Physics Equation Revision Cards

Speed
Speed = Distance / Time
A train takes 100 seconds to travel 1,500 m.
What is the speed of the train?
Speed = Distance / Time
Speed = 1500 / 100
Speed = 15 m/s

Acceleration
Acceleration = Change in speed / Time taken
A racing car accelerates from rest to a speed of 60
m/s in a time of 4 seconds. What is the acceleration
of the car?
Acceleration = Change in speed / Time taken
Acceleration = 60-0 / 4
Acceleration = 60 / 4
Acceleration = 15 m/s2

Resultant Force
force = mass x acceleration
A car has a mass of 1,000 kg. What force must
the cars engine supply to cause an
acceleration of 2 m/s2?
force = mass x acceleration
= 1,000 x 4
= 4,000 N

Work Done
work done = force x distance moved
A cyclist peddles a bicycle with a force of 1,000 N
moving it 250 m.
work done = force x distance moved
= 1,000 x 250
= 250,000 J = 250 kJ

Power
power = work done / time taken
A lawnmower engine does 10 kJ of work in 10
seconds. What is the power of the engine?
power = work done / time taken
= 10,000 / 10
= 1,000 W = 1 kW

Momentum
momentum = mass x velocity
An aircraft carrier has a mass of 1,000,000 kg
and a velocity of 15 m/s. What is its
momentum?
momentum = mass x velocity
= 1,000,000 x 15
= 15,000,000 kg m/s

Change in momentum
force = change in momentum
time
A rugby ball of mass 0.5 kg is kicked from
stationary to a velocity of 8 m/s. The kickers foot
is in contact with ball for 0.1 seconds. What force
does the kicker use?
= (0.5 x 8) ( 0.5 x 0) / 0.1
= 4 / 0.1
= 40 N

Weight
Weight = Mass X Gravitational Field Strength

What is the weight of a stone with a mass of 100N

with a gravitational field strength of 10N/Kg
Weight = Mass X Gravitational Field Strength
Weight = 100 N X 10 N/Kg
=1000 Kg

Kinetic Energy
KE = x mass x velocity
= mv

A car with a mass of 1,500 kg travels at a

velocity of 20 m/s.
kinetic energy = x mass x velocity2
= x 1,500 x 202
= 300,000 J = 300 kJ

Gravitational Potential Energy

GPE = mass x gravitational field strength x height

An apple with a mass of 200 g falls 3 m from its

branch to the ground.
GPE lost = mass x gravitational field strength
x change in height
= 0.2 x 10 x 3
= 6J

Energy Efficiency
energy efficiency =

useful output energy

total input energy

This filament bulb is supplied with 100 J of

electrical energy, which it converts to 45 J of light
energy.
How much energy is wasted?
Wasted energy = Total Useful

= 100 J 45 J

= 55 J

Physics Units
Resistance is measured in ohms ().
Current is measured in amps (A). Voltage is measured in
volts (V).
Momentum is measured in kilogram metres per second (kg
m/s).
KE is measured in joules (j).
Power is measured in watts (W).
Work done is measured in joules (j).
Mass is measured in kilograms (kg).
Resultant force is measured in newtons (N).
Acceleration is measured in metres per second per second
(m/s2).
Speed is measured in metres per second (m/s).
Time taken is measured in seconds (s).
Distance travelled is measured in metres (m).

Unit conversions

Grams to Kilograms Grams/1000

Kilograms to grams Kilograms X 1000
Weight to Newtons Grams / 100
Joules Kilojoules Joules / 1000
Kilojoules Joules Kilojoules X 1000

Maths for Physics

Area = Width X Length
Slope of a line = Height of the triangle/ the
base of the triangle
Average (Try 1+Try 2+ Try 3)/3
Percentage (X/Y) X 100