Physical Science: Tables & Formulas

SI Base Units
Base Quantity Unit Name Unit Symbol
Amount of substance mole Mol
Electric current ampere A
Length meter M
Luminous intensity candela Cd
Mass kilogram Kg
Time second S
Temperature Kelvin K
SI Derived Units
Derived Quantity Name (Symbol) Expression in terms of
other SI units
Expression in terms
of SI base units
Area Square meter (m2)
Volume Cubic meter (m3)
Speed/velocity Meter per second (m/s)
Acceleration Meter per second squared (m/s2)
Frequency Hertz (Hz) s-1
Force Newton (N) m . kg . s-2
Pressure, stress Pascal (Pa) N.m2 m-1 . kg . s-2
Energy, work, quantity of heat Joule (J) N. m m2 . kg . s-2
Power Watt (W) J/s m2 . kg . s-3
Electric charge Coulomb (C) -- s.A
Electric potential difference Volt (V) W/A m2·kg·s-3·A-1
Electric resistance Ohm (Ω) V/A m2·kg·s-3·A-2
Prefixes used to designate multiples of a base unit
Prefix Symbol Meaning Multiple of base unit Scientific Notation
tera T trillion 1, 000, 000, 000, 000 1012
giga G billion 1, 000, 000, 000 109
mega M Million 1, 000, 000 106
kilo k Thousand 1, 000 103
centi c One hundredth 1/100 or .01 10-2
One
milli m thousandth 1/1000 or .001 10-3
micro u One millionth 1/1000000 or .000001 10-6
Nano n One billionth 1/1000000000 or .000000001 10-9
pico p One trillionth 1/1000000000000 or.000000000001 10-12
In general, when converting from base units (m, l, g, etc) or derived units (m2,m3,m/s, Hz, N, J, V,
etc) to a multiple greater (kilo, mega, giga, or tera) than the base or derived unit- then divide by
the factor. For example: 10m = 10/1000km = 1/100 km = .01km.
When converting from base units or derived units to a multiple smaller (centi, milli, micro, nano)
than the base or derived unit- then multiply by the factor. For example: 10m = 10 x 100cm =
1000cm.
Subatomic Particles
Particle Charge Mass Location
Proton +1 1 nucleus
Neutron 0 1 nucleus
Electron -1 0 Outside the nucleus
Common Cations
Ion Name (symbol) Ion Charge
Lithium (Li) 1+
Sodium (Na) 1+
Potassium (K) 1+
Rubidium (Rb) 1+
Cesium (Cs) 1+
Beryllium (Be) 2+
Magnesium (Mg) 2+
Calcium (Ca) 2+
Strontium (Sr) 2+
Barium (Ba) 2+
Aluminum (Al) 3+
Common Anions
Element Name (symbol) Ion Name (symbol) Ion Charge
Fluorine Fluoride 1-
Chlorine Chloride 1-
Bromine Bromide 1-
Iodine Iodide 1-
Oxygen Oxide 2-
Sulfur Sulfide 2-
Nitrogen Nitride 3-
Common Polyatomic Ions
Ion Name Ion Formula Ion Name Ion Formula
CO NO
Carbonate 3 2- Nitrite 2 -
ClO PO
Chlorate 3 - Phosphate 4 3-
PO
Cyanide CN- Phosphite 3 3-
Hydroxide OH- Sulfate SO4 2-
NO
Nitrate 3 - Sulfite SO3 2-
Prefixes for Naming Covalent Compounds

Number of Atoms Prefix Number of Atoms Prefix

1 Mono 6 Hexa
2 Di 7 Hepta
3 Tri 8 Octa
4 Tetra 9 Nona
5 penta 10 deca
Types of Chemical Reactions
Type of reaction Generalized formula Specific Example
Combustion HC+O2 H2O+CO2 2C2H6 + 7O2 6H2O + 4CO2
Synthesis A+B AB 2Na + Cl2 2NaCl
Decomposition AB A+B 2H2O 2H2 + O2
Single Replacement A+BC AC+B 2Al + 3CuCl2 3Cu + 2AlCl3
Double Replacement AX+BY AY+BX Pb(NO3)2 + K2CrO4 PbCrO4 + 2KNO3
The Effects of Change on Equilibrium in a Reversible Reaction (Le Châtelier’s
Principle)
Condition Effect
Temperature Increasing temperature favors the reaction that absorbs energy (endothermic)
Pressure Increasing pressure favors the reaction that produces less gas.
Increasing conc. of one substance favors reaction that produces less of that
Concentration substance
Common Acids
Acid Formula Strength
Hydrochloric (muriatic) acid HCl strong
Nitric acid HNO3 strong
Sulfuric acid H2SO4 strong
Acetic acid CH3COOH weak
Citric acid C6H8O7 weak
Formic HCOOH weak
Common Bases
Base Formula Strength
Potassium hydroxide (potash) KOH strong
Sodium hydroxide (lye) NaOH strong
Calcium hydroxide (lime) Ca(OH)2 strong
ammonia NH3 weak
pH scale
weak
Strong acids more acidic acids Neutral Weak bases More basic strong bases
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Types of Nuclear Radiation
Radiation Type Symbol Charge Nuclear Equation
4
Alpha particle 2 He +2 89 225Ac 87 221Fr + 2 4He

Beta particle -1 0 e -1 614 C 7 14N + -1 0e

Gamma γ 0 n/a

Equations
Density = mass ÷ volume (D = Units: or g/mL
m/v) g/cm3

Rearranged: mass = Density x Volume Units: grams or

Volume = mass ÷ density Units: cm3 or mL

Moles = mass (grams) x Molar Mass (grams / Molar Mass = atomic mass in
mol) grams Units: joules

Energy = mass x (speed of light)2 E = mc2

Speed = distance ÷ time v = d ÷ t Units: meters / second

Rearranged: distance = speed x
time Units: meters
time = distance ÷
speed Units: seconds

Momentum = mass x velocity p=mxv Units: kg . m/s

Acceleration = (final velocity Units: meters /
- initial velocity) ÷ time a = Δv ÷ t (second)2
Rearranged: Δv = acceleration x
time Units: meters/second
Units:
time = Δv ÷ a seconds

Force = mass x acceleration F=mxa Units: kg . m/s2 or Newtons (N)

Rearranged: mass = Force ÷ acceleration Units: g or kg

acceleration = Force ÷ mass Units: meters / (second)2

Weight = mass x gravity (9.8 m/s2 ) Units: kg . m/s2 or Newtons (N)

Work = Force x distance W = F x d Units: Joules (J)

Rearranged: Force = Work ÷
distance distance = Work ÷ Force Units: Newtons
Units: meters

Power = Work ÷ time P=W÷t Units: J/s or Watts (W)

Rearranged: Work = Power x time Units: Joules (J)

time = Work ÷ Power Units: seconds

(s)

Mechanical Advantage = Output Force ÷ Input Force (Resistance Force ÷ Effort Force)

or

Mechanical Advantage = Input Distance ÷ Output Distance (Effort Distance ÷ Resistance

Distance)

Gravitational Potential Energy = mass x gravity (9.8 m/s2) x height GPE = m x g x h Units:

Joules

Rearranged: m = GPE ÷ (g . h) h = GPE ÷ (m . g) Kinetic

Energy = ½ mass x (velocity)2 KE = .5 mv2 Rearranged: m
Units: Joules
= 2KE ÷ v2 v =

Efficiency of a Machine = (Useful Work Output ÷ Work Input) x 100

Temperature Conversions

Celsius-Fahrenheit Conversion:
Fahrenheit temperature = (1.8 x Celsius
temperature) + 32.00 F = 1.8 (C) + 320
Celsius temperature = (Fahrenheit temperature
– 32) ÷1.8 C=(F–32)÷1.8

Celsius-Kelvin Conversion:

Kelvin = Celsius + 273 Celsius = Kelvin -273

Specific Heat Equation

Energy = mass x Specific Heat Value x change in temperature E = m . c . t Units: Joules

Rearranged: mass = Energy ÷ (c x T) Units: kg T = Energy ÷ (c x mass ) Units: K or 0C

Wave Speed Equation

Wave’s Speed = frequency x wavelength v=fxλ Units: m/s

Rearranged: Frequency = Wave Speed ÷ wavelength f = v ÷ λ Units: Hertz

Wavelength = Wave Speed ÷ frequency λ = v ÷ f Units: meters / second

Speed of light (in a vacuum) = 3.0 x 108 m/s (300,000,000 m/s)

Speed of Sound (in air at 25 0C) = 346 m/s Speed of Sound (in water at 25 0C) =
1490 m/s Speed of Sound (in iron at 25 0C) = 5000 m/s

Ohm’s Law Equation

Current = Voltage ÷ Resistance I=V/R Units: Amperes (A)

Rearranged: Voltage = Current
x Resistance V=IxR Units: Volts (V)

Resistance = Voltage ÷ Current R=V/I Units: Ohms (Ω)

Electric Power Equation

Power = Current x
Voltage P=IxV Units: watts (W) or Kilowatts (kW)

Variations: P = I2 x R P=V2/R
Rearranged: Voltage = Power ÷
Current V=PxI Units: Volts (V)
Current = Power ÷
Voltage I=P÷V Units: Amperes (A)
Electromagnetic Spectrum: Relates the energy, frequency and wavelength of various types
of electromagnetic waves (radio, TV, micro, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma).
As energy and frequency increase the wavelength decreases.