MCAT Physics Equation Sheet

EQUATIONS IN MOTION m1m2 G = 6.67×10-11 N·m2/kg2

FG G
r2
Average speed Inclined Planes
d d = distance, t = time is the angle between the inclined plane and
v
t F incline mg sin the horizontal surface
Average velocity
x x = displacement, t = elapsed time Fnormal mg cos
v
t Hooke’s Law The further a spring is stretched, the more force
Average acceleration it pulls back with.
v
v = change in velocity, t = elapsed F k x
a time
t
Torque Torque, which can be roughly thought of as a
Linear motion kinematics 1-D To apply in two dimensions, the easiest
Fl twisting force, is proportional to the force
(constant acceleration a) way is to choose an x-y coordinate
applied and the lever arm length.
system so that the direction of the
v v0 at acceleration is entirely along either the x
or the y direction. This greatly simplifies
x x0 v0t 1
2
at 2 things as the acceleration in the other WORK AND ENERGY
v 2
v
2
2a( x x0 ) coordinate direction will have a
0
component of 0 and the motion in that
v 2gh (Free fall from 0 velocity) Work done by a constant Work W done by a constant force of
other direction will have constant
force magnitude F on an object as it is displaced by
velocity. The components of motion in
a distance d. The angle between the directions
the x and y directions are analyzed W Fd cos
separately. of F and d is .
Vector components
Work is positive if the object is displaced in the
vx v cos , v v x2 v y2 direction of the force and negative if it is
For a vector of magnitude v making an
displaced against the force. The work is zero if
vy angle with the x-axis
the displacement is perpendicular to the
vy v sin , tan direction of the force.
vx
Kinetic energy Kinetic energy K for a mass m traveling at a
Centripetal acceleration speed v.
v2
Centripetal acceleration aR is toward the K 1
2 mv 2
center of the circle of radius r for an
aR object traveling with constant speed v Gravitational potential Potential energy U is the energy that an object
R energy of mass m has by virtue of its position relative
U mgh (local ) to the surface of the earth. That position is
FORCES AND TORQUE measured by the height h of the object relative
GMm to an arbitrary zero level.
U ( general )
r
Newton’s first law of At equilibrium, every body continues in its state Conservative forces A force is conservative if either:
motion (Equilibrium) of rest or of uniform speed as long as no net Gravitational force The work done by the force on an
force and no net torque act on it. Elastic spring object moving from one point to
F 0 force another depends only on the initial
Electric force and final positions and is
clockwise counterclockwise Non-conservative forces independent of the particular path
Frictional forces taken.
Newton’s second law of The acceleration a of an object is directly Air resistance The net work done by the force on
motion (Dynamics) proportional to the net force acting on it and is Tension an object moving around any
inversely proportional to its mass. The direction Normal force closed path is zero
F ma of the acceleration is in the direction of the net Propulsion of a
force action the object. motor
Newton’s third law of Whenever one object exerts a force on a Conservation of The total mechanical energy of a system,
motion second object, the second exerts an equal and Mechanical Energy (Only remains constant as the object moves,
opposite force on the first. holds true if non-conservative provided that the net work done by external
Force of static friction Opposes any impending relative motion forces are ignored) non-conservative forces (such as friction and
between two surfaces, where the magnitude air resistance) is zero.
F fr s FN can assume any value up to a maximum of sFN
E2 E1
where s is the coefficient of static friction and K2 U2 K1 U 1
FN is the magnitude of the normal force.
Force of kinetic friction Force between two surfaces sliding against one Work-energy Theorem The work due to non-conservative forces Wnc
another that opposes the relative motion of the Wnc K U Ei is equal to the change in kinetic energy K
F fr k FN two surfaces, where k is the coefficient of plus the change in gravitational potential
kinetic friction. energy U plus any changes in internal energy
due to friction.
Force of gravity between The force FG between two objects of masses m1
Rest Mass Energy The energy inherent to a particle by nature of it
any two objects and m2 and separated by a distance r. The
having a mass.
value of the universal gravitation constant is: E mc 2

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Power Power P is defined as the rate at which work is

done. It can also be expressed in terms of the
P gy
W
P Fv force F being applied to the object traveling at Buoyant Force The buoyant force on an object in fluid is upward
t a speed v. It is more correct to express this
Fbuoyant Vg and equal to the weight of the fluid that the object
version of the relationship as displaces.
P Fv cos Continuity Equation The volume flow rate of a fluid is proportional to
the cross-sectional area of the pipe and the
where is the angle between F and v. Q Av velocity of the fluid. Qin must be equal to Qout.

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Bernoulli’s Equation One way to remember the Bernoulli equation is to
MOMENTUM 1 2 think of it as an energy conservation equation.
p gy v constan The three terms roughly correspond to pressure
2 energy, potential energy, and kinetic energy,
Linear momentum: Linear momentum p is the product of an respectively.
p mv object’s mass m and velocity v. Linear Elastic modulus of a A high modulus material is hard and rigid.
momentum is a vector that points in the solid Examples are metal and ceramic. A low modulus
p mv same direction of the velocity. material is elastic, like rubber.
Stress
Principle of conservation of Modulus
linear momentum: The total linear momentum of an isolated Strain
system remains constant.
P2 P1
An impulse produces a change in an WAVES AND PERIODIC MOTION
Impulse-momentum theorem: object’s momentum. Impulse is given by
p F t the product of average force F (F) and
Wave Velocity The velocity of a wave is the product of its
frequency and wavelength.
the time interval t (t) over which the force
v f
p2 p1 Fnet t is applied. Impulse is a vector that points Wave Period
in the same direction as the average force. 1
Elastic collisions: T
Bodies do not stick
f
together
Kinetic energy is A completely inelastic collision is one in Sound decibels A difference of 10 in decibels corresponds to
sound intensity levels that differ by a factor of 10.
conserved which the bodies stick together completely I For example, 90dB is 10 times as loud as 80dB.
Momentum is after the collision. 10 log
conserved Io
Inelastic collisions: In inelastic collisions, kinetic energy is not
Bodies stick together if conserved as some of the initial kinetic Standing Waves When a standing wave is formed on a piece of
completely inelastic energy is converted into other forms of string, the string length is some fractional multiple
Kinetic energy is not energy such as thermal and sound energy. Both ends fixed or free of the standing wave wavelength. Depending on
conserved n how the string is fixed, each end can be a node
n
Momentum is L (n 1,2,3,...) or an anti-node.
conserved
2
One end fixed one end
Center of Mass (CM or CofM)
free
n
The center of mass is a point that n
mi xi represents the average location for the L n
(n 1,3,5,...)
i 1
xcm total mass of the system. 4
M total Beat frequency When two waves of constant amplitude but
In a collision, the velocity of the center of different frequencies interfere with each other,
For two bodies:
mass of all the colliding objects remains
f beat f1 f2 the resulting wave’s amplitude is confined to an
m1 x1 m2 x2 constant. envelope with some periodicity. The frequency of
xcm the envelope is the beat frequency and can be
m1 m2
heard as distinct beats because of the amplitude
variation with time.
FLUIDS AND SOLIDS Doppler effect The apparent frequency of the source is
f v increased as the source approaches the
v observer, and is decreased as the sources
Density Density of a liquid at rest. Density can also be fs c s c leaves the observer.
m measured relative to water, which is termed
specific gravity. A specific gravity > 1 means the
V liquid is more dense than water, A specific gravity ELECTROSTATICS AND MAGNETISM
< 1 means the liquid is less dense than water
Bolztmann’s constant k and has a value of: k = 9.0×109 N·m/C2
Pressure The hydrostatic pressure on a fluid volume is
Coulomb’s law (electric The magnitude of the force F between two
F dependent on its depth, and is equal in all
P ( general definition ) force) charges (Q1 and Q2) in terms of the distance r
directions.
A Q1Q2 between the two charges. The direction of the
Hydrostatic pressure at F k 2 force is directed along the line between the two
a fixed depth r forces. This force is repulsive if the two charges
are both positive or both negative, and attractive

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if the one charge is positive and the other Capacitors in series CS and For more than two capacitors:
negative. parallel CP
Electric field due to a E is a vector and points away from a positive 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
point charge q at a charge and toward a negative charge. ...
distance r CS C1 C2 CS C1 C2 C3 C4
Q
E k CP C1 C 2 CP C1 C2 C3 C4 ...
r2
Electric potential energy The potential energy stored between the Electric energy stored by a Amount of electric energy stored in a

U
QQ
k 1 2
interaction between two point charges. capacitor
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Q 2
capacitor is given in terms of the
capacitance C and the potential difference
r UE 1
CV 2 1
QV 1 between the conductors V.
2 2 2
Electric potential The electric potential V due to a point charge q C
Q at a distance r away from the charge.
V k
r
In constant electric fields Note that the force F is in the same direction as LIGHT AND GEOMETRICAL OPTICS
the electric field E if the charge q is positive and
F qE U qEd in the opposite direction if the charge is
negative. Snell’s law The angle of incidence 1 is with respect to
V Ed U Vq the perpendicular of the surface between the
The energy gained by some charge in a field is
n1 sin 1 n2 sin 2 two media (with indices of refraction n1 and
simply force times the distance traveled. n2). The angle of refraction 2 is also with
Potential is the energy per unit charge. respect to the perpendicular.
Force on a charge moving Total internal reflection The critical angle c is the angle of incidence
in a magnetic field A charge q moving in a magnetic field B with
n2 beyond which total internal reflection occurs.
The index of refraction for the medium in
F qv B a velocity v experiences a force . TheF sin c
magnitude of this force can also be expressed n1 which the incident ray is traveling is n1
F qvB sin Energy of one photon The energy of light is dependent on its
in terms of the angle between v and B. frequency. H is the planck constant
E hf 6.626068 × 10-34 m2 kg / s
Index of refraction The higher the index of refraction is for a
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS medium, the slower is the speed of light in
Ohm’s law The potential difference V across a device c
is given by its resistance R and the current I
n that medium.
V IR that flows through it v
Resistance of a wire The resistance R of a length L of wire with a The lens equation The focal length of the lens f is:
Positive for a converging lens
L cross-sectional area A and resistivity . 1 1 1 Negative for a diverging lens
R Resistivity has units m.
A do di f The object distance do is:
Positive if it is on the side of the
Electric power With help from Ohm’s law, electric power P lens from which the light is coming
can be calculated using any combination of Negative if on the opposite side
V2 two of the following quantities: resistance R,
P IV I 2R voltage V or current I
The image distance di is:
R Positive if it is on the opposite side
of the lens from which the light is
RMS voltage and current (AC The root-mean-square values can be
coming
circuits) calculated from the peak values (V0 and I0)
Negative if on the same side
V0 and are used to calculate the average
Vrms Lateral magnification For an upright image, the magnification m is
2 power P in AC circuits: hi di positive and for an inverted image m is

I0 Vrms
2 m negative.
I rms P I 2
rms R ho do
2 R Power of a lens
Resistances in series For more than two resistances in series:
1
Req R1 R2 Req R1 R2 R3 R4 ... P
f
Resistances in parallel For more than two resistances in parallel:
Focal length of a spherical For a spherical mirror, the focal length is half
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 mirror of the radius of curvature.
...
Req R1 R2 Req R1 R2 R3 R4 f
1
r
Capacitance A higher capacitance capacitor can store 2
Q more charge at the same voltage.
C
V

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