VCE Physics.com - Physics 3&4 exam formula sheet
This formula sheet shows all of the formula given on the VCAA exam. It is assumed that students
know the context that each formula would be used in; the focus of this sheet is to show all of the
re-arrangements that could be required / used.
Formulae marked with * are not included on the VCAA sheet, but are derived from included formulae
and may still be of use in some of the questions.
KInematics
v −u
v −u
,a=
a
t
v =u + at
u =v − at , t =
1
x =ut + at 2
2
t=
v =u +2ax
v = u 2 +2ax , u = 2ax −v 2 , x =
1
x = (u +v )t
2
t=
1
x =vt − at 2 *
2
t=
2
2
2x
(if u=0)
a
2x
(u +v )
2x
(if v=0)
a
Circular Motion
a=
v2
r
4π 2r
a= 2
T
v = ar , r =
v2
a
4π 2r
aT 2
,
T=
r=
a
4π 2
1
v 2 −u 2
v 2 −u 2
, a=
2a
2x
VCE Physics.com - Physics 3&4 exam formula sheet
Projectile motion
Vvertical =Vsinθ *
Vhorizontal =Vcosθ *
t=
2v sinθ
*
g
v 2 sin2 θ
*
H=
2g
R=
(These equations are based on starting and finishing at the
same height)
v 2 sin2θ
*
g
h(x )= tanθ x −
g
x2 *
2
2v cos θ
2
Forces & energy
∑F = ma
a=
F
m
F = −kx
k=
F
F
, x = (- just indicates opposite direction)
x
k
1
E = kx 2
2
x=
E = mgh
h=
1
E = mv 2
2
v=
p = mv *
v=
2E
2E
, k= 2
k
x
E
E
E
, g=
,m=
mg
mh
gh
2E
2E
, m= 2
m
v
p
m
2
VCE Physics.com - Physics 3&4 exam formula sheet
Gravitation
F=
GMm
r2
r=
GMm
F
g=
GM
r2
r=
GM
g
r 3 GM
*
=
T 2 4π 2
GMT 2
4π 2r 3
4π 2r 3
,
,
r=
T=
M=
4π 2
GM
GT 2
v 2 GM
= 2
r
r
v=
3
GM
GM
, r= 2
r
v
3
VCE Physics.com - Physics 3&4 exam formula sheet
Electricity / electronics / Electric power
R = r1 +r2 +.....
1 1 1
= + +.....
R r1 r2
R=
r1r2
Rr
, r2 = 1
r1 +r2
R −r1
V = IR
R=
V
V
, I=
I
R
P = IV
v2
P = , P = I 2R (combined with equations above)
R
V1 N1
=
V2 N 2
V1 =V2
N1
N
V
V
, V2 =V1 2 , N1 = N 2 1 , N 2 = N1 2
N1
N1
V2
V1
I 2 N1
=
I1 N 2
⎛ r ⎞
V1 =V ⎜ 1 ⎟ *
⎝ r1 +r2 ⎠
Vrms =
1
Vpeak
2
Vpeak = 2 ×Vrms
I=
F = ILB
ε = −N
⎛ r ⎞
V2 =V ⎜ 2 ⎟
⎝ r1 +r2 ⎠
F
F
F
, B= , L=
LB
IL
BI
Δφ
Δt
φ = BA
4
VCE Physics.com - Physics 3&4 exam formula sheet
Interactions of light and maer
v =f λ
v
v
λ= , f =
f
λ
E = hf
f=
E
E
, h=
h
f
λ=
hc
E
E=
hc
*
λ
E max = hf −W
p=
h
λ
W = E max −hf , f(threshold ) =
λ=
W
(If electrons have 0 energy)
h
h
p
Einstein’s special relativity
1
γ=
1−
v2
c2
E total = E k +E rest = mc 2
t = t 0γ , m = m 0γ , L = L0γ
c=
E
m
Materials and their use in structures
σ=
F
A
F =σ A
ε=
ΔL
L
ΔL = εL
E=
stress
strain
5
VCE Physics.com - Physics 3&4 exam formula sheet
Further electronics
τ = RC
Synchrotron and its applications
1 2
mv = eV
2
r=
v=
2eV
m
mV
eB
F = evB
Photonics
nλ =2d sinθ
E=
V
d
Sound
⎛ I ⎞
L =10log10 ⎜ ⎟
⎝ I0 ⎠
I =10
⎛ L −12⎞
⎜⎝
⎟⎠
10
(As I0 = 10-12)
⎛I ⎞
ΔL =10log10 ⎜ 2 ⎟ *
⎝ I1 ⎠
6