A level Physics formula sheet, explained

By The STEM-Tutor team · Updated October 2026

A level Physics exams give you a data and formulae sheet. Knowing what each equation means, and when it applies, is what turns it into marks.

Use your board's sheet

AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC Eduqas and Cambridge International each provide their own data and formulae sheet. Download the current one for your board from the official website and use it in every practice paper. Some equations you are expected to recall rather than look up, so check your specification.

Mechanics

• SUVAT equations for constant acceleration. See our SUVAT guide.
• F = ma and F = Δ(mv)/Δt: force as rate of change of momentum.
• W = Fs cosθ, E_k = ½mv², ΔE_p = mgΔh: work and energy.
• P = Fv and efficiency = useful output / input.

Materials

• Stress = F/A, strain = ΔL/L and Young modulus = stress/strain.
• Energy stored = ½FΔL: the area under a force-extension graph.

Electricity

• I = ΔQ/Δt, V = IR, P = VI.
• R = ρL/A: resistivity.
• ε = I(R + r): emf and internal resistance.

Waves

• v = fλ and f = 1/T.
• d sinθ = nλ: diffraction gratings.
• n = c/v and n₁sinθ₁ = n₂sinθ₂: refraction.

Fields, circular motion and oscillations

• F = mv²/r: centripetal force.
• F = Gm₁m₂/r² and F = kQ₁Q₂/r²: gravitational and electric forces.
• F = BIL and F = BQv: forces in magnetic fields.
• a = −ω²x: the defining equation of simple harmonic motion.
• Q = CV and Q = Q₀e^−t/RC: capacitors.

Thermal and nuclear physics

• Q = mcΔθ and Q = mL: specific heat and latent heat.
• pV = nRT: the ideal gas equation, with temperature in kelvin.
• A = λN and N = N₀e^−λt: radioactive decay.
• E = mc²: mass-energy.

How to use the sheet well

1. Learn the meaning and units of every symbol on your board's sheet.
2. Write the equation before substituting numbers.
3. Check that conditions apply, such as constant acceleration or an ideal gas.

Using equations together

The formula sheet tells you the equations but not when to use them. Harder questions need two or three equations in a chain, with the answer from one becoming the input to the next. The worked examples below show that thinking. In each one, notice how the first step is to identify what is known and what is wanted, then choose equations that connect them.

Worked examples

Example 1: projectile motion

A ball is kicked at 20 m/s at 30° above the horizontal. Find its time of flight and range on level ground. (g = 9.81 m/s²)

• Vertical component: 20 sin 30° = 10 m/s. Time to top = 10/9.81 = 1.02 s, so flight time ≈ 2.04 s.
• Horizontal component: 20 cos 30° = 17.3 m/s. Range = 17.3 × 2.04 ≈ 35 m.

Example 2: work, energy and power

A 60 kg climber gains 12 m in height in 40 s. Find the gain in gravitational potential energy and the average power.

• ΔE_p = mgΔh = 60 × 9.81 × 12 ≈ 7.1 kJ.
• P = E/t = 7060/40 ≈ 177 W.

Example 3: circular motion

A 0.20 kg mass moves in a horizontal circle of radius 0.50 m at 4.0 m/s. Find the centripetal force and the angular speed.

• F = mv²/r = 0.20 × 16/0.50 = 6.4 N.
• ω = v/r = 8.0 rad/s.

Example 4: simple harmonic motion

A mass on a spring oscillates with amplitude 0.050 m and period 0.40 s. Find its maximum speed and maximum acceleration.

• ω = 2π/T = 15.7 rad/s.
• v_max = ωA ≈ 0.79 m/s; a_max = ω²A ≈ 12.3 m/s².

Example 5: ideal gases

A gas at 300 K and 100 kPa occupies 2.0 × 10⁻³ m³. How many moles are present?

• n = pV/RT = (100 × 10³ × 2.0 × 10⁻³)/(8.31 × 300) ≈ 0.080 mol.

Example 6: capacitors

A 470 μF capacitor is charged to 12 V. Find the charge and the energy stored.

• Q = CV = 470 × 10⁻⁶ × 12 ≈ 5.6 mC.
• E = ½CV² = ½ × 470 × 10⁻⁶ × 144 ≈ 34 mJ.

Example 7: force on a wire

A wire 0.10 m long carries 3.0 A at right angles to a 0.20 T field. Find the force.

• F = BIL = 0.20 × 3.0 × 0.10 = 0.060 N.

Equations you must learn

Most boards give almost every equation, but not all. Check your board's sheet carefully, because a few relationships are expected to be known, such as definitions of density, speed, and some simple relationships between quantities. Prefixes from pico to tera, the meaning of each symbol and the correct units are also your responsibility. Make a list of anything missing from your sheet and learn it early.

Common mistakes

• Using degrees instead of radians for angular speed and SHM.
• Using temperatures in °C instead of kelvin in gas laws.
• Picking an equation because it contains the right symbol, without checking the conditions, such as SUVAT needing constant acceleration.

Practice questions

Try each one before opening the answer.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bring my own formula sheet into the exam?

No. The exam board provides the data and formula booklet in the exam. Practise with the same version so you know where everything is.

Do I need to memorise constants like G and h?

No. Physical constants are on the data sheet. You do need to know what each one means and its units.

Key takeaways

• Know where each equation is on your board's sheet.
• Harder questions chain two or three equations together.
• Check units: kelvin, radians, metres and kilograms.
• Learn any equations your sheet leaves out.
• Practise with the official sheet beside you.

Where to go next

Put the equations to work in each topic.

• Electricity
• Waves
• Topics overview

A habit that saves marks

Before substituting numbers, write the equation in symbols, then rearrange it for the unknown. Only then put in values with units. This makes your method clear to the examiner, earns method marks even if you slip later, and makes errors easy to spot when you check your work.

Over time, this habit also helps you learn the equations by heart.