PHYSICS

STAGE 3
FORMULAE AND DATA
2015

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School Curriculum and Standards Authority, 2013
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TRIM 2014/47603

Physics Stage 3 Formulae and Data updated November 2013

Physics stage 3

Formulae and data sheet

Motion and forces in gravitational fields

vav = ts = v + u
Mean velocity

Force

2
v u s = ut + 1 at2 ; v2 = u2 + 2as ;
a= t ;
v = u + at
2
F = ma

Weight force

F = mg

Kinetic energy

1
Ek = 2 mv2

Gravitational potential energy

Ep = mgh

Work done

W = Fs = E
2
ac = vr
mv 2
Fc = mac = r
mm
F= G 12 2
r
M
g = G r2

Equations of motion

Centripetal acceleration
Centripetal force
Newtons law of universal
gravitation
Gravitational field strength
Moment of a force
(force at angle to lever arm)

= rFsin

Note: the variable t refers to the 'time taken' sometimes referred to as the 'change in time' or t.
Electricity and magnetism
Ohms law

V = IR

Magnetic force on a
current-carrying conductor

F = IB

Electromagnetic induction

emf = N

Magnetic flux

= BA

Electric current
Work and energy
Ideal transformer turns ratio
Power

2 1
; emf = v B
t

q
I= t

w = vq
Vs Ns
=
Vp Np
2
P = VI = I 2R = VR

Particles, waves and quanta

Wave period

T = 1f

Wave equation

vwave = f ; c = f

Internodal distance

1
d = 2

Energy of photon

E = hf

Energy transitions

E2 E1 = hf
See next page

Formulae and data sheet

Physics stage 3

Motion and forces in electric and magnetic fields

Electric field strength
Magnetic force
on a charged particle

E = qF = V
d
F = qvB

Physical constants
Speed of light in vacuum or air............................... c

= 3.00 108 m s-1

Speed of sound in air at 25C................................ v

= 346 m s-1

Electron charge...................................................... e

= 1.60 10-19 C

Mass of electron .................................................... me = 9.11 10-31 kg

Mass of proton........................................................ mp = 1.67 10-27 kg
Mass of alpha......................................................... m = 6.64 10-27 kg
Planck constant...................................................... h

= 6.63 10-34 J s

Newtonian constant of gravitation.......................... G

= 6.67 10-11 N m2 kg-2

Electron volt............................................................ 1 eV = 1.60 10-19 J

Physical data
Mean acceleration due to gravity on Earth.............. g

= 9.80 m s-2

Mean acceleration due to gravity on the Moon....... gM = 1.62 m s-2

Mean radius of the Earth......................................... RE = 6.38 106 m
Mass of the Earth.................................................... ME = 5.97 1024 kg
Mean radius of the Sun........................................... RS = 6.96 108 m
Mass of the Sun...................................................... MS = 1.99 1030 kg
Mean radius of the Moon......................................... RM = 1.74 106 m
Mass of the Moon.................................................... MM = 7.35 1022 kg
Mean Earth-Moon distance.....................................

= 3.84 108 m

Mean Earth-Sun distance........................................

= 1.50 1011 m

Tonne.......................................................................1 t = 103 kg = 106 g

Note: shaded areas represent regions of overlap

See next page

Prefixes of the metric system

Factor

Prefix

Symbol

Factor

Prefix

Symbol

1012

tera

10-3

milli

109

giga

10-6

micro

106

mega

10-9

nano

103

kilo

10-12

pico

Mathematical expressions
Quadratic equations
Given ax2 + bx + c = 0, x =

b b2 4ac
2a

Triangles
The following expressions apply to the triangle ABC as shown:

B
c
A

a
C

b
c
a
b
=
=
sin A sin B sin C

a = b2 + c2 2bc cos A
Right-angled triangles
The following expressions apply to the right-angled triangle ABC as shown:

B
a
C

c
b
sin A = ca
cos A = cb
tan A = a
b