Name: ____________________________
Subject: _PHYSICS__ Grade: __X___
Roll No.: _______ Date: __________
IGCSE PHYSICS FORMULAE ( Revision)
Note: ** is extra information
General Physics
Quantity Formula SI Units
Density ( ) =M/V Kg/m3
Vernier Calliper
Thickness = main scale reading + vernier reading
(Least count = 0.1mm)
Screw gauge
(Least Count = Thickness = main scale reading + fractional scale reading
0.01mm)
Period of a Pendulum Time for one swing of a pendulum
1 second = 1000 ms or millisecond
Speed ( v ) v = d/t m/s
Area of a rectangular shaped
graph = base x height
Graph
Area of a triangular shaped
graph = ½ x base x height
Distance-time graph Greater the gradient of graph, the faster the object is moving
Speed (v) Gradient of distance-time graph m/s
Speed-time graph
Distance (d) Area under speed-time graph m
Horizontal line= Constant speed
Straight line at a slant angle = Speed change at a steady
rate
Speed-time graph
Straight line sloping upwards = Speed
increasing(acceleration)
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Straight line sloping downwards = Speed
decreasing(deceleration)
Curved line = acceleration is changing
Balanced and Unbalanced forces
Forces are balanced 1. An object is at rest or
when: 2. An object is in uniform motion
Forces are unbalanced 1. An object is accelerated
when:
Note: An object moving in circular motion at constant speed
has acceleration. This is because its direction is constantly
changing. The unbalanced force acting on the object is
towards the center of the circle.
Quantity Formula SI Units
Terminal velocity is the constant
Weight of the object(downward) = air
velocity achieved by a falling object
resistance(upwards)
when:
Acceleration (a) a = (v-u)/t m/s2
Acceleration (a) Gradient of speed-time graph m/s2
Free fall is any motion of a
Acceleration of free body where gravity is the
g = 10 m/s2
fall (g) only acceleration acting
upon it.
Vectors are physical quantities that have magnitude and direction. Eg.: Force, Weight,
accelertation, velocity, momentum, moment etc.
Scalars are physical quantities that have only magnitude. Eg.: Mass, speed, distance,
temperature, density, volume etc.
Force (F) F = ma N
Weight (W) W = mg N
The tension force is the force that is transmitted through a cable, rope, wire or string
when it is pulled tight by forces
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Momentum is amount of motion in an object.
Force changes motion, it causes acceleration.
Force causes acceleration means Force causes change in momentum.
Impulse of of a force = Change in momentum
F = ma = m(v-u) / t
Impulse of force Ft = mv - mu Ns
Momentum (p) p = mv Kgm/s
When two objects collide, the total momentum before the
Momentum in a
collision is equal to the total momentum after the collision (in
Collision
the absence of external forces)
Principle of
m1u1 + m2u2 = m1v1 + m2v2
conservation of
momentum
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Problem: Consider two model cars of mass 1.2 and 1.4kg colliding at 0.5m/s from left
and 0.2m/s from right.
Total momentum before collision = m1u1 + m2u2
(Note: Momentum is a vector, so if we consider car moving from right to be positive,
then momentum of car moving from left will be taken as negative)
Total momentum before collision = 1.2 x 0.5 – 1.4 x 0.2
Total momentum before collision = 0.6 – 0.28
Total momentum before collision = 0.32 kgm/s
If the two cars stick together and move after the collision, then their velocity can be
given by
Total momentum before collision = Total momentum after collision
0.32 = Total momentum after collision
0.32 = m1v1 + m2v2
(Both cars move at the same speed after collision, so v1 =v2 = v)
0.32 = m1v + m2v
0.32 = (m1 + m2)v
0.32 = (1.2+1.4) x v
0.32 = 2.6 x v
V = 0.32 / 2.6 = 0.12 m/s
Note: Solve problems step by step to avoid silly mistakes
Quantity Formula SI Units
Moment of a force
M = Fd Nm
(M)
For a body in equilibrium, total clockwise moment = total anticlockwise moment
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Center of mass: If the object has a broader
base and if the center of mass is nearer to
the base, the object is more stable.
In the given diagram,
option B is most stable
Pressure (p) p = F/A N/m2 or Pa
Fluid means anything that
Pressure in fluid (p) p= gh
flows – liquid or gas.
Pressure of a gas
When temperature of gas increases,
Pressure of a gas when the KE of gas molecules increases,
temperature increases so gas molecules collide more frequently with the container.
(explanation in terms These collisions cause transfer of momentum.
of momentum) There are more collisions per unit area of the container, so
Pressure in the container increases.
The pressure of a gas results from collisions between
the gas particles and the walls of the container. ... An increase
Kinetic molecular
in the number of gas particles in the container increases the
theory
frequency of collisions with the walls and therefore
the pressure of the gas. E ach time a gas particle hits the wall, it
exerts a force on the wall.
Manometer is used to
measure difference in
pressure of two gases
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Note: In a mercury
barometer, the atmospheric
pressure is measured
Atmospheric pressure 760mmHg or 1.01 x 105Pa according to the height of
mercury which is
irrespective of the diameter
of the barometer.
Length of stretched spring = original length + extension
F = kx;
Hooke’s law
k is the spring constant(Unit = N/m), x is the extension
Energy
Gravitational
g.p.e. = mgh J
potential energy
Kinetic energy k.e.= ½ x mv2 J
Energy efficiency = (useful energy output / energy input) x 100 %
Energy conversion
Electrical energy light energy + thermal energy
equation
In any energy conversion, the total amount of energy before and after the conversion is
constant
In problems, where an object is thrown up and it loses all its kinetic energy, its all
converted to gravitational potential energy, provide air resistance is negligible.
Loss of gravitational potential energy = Gain of Kinetic energy
GPE = KE
mgh = 1/2 x m x v2
Work done = Energy transferred
When an object is lifted, W = increase in gpe = mgh
Work done(W) W = Fd = E J or Nm
Power (P) P = W/t = E/t W or J/s
1kW = 1000W; 1MW = 1000 kW
Power efficiency = (useful power output / power input) x 100 %
Biomass = a material, recently living, used as a fuel
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Fossil fuel = a material, formed from long-dead material, used as a fuel
Renewable energy resource which, when used, will be replenished naturally
Non-renewable energy resource which, once used, is gone forever
Nuclear fission is the process by which energy is released
by the splitting of a large heavy nucleus into two or more lighter nuclei.
Nuclear fusion is the process in which energy is released
by the joining together of two small light nuclei to form a new heavier nucleus
In the Sun, under high pressure and high temperature, four hydrogen nuclei combine
to form one helium atom releasing heat and light.
Waves, light and sound
Quantity Formula SI Units
v = speed in m/s
Wave equation
V=fx F = frequency in Hz
1
Is the wavelength in meters
Wave equation T is the time period of the
f=1/T
2 wave in seconds
Movement of
Longitudinal waves: back and forth in the direction of the waves
particles of the
Transverse = perpendicular to the direction of the waves
medium
i = angle of incidence
Law of
i=r r = angle of reflection
reflection
From lighter to denser medium = light bends towards the normal
Refraction
From denser to lighter medium = light bends away from the normal
Refractive index n = sin i / sin r
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n = speed of light in vacuum / speed of light in the medium
Image from a Virtual, upright, lateral inverted, same size and same distance from
plane mirror the mirror inside
Image from a When close: virtual, enlarge, upright
convex lens When far: real, small, upside down
Image from a
Virtual, upright, small
concave lens
When light goes from denser to lighter medium, the incident angle at
Critical angle
which the reflected angle is 900, is called critical angle.
When light goes from denser to lighter medium, the refracted ray
Total Internal
bends inside the same medium then this is called Total Internal
Reflection
Reflection.
This way the frequency decreases and wavelength increases
Electromagnetic
Gamma rays -> X rays -> UV -> Visible Light -> InfraRed -> Micro waves -
Spectrum
> Radio waves
Colours of
Visible VIBGYOR (from bottom-up)
spectrum(light)
Speed of Light In air: 3 x 108 m/s In glass: 2 x 108 m/s
Light wave Electromagnetic waves Transverse
Monochromatic
light wave It has a single frequency
means:
Longitudinal waves
Sound wave Compression = particles of the medium come close
Rarefaction = particles of the medium far apart
D = distance between sound
Echo V = 2xd / t
source and reflection surface
Properties of Pitch means frequency of the wave
sound waves Amplitude means Loudness of the wave
Air: 330 – 340 m/s
Speed of sound Water: 1400 m/s
waves Concrete: 5000 m/s
Steel: 6000 – 7000 m/s
Refraction of water waves
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Reflection of
wavefronts
Diffraction of
wavefronts
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Thermal Physics
Quantity Formula SI Units
Temperature of a gas is the mean kinetic energy of the gas
1. The narrower the tube, the more the
liquid inside moves, hence more is the
thermometer sensitive.
Sensitivity of a thermometer
2. The more the volume of liquid used,
more is the sensitivity of the
thermometer.
It is the uniform expansion of
liquid per degree rise in temperature.
To ensure linear expansion in a
Linear expansion in a thermometer
thermometer, we ensure
Uniform Cross sectional area of the
capillary tube
Robert Brown observed tiny fragments
of pollen grains moving around in
water.
The water molecules are in constant
random motion due to repeated
collisions. This in turn causes the pollen
Brownian motion grains to be bombarded in random
directions.
Similar movement of smoke is observed
in a smoke cell, the path of smoke
particles is jerky and random as smoke
particles suffer repeated collisions with
air molecules.
Pressure in gases
More the density of gas, more the
pressure
**Pressure and density relationship Reason: More number of particles
causes more collision with the walls of
the container.
More the temperature, more the
pressure
Reason: More K.E. of particles, more
**Pressure and Temperature relationship
transfer of momentum between
particles and walls of the container – so
more force applied per unit area. Also
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more frequent collisions between
particles and the walls of the container.
Pressure and Volume
relationship(Boyle’s
Law) pV = constant Pressure in Pa
(provided temperature p1V1 = p2V2 Volume in m3
and mass of gas remains
unchanged)
Heat or Internal energy is total energy of molecular motion.
Temperature is average energy of molecular motion.
**Thermal Capacity is
the amount of heat
Thermal capacity = m x c
required to raise the The unit of Thermal
temperature of any capacity is J/oC
Thermal capacity = Q / (T2 – T1)
mass by 10C
Specific Heat Capacity
c = specific heat capacity in
is the amount of heat
c = Q / mx(T2 – T1) J/kg0C
required to raise the
or Q = total heat in Joules(J)
temperature of 1kg
Q = mc(T) M = mass in kg
mass by 10C
T = T2 – T1
E = energy supplied in Joules
Specific Latent Heat(L) L=E/M M = mass in kg
Latent = Hidden
When an object changes state, its temperature does not change
But heat is supplied to break the bonds between the particles.
Energy required to change state is called as Latent heat.
In solids = conduction
Thermal or Heat In liquids and gases = convection
transfer In vacuum or any transparent medium(solid, liquid or gas) =
radiation
Emitters
Dull black surface = good emitter, good radiator, bad reflector
and
Bright shiny surface = poor emitter, poor radiator, good reflector
Radiators
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Steepness
of cooling
curve
depends
on the
specific
heat
capacity of
the state
of matter
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