IB Physics Data Booklet Symbols

2.1 "s"

distance in straight line or displacement

2.1 "u"

start or initial speed or velocity

2.1 "v"

final or end speed or velocity

2.1 "a"

acceleration

2.1 "t"

time taken for motion

2.2 "F"

Force

2.2 "m"

mass of object

2.2 "a"

acceleration

2.2 "F "

...........f

Frictional force

2.2 "µ "

...........s

coefficient of static friction

2.2 "µ "

...........d

coefficient of dynamic friction

2.2 "R"

Normal Reaction contact force

2.3 "W"

Work done or energy transferred

2.3 "F"

Force applied in direction of motion

2.3 "s"

distance or displacement moved in direction of force

2.3 "ø"

angle made with Force vector and the direction of motion

2.3 "E "

............k

Kinetic Energy of object

2.3 "m"

mass of object

2.3 "v"

linear speed or velocity of object

2.3 "E "

............p

Potential Energy (strain or gravitational)

2.3 "k"

Spring constant

2.3 "x"

extension of spring

1.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1 "∆"

the change in

2.3 "g"

acceleration of free fall

2.3 "h"

height gained in uniform gravitational field

2.4 "p"

linear momentum

2.4 "m"

mass of object

2.4 "v"

linear speed or velocity of object

2.4 "F"

Force applied in direction of motion

2.4 "t"

time taken

2.4 "E "

............k

Kinetic Energy of object

3.1 "Q"

Thermal energy generated

3.1 "m"

mass of object involved

3.1 "c"

specific heat capacity

3.1 "∆T"

change in temperature

3.1 "L"

latent heat of transformation

3.2 "p"

pressure of gas or pressure acting on surface

3.2 "F"

force applied to surface

3.2 "A"

Area which force acts over

3.2 "n"

number of moles

3.2 "N"

Number of molecules or particles

3.2 "N "

..............A

Avagadro's Number (number of particles in 1 mole)

3.2 "V"

Volume of gas

3.2 "R"

Molar gas constant

3.2 "T"

Temperature in Kelvin

3.2 "__ "

.........E

............k

Average kinetic energy of gas

3.2 "k "

...........B

Boltzmann constant

4.1 " T "

The period (time taken to complete 1 cycle)

4.1 " f "

The frequency of oscillations

4.2 "c"

The speed of light or velocity of the wave

4.2 "f"

The frequency of the wave

4.2 "λ"

The wavelength of the wave

4.3 " I "

measured Intensity of the wave

4.3 "A"

Amplitude of the wave

4.3 "x"

area covered by wave energy

4.3 "I "

...........0

Original intensity of the wave

4.3 "ø"

angle made between transmission axis and plane polarized wave

4.4 "n1"

refractive index of more dense medium

4.4 "n2"

refractive index of less dense medium (air or vacuum = 1)

4.4 "ø2"

angle between normal line and incident ray in less dense medium

4.4 "ø1"

angle between normal line and refracted ray in more dense medium

4.4 "v2"

speed of wave in less dense medium

4.4 "v1"

speed of wave in more dense medium

4.4. "s"

double-slit width separation

4.4 "λ "

wavelength of light on double slit

4.4 " D "

distance of double slits to screen

4.4 "d"

fringe width separation that appears on screen

4.4 "n λ " (Constructive Interference)

n = integer values, 0,1,2,3,4...... of the wavelength difference between 2 interfering waves

4.4 "n + 1/2 λ " n+1/2 (Destructive Interference)

n +1/2 = integer values, 0,1,2,3,4...... of the wavelength difference between 2 interfering waves

5.1 "I"

Electric current

5.1 "∆q"

amount of charge past a point

5.1 "∆t"

amount of time taken

5.1 "F"

Electrostatic Force or Electric Force

5.1 "k"

Coulomb constant

5.1 "q1"

Charge of one body

5.1 "q2"

Charge of other body

5.1 "r"

Separation between charges

5.1 "V"

potential difference

5.1 "W"

Work done moving charge between two points

5.1 "q"

charge

5.1 "E"

Electric field strength

5.1 "n"

number of charge carriers

5.1 "A"

cross-sectional area of wire

5.1 "v"

drift velocity of charges

5.2 "V"

potential difference

5.2 "I"

electric current

5.2 "R"

resistance

5.2 "P"

electric power

5.2 "R = R + R +.......... "

............tot...1.....2

Total resistance for Series circuit

5.2 "1/R = 1/R + 1/R +.......... "

................tot......1........2

Total resistance for Parallel circuit

5.2 "p"

resistivity

5.2 "A"

cross-sectional area of wire

5.2 " L "

length of wire

5.3 "€"

electro-motive force

5.3 "I"

electric current

5.3 "R"

Resistance in circuit

5.3 "r"

internal resistance in cell

5.4 "F"

Magnetic or Electric force

5.4 "q"

charge in magnetic field

5.4 "v"

velocity of charge in magnetic field