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CSEC Physics Formulas and Definitions

Physics formulas and definitions cover a wide range of topics including mechanics, thermal physics, waves, optics, electricity, magnetism, and nuclear physics. Key concepts include density, weight, moments, Hooke's law, motion, momentum, work, energy, power, pressure, gas laws, wave speed, reflection, refraction, lenses, charge, current, resistance, transformers, radioactivity, and Einstein's equation relating energy and mass. Formulas define relationships between these physical quantities in concise mathematical terms.

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1K views

CSEC Physics Formulas and Definitions

Physics formulas and definitions cover a wide range of topics including mechanics, thermal physics, waves, optics, electricity, magnetism, and nuclear physics. Key concepts include density, weight, moments, Hooke's law, motion, momentum, work, energy, power, pressure, gas laws, wave speed, reflection, refraction, lenses, charge, current, resistance, transformers, radioactivity, and Einstein's equation relating energy and mass. Formulas define relationships between these physical quantities in concise mathematical terms.

Uploaded by

Tani B
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Physics Formulas and Definitions

MECHANICS
Density: the mass per unit volume of an object.
ρ = m/V

Relative Density: compares the density of a substance to the density of water.


ρR = ρsubstance /ρwater

Weight: a body's relative mass or the quantity of matter contained by it.


W = mg

Moments: the product of the force and the perpendicular distance, d, from the pivot
M=Fxd

Principle of Moments: Total Anticlockwise moment = Total Clockwise Moment

Hooke’s Law: states that for an object undergoing elastic deformation, the force
applied is proportional to the extension.
F = ke

Motion:
Distance: how far an object travels
Displacement: how far an object travels in a particular direction
Speed: The rate of change of distance/The change of distance with time.
Velocity: The rate of change of displacement/The change in displacement with time.
v = s/t for an object moving with constant velocity i.e. no acceleration.

For an accelerating body:


a = (v-u)/t
s = ((u+v)/2) xt
s = ut + ½ at2
v2 – u2 = 2as
F = ma
The area under a velocity-time graph is distance travelled
Momentum: the product of its mass and velocity.
p = mv

For all collisions: Total momentum before a collision = Total momentum after a collision
For elastic collisions only: Total EK before = Total EK after

Work is done when a force applied causes the object to move in the direction of the
applied force.
W = F x s Where s = distance in the same direction as the force (parallel distance)

Energy:the ability to do work. When work is done energy is used.

● Potential Energy: the stored energy that an object has due to its state or
position.
Ep = mgh

● Kinetic Energy: the energy that an object has when it is in motion


EK = ½ mv2

● For a falling body


Ep at top = EK at the bottom

Power: the rate at which work is done or energy is used.


P = E/t or P = W/t (W = work)

Efficiency = (Output Energy/Input Energy) x 100%

Pressure: the force acting perpendicular per unit area


P = F/A

Upthrust

U = Weight of water displaced


U = Weight of object in air – weight of object in water
U = weight of object …..Floating
U < weight of object …..Sinking
U > weight of object …..Rising

Pressure in Liquids
P = ρgh where h = depth
THERMAL PHYSICS
T/K = T/oC + 273

T/K = θ/oC + 273

Heat Capacity: the heat required to raise the temperature of a substance by 1K or


1oC.
E = CΔT

Specific Heat Capacity: the heat required to raise the temperature of 1kg of a
substance by 1K or 1oC.
E = mcΔT
C = mc

Latent Heat: the heat energy required to change the state of a substance without a
change in temperature.
E = Lv
E = Lf

Specific Latent Heat: the heat required to change the state of 1kg a substance
without a change in temperature.
E = mlv
E = mlf

Conservation of Heat Energy


Heat lost = Heat gain

Gas Laws
(P x V)/T = constant

P1 x V1 = P2 x V2
T1 T2

Boyle’s Law: states that a gas's pressure and volume are inversely proportional,
when the temperature is kept constant, for a fixed mass of gas.
P1 x V1 = P2 x V2
Charles’ Law: states that the volume of an ideal gas is directly proportional to the
absolute temperature at constant pressure, for a fixed mass of gas.
V1/T1 = V2/T2

Pressure Law: For a fixed mass of gas, at a constant volume, the pressure is
directly proportional to the temperature
P1/T1 = P2/T2
WAVES AND OPTICS
Wave speed: the distance travelled by the wave per unit time.
v = fλ
f = 1/T

Reflection: the bouncing off of a wave from a reflecting surface. A reflecting


surface is usually smooth and shiny.
i=r

Refraction: the abrupt change in speed and or direction of a wave from one
medium to the next.
vd = λd
vs λs
ang = sin θa / sin θg
ng = sin ia / sin rg
Critical Angle: the angle of incidence when the angle of refraction is 90o as the ray
travels from a dense to a less dense medium.
Sin c = 1/n
For TIR, i > c
For Refraction, i < c

Lenses
1/f = 1/u + 1/v
Real is +ve.

Converging or Convex Lens: the point at which rays parallel to the principal
axis meet after passing through the lens.
u < f gives a virtual magnified image
u > f gives a real image

Diverging Lens: the point at which rays parallel to the principal axis appear to
come from after passing through the lens.
ONE type of image only, i.e. virtual and diminished

Magnification
M = v/u
M = Image size/object size
ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM
Charge
Q = It

Current: the rate of flow of charge.


I = Q/t

Voltage: or potential difference (p.d) of a battery is the energy per unit charge that
is converted from electrical energy to other forms.
V = E/Q

Resistance: the ratio of the voltage to the current.


V = IR

Electrical Energy
E = VIt

Electrical Power: the electrical energy used per unit time


P = VI
P = I 2R
P = V 2/R

Resistors in Series
RT = R1 + R2

Resistors in Parallel
1/RT = 1/R1 + 1/R2

RT = R1 x R2 / R1 + R2

= product/sum

Transformer:
Power in = Power out
Vs/Vp = Ns/Np = Ip/Is
Turns ratio = Ns/Np
NUCLEAR PHYSICS
Mass number: total number of protons and neutrons in an atom
A=Z+N

Radioactivity: the random decay of the nucleus of an unstable atom by the


spontaneous emission of radiation from the nucleus.
Half Life, T1/2: The time taken to reduce to half of the previous value

Einstein’s Equation
ΔE = Δmc2

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