MCAT Physics Review:

Chapter 1
Mega=x10^6

Chapter 2
Newtons Laws: F=ma=0 at constant V or at rest; the sum of F=ma; Fb=-Fa
Gravitational Force=Gm1m2/r^2
When the result of vector multiplication is a scalar its a dot product and we get cos theta while
when cross product its sin theta.
Torque=rFsin(theta)
Ffric=uN where N is the normal force and u can be kinetic or static friction.

Chapter 3
Conservatory force means the change in mechanical energy will be conserved. If its not th
eidfference is the work done. Work is the process by which energy is transferred from one
system to another. The only other transformation can happen through heat.
W=Fdcos(theta)
Power=Work/change in Time
We can also use work energy theorem which states that the change in kinetic energy= Wnet.
Impulse=change in P = F change in T
So for car accidents we want the longest change in T making the force smaller
Conservation of momentum is initials=finals, so long as no external forces
Completely elastic collisions conserve energy as well as momentum,
inelastic are just momentum, and completely inelastic are when stick together.
Force is inversely proportionate to distance so long ramps require less force but the same
amount of work. Pulleys are the same increasing the distance. So whats interesting to
remember about pulleys is that to lift someone three meters if there is one pulley than you must
pull 6 meters of rope raising idstance lowering the force necessary.
Efficiency=Wout/Win
Center of mass=sum of MiXi/the sum of Mi; Xi= the midpoint of a square

Chapter 4
0th law:objects in equilibrium have no net flow of heat but will flow if no equilib
Thermal expansion: change in length =alphaL change in T and similarly change in Volume is
given by the same equation but V instead of L and beta instead of alpha.
First Law of thermodynamics: change in internal energy=heat-work; work done by system is
positive, on the system is negativeand heat flow in the sytem is positiv eand heat flow out is
negative (basically conservation of energy).
The environment is everything outside the system
Heat can be transferred through conduction, convection and radiation, molecular collisions, by
the physical motion of the heated material (involving flow means only for liquid and gas) and by
EM waves, respectively.
The oven is gneerally radiation heat because the electrical energy heat the food not through
direct physical contact.
Phase changes are rleated to changes in PE rather than KE. In ice PE is low but has some KE,
heat causes molecules to break away from each other and have more degrees of freedom and
PE increases. Their average KE stays the same during a phase change.
Q=ml where m is the mass of the substance and L is the heat of transformation.
F=PA; where P is equal to pressure. When a gas expands it does work and W is positive.
When the pressure is constant the process is isobaric.
W=the area under the curve of PxV
Familiar with isovolumetric aka isochoric which is when volume stays same, adiabatic when no
heat exchange and losed system aka isothermal when temp stays constant. In a closed cycle
change in U=0 and Q=W.
Remember change in S=Q/T
A reversible reaction is one wher enet chang ein entropy is 0
For a reversible process the entropy can be calculated by q/T=ml/T where l is the heat of
transformation.

Chapter 5
Specific gravity density of something/density of water and that is = to the percentage that is
under water.
The SI unit of pressure is pascals 101300 Pa=1 Atm
Pressure Forces can be added vectorally.
Absolute Presure=total pressure exerted on an object in a fluid-> P=Po+pgh; where P= absolute
pressure, Po=pressure at the surface and pgh=the magnitude of the pressure as a function of
the weight of the fluid sitting above the submerged object at a hieght of h.
Gauge pressure is the difference between the absolute and the atmospheric pressures so its
just pgh
Fluids are incompressible so applying pressure to a fluid allows for hydraulic machines
So since pressure is constance, F1/A1=F2/A2, the bigger A2 compared to A1 the bigger the
force. The fact that pressure reamins constant is Pascals principle.
Furthermore, the volume displaced is the same by multiplying areas by distances. This means
there is conservation of energy because W1=W2 and using W=P change in V we can simplify
workF1d1=f2d2.
Fbuouyancy=(Vfluid displaced) (pfluid)(g)=(Vsubmerged)(pfluid)(g) this just says the fluid
displaced equals the volume of the object displacing. But from this we get that an object will sink
if its average density is greater than the density of the fluid. Specific gravity is handy for figuring
this out.
We can solve for specific gravity using archemedes equation bc the Force of gravity on dude is
equal t othe buoyant force so pbVbg=pwVwg and Vb=XVw doing sub gives us an equation to
determine relative densities.
Surface tension results from cohesion between same type of molecules. Adhesion is based on
attractive force between liquid and molecules of another substance. Meniscuses are examples
of this.
Ideal fluids have lower viscosities and more closely adhere to conservation of energy.
Laminar flow of a liquid is smooth and orderly, while turbulent is like a grand rapid. The MCAT
assumes laminar flow.
The critical velocity=Nr(reynolds number)n(visocsity of fluid/p (density of fluid) D(diameter of
tube)
Streamlines are representations of the movement of liquid (for all these equations of fluids we
assume incompressible so no gases).
The rate at which a given volume of fluid passes by one point must be the same for all other
point sin a closed system regardless of changes in size. The linear velocity times
area=volume/time. SO velocity times area must be constant.
Bernoulis equation: P +pgy+.5pV^2=same at P2 y2 V2, P is absolute pressure, pgy is static
pressure, and .5pV2^2 is dynamic pressure.
A solids resistance to an applied pressure is its elasticity, measured by ratios known as moduli.
Youngs modulus is the pressure which casues a change in length Y=youngs
modulus=P/(change in L/L)
Shear modulus is when a force is paralel to an objects surface and is more of a jiggle, The
Shear modulus=P.(x/h); where x is the amount it moves and h is the height.
Bulk modulus is degree experiences a cahnge in volume in relation to an applied pressure and
is given by the ratio change in V/V.
Review:
In using equation for absolute and gauge pressures its the density of the liquid medium that is
relevant.
In measuring forces with object in water still use Weight but instead of normal we have the
buoyant force.
The bouyant force measures includes volume of liquid dispalced which is based on the weight
of the object displacing the water. Equal weights are displaced.

Chapter 6
Dipole moment=p=q which is the charge times d which is the distance between the two charges.
This is a simple derivation. V=kpcos(theta)/r^2 the y direction cancels and r is assumed to be
the middle of the two charges. r is squared because we assume r1r2 is about the same but
when we do E it becomes r^3.
The field will lead to a torque.
Torque=pEsin theta.

Chapter 7:
Ferromagnetic materials are like paramagnetic but become strongly magnetized under certain
fields or temperatures. The critical temperature is known as the curie temp, where some
materials go from paragamnetic to permanently magnetized.
Magnetic field through a loop is B=ui/2r while wire is ui/2 pie r
Force on a moving charge=qvBsin theta
Force on current carrying wire=F=iLBsintheta
Electron volt is a unit of energy.

Chapter 8
Resistance=resistivity times length/area
C=permitivity constantA/d
U(potential energy=.5CV^2
For AC current i=Imaxsin(omegat)
When finding equivalent resistance dont just make things in series when reducing.

Chapter 9
Force of a spring is F=-kx
SHM=a particle about an equilib position subjected to a linear restoring force
In SHM position=Acceleration=-omega squared x
omega=2pie F = sqrt(k/m) where k is the sping constant and m is mass, for a pendulum sqrt(g/l
Potential energy of a spring=.5KX squared and there is conservation of energy.
Force of pendulum=-mgsin theta and U=mgh
y=Asin(kx-wt)
v=f lamda (frequency times wavelength)
k=2pie/lamda
This way pies cancel out when finding velocity.
If a wave if fixed at one end it will reflect back and cause interference. If both ends are fixed it is
a standing wave and there will be nodes. Pipes open at both ends can support standing waves.
When one is open and the othre is closed there can again be standing waves but with an extra
antinode, which is max amplitude.
If forced oscillation is close to the natural frequency it is close to resonance, when equal
amplitude increases indefinitely.
Speed of sound is fastest in solid.
Infrasonic waves are below 20Hz and ultra are above 20,000hz
I=sound intensity=Power/Area; area should be thought of as 4pie r squared
Intensity is also proportional to the square of the amplitude.
Sound level=beta=10log(I/Io) where Io is the reference intensity set as the thereshold of
hearing, measured in decibels. We can also set Bf=Bi +10log(If/Ii)
We perceive slight differences in frequency as variations of loudness not pitch because of
superposition. fbeat=lf1-f2l
Doppler effect, effects pitch. If moving towards freq will be greater, if moving away freq will be
smaller so f(v+-vd/v=-vs)=f'
wavelenth=2L/n where n is an integer for a string. Through manipulation the fundamental
frequency hich is where n=1 can be caluculated. There is always one more node than the
integer n.
Open pipes are the same as strings but nodes actually=harmonics because both ends are at
max amplitude.
Closed Pipes-the closed end supports a node and open supports an antinode, so there are only
odd harmonics.
Here lamda=4L/n and n can only be odd.
The reason the equation is 4L is that it travels double the amount to leave the pipe.
Velocity of sound waves is dependent on the medium.

Chapter 10
Rectlinear propogation is when light travelling in a single homogenous medium travels in a
straight line.
Geometrical optics deal with hitting boundries.
1) Law of reflection incidient angle=reflected angle based on the normal, a line drawn
perpendicular to the boundary of the medium. An image is real if the light actually converges at
the position of the image but virtual if it only appears. Because light will not converge plain
mirrors always create virtual images. LIght appears to be coming from the mirror.
Spherical mirrors have a center of curvature as well as a radius of curvature associated with
them. The center is a point on the normal that is the length of the radius away from the mirror.
Concave mirrors are converging and the center of curvature and the radius are in front of th
emirror, convex are diverging.
Focal length=r/2 and the distance between an object and the mirror is o.
i is the distance from the image.
1/o+1/i=1/f=2/r
If the image is negative it is virtual
magnification=m=-i/o
If the magnification is negative it is inverted,
For a concave mirror draw rays. A ray from the object hits the mirror and goes through the focal
point. One that goes through the focal point and then to the mirror and bounces off parallel to
the normal. the image is where the two lines intersect. When the object is at the focal point draw
a line going not through focal point but hitting mirror at principal axis and goes parallel and th
eimage distance is infinity.
WHen the object is between F and mirror we draw one line going through focal but continue on
other side of mirror as well, and on eline actually going up and bouncing off parallel to the
principal axis and continue on both sides of mirror.
Remember for mirror Real is in front of the mirror virtual is in back.
If r is negative the mirror is convex, same for f
Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another. Vaccum is the
fastest medium.
For a given medium n=C/V, n=index of refraction. For air n is about= to 1 and otherwise n is
greater than 1.
Snells law is n1sin(theta1)=n2sin(theta2) theta is from the normal.
Total internal reflection is for any angle greater than the critical angle which is at 90 degrees.
The critical angle is the one going to the viewer to the medium with a smaller n.
For thin spherical lenses the focal lengths are on both sides of the lens but are equal.
Converging lenses are thicker at the center and diverging lenses are thinner.
Equation for when thickness cannot be ignored for lenses: 1/f=(n-1)[(1/r1)-(1/r2)]
Positive image means its located on the R side which is real. For mirros the real side is always
in front of the mirror, and for lenses light really travells through the medium and so the real side
is on the opposite side of the lens.
For lenses there are two radii, and the r is positive if the center of curvature is on the R side and
negative the center is on the v side.
Power=P-[diopters]=1/f
When lenses are in contact we treat the focal point by adding the sum of P.
For lenses not in contact magnification is multiplied. For diverging lenses the focal length is
negative.
Dispersion happens because violet has a greater index of refraction than red, so it is more bent.
So dispersion is based on wavelength.
When light goes through a narrow opening its called diffraction.
Th elocation of the dark firnges is given by the formula asin(theta)=nlambda where n is 1,2,3
and a is the width of the slit.
this contributes to the theory tha tlight is a wave because it experiences constructive and
deconstructive itnerference and mazima use the same equatiomn as before except instead of a
uuse d the distance betweent he slits. minimuma you also add hlaf to the integers.
The distance between maxima is given by y=mlambdaD/d where the big D is the distance from
screen to the slits.
Plane polarized light is when electric fields ar eall oriented in same direction, the vectors are
parallel.
When going through different media the wavelength changes not the frequency.
Refraction is change in direction of wave due to change in speed.
As the slit becomes smaller the cnetral maximum becomes wider.

Chapter 11:
the peak wavelength of a blackbody times temp=constant.
Et=botltzmann cosntant times T raised to the fourth.
Escess energy beyond minimum free electron goes to kinetic energy.
Angular momentum =mvr; omega=vr
L=nh/2pie, so it is quantized.
E=-Rh/n squared

Chapter 12:
Binding energy=mcsquared use this by subtracted atomic weight from protons and neturons
value.
We can use nuclear fission but not fusion.
Parent isotope and daughter isotope
alpha decay lose a helium nucleus, beta0 decay neutron splits into proton and electron, in
positron decay a proton splits into a positron and a nuetron, so beta positive or negative change
atomic number but not mass number.
Gamma decay is the emission of a gamma particle and simply lower the nergy of the parent
nucleus.
Electron capture is when an electron takes a proton and becomes a nuetron.
Exponential decay ln2=lambda times Time of half life
lamda is a constant.
From there we have the equation ln(n/ninitial)=-lamdat, use equations to go back and forth.