A Physics Formula Bible for CET ✨
This guide contains essential physics formulas and concepts, including hidden or shortcut
formulas, for the CET (Common Entrance Test). The information is organized by topic for
easy reference.
1. Kinematics & Projectiles
• Range max: Maximum range is achieved at a launch angle of 45∘.
• Complementary angles: For the same initial speed, launch angles that are
complementary (e.g., 30∘ and 60∘) will result in the same horizontal range.
• Time to hit ground from height h: For an object dropped from rest, the time to hit
the ground is t=2h/g.
• Horizontal range: For a projectile launched horizontally from a height, the range is
R=u⋅t, where u is the initial horizontal speed and t is the time of flight.
2. Laws of Motion & Circular Motion
• Banking (no friction): The safe speed for a banked road is v=rgtanθ.
• Banking with friction: The maximum and minimum speeds are given by:
o vmax=rg1−μtanθtanθ+μ
o vmin=rg1+μtanθtanθ−μ
• Conical pendulum: The relationship between the angle and the speed is tanθ=rgv2
=gω2r.
3. Work, Energy, & Springs
• Spring Potential Energy: The potential energy stored in a spring is PE=21kx2.
• Efficiency: The ratio of useful output to total input is Efficiency=inputuseful output
.
• Work from variable force: The work done by a variable force is the area under the
Force-Displacement (F−x) graph.
• Power:
o Instantaneous power: P=F⋅v
o General power: P=dtdE
• Springs equivalent constant:
o Series: keq1=k11+k21⇒keq=k1+k2k1k2
o Parallel: keq=k1+k2
4. Rotational Motion
• Parallel axis theorem: The moment of inertia (I) about an axis parallel to the center
of mass axis is I=Icm+Md2.
• Perpendicular axis theorem: For a planar body, the moment of inertia about an axis
perpendicular to the plane is Iz=Ix+Iy.
• Rolling without slipping: The linear speed (v) and angular speed (ω) are related by
v=rω.
• Acceleration down an incline: The acceleration of a rigid body rolling without
slipping down an incline is a=1+I/mR2gsinθ.
• Minimum loop speed:
o Top of the loop: vtop=gR
o Bottom of the loop: vbottom=5gR
5. COM & Collisions
• 1D elastic collision: The final velocities (v1′,v2′) are given by:
o v1′=m1+m2m1−m2u1+m1+m22m2u2
o v2′=m1+m22m1u1+m1+m2m2−m1u2
• Oblique collision: The motion along the line of impact is treated as a 1D collision,
while the motion perpendicular to it remains unchanged.
• Explosion/recoil: The velocity of the center of mass (COM) remains unchanged
before and after the explosion, provided no external forces act.
6. Gravitation
• Inside a uniform Earth: The acceleration due to gravity at a distance r from the
center is g(r)=g⋅Rr.
• At small height h (h≪R): The value of g is approximately g′≈g(1−R2h).
• At depth d: The value of g is g′=g(1−Rd).
• Satellite:
o Total energy: E=−2rGMm
o Orbital velocity: v=rGM
o Kepler's third law: T2∝r3
• Escape velocity: The minimum velocity required to escape Earth's gravity is ve=2gR.
7. Oscillations & SHM
• Energy split: The ratio of kinetic energy (KE) to potential energy (PE) at a
displacement x is KE:PE=(A2−x2):x2.
• Compound pendulum: The time period is T=2πI/mgh.
• Beats: The beat frequency is the absolute difference between the frequencies of two
sound waves: fbeat=∣f1−f2∣.
8. Waves & Sound
• String:
o Wave speed: v=T/μ, where T is tension and μ is linear mass density.
o Frequency relation: f∝T and f∝1/L.
• Pipes: The harmonics produced by open and closed pipes differ significantly.
o Open pipe: all harmonics (fundamental, 2nd, 3rd, etc.)
o Closed pipe: odd harmonics only (fundamental, 3rd, 5th, etc.)
• Doppler effect (small v): The perceived frequency is approximately f′≈f1∓vs/v1±vo
/v.
• Moving reflector: The frequency shift due to a moving reflector is double the shift
from a stationary reflector.
• Superposition intensity: When two waves superpose, the resultant intensity is I=I1
+I2+2I1I2cosδ.
9. Electrostatics, Current, & Magnetism
• Energy density in E-field: The energy per unit volume is u=21ϵ0E2.
• Field on ring axis: The electric field on the axis of a ring with radius a is
E=(x2+a2)3/2kQx. It is maximum at x=a/2.
• Capacitance:
o Spherical capacitor: C=b−a4πϵ0ab
o Cylindrical (per unit length): C′=ln(b/a)2πϵ0
• Dielectric insertion:
o Battery removed: Q is constant, V decreases by a factor of k.
o Battery connected: V is constant, Q increases by a factor of k.
• Power in series/parallel:
o Use P=I2R when current (I) is constant (series).
o Use P=V2/R when voltage (V) is constant (parallel).
• Infinite ladder: To find the equivalent resistance (Req), set Req=R+(R∣∣Req) and
solve.
• Circular path in B-field:
o Radius: r=qBmv
o Time period: T=qB2πm (independent of speed and radius).
• Motional EMF:
o Straight conductor: ϵ=Blv
o Rotating rod (about one end): ϵ=21BωL2
• Inductor energy: The energy stored in an inductor is U=21LI2.
• Magnetic energy density: The energy per unit volume is u=2μ0B2.
10. AC, Optics, & Modern Physics
• AC values:
o RMS voltage: Vrms=V0/2
o RMS current: Irms=I0/2
o Average power: Pavg=VrmsIrmscosϕ
• Reactance:
o Inductive reactance: XL=ωL
o Capacitive reactance: XC=1/ωC
• Impedance: The total opposition to current in an RLC circuit is Z=R2+(XL−XC)2.
• Resonance (series RLC): Occurs when XL=XC, leading to maximum current.
• Lens maker's formula: f1=(μ−1)(R11−R21).
• Two thin lenses: The equivalent focal length (F) of two lenses separated by a
distance d is given by F1=f11+f21−f1f2d.
• Apparent depth: The apparent depth (h′) of an object submerged in a medium of
refractive index μ is h′=h/μ.
• Prism minimum deviation: The refractive index of the prism material is
μ=sin(A/2)sin((A+Dmin)/2).
• Young's Double Slit (YDS):
o Fringe width: β=dλD
o Fringe shift with glass slab: yshift=λβ(μ−1)t
• Photoelectric effect: The maximum kinetic energy of a photoelectron is eVs=hf−ϕ,
where Vs is the stopping potential and ϕ is the work function.
• Electron de-Broglie wavelength: For an electron accelerated by a potential V, its
wavelength is approximately λ(A˚)≈V(volt)12.27 (for non-relativistic speeds).
• Bohr model:
o Energy of n-th orbit: En=−n213.6Z2eV
o Radius of n-th orbit: rn=Zn2a0
• Nuclear radius: The radius of a nucleus is given by R=R0A1/3, where A is the mass
number and R0≈1.2×10−15 m.