Frequently Used Equations

Reference

mechanics

velocity acceleration equations of motion newton's 2nd law weight

∆s ∆v v = v0 + at ∑F = ma W = mg
v= a= 2
∆t ∆t s = s0 + v0t + ½at dp
2 2
∑F =
ds dv v = v0 + 2a(s − s0) dt
v= a=
dt dt v = ½(v + v0)

dry friction centripetal accel. momentum impulse impulse-momentum

2
fs ≤ μsN v p = mv J = F∆t F∆t = m∆v
ac =
f k = μ kN r ⌠ ⌠
J = ⌡F dt ⌡F dt = ∆p
ac = − ω2r

work work-energy kinetic energy general p.e. gravitational p.e.

W = F∆s cos θ F∆s cos θ = ∆E K = ½mv 2 ⌠ ∆Ug = mg∆h
∆U = − ⌡F · ds
⌠ ⌠ p2
W = ⌡F · ds ⌡F · ds = ∆E F = − ∇U
K=
2m

efficiency power power-velocity angular velocity angular acceleration

Wout ∆W P = Fv cos θ ∆θ ∆ω
η= P= ω= α=
Ein ∆t P=F·v ∆t ∆t
dW dθ dω
P= ω= α=
dt dt dt
v=ω×r a = α × r − ω2 r

equations of rotation torque 2nd law for rotation moment of inertia rotational work
2
ω = ω0 + αt τ = rF sin θ ∑τ = Iα I = ∑mr W = τ∆θ
θ = θ0 + ω0t + ½αt 2
τ=r×F dL ⌠ ⌠
I = ⌡r2 dm W = ⌡ τ · dθ
2 2
∑τ =
ω = ω0 + 2α(θ − θ0) dt
ω = ½(ω + ω0)

rotational power rotational k.e. angular momentum angular impulse angular i.m.
2
P = τω cos θ K = ½Iω L = mrv sin θ H = τ∆t τ∆t = m∆ω
P=τ·ω L=r×p ⌠ ⌠
H = ⌡τ dt ⌡τ dt = ∆L
L = Iω

universal gravitation gravitational field gravitational p.e. gravitational potential orbital speed
Gm1m2 Gm Gm1m2 Gm Gm
Fg = − 2
r̂ g=− 2
r̂ Ug = − Vg = − v=√
r r r r r

escape speed hooke's law spring p.e. s.h.o. simple pendulum

2
2Gm F = − k∆x Us = ½k∆x m ℓ
v=√ T = 2π√ T = 2π√
r k g

frequency angular frequency density pressure pressure in a fluid

1 ω = 2πf m F P = P0 + ρgh
f= ρ= P=
T V A
 buoyancy mass flow rate volume flow rate mass continuity volume continuity
B = ρgVdisplaced ∆m ∆V ρ 1 A 1 v1 = ρ 2 A 2 v2 A1v1 = A2v2
qm = qV =
∆t ∆t
dm dV
qm = qV =
dt dt

bernoulli's equation dynamic viscosity kinematic viscosity drag

2 2
P1 + ρgy1 + ½ρv1 = P2 + ρgy2 + ½ρv2 F ∆vx η R = ½ρCAv2
=η ν=
A ∆y ρ
F dvx
=η
A dy

mach number reynolds number froude number young's modulus shear modulus
v ρvD v F ∆ℓ F ∆x
Ma = Re = Fr = =E =G
c η √gℓ A ℓ0 A y
σ = Eε τ = Gγ

bulk modulus surface tension

F ∆V F
=K γ=
A V0 ℓ
P = Κθ

thermal physics

solid expansion liquid expansion sensible heat latent heat ideal gas law
∆ℓ = αℓ0∆T ∆V = βV0∆T Q = mc∆T Q = mL PV = nRT
∆A = 2αA0∆T
∆V = 3αV0∆T

molecular constants maxwell-boltzmann molecular k.e. molecular speeds

2 3 mv2 3
nR =Nk 4v ⎛ m ⎞ 2 − 2kT ⟨K⟩ = 2
kT 2kT 8kT 3kT
p(v) = ⎜ ⎟ e vp = √ ⟨v⟩ = √ vrms = √
√π ⎝2kT⎠ m πm m

heat flow rate thermal conduction stefan-boltzmann law wien's law internal energy
4 4 3
∆Q kA∆T P = εσA(T − T0 ) b ∆U = 2 nR∆T
P= P= λmax = 3
∆t ℓ T ∆U = 2 Nk∆T
dQ fmax = b′T
P=
dt

thermodynamic work 1st law of thermo. entropy efficiency c.o.p.

⌠ ∆U = Q + W ∆Q QC QC
W = −⌡P dV
∆S = ηreal = 1 − COPreal =
T QH QH − QC
S = k log w TC TC
ηideal = 1 − COPideal =
TH TH − TC
waves & optics

periodic waves frequency beat frequency intensity

v = fλ 1 fbeat = fhigh − flow ⟨P⟩
f= I=
f(x,t) = A sin(2π(x/λ − ft) + φ) T A

intensity level pressure level doppler effect mach angle cerenkov angle
⎛I⎞ ⎛ ∆P ⎞ fo λs c ± vo c c
LI = 10 log⎜ ⎟ LP = 20 log⎜ ⎟ = = sin μ = cos θ =
⎝I0⎠ ⎝∆P0⎠ fs λo c ∓ vs v nvp
∆f ∆λ ∆v
≈ ≈
f λ c

interference fringes index of refraction snell's law critical angle image location
nλ = d sin θ c n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2 n2 1 1 1
n= sin θc = = +
nλ x v n1 f do di
≈
d L

image size spherical mirrors

hi di r
M= = f≈
ho do 2

electricity & magnetism

coulomb's law electric field, def. electric potential, def. field & potential electric field
q 1q 2 FE ∆UE ∆V q
F=k 2
E= ∆V = E= E = k ∑ 2 r̂
r q q d r
1 q 1q 2 E = −∇V ⌠dq
F= r̂ E=k r̂
4πε0 r 2 ⌠ ⌡ r2
−⌡E · dr = ∆V

electric potential capacitance plate capacitor cylindrical capacitor spherical capacitor

q Q κε0A 2πκε0ℓ 4πκε0
V=k∑ C= C= C= C=
r V d ln(r2/r1) (1/r1) − (1/r2)

⌠dq
V=k⌡
r

capacitive p.e. electric current charge density current density ohm's law
2
Q ∆q Q I V = IR
Uc = ½QV = ½CV2 = ½ I= ρ= J=
C ∆t V A E=ρJ
dq J=ρv J=σE
I=
dt

resitivity-conductivity electric resistance electric power resistors in series resistors in parallel

2
1 ρℓ V Rs = ∑Ri 1 1
σ= R= P = VI = I2R = =∑
ρ A R Rp Ri

capacitors in series capacitors in parallel magnetic force, magnetic force, biot-savart law
1 1 Cp = ∑Ci charge current μ0I⌠ ds × r̂
=∑ B= ⎮
Cs Ci FB = qvB sin θ FB = IℓB sin θ 4π ⌡ r2
FB = qv × B dFB = I dℓ × B
 solenoid straight wire parallel wires electric flux magnetic flux
B = μ0nI μ0 I FB μ0 I 1 I 2 ΦE = EA cos θ ΦB = BA cos θ
B= =
2πr ℓ 2π r ⌠ ⌠
ΦE = ⌡E · dA ΦB = ⌡B · dA

motional emf induced emf inductance capacitive reactance inductive reactance

ℰ = Bℓv ∆ΦB dI 1 XL = 2πfL
ℰ=− ℰ=−L XC =
∆t dt 2πfC
dΦB
ℰ=−
dt

impedance gauss's law no one's law faraday's law ampere's law

2 2
Z = ±√[R + (XL − XC) ] Q ∂ΦB ∂ΦE
∯E · dA = ∯B · dA = 0 ∮E · ds = − ∮B · ds = μ0ε0 + μ0 I
Z = R + j(XL − XC) ε0 ∂t ∂t
ρ ∂B ∂E
∇·E= ∇·B=0 ∇×E=− ∇ × B = μ0 ε 0 + μ0 J
ε0 ∂t ∂t

electromagnetic plane wave em energy density poynting vector em pressure

2
x η = ε 0E 1 P = ½η
E(x,t) = E0 sin [2π(ft − + φ)] ĵ S= E×B
λ 1 μ0
η= B2
x μ0
B(x,t) = B0 sin [2π(ft − + φ)] k̂
λ

modern physics

lorentz factor time dilation length contraction relative velocity relativistic energy
2 2
1 t0 ℓ = ℓ0√(1 − v /c ) u+v mc2
γ= t= u′ = E=
√(1 − v2/c2) √(1 − v2/c2) ℓ0 1 + uv/c2 √(1 − v2/c2)
ℓ=
t = γt0 γ E = γmc2

relativistic momentum energy-momentum mass-energy relativistic k.e. relativistic doppler eff.

2 2 2 2 4 2
mv E =p c +m c E = mc ⎛ 1 ⎞ λ f0 ⎛1 + v/c⎞
p= 2 2
K=⎜ 2 2
− 1⎟mc2 = = √⎜ ⎟
√(1 − v /c ) ⎝√(1 − v /c ) ⎠ λ0 f ⎝1 − v/c⎠
p = γmv K = (γ − 1)mc2

photon energy photon momentum photoelectric effect schroedinger's equation

E = hf h Kmax = E − φ ∂ ℏ2
p= iℏ Ψ(r,t) = − ∇2Ψ(r,t) + U(r)Ψ(r,t)
E = pc λ Kmax = h(f − f0) ∂t 2m
E ℏ2
p= Eψ(r) = − ∇2ψ(r) + U(r)ψ(r)
c 2m

uncertainty principle rydberg equation activity half life absorbed dose

−t/T½
ℏ 1 ⎛1 1⎞ n N = N 02 E
∆px∆x ≥ = −R∞ ⎜ 2 − 2⎟ A= D=
2 λ ⎝n n0 ⎠ t m
ℏ
∆E∆t ≥
2

equivalent dose effective dose

H = wR D E = wTH
 The Physics Hypertextbook
©1998–2024 Glenn Elert
Author, Illustrator, Webmaster