SET 01 — General Science

Important Formulas & Basics to Remember

Compiled from all 35 questions | MyPathshala

1 MECHANICS — Motion & Forces

1️⃣
▶ Equations of Motion (must memorise all 3)

Quantity Formula Note / Trick

1st equation v = u + at v=final, u=initial, a=acceleration,

t=time

2nd equation s = ut + ½at² s=displacement

3rd equation v² = u² + 2as No time involved — use when t is

missing

nth second Sₙ = u + a(2n−1)/2 Distance in nth second only

▶ Gravity & Height

Quantity Formula Note / Trick

g at height h g' = g/(1+h/R)² Exact formula — always use this

g at height h (approx) g' ≈ g(1−2h/R) Only when h << R

g at depth d g' = g(1−d/R) Decreases linearly with depth

At height 2R g' = g/9 ≈ 1.1 m/s² Quick: (1+2)² = 9, so g/9

▶ Newton's Laws & Force

Quantity Formula Note / Trick

Force F = ma m=mass (kg), a=acceleration (m/s²)

Impulse J = F×t = Δp Change in momentum

Momentum p = mv Vector quantity

Work W = F·d·cosθ θ = angle between F and d

Power P = W/t = F·v Also P = F⃗·v⃗ (dot product)

KE KE = ½mv² = p²/2m p²/2m is KEY formula for % change

 Work (1 Joule) W = F×d → 1J = 1N×1m Check: 4N×0.25m = 1J ✓

▶ % Change Trick (Very Important!)

Concept Remember This

If momentum increases by n% KE increases by (1+n/100)² − 1 × 100%

Momentum +20% → KE change? (1.2)² − 1 = 1.44 − 1 = 0.44 = 44% increase

Momentum +50% → KE change? (1.5)² − 1 = 2.25 − 1 = 1.25 = 125% increase

KE = p²/2m KE ∝ p² (when mass is constant)

2️⃣ GRAVITATION

Quantity Formula Note / Trick

Newton's Law F = Gm₁m₂/r² G = 6.67×10⁻¹¹ N m²/kg²

g at surface g = GM/R² g ≈ 9.8 ≈ 10 m/s² (use 10 in MCQs)

Properties of gravity Conservative, Central, Medium- Forms Newton's 3rd law pair
independent

3️⃣ ELECTRICITY & CIRCUITS

▶ Electric Field & Power

Quantity Formula Note / Trick

Electric field lines Denser lines = Stronger E field More crowded = more intense

Power in resistor P = V²/R = I²R = VI All three forms — learn all

Power & resistance Series: P ∝ R | Parallel: P ∝ 1/R Opposite behaviour!

Heating effect H = I²Rt (Joule's Law) Heater, Bulb, Iron — all use this

NOT heating effect Electric Bell Uses electromagnetic effect

▶ AC Circuits (LC / Resonance)

Quantity Formula Note / Trick

 Capacitive reactance Xc = 1/(2πfC) Xc ∝ 1/f — hyperbola graph

Inductive reactance XL = 2πfL XL ∝ f — straight line graph

LC Resonance condition ω² = 1/LC At resonance: I is MAX, Z is MIN

Resonant frequency f₀ = 1/(2π√LC) Both XL = XC at this frequency

4️⃣ MEASUREMENTS & UNITS

Quantity Formula Note / Trick

Least Count (Vernier) LC = 1 MSD − 1 VSD Always DIFFERENCE of MSD and

VSD

LC formula LC = 1 MSD / n n = number of VSD divisions

Example (Q.35) 19 MSD=19mm, n=20 → LC = 1 VSD = 19/20 = 0.95mm

1−0.95 = 0.05mm

▶ Dimensional Formulas (Must Know)

Concept Remember This

Work / Energy / Torque [ML²T⁻²]

Power [ML²T⁻³]

Force / Weight [MLT⁻²]

Pressure / Stress / Young's modulus [ML⁻¹T⁻²]

Impulse / Momentum [MLT⁻¹]

Angular Momentum [ML²T⁻¹]

Surface Tension [MT⁻²]

Density [ML⁻³]

Same dimensions: Work = Torque Both = [ML²T⁻²] ✓

5️⃣ HEAT & THERMODYNAMICS

Quantity Formula Note / Trick

Heat equation Q = mcΔT m=mass, c=specific heat, ΔT=temp
change

Latent heat Q = mL No temperature change during

phase change

Latent of Fusion Solid ↔ Liquid Ice melting / water freezing

Latent of Vaporization Liquid ↔ Gas Water boiling / steam condensing

F to C conversion F = (9/5)C + 32 Y-intercept = +32 → +ve intercept

on Y-axis

Bullet temperature rise ΔT = v²/4S Half KE → heat in bullet:

Q=mv²/4=mcΔT

Concept Remember This

Relative Humidity (RH) when temp rises RH DECREASES — saturation pressure rises
but moisture stays same

Mica & Fiber glass Good heat conductor, Bad electricity conductor

Graphite Conducts BOTH heat and electricity

Bakelite Poor conductor of both heat and electricity

6️⃣ FLUID MECHANICS & BUOYANCY

Quantity Formula Note / Trick

Buoyant Force F_b = ρ_liquid × V × g V = volume of object submerged

Float condition ρ_object < ρ_liquid Cork floats: ρ_cork < ρ_water

Sink condition ρ_object > ρ_liquid Iron sinks: ρ_iron > ρ_water

Work in liquid W = (mg − F_b) × h Net force = weight − buoyant force

Relative Density RD = ρ_object / ρ_water RD=3 → ρ=3000 kg/m³

Mass & Density m=ρ×V Volume = l×b×h for rectangular

tank

7️⃣ SPRING & ELASTIC ENERGY

Quantity Formula Note / Trick

Spring PE PE = ½kx² k=stiffness, x=deflection

Energy conservation mg(h+x) = ½kx² For falling weight on spring

Spring force F = kx Hooke's Law

8️⃣ NUMBER SYSTEMS & COMPUTERS

Quantity Formula Note / Trick

Octal to Decimal Each digit × 8^position Right to left: pos 0,1,2...

(214)₈ → decimal 2×64 + 1×8 + 4×1 = 140 Always multiply by powers of 8

Bits & Bytes 1 Byte = 8 Bits 16-bit number = 2 bytes

Binary → Bytes Count bits ÷ 8 1011100101101110 = 16 bits = 2

bytes

9️⃣ IMPORTANT GRAPHS TO REMEMBER

Concept Remember This

v-t graph: slope = ? Acceleration (a = Δv/Δt)

x-t graph: slope = ? Velocity (v = Δx/Δt)

x-t graph concave up Positive acceleration (velocity increasing)

x-t graph concave down Negative acceleration (velocity decreasing)

v-s graph (const. accel.) Parabola: v = √(2as), v ∝ √s

XC vs f graph Hyperbola (XC = 1/2πfC, XC ∝ 1/f)

F vs C (Fahrenheit-Celsius) Straight line, Y-intercept = +32

🔟 QUICK FACTS & ONE-LINERS

Concept Remember This

Work = 1 Joule when 1 N force moves object by 1 m OR 4N × 0.25m

Work against friction → Loss in Kinetic Energy (converts to heat)

Electric Bell works on Electromagnetic effect (NOT heating effect)

Latent heat (vaporization) Liquid → Gas | No temp change

Gravitational force is Conservative, Central, Medium-independent

LC resonance ω²=1/LC Current MAX, Impedance MIN

Pressure of a liquid P = ρgh (increases with depth)

Newton's 3rd Law Gravity forms action-reaction pair

Vernier LC formula LC = 1 MSD − 1 VSD

Dimensional formula of Power [ML²T⁻³]

Retardation: direction of a Opposite to velocity

Train max velocity trick S = ½ × v_max × (t₁+t₂)

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