

,
r 3 4 2

vH v cos

= angle to horizontal

vV v sin
v f = final velocity

vi = initial velocity
aave

v
t

v2
r

2r
T

tan

p
t

KE 12 mv 2

aave = average acceleration

PEG mgh

r = radius of circle

PEE
P

v2
rg

F ma

p mv ,
F

v v f vi

= banking angle

M = mass of object orbited by satellite

r = radius of orbit
T = Period of the orbit

PEG = Gravitational potential energy

1 2
kx
2

PEE = Elastic potential energy

W E

Fv
t
t

P = Power

W Fs cos

= angle between force F and

displacement s .

f s s FN

s = coefficient of static friction

f k k FN

k = coefficient of kinetic friction

Section 2: Electric and Magnetic Fields

F

1 q1q2
r = distance between charges q1 and q2
40 r 2

F IlB sin = angle between field B and

current element I l.

F
q

F qvB sin

1 q
40 r 2

mv
qB

2m
qB

q2 B2r 2
2m

W PE qV
E

V
d

qE
m

W = work done on charge

d = distance between plates

= angle between field B and

velocity v
r = radius of circle

Section 3A: Current Electricity

I

q
t

R R1 R2 R3 ...

Series Circuit

1 1
1
1

...
R R1 R2 R3

Parallel Circuit

V IR

P I V I 2 R

(R r)

V 2
R

Section 3B: Waves, Light and Matter

d

v f

1
N

N = number of slits per metre of

grating

1
T

E = hf

n1 sin 1 n2 sin 2

nA

W hf0 f 0 = threshold frequency

c
vA

Kmax = hf W

c f

c = speed of light

Path difference adjacent rays = d sin

d sin m

W y

E = Energy of photon

L
d

d = distance between slits

= angular position of mth
maximum
m = integer (0, 1, 2, )

y = fringe separation/bandwidth
L = slit-to-screen distance

f max

eV
h

V = tube potential difference

p = momentum of photon

W = work function of metal

h
(1 cos Compton Shift
me c

h
, de Broglie wavelength of a particle
mv

p 2mE , p = momentum of a particle,

E = Energy of a particle, m = particles mass

Section 4: Atoms and Nuclei

1
1
1
R 2 2

m
n

En Em hf

r r0 A1 3

En Em = energy difference

AZ N

A = mass number
Z = atomic number of nucleus
N = number of neutrons

E mc 2

E = energy

N N0 12