Edexcel
Formula List
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Introduction
As of January 2021, these are the formulas that students are expected to recall and use
in the exam. There are other formulas which students may be expected to use but
these are provided in the exam.
In formula lists, those which are shaded are required only for Physics, not Double
Science.
Contents
Motion and Forces 3
Energy 4
Waves 4
Forces and their Effects 5
Electricity 5
Particles 6
Forces and Matter 6
Click to jump straight
to the relevant section
2
Motion and Forces
Variable Symbol Unit (abbreviation)
distance s metre (m)
time t second (s)
speed, velocity v metres per second (m/s)
acceleration a metres per second squared (m/s2)
mass m or M kilogram (kg)
force F newton (N)
weight W newton (N)
gravitational field strength g newtons per kilogram (N/kg)
(on Earth, g = 10 N/kg)
momentum p kilogram metres per second (kg m/s)
distance travelled (m) = average speed (m⁄s) ×
distance s=v×t
time (s)
change in velocity (m/s) (v - u)
acceleration acceleration (m/s2) = a=
time taken (s) t
Newton’s
force (N) = mass (m) × acceleration (m⁄s2) F=m×a
Second Law
weight weight (N) = mass (kg) × grav.field (N⁄kg) W=m×g
momentum
momentum (kg m⁄s) = mass (kg) × velocity (m⁄s) p=m×v
(HT only)
3
Energy
Variable Symbol Unit (abbreviation)
time t second (s)
speed, velocity v metres per second (m/s)
height h metre (m)
newtons per kilogram (N/kg)
gravitational field strength g
(on Earth, g = 10 N/kg)
change in GPE = mass × gravitational field
GPE ∆GPE = m × g × ∆h
strength × change in vertical height
1
KE kinetic energy = × mass × speed2 1
KE = × m × v2
2 2
useful energy transferred by device (J)
efficiency efficiency =
total energy supplied to device (J)
Waves
Variable Symbol Unit (abbreviation)
distance x metre (m)
time t second (s)
speed, velocity v metres per second (m/s)
frequency f hertz (Hz)
wavelength λ (lambda) metre (m)
wave
velocity (m⁄s) = frequency (Hz) × wavelength (m) v=f×λ
equation
wave distance (m) x
wave speed (m/s) = v=
speed time (s) t
4
Forces and their effects
Variable Symbol Unit (abbreviation)
force F newton (N)
distance d metre (m)
work done E joule (J)
time t second (s)
power P watt (W), or joules per second (J/s)
moment newton metre (Nm)
work done work done (J) = force (N) × distance (m) E=F×d
work done (J) E
power power (W) = P=
time (s) t
moment (Nm) = force (N) × distance normal to the
moment
direction of the force (m)
Electricity
Variable Symbol Unit (abbreviation)
charge Q coulomb (C)
potential difference, p.d. V volt (V)
current I ampere or amp (A)
resistance R ohm (Ω)
time t second (s)
energy E joule (J)
power P watt (W) or joules per second (J/s)
5
energy energy (J) = charge (C) × potential difference (V) E=Q×V
charge charge (C) = current (A) × time (s) Q=I×t
Ohm’s Law potential difference (V) = current (A) × resistance (Ω) V=I×R
energy transferred (J) E
power power (W) = P=
time (s) t
electrical
power (W) = current (A) × potential difference (V) P=I×V
power
electrical electrical power (W) = current (A) squared ×
P = I2 × R
power resistance (Ω)
Particles
Variable Symbol Unit (abbreviation)
mass m kilogram (kg)
volume V metres cubed (m3)
density ρ (rho) kilograms per metre cubed (kg/m3)
mass (kg) m
density density (kg/m3) = ρ=
volume (m3) V
Forces and Matter
Variable Symbol Unit (abbreviation)
force F newton (N)
area A metres squared (m2)
spring constant k newtons per metre (N/m)
extension x metre (m)
pressure p pascals (Pa) or newtons per metre
squared (N/m2)
6
Hooke’s force exerted on a spring (N) = spring constant
F=k×x
Law (N⁄m) × extension (m)
force normal to area (N) F
pressure pressure (Pa) = p=
area of surface (m2) A
Sources:
https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/Science/2016/Specification/GCSE_Phys-
ics_Spec.pdf
https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/Science/2016/Specification/GCSE_Com-
binedScience_Spec.pdf
