CIE IGCSE Physics Formula Sheet

Flashcards for CIE IGCSE Physics Formula Sheet (2023, 2024 and 2025 Syllabus)

Average Speed (m/s)

distance / time

v = \frac{d}{t}

Average Velocity (m/s)

displacement / time

v = \frac{s}{t}

Acceleration (m/s^2)

(final velocity - initial velocity) / time

a = \frac{v-u}{t}

Weight (N)

mass × gravitational field strength

W = mg

Force (N)

mass × acceleration

F = ma

Density (kg/m^3)

mass / volume

\rho = \frac{m}{V}

Hooke's Law (N/m)

Force = constant × extension

F = kx

Pressure (Pa)

Force / area

P = \frac{F}{A}

Fluid Pressure (Pa)

density × gravitational field strength × height

P = \rho gh

Work (J)

force × distance moved

W = Fd

Power (W)

work / time

P = \frac{W}{t}

Kinetic Energy (J)

½ × mass × velocity2

KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2

Gravitational Potential Energy (J)

mass × gravitational field strength × height

GPE = mgh

Efficiency (%)

(useful power output / total power input) × 100%

\text{Efficiency} = \frac{\text{useful power output}}{\text{total power input}} \times 100\%

Moment (Nm)

Force × perpendicular distance from pivot

M = Fd

Sum of Clockwise Moments (Nm)

sum of anticlockwise moments

\sum M{clockwise} = \sum M{anticlockwise}

Momentum (kg m/s)

mass × velocity

p = mv

Impulsive Force (N)

change in momentum / time

F = \frac{\Delta p}{t}

Impulse (Ns)

change in momentum

J = \Delta p

Boyle’s Law (Pa m^3)

pressure1 × volume1 = pressure2 × volume2

P1V1 = P2V2

Energy (Thermal) (J)

mass × specific heat capacity × temperature change

Q = mc\Delta T

Celsius to Kelvin Conversion (K)

Temperature in Celsius = Temperature in Kelvin - 273.15

TK = TC + 273.15

Wave Speed (m/s)

frequency × wavelength

v = f\lambda

Frequency (Hz)

1 / Period

f = \frac{1}{T}

Refractive Index

sine of the angle of incidence / sine of the angle of refraction

n = \frac{\sin i}{\sin r}

Refractive Index (Speed of Light)

speed of light in vacuum / speed of light in material

n = \frac{c}{v}

Refractive Index (Critical Angle)

1 / sine of critical angle

n = \frac{1}{\sin c}

Current (A)

charge / time

I = \frac{Q}{t}

Voltage (Definition 1) (V)

energy transferred / charge

V = \frac{E}{Q}

Voltage (Ohm's Law) (V)

current × resistance

V = IR

Power (Electrical, Definition 1) (W)

current × voltage

P = IV

Power (Electrical, Definition 2) (W)

current2 × resistance

P = I^2R

Energy Transferred (Electrical, Definition 1) (J)

current × voltage × time

E = IVt

Energy Transferred (Electrical, Definition 2) (J)

power × time

E = Pt

Resistors in Series (Ω)

Total Resistance = sum of individual resistances

R{total} = R1 + R2 + …

Resistors in Parallel (Ω)

1 / Total Resistance = sum of 1 / individual resistances

$$\frac{1}{R{total}} = \frac{1}{R1} + \frac{1}{R_2} + …

Resistance (Wires) (Ω)

resistivity × length / area

R = \frac{\rho L}{A}

Transformers (Voltage/Turns)

voltage in secondary coil / voltage in primary coil = turns on secondary coil / turns on primary coil

Transformers (Voltage/Current)

voltage in secondary coil / voltage in primary coil = current in secondary coil / current in primary coil

Alpha Decay

_Z^AX \rightarrow _{Z-2}^{A-4}Y + _2^4He

Beta Decay

_Z^AX \rightarrow _{Z+1}^AY + _{-1}^0e

Gamma Decay

_Z^AX \rightarrow _Z^AY + \gamma

Average Orbital Speed

(2 × 𝜋 × average radius of the orbit) / orbital period

hubble constant

2.2 × 10^-18 (s^-1)

distance of a far galaxy (m)

speed awaay from us (ms^-1) / hubble constant (s^-1)

2ad

2 x acceleration x distance = final velocity² - initial velocity²

2ad = v² - u²