Physics Formula Book - Grade 11

June 5, 2024

This document contains fundamental laws and formulas from the Grade 11
Physics textbook.

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Unit 1: Physics and Human Society

No specific formulas in this unit. It focuses on the societal impact of physics
and careers in the field.**

Unit 2: Vectors
• Resultant of two vectors: R
⃗ =A
⃗+B
⃗

• Subtraction of vectors: A
⃗−B
⃗ =A
⃗ + (−B)
⃗

• Magnitude of resultant of two parallel vectors: |R|

⃗ = |A
⃗ + B|
⃗

• Magnitude of resultant of two anti-parallel vectors: |R|

⃗ = |A
⃗ − B|
⃗
√
• Magnitude of resultant of two perpendicular vectors: |R|
⃗ = A2 + B 2

• Direction of resultant of two perpendicular vectors: θ = tan−1 ( B

A)

• Components of a vector: A
⃗ = A⃗x + A⃗y
q
• Magnitude of a vector in terms of components: |A|
⃗ = A2x + A2y

A
• Direction of a vector in terms of components: θ = tan−1 ( Axy )

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• Unit Vector: A vector with a magnitude of 1.
⃗
• Unit Vector in the Direction of A:
⃗ Â = A
⃗
|A|

• Dot Product of Two Vectors: A

⃗·B
⃗ = AB cos θ

• Dot Product in terms of Components: A

⃗·B
⃗ = Ax B x + Ay B y

Unit 3: Motion in One and Two Dimensions

• Displacement (1D): ∆⃗s = ⃗s − s⃗0
• Distance (1D): Total path length travelled by a body.

• Average Velocity (1D): v⃗av = ∆⃗

s
∆t = s−s⃗0
⃗
t−t0

• Instantaneous Velocity (1D): ⃗v = lim∆t→0 ∆⃗

s
∆t

• Average Acceleration (1D): a⃗av = ∆⃗

v
∆t = v −v⃗0
⃗
t−t0

• Instantaneous Acceleration (1D): ⃗a = lim∆t→0 ∆⃗

v
∆t

• Equations of uniformly accelerated motion (1D):

– v = v0 + at
– s = v0 t + 12 at2
– v 2 = v02 + 2as
• Slope of a position-time graph (1D): Slope = rise
run = ∆⃗
s
∆t = v⃗av

• Slope of a velocity-time graph (1D): Slope = rise

run = ∆⃗
v
∆t = a⃗av
• Area under the velocity-time graph (1D): Area = ∆s (change in
position or displacement)

• Area under the acceleration-time graph (1D): Area = ∆v (change

in velocity)
• Relative Velocity (1D):
⃗ = v⃗A − v⃗B
– vAB
⃗ = v⃗B − v⃗A
– vBA
• Equations of motion for free fall (1D):
– v = v0 + gt
– h = v0 t + 21 gt2
– v 2 = v02 + 2gh

2
• Stopping Distance:
– dreaction = vt
v2
– dbraking = 2abraking
– dstopping = dreaction + dbraking
• Angular Displacement: θ = s
r

• Angular Velocity: ω = ∆θ
∆t

• Tangential Velocity: v = rω
v2
• Centripetal Acceleration: ac = r = rω 2
mv 2
• Centripetal Force: Fc = mac = r = mrω 2
• Period of Circular Motion: T = 2πr
v = 2π
ω

v2
• Banking Angle of a Road: tan θ = rg

Unit 4: Dynamics
• Newton’s First Law (Law of Inertia): An object at rest stays at
rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in
the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
• Newton’s Second Law: The acceleration of an object is directly pro-
portional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its
mass. * F⃗net = m⃗a
• Newton’s Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite
reaction.
• Weight: W
⃗ = m⃗g

• Friction: A force that opposes motion between surfaces in contact.

Static Friction: Fs ≤ µs FN
Kinetic Friction: Fk = µk FN
• First Condition of Equilibrium: P The net force acting on an object at
rest or in uniform motion is zero. * F⃗ = F⃗net = 0

• Work Done by a Constant Force: W = F⃗ · ∆⃗s = F ∆s cos θ

• Work-Energy Theorem: The net work done on an object equals its
change in kinetic energy. * Wnet = ∆KE = 21 mvf2 − 12 mvi2

• Kinetic Energy: KE = 21 mv 2
• Gravitational Potential Energy: P Eg = mgh

3
• Elastic Potential Energy: P Ee = 12 kx2
• Law of Conservation of Mechanical Energy: In the absence of non-
conservative forces, the total mechanical energy (KE + PE) of a system
remains constant. * ∆KE + ∆P E = 0 * KEi + P Ei = KEf + P Ef

• Power: The rate at which work is done or energy is transferred. * P =

W ⃗ v
∆t = F · ⃗

• Linear Momentum: A measure of an object’s inertia in motion. *

p⃗ = m⃗v
• Impulse: The change in momentum of an object. * J⃗ = ∆⃗
p = F⃗net ∆t

• Impulse-Momentum Theorem: The impulse acting on an object equals

the change in its momentum. * J⃗ = ∆⃗
p
• Law of Conservation of Linear Momentum: P In anPisolated system,
the total linear momentum remains constant. * p⃗i = p⃗f
P
• Center of Mass (x-coordinate): xcm = Pmi xi
mi
P
• Center of Mass (y-coordinate): ycm = Pmi yi
mi
P
• Velocity of Center of Mass: ⃗vcm = Pmi v⃗i
mi

Unit 5: Heat Conduction and Calorimetry

• Density (ρ): ρ = m
V

• Specific Gravity (SG): SG = ρsubstance

ρwater

• Heat Capacity (C): C = Q

∆T

• Specific Heat Capacity (c): c = C

m = Q
m∆T

• Heat Transfer by Conduction: Q = kA∆T ∆t

d

• Linear Expansion (∆L): ∆L = αL0 ∆T

• Area Expansion (∆A): ∆A = βA0 ∆T = 2αA0 ∆T

• Volume Expansion (∆V): ∆V = γV0 ∆T = 3αV0 ∆T
• Heat of Transformation (Q): Q = mL (where L is the latent heat of
fusion or vaporization)

4
 Unit 6: Electrostatics and Electric Circuit
• Quantization of Charge: q = ne (where n is an integer)
• Coulomb’s Law: F = k |q1r||q
2
2|
(where k = 1
4πϵ0 )

• Electric Field Strength (E): E = F

q

• Electric Field Due to a Point Charge: E = k rq2

• Electric Flux (Φ): Φ = E

⃗ ·A
⃗ = EA cos θ

• Electric Potential Energy (U): U = k q1rq2

• Electric Potential (V): V = U
q = k rq

• Potential Difference (∆V): ∆V = VB − VA = WAB

q

• Potential Difference in a Uniform Electric Field: ∆V = Ed

• Electric Current (I): I = ∆Q
∆t

• Current Density (J): J = I

A

• Drift Velocity (v d): v d = I

neA

• Ohm’s Law: V = IR
• Resistance (R): R = V
I

• Resistivity (ρ): R = ρ A
L

• Conductivity (σ): σ = 1
ρ

• Equivalent Resistance in Series: Req = R1 + R2 + R3 + ...

• Equivalent Resistance in Parallel: 1
Req = 1
R1 + 1
R2 + 1
R3 + ...
2
• Power Dissipated in a Resistor: P = V I = I 2 R = V
R

• Kirchhoff ’s Junction Rule: The sum of the currents P entering P

a junction
equals the sum of the currents leaving the junction. * Iin = Iout
• Kirchhoff ’s Loop Rule: The sum P of the potential differences around
any closed loop in a circuit is zero. * V =0
• Capacitance (C): C = Q
V

• Capacitance of a Parallel-Plate Capacitor: C = ϵ0 A

d

• Capacitance with Dielectric: Ck = kC = k ϵ0dA

• Equivalent Capacitance in Series: 1
Ceq = 1
C1 + 1
C2 + 1
C3 + ...
• Equivalent Capacitance in Parallel: Ceq = C1 + C2 + C3 + ...
2
• Energy Stored in a Capacitor: U = 21 QV = 12 CV 2 = 1Q
2 C

5
 Unit 7: Nuclear Physics
• Atomic Nucleus: Composed of protons (positively charged) and neu-
trons (neutral).
• Nuclear Radius (R): R = R0 A1/3 (where R0 ≈ 1.2 × 10−15 m)
• Atomic Number (Z): Number of protons in the nucleus.

• Mass Number (A): Total number of protons and neutrons in the nu-
cleus.
• Isotopes: Atoms of the same element with the same atomic number (Z)
but different mass numbers (A).
• Strong Nuclear Force: The strongest force in nature, attracting protons
and neutrons in the nucleus.
• Weak Nuclear Force: Responsible for certain radioactive decays (beta
decay).
• Mass Defect (∆m): The difference between the mass of a nucleus and
the sum of the masses of its constituent protons and neutrons.
• Binding Energy (BE): The energy required to separate a nucleus into
its individual protons and neutrons. * BE = ∆mc2
• Binding Energy per Nucleon (BEN): BEN = BE
A

• Radioactivity: The spontaneous disintegration of unstable atomic nu-

clei.
• Alpha Decay: Emission of an alpha particle (42 He). * A A−4 4
Z X →Z−2 Y +2 He

• Beta Minus Decay: Emission of an electron (0−1 e). * A A 0

Z X →Z+1 Y +−1
e + ve

• Beta Plus Decay: Emission of a positron (0+1 e). * A A 0

Z X →Z−1 Y ++1 e+ve

• Gamma Decay: Emission of a gamma ray (high-energy photon). *

A ∗ A
Z X →Z X + γ

• Half-life (t1/2 ): The time it takes for half of the radioactive nuclei in a
sample to decay. * t1/2 = ln2
λ (where λ is the decay constant)

• Activity (A): The rate of decay of radioactive nuclei. * A = λN (where

N is the number of radioactive nuclei)
• Nuclear Fission: The splitting of a heavy nucleus into lighter nuclei,
usually induced by neutron capture.

6
• Nuclear Fusion: The combining of light nuclei to form heavier nuclei,
releasing enormous energy.
P
• Center of Mass (x-coordinate): xcm = Pmi xi
mi
P
• Center of Mass (y-coordinate): ycm = Pmi yi
mi
P
• Velocity of Center of Mass: ⃗vcm = Pmi v⃗i
mi

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