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Students preparing for SAT2 Physics immediately realize no formula sheet is given on the exam. SAT2
Physics is a standardized test that covers a large variety of topics in fundamental Physics. The test is
particularly challenging without a preparation formula sheet. In assisting students preparing for this
test, I have not found a concise and complete sheet available on the Internet.

In an effort to make the formula sheet more accessible, I have put together a collection of formula
suitable for SAT 2 Physics Subject Test. This formula sheet will also do reasonably well for students
taking college board AP1 and AP2 exams, and preparing for the US high school physics bowl
competition.

If you find any error or any formula that you feel useful to be added to the formula sheet for SAT2 and
AP1/2 exams, please do not hesitate to write me at Fei.Liu@njsci.org. I'll be happy to update the
formula sheet for future revisions.

Fei Liu
NJSCI.ORG
 Physics Formula (Fei.Liu@njsci.org) version 1.5
1 1 1
s
Kinematics T = 2π
L = + Modern Physics
f dobj dimg
v = v0 + at g
di hi
∆x = v0 t + 1/2at2 m m=− = 1
ρ= do ho γ=q
V 1− v2
v 2 = v02 + 2a∆x mλ = dsinθ c2
F λ
v0 + v p= θ≈
∆x = t A D
2 t = γ t0
p = ρgh I = I0 cos2 (θ)
Dynamics Fbuoy = ρf luid Vsubmerged g
ΣF~ = m~a Electromagnetism l0
ρ1 v1 A1 = ρ2 v2 A2 l=
kQq γ
fk = µk N Fe = 2
1 2 1 2 r
fs ≤ µs N p1 + ρv1 +ρgh1 = p2 + ρv2 +ρgh2
2 2 kQ p = γm0 v
E= 2
v2 Thermaldynamics r
ac = ar = = ω2 r kQ
r ∆l = l0 (1 + α∆T ) V =
Mm r E = γm0 c2 = mc2
Fg = G 2 ∆V = V0 (1 + β∆T ) F~ = q E ~
r
GM pV = nRT = N kB T W E = hf
g= 2 ∆V =
r KE = 3/2 kB T q
2πr ∆V = −Edcosθ = −Ek d = −Edk
T = ∆E = Q + Won system hf = KEe + W0
v kQq
W = −p∆V P E e =
T 2 /R3 = constant r
ρl h
p~ = m ~v Q = mc∆T R= λ=
A mv
~j = F~ t Q = mL Req = R1 + R2 + R3 ...
~j = ∆~ Q 1 1 1 1 p
p ∆S = = + + ... E p2 c2 + m20 c4
T Req R1 R2 R3 f= =
m1 v1 + m2 v2 = m1 v10 + m2 v20 h h
kA∆T t ∆V = IR
Q=
KE = 1/2 mv 2 ∆x ∆V 2
4 P = I∆V = I 2 R = h
GP E = mgh Q = σT A t R ∆E · ∆t ≥
4π
A
EP E = 1/2 k∆x2 ∆Sisolated ≥ 0 C=
d
W TH − TL h
F~T = −k∆~x e= ≤ Q = CV ∆mvx · ∆x ≥
QH TH 1 1 1Q 2 4π
W = F d cosθ = Fk d = F dk P Ee = CV 2 = QV =
QL TL 2 2 2 C
Wnet = ∆KE cop = ≤
W TH − TL 1 1 1 1 h
= + + ... ∆mvy · ∆y ≥
Wnet,non−conservative = ∆E Wave, Sound, C eq C 1 C 2 C 3 4π
= ∆(KE + GP E + EP E) Ceq = C1 + C2 + C3 ...
Optics h
W ∆E τ =RC
P = = = F vcosθ v = fλ ∆mvz · ∆z ≥
∆t ∆t F = qvBsinθ = qvB⊥ 4π
2L
1 λn = F = ILBsinθ = ILB⊥
f= n
T µ0 I N = N0 e−kt
1 B=
2π I∝ 2 2πr
ω= = 2πf r
T B = µ0 nI ln2
vt = rω I t 21 =
dB = 10 log10 BA k
I0 ε=N
at = rα ∆t
vsnd ± vobs ε = vlB
τ = rF sinθ = r⊥ F = rF⊥ fobs = fsrc −13.6eV
vsnd ∓ vsrc Vs Ns En =
c = n2
Σ~τ = I α
~ n= Vp Np
r
m v Is Np
T = 2π n1 sinθ1 = n2 sinθ2 = En − Em = hfm−>n
k Ip Ns