Formula List for Physics

Thermal Physics T/K = T/C + 273.15 Q = C , Q = mc (C: heat capacity, c: specific heat capacity)
U= 3 NkT 2

(for ideal gas on

V2
1

PV = NkT = nRT, R=8.314 (for ideal gas only) Work done = V P dV (Area under graph: work done by gas is positive for expansion, negative for compression) U = Q + W (Increase in internal energy = heat supplied + work done on gas)

Gravitation
GMm r2 GM g = 2 (gravitational r 4 2 3 T2 = r GM F = (gravitational field and force for any spherical distribution of mass is identical to that of point masses.)

field strength)

(Note that T is the period of the orbiting object, M is the mass of the object, eg. Sun, providing the centripetal force)
U = GMm r

(gravitational potential energy)

2GM R

vescape = 2 gR =

(escape velocity)
mv 2 = mg mR 2 R

Apparent weight = mg

Circular Motion Angular displacement: (radians) = r (radius of circle)

v = r 1 2 r , = 2 f , T = T v v2 a= = r 2 r mv 2 F= = mr 2 r f = s (arc length)

Oscillations a = 2 x x = x0 sin(t + ) (Note that is determined by what is x at t = 0)

v = x0 cos( t + ) a = 2 x0 sin(t + ) = 2 x

2 T 1 2 1 1 2 mv = m 2 ( x0 x 2 ), E potential = m 2 x 2 2 2 2 1 2 = Ekinetic + E potential = m 2 x0 2 Amplitude heavy critical t light Degrees of damping fnatural f

Ekinetic = Etotal

undamped

Waves v= f

Effect of damping on forced oscillation. Note resonance when f = natural frequency

x t = = 2 T
Power Area Power k = 2, 4 r 2 r A= k r

I = kA2 (A = amplitude)
I=

For spherical waves, I =

(Note that the ks in the formulae are

proportionality constants.)
Displacement

Distance Graphs on the left show longitudinal sound waves. C, R stand for regions of compression and rarefactions respectively. Note that if the sound wave form a stationary wave, the loudest sound is heard at the nodes of the displacement-distance graph, the softest at the anti-nodes. Distance R R
2

Pressure

Polarization : I = I 0 cos ( is the angle between the polarization direction of the electric field and the transmission axis of the polarizer)

Superposition

Resonance tube L is the length, v is the speed of the wave

n nv , f = , n = 1, 2,3,... 2 2L

(a) nodes/antinodes at both ends L =

(all harmonics)
n nv , f = , n = 1,3,5... 4 4L

(b) node at one end, and antinode at the other end L = harmonics)

(odd

Note: Fundamental OR 1st harmonic means n = 1, 1st Overtone = 2nd harmonic (case a) / 3rd harmonic (case b), 2nd Overtone = 3rd harmonic (case a ) / 5th harmonic (case b). Point at which string is plucked = antinode. End-corrections: anti-node is not found exactly at the boundary, so instead of L, we have L + c. Path difference = n ,n = 0, 1, 2, (constructive interference intensity maximum) Path difference = (n + ) , n = 0, 1, 2, (destructive interference intensity minimum), Youngs double slit experiment:
D (D = distance from a
1 2

(a) Separation between bright fringes/ dark fringes = y = source to screen, a = distance b/w slits) (b) Positions of bright fringes = y =
y= m D , m = 0, 1, 2,... a

Position of dark fringes =

( m + 12 ) D , m = 0, 1, 2,...
a

(note that the above is true only if the two sources have zero phase difference.) Diffraction grating: d sin = m , m = 0,1, 2,... (d = distance between two lines on grating)

Dynamics, Kinematics, Work, Energy and Power

r r d p = mv , F = (mv) dt

= ma (if no change of mass)

2

For fluid hitting on wall, F = Av fluid , where A is area of pipe of fluid, v the velocity at right angles to wall, and assuming that velocity of water normal to wall is zero after collision.

Impulse = change of momentum = area under force-time graph (if force is constant, impulse = F t ) Principle of conservation of energy, Principle of conservation of momentum, Principle of moments. Elastic collision: Relative speed of approach = relative speed of separation ( u2 u1 = v1 v2 ) Power = force velocity, K.E. = angle b/w f and s ) Elastic potential energy of spring =
1 2 ke , 2 1 2 mv , 2

G.P.E. = mgh, work done = Fs cos ( is where k is spring constant, e is

extension. Hookes law: F = ke Archimedess principle: Upthrust on object in fluid = weight of fluid displaced = fluid Vg where V is volume of object.
P = gh 1 v = u + at , v 2 = u 2 + 2as, s = ut + at 2 2

Electric Fields
E= q (for a point charge; electric field lines point from region of higher 4 0 r 2

potential to region of lower potential)

F = qE q V= (electrostatic potential for a point charge q) 4 0 r U = qV (change in electrostatic potential energy) dV E= dr

Electromagnetism F = q v B (equate this to

mv 2 for problems involving circular motion) r

F = B I L (magnetic field in this formula is the component perpendicular to the current; use Flemings LH rule) B = 0 nI (within the solenoid; reduces to half at the ends) For an infinitely long wire, B =
0 I 2 r 0 I1 I 2 2 r

Force per unit length between two long wires = F =

Electromagnetic Induction

Induced emf =

Motional emf AC generator = NBA sin t Rotating Disc = Br 2

1 2

d , = N = NBA cos dt = Blv

AC Sinusoidal form: I = I 0 sin t , V = V0 sin t , Root mean square current

I
2 r .m. s

R=I

2 d .c.

R , I r .m. s. =

I 2 dt T

To (1) square the current for all time within one period (2) find the total area under graph within one period divided by the time in one period (3) take square root of result from step 2.
I rms = I0 2 , Vrms = V0 2
2 , Paverage = I rms R = 2 Vrms P = V rms I rms = 0 R 2

find I rms ,

p s s Transformers: V = N = I (if transformer is ideal) p p s

Half-wave rectification graph:

Quantum Physics
1 2 hf = + K .E.max = + mvmax = + eVs 2

(photoelectric equation)

h h = = p mv

(de Broglie waves) for X-ray spectra)

hc (minimum wavelength observed eV Check that you can plot the following: (i)current vs potential (ii)stopping potential vs frequency/wavelength (iii)maximum kinetic energy vs frequency/wavelength (iv)current vs intensity

min =

For line spectra, use E = hf = hc /

h h x p , E t 2 2
T = exp(2kL), k = R +T =1 2m(U E ) , h

Lasers and Semiconductors (concepts; use formula from other topics if quantitative) Nuclear Physics and Radioactivity
1 N = N 0 e t = N 0 2 A
t t1/ 2

dN 1 = N , A = A0 e t = A0 dt 2 ln 2 t1/ 2 = E = mc 2

t1/ 2