MCAT HIGH YIELD PHYSICS EQUATIONS

mass, acceleration

F = m•a

distance, angle of object, force

W = F•d•cosø

velocity, mass, initial kinetic energy, final kinetic energy

W(net)= ∆KE = KE(f)-KE(i)

oscillatory motion, distance, potential energy

U or W = 1/2k•x² (units: J)

U= potential energy

W = work

k = spring constant

x= distance travelled

conservation of energy

∆U(i) + ∆KE(i) = ∆U(f) + ∆KE(f)

intensity, decibles

ß = 10log(I/Io)

I = sound intensity

Io = threshold of hearing

wavelength, speed, frequency

v = f • λ

wavelength, closed pipe, length, number of waves

λ = n/4L

charge magnitude, source charge, distance, magnitude of electric field

E = Fe/q = kQ/r²

current, resistance, voltage

V = IR

area, distance, capacitance

C = ε₀ (A/d)

ε₀ = permittivity of free space

distance, electrical field, voltage drop

V = Ed

capacitance in series

1/Cs = 1/C1 + 1/C2 + 1/C3 +...1/Cn

(decreases)

frequency, speed of light, wavelength

c = f • ƛ

focal length, radius of curvature

f = r/2

r = radius of curvature = distance b/w center of curvature (C) and mirror

power, focal length

P = 1/f (units: diopters)

f = focal length = distance b/w focal point and mirror

Object distance, image distance, radius of curvature

i/f = 1/o + 1/i

f = focal length = distance b/w focal point and mirror

o = distance b/w object and mirror

i = distance b/w image and mirror

magnification

m = -i/o

i = distance b/w image and mirror

o = distance b/w object and mirror

angle of incidence in 2 mediums, index of refraction of different mediums

n₁sinø₁= n₂sinø₂

1 = refer to medium from which light is coming

2 = refer to medium from which light is entering

frequency, energy of a photon

E = h•f

h = Planck’s constant = 6.626 x 10⁻³⁴ J • s

circular motion, velocity, function of tension, gravity, electrostatic forces

Fc= mv^2/r

Fc= magnitude of the centripetal force

m = mass

v = speed

r = radius of circular path

photon energy, wavelength, light speed, h, light emission, light excitation

E = hf → E= hc/ƛ → E = hc/(ƛex - ƛem)

E = energy of the photon of light

ƛ = wavelength (nm)

h = Planck's Constant = 6.626 x 10⁻³⁴ J • s

c= speed of light in vacuum = 3 x 10⁸ m/s

voltage, charge, capacitance

C = Q/V (unit: 1 F = 1 C/V)

C= capacitance

Q= charge

V= voltage

current carrying wire, magnetic field, current,

B = U₀I/2∏r (units: 1 Tesla = 1 T= N•s/m•C)

B= magnetic field

r= distance between wire and magnetic field

0= permeability of free space (4∏ x 10⁻⁷ T•m/A)

I= current

charge, charge's speed, magnetic field magnitude, direction of speed of magnetic field and velocity

F(B)=qvBsinø (units: 1 N = kg•ms²)

q= charge

v= magnitude of the charge's velocity

B= magnitude of the magnetic field

ø = smallest angle between velocity vector v and magnetic field vector B

intensity, area, energy, work

I = P/A = ∆E/A = W/A

P= power

A= area

W = work

change in energy, area, power (2)

P = W/A or ∆E/A

Image types with a single lens or mirror

UV NO IR

Upright images are always Virtual

NO image is formed when the object is a focal length away

Inverted images are always Real