High School Physics End-of-Year Review

Displacement

Change in position (vector)

Distance

Total path traveled (scalar)

Speed

Distance ÷ time (scalar)

Velocity

Displacement ÷ time (vector)

Acceleration

Change in velocity ÷ time

Inertia

Objects in motion stay in motion unless acted on.

F = ma

Force = mass × acceleration

Action = Reaction

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Gravity

F_g = mg

Normal Force

Support force from a surface

Friction

Resists motion (static vs kinetic)

Work

Force applied over a distance ($W = Fd \cos \theta$)

Kinetic Energy (KE)

$\frac{1}{2}mv^2$

Potential Energy (PE)

$mgh$

Mechanical Energy

KE + PE

Power

Work ÷ time

Conservation of Energy

Total energy stays constant: $KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f$

Momentum

$p = mv$ (momentum = mass × velocity)

Impulse

$F \cdot t = \Delta p$

Conservation of Momentum

In collisions, total momentum before = total momentum after

Centripetal Force

Keeps objects moving in a circle $F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}$

Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation

$F_g = G\frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2}$

Wavelength (λ)

Length of one wave

Frequency (f)

Waves per second

Wave Speed

$v = f \lambda$

Reflection

Angle in = angle out

Refraction

Bending of light through media

Speed of light (in vacuum)

$c = 3.0 \times 10^8 \, m/s$

Current (I)

Flow of charge (amps)

Voltage (V)

Electric potential (volts)

Resistance (R)

Opposition to current (ohms)

Ohm's Law

$V = IR$

Power (Electricity)

$P = IV$

Series Circuit

One path; resistances add

Parallel Circuit

Multiple paths; voltages same

Right-hand rule

Shows direction of field/current

Electromagnetic induction

Moving magnet → electric current