Physics Regents Reference Table & Formulas
The official Reference Tables for Physical Setting / Physics, plus key Physics formulas, concepts, and vocabulary to know for the exam.
The official Reference Tables for Physical Setting / Physics
Provided with every Physics Regents booklet. Current edition: 2006 edition (current).
What's inside the Reference Tables for Physical Setting / Physics:
- Mechanics, kinematics, dynamics, momentum, circular motion, energy
- Electricity & magnetism, Ohm's law, Coulomb's law, circuit symbols
- Waves, sound, and the electromagnetic spectrum
- Modern physics, energy levels of hydrogen and mercury, atomic mass units
- List of physical constants and SI prefixes
- Approximate masses & dimensions of celestial objects
Every formula you'll need is here. The Physics Regents rewards fluency in pulling the right one fast, pick a formula a day from the sheet and quiz yourself on what each variable means.
Key Physics formulas
| Name | Formula | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Average speed | $\bar v=\dfrac{d}{t}$ | Distance over time. Speed is a scalar; velocity is the same idea with direction. |
| Acceleration | $a=\dfrac{v_f-v_i}{t}$ | Rate of change of velocity. Constant a is the key assumption of the kinematics equations. |
| Kinematics equations | $v_f=v_i+at,\quad d=v_i t+\tfrac12 at^2,\quad v_f^2=v_i^2+2ad$ | Pick the one missing only the quantity you don't need. |
| Newton's second law | $F_{net}=ma$ | Net force sets acceleration. Add forces as vectors first. |
| Weight & friction | $F_g=mg,\quad F_f=\mu F_N$ | Weight pulls down with g = 9.81 m/s^2; friction opposes motion and scales with the normal force. |
| Momentum & impulse | $p=mv,\quad J=F t=\Delta p$ | Impulse (force times time) changes momentum; total momentum is conserved in collisions. |
| Kinetic & potential energy | $KE=\tfrac12 mv^2,\quad PE=mgh$ | Energy of motion and of height. Total mechanical energy is conserved without friction. |
| Work & power | $W=Fd,\quad P=\dfrac{W}{t}=Fv$ | Work transfers energy; power is how fast you do it. |
| Ohm's law & electrical power | $V=IR,\quad P=VI=I^2R$ | Voltage drives current through resistance; power is dissipated as heat or light. |
| Wave equation | $v=f\lambda,\quad T=\dfrac{1}{f}$ | Wave speed is frequency times wavelength; period is one over frequency. |
| Photon energy | $E_{photon}=hf$ | Light comes in packets; higher frequency means higher energy. (h is Planck's constant.) |
Key concepts
- Vectors vs scalars — Scalars (speed, mass, energy) have size only. Vectors (velocity, force, momentum) have size and direction; add them tip-to-tail.
- Newton's three laws — 1: objects keep their velocity unless a net force acts. 2: $F=ma$. 3: forces come in equal, opposite pairs.
- Conservation laws — Energy and momentum are conserved in a closed system. Use them to skip the step-by-step forces in collisions and drops.
- Series vs parallel circuits — Series: same current, voltages add, resistances add. Parallel: same voltage, currents add, total resistance drops below the smallest.
- Reflection & refraction — Light bounces (angle in = angle out) or bends when entering a new medium, slowing down and bending toward the normal in denser material.
- Free fall — Near Earth every object accelerates downward at g = 9.81 m/s^2 regardless of mass (ignoring air resistance).
Must-know vocabulary
- Velocity vs speed — Speed is how fast; velocity is how fast and which way.
- Normal force — The support force a surface pushes back with, perpendicular to the surface.
- Coefficient of friction — The unitless ratio (mu) that sets how much friction a pair of surfaces produces.
- Frequency / wavelength — Frequency is cycles per second (Hz); wavelength is the length of one cycle.
- Joule / watt — A joule is the unit of energy and work; a watt is one joule per second of power.
- Inertia — An object's resistance to a change in motion, measured by its mass.
Frequently asked questions
Do you get a reference table on the Physics Regents?
Yes. The official Reference Tables for Physical Setting / Physics is provided with every Physics Regents booklet, so practice with it open.
What formulas do you need for the Physics Regents?
The most-used Physics formulas are on this page with what each one is for. There are 11 key formulas to know.