MCAT Physics Equation Lists (Formulas)
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F = ma |
F = qE | Similar Form |
| F = KG ( m1 m2 / r2 ) | F = k ( q1 q2 / r2 ) | |
| V = IR | P = IV | Paired Use |
| vav = Δ d / Δ t | aav = Δ v / Δ t | (avg vel, acc) |
| v = λ f | E = hf | (f = 1/T) |
| Ek = 1/2 mv2 | Ep = mgh | (kin, pot E) |
| Ρ = F/A | Δ Ρ = ρgΔh | (pressure Ρ) |
| SG = ρ substance / ρ water | ρ = 1 g/cm3 = 103 kg/m3 | (Spec Grav) |
| ρ = mass / volume | Fb = Vρg = mg | (buoyant F) |
| Irms = Imax / √2 | Vrms = Vmax / √2 | Root Mean Sq |
| 1/ i + 1/ o = 1/ f = 2/r = Power | M = magnification = - i/o | Optics |
Note: Specific gravity (SG) is equivalent to the fraction of the height of a buoyant object below the surface of the fluid. |
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Ρ + ρgh + 1/2 ρv2 = constant |
Bernouilli's Equation | Fluids in Motion |
| L = L0 (1 + αΔ T ) | Linear Expansion | Solids, Temp Δ |
| A = A0(1 + γΔ T ) | Area Expansion | |
V = V0(1 + βΔ T ) |
Volume Expansion | β = 3 α |
| fo = fs (V ± vo )/( V ± vs ) | Doppler Effect: when d is decreasing use + vo and - vs | |
| V = Ed for a parallel plate capacitor | d = the distance between the plates | |
| dF = dq v(B sin α) = I dl(B sin α) | Laplace's Law | RH rule |
| 1/ Ceq = 1/ C1 + 1/ C2 + 1/ C3 . . . | Capacitors in Ser. and Par. | Ceq = C1 + C2 . . . |
| Potential Energy ( PE ) = W = 1/2 QV | Work in Electricity | W = 1/2 CV2 |
| ΔG = ΔH - TΔS | Gibbs Free Energy | ΔG° = -RTln Keq |
1) alpha (α) particle = 2He4 (helium nucleus);
2) beta (β) particle = -1e0 (an electron);
3) a positron +1e0 (same mass as an electron but opposite charge);
4) gamma (γ) ray = no mass, no charge, just electromagnetic energy;
5) Δ m /Δ t = rate of decay where Δ m = change in mass, Δ t = change in time.
6) If the number of half-lifes n are known we can calculate the percentage of a pure radioactive sample left after undergoing decay since the fraction remaining = (1/2) n .
Nelectrons = 2 n2 , where Nelectrons designates the number of electrons in shell n .
The state of each electron is determined by the four quantum numbers:
- principal quantum number n determines the number of shells, possible values are: 1 (K), 2 (L), 3 (M), etc...
- angular momentum quantum number l, determines the subshell, possible values are: 0 (s), 1 (p), 2 (d), 3 (f), n-1, etc...
- magnetic momentum quantum number ml , possible values are: ± l , ... , 0
- spin quantum number ms ,determines the direction of rotation of the electron, possible values are: ±1/2.
sin θ = opp/hyp |
cos θ = adj/hyp | tan θ =opp/adj |
| θ = sin -1 x | arcsec θ = sec-1θ | r2 = x2 + y2 |
- angle θ may be given in radians (R) where 1 revolution = 2πR = 360°
- estimate square root 3 as 1.7 and root 2 as 1.4
- cross-sectional area of a tube = area of a circle = πr2 where π can be estimated as 3.14 and r is the radius of the circle; circumference = 2πr
- both work and energy are measured in joules where 1 joule (J) = 1 N × 1 m . {Imperial units: the foot-pound , CGS units: the dyne-centimeter or erg }
- The SI unit for power is the watt (W) which equals one joule per second (J/s) = volts × amperes .
- Current is measured in amperes = coulombs/sec. The units of resistance are ohms, symbolized by Ω (omega), where 1 ohm = 1 volt/ampere.
- The SI unit for pressure is the pascal (1 Pa = 1 N/m2 ). Other units are: 1.00 atm = 1.01 × 105 Pa = 1.01 bar = 760 mmHg = 760 torr.
- The SI unit for the magnetic induction vector B is the tesla where 1 T = 1 N/(A)(m) = 104 gauss.
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