Physics Reference Tables

Physics Reference Tables Physical Constant

Symbol

Acceleration due to gravity on Earth

g

9.8 m / s / s

Coulomb’s law constant

k

2 9.0  10 9 Nm2 C

Elementary charge

e

1.6  10 19 C

Electron rest mass

me

Gravitational constant

G

mp

Proton rest mass Speed of light in a vacuum Speed of sound in air at STP

c

Value

9.11  10 31 kg 2 6.67  10 11 Nm2 kg

1.67  10 27 kg 3.00  10 8 m / s

331 m / s

The Index of Refraction for Common Substances Air

1.00

Alcohol

1.36

Corn Oil

1.47

Diamond

2.42

Glass, Crown

1.52

Glass, Flint

1.61

Glycerol

1.47

Quartz, Fused

1.46

Water

1.33

NCDPI Reference Tables for Physics (2012) Version 2 Stock No. 14156

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Mechanics

Energy

F = force x v  t x f  x i  vt

x f  x i  v i t  1 at 2 2

a = uniform acceleration ac = centripetal

acceleration

v f2  v i2  2ax F = ma

Fg = mg F 

Gm1m2 r2

p = mv J  F t 2

ac  vr

2 Fc  mv r

P  W  Fv t

F = force Fc = centripetal force

a  v t

W  F x

Fg = weight g = acceleration due to gravity on Earth G = gravitational constant J = impulse

PE g  mgh KE  1 mv 2 2

g = acceleration due to gravity on Earth h = height k = spring constant KE = kinetic energy m = mass P = power PE g = gravitational

F  kx

PE s  1 kx 2 2

potential energy PE s = potential energy stored in a spring

m = mass

t = time

p = momentum

v = velocity

r = radius or distance between centers

W = work x = position

t = time v = velocity

x = position

NCDPI Reference Tables for Physics (2012) Version 2

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Electricity

F 

kq1q2 r2

V  IR

P  VI  I 2R  V R

d = distance between parallel plates

Series Circuits

Ee = electrical energy

I t  I1  I 2  I 3  ...

E = electric field strength

Vt  V1  V2  V3  ...

F = force 2

Req  R1  R2  R3  ...

I = current k = Coulomb’s law constant Parallel Circuits

Ee  Pt

P = power p = transformer primary coil

F kq E  e  2 q r

V 

kq r

E  V d

q = charge r = radius or distance between centers

I t  I1  I 2  I 3  ... Vt  V1  V2  V3  ... 1  1  1  1  ... R eq R1 R2 R3

R = resistance s = transformer secondary coil V = electrical potential or potential difference

VpIp  VsIs


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Mathematical Formulas

a

c

 b

Wave Phenomena

a2  b 2  c 2

T  1 f

c = speed of light in a vacuum

sin   a c

v  f

f = frequency

cos   b c

n  c v

n = index of refraction T = period

tan   a b

n1 sin  1  n2 sin  2 sin  c 

Circumference of a circle = 2 r Area of a rectangle = length  width Area of a triangle = 1 base  height 2

v = speed

n2 n1

  angle

 c  critical angle of incidence

n1v 1  n2v 2

 = wavelength

Electromagnetic Spectrum (measurement in meters) 104 103 102 101 100 10–1 10–2 10–3 10–4 10–5 10–6 10–7 10–8 10–9 10–1010–1110–12 10–13 X rays

Microwaves Infrared

Ultraviolet Gamma rays

Radio waves

Longer Wavelength

Red

Orange

Visible Light Yellow

Green

Blue

Shorter Wavelength

Violet

7.0 ´ 10 –7 6.5 ´ 10 –7 5.9 ´ 10 –7 5.7 ´ 10–7 4.9 ´ 10 –7 4.2 ´ 10 –7 4.0 ´ 10–7


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