Physics GRE Equations Sheet

Version 1.0
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Contents
1 Classical Mechanics 1

2 Electricity & Magnetism 3

3 Optics 4

4 Thermodynamics & Statistical Mechanics 5

5 Quantum Mechanics 7

6 Special Relativity 8

7 Electronics 9

8 Special Topics 10

1 Classical Mechanics
Equations
Kinematics:
1
∆x = v0 t + at2
2
v 2 = v02 + 2ad
v = +at
v0 + vf
∆x = t
2
Newton’s Second Law:
F = ma
Momentum:
P = mv

Centripetal Acceleration:
ac = ω 2 r
F = mrω 2
2π
ω =
T

1
 1 CLASSICAL MECHANICS

Gravitational Potential Energy:

U = mgh
m1 m2
U = −G
R
U = −W

Kinetic Energy:
1
Uk = mv 2
2
p2
Uk =
2m
1 2
Uk−rotational = Iω
2

Parallel Axis Theorem:

I = Icom + M h2

Work:
Z
W = F ·s

Moment of Inertia (Point Mass):

I = M R2

Schwarzschild Radius:
2GM
Re =
c2

Lagrangian:

L=T −V

Hamiltonian:

H =T +V

Angular Frequency:
2π
ω =
T
s
k
ωSHO =
m

Period of a SHO:
r
m
T = 2π
k

2
 2 ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM

2 Electricity & Magnetism

Equations
Maxwell’s Equations:

~ = ρ
∇·E
0
~
∇·B = 0
~
~ = − ∂B
∇×E
∂t
~
~ = µ0 J~ + µ0 0 ∂ E
∇×B
∂t

Coulombs Law:
1 dQ
U =
4π0 R
1 q1 q2
U =
4π0 R
1 q1 q2
F =
4π0 R2

Hooke’s Law:

F = −kx

Faraday’s Law of Induction

 
 dφB 
|ε| = N 
 
dt 

Magnetic Flux:
Z Z
φB = ~ r, t) · dA
B(~
S

Malus’ Law:
1
I = c0 E02 cos2 (θ)
2
Gauss’ Law:
~= q
~ · dA
E
0

Larmor Formula:
q 2 a2
P =
6π0 c3

Lorentz Force:
 
~
F = q ~v × B

Hall Voltage:
IB
VH = −
dne

3
 3 OPTICS

3 Optics
Equations
Photoelectric Equation:

Uk = hν − φ

Snell’s Law:
sin(θ1 ) n2
=
sin(θ2 ) n1

n-slit constructive interference:

d sin(θn ) = nλ

n-slit destructive interference:

1
 
d sin(θn ) = n + λ
2

Photon Energy:

E = hν
hc
E =
λ

Interference of a thin film:

1
 
2nd = m + λ
2

Light speed through a medium:

1
v=
µ

Traveling wave:
2π
 
y(x, t) = A sin (x ± vt)
λ

Drift velocity:
i
vd =
nqA

Compton Equation:
h
λ0 − λ = (1 − cos(θ))
mp c

4
 4 THERMODYNAMICS & STATISTICAL MECHANICS

4 Thermodynamics & Statistical Mechanics

Equations
Rydberg Formula:
1 1 1
 
= R∞ 2 − 2
λ n 1 n2

Rydberg Formula for Hydrogen like atoms:

1 1 1
 
2
= RZ 2 − 2
λH−like n1 n2

Moseley’s Law:
1 1 1
 
2
= R (Z − β) 2 − 2
λK−α n 1 n2

Rydberg Energy:

me e4 Z 2
E = − 2 n2
2h̄
1 1
 
E = E0 −
λ21 λ2
1 1
 
E = n(13.6 eV ) −
λ21 λ22

Heat Capacity:
∆Q
C =
∆T
∂Q
C =
∂T
∂S
C = T
 ∂T 
∂Q ∂U
 
CV = =
∂T V ∂T V
∂Q ∂H
   
Cp = =
∂T p ∂T p

Heat:

Q = cm∆T

First Law of Thermodynamics:

dU = dQ + dW
dU = dQ − P dV

Ideal Gas Law:

pV = nRT

Thermodynamic Work:
Z Vf
W = P dV
Vi

5
 4 THERMODYNAMICS & STATISTICAL MECHANICS

Entropy:
Z T2
dq
∆S =
T1 T

Fourier’s Law of Heat Conduction:

∂Q
I
= −k ~
∇T · dA
∂t s

Mean free path:

P (x) = nσdx

Stefan-Boltzmann’s Law:

j ∗ = σT 4

6
 5 QUANTUM MECHANICS

5 Quantum Mechanics
Equations
Particle Location (Probability):
Z b
Pab = |ψ(x)|2 dx
a

Infinite Square Well/Particle in a box:

ψn (x, t) = Asin(kn x)e−iωn t

Planck Length:
s
Gh̄
lp =
c3

Expectation Value:
Z
hAi = hψ |A| ψi

Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle:

h̄
∆x∆p ≥
2

Spin Operator:

S12 ψ1 = S1 (S1 + 1)ψ1

Probability Current:

~ t) = h̄ ∂ψ ∂ψ ∗
 
J(x, ψ∗ − ψ
2mi ∂x ∂x

Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

1
 
En = h̄ω n +
2

Wave Speed (de Broglie relations):

E
vp =
p
c2
vp =
v

Time-Independent Schrodinger Equation:

h̄2 2
E ψ(x) = − ∇ ψ(x) + V (x) ψ(x)
2m

7
 6 SPECIAL RELATIVITY

6 Special Relativity
Equations
Rest Energy:

E = m0 c2

Lorentz Factor:
1
γ=q
v2
1− c2

Relativistic Energy:

ER = γmc2

Relativistic Momentum:
m0 v
prel = γm0 v = q 2
1 − vc2

Relativistic Energy-Momentum:
 2
E 2 = mc2 + (pc)2

Relativistic sum of velocities:

u+v
u0 =
1 + vu
c2
u0 + v 0
u = 0 0
1 + vcu2

Proper Time:

∆τ 2 = ∆t2 − ∆x2
∆t2 = ∆τ 2 + ∆x2

Space-Time Interval:

∆S 2 = −(C∆t)2 + ∆x2

8
 7 ELECTRONICS

7 Electronics
Equations
Ohm’s Law:

V = IR

Kirchoff ’s First Law:

n
X
I=0
k=1

Kirchoff ’s Second Law:

n
X
V =0
k=1

Current:
dq
i=
dt

Faraday’s law of induction:

 
 dφB 
ε =  
dt 

Capacitance
Q
C=
V

Frequency of an RLC Circuit

1
f= √
4π LC

9
 8 SPECIAL TOPICS

8 Special Topics
Equations
Acoustic Beats:

beats = |f2 − f1 |

Doppler Effect:
" #
1
f= vs ource f0
1± vw ave

10