Useful Physics Formulas

BCCC Tutoring Center

This handout highlights some of frequently encountered formulas found in

Physics I and Physics A.

Please note that most of the formulas assume that a quantity, such as
acceleration, is constant. To deal with changing quantities the Calculus must
be employed.

Kinematics Equations

x − x0 v − v0
vavg = aavg = v = v0 + at
t t

v2
x = x0 + v0 t + 12 at2 v 2 = v02 + 2a(x − x0 ) Uniform Circular Motion: aR =
r

Force and Work

2
Fnet = ΣFi = ma Ffr = µFN G = 6.67 x 10−11 Nm
kg2

m1 m2
FG = G W = Fd Fspring = −kx
r2

Energy and Power

KE = 21 mv 2 Ugrav = mgy Uspring = 12 kx2

Wnet = ∆KE ∆KE = −∆U ΣEnergyInitial = ΣEnergyFinal

GmM W Pout
U (r) = − for r > rM Pavg = e=
r t Pin
r
2GM
vesc = KErotation = 12 Iω 2
r
 Momentum

dp
p = mv Fnet = p1 + p2 = p01 + p02
dt

Angular Quantities

∆θ ∆ω
ωavg = αavg = v = Rω
∆t ∆t

atan = Rα ω = ω0 + αt θ = θ0 + ω0 t + 12 αt2

ω 2 = ω02 + 2αθ τ = mR2 α τnet = Στ = Iα

I = Icm + M h2 Lintitial = Lfinal L = Iω

Harmonic Motion

1 k
T = x = A cos(ωt + φ) ω2 =
f m
r
1 m
ω = 2πf f= 2π
Fdamping = −bv
k
r
x = Ae −αt 0
cos(ω t)
b 0 k b2
α= ω = −
2m m 4m2

Thermodynamics

∆L = αL0 ∆T ∆V = βV0 ∆T P V = nRT

P1 V 1 P2 V2
= P V = N kT Q = mc∆T
T1 T2

∆U = Q − W Kavg = 32 kT Q = mL