CBSE Class 12 Physics – Chapterwise Formula Sheet
(Most Repeated in Boards)
■ Marked formulas are MOST IMPORTANT / Frequently Asked in Board Exams.
1. Electric Charges & Fields
■ Coulomb’s Law: F = (1/4πε■) (q■q■ / r²)
■ Electric Field: E = F/q
Electric field due to point charge: E = (1/4πε■) (q / r²)
■ Electric Flux: Φ = E·A = EA cosθ
■ Gauss’s Law: Φ = q_enclosed / ε■
Field due to infinite line charge: E = (1/2πε■) (λ / r)
Field due to infinite plane sheet: E = σ / (2ε■)
Electric dipole moment: p = q(2a)
Field of dipole (axial): E = (1/4πε■) (2p / r³)
Field of dipole (equatorial): E = (1/4πε■) (p / r³)
Torque on dipole: τ = pE sinθ
Potential energy of dipole: U = -pE cosθ
2. Electrostatic Potential & Capacitance
■ Potential due to point charge: V = (1/4πε■) (q / r)
■ Relation: E = -dV/dr
Potential due to dipole: V = (1/4πε■) (p cosθ / r²)
■ Capacitance: C = Q/V
■ Parallel plate capacitor: C = ε■A/d
With dielectric: C = Kε■A/d
Energy stored in capacitor: U = (1/2)CV² = Q²/(2C) = (1/2)QV
■ Energy density: u = (1/2)ε■E²
Series combination: 1/C_eq = 1/C■ + 1/C■ + ...
Parallel combination: C_eq = C■ + C■ + ...
3. Current Electricity
■ Current: I = Q/t
■ Ohm’s law: V = IR
Resistance: R = ρL/A
Conductivity: σ = 1/ρ
■ Power: P = VI = I²R = V²/R
Drift velocity: v_d = eEτ/m
■ Current in terms of drift velocity: I = neAv_d
Mobility: µ = v_d/E
Relation: σ = neµ
Resistances in series: R_eq = R■ + R■ + ...
Resistances in parallel: 1/R_eq = 1/R■ + 1/R■ + ...
■ Kirchhoff’s rules (loop and junction rules)
Cell emf relation: V = E - Ir (discharging)
Wheatstone bridge condition: P/Q = R/S
Meter bridge: X = (l/(100-l)) R
Potentiometer: V ∝ l
4. Moving Charges & Magnetism
■ Magnetic force: F = q(v × B) = qvB sinθ
■ Force on current carrying conductor: F = BIL sinθ
■ Biot–Savart Law: dB = (µ■/4π) (Idl × r■ / r²)
■ Magnetic field due to long straight wire: B = µ■I/(2πr)
Magnetic field at center of circular loop: B = µ■I/(2R)
Magnetic field on axis of circular loop: B = (µ■IR²)/(2(R²+x²)^(3/2))
■ Ampere’s circuital law: ■B·dl = µ■I_enclosed
Torque on current loop: τ = nBIA sinθ
Magnetic moment: m = nIA
■ Moving coil galvanometer: τ = nBIA
Conversion to ammeter: R_A = (G S)/(S-G)
Conversion to voltmeter: R_V = (V/G) - G
Radius of circular path: r = mv/(qB)
Cyclotron frequency: f = qB/(2πm)
5. Magnetism & Matter
Magnetic dipole moment of bar magnet: M = m(2l)
Torque on magnetic dipole: τ = MB sinθ
Potential energy: U = -MB cosθ
Magnetic field on axial line: B = (µ■/4π)(2M/r³)
Magnetic field on equatorial line: B = (µ■/4π)(M/r³)
Magnetization: M = magnetic moment / volume
Magnetic susceptibility: χ = M/H
Relation: B = µ■(H + M)
Relative permeability: µ_r = 1 + χ
6. Electromagnetic Induction
■ Faraday’s law: ε = -dΦ/dt
Magnetic flux: Φ = B·A = BA cosθ
■ Lenz’s law (direction)
Induced emf in coil: ε = -N(dΦ/dt)
■ Self inductance: ε = -L(dI/dt)
Energy stored in inductor: U = (1/2)LI²
Mutual inductance: ε = -M(dI/dt)
7. Alternating Current
■ AC voltage: V = V■ sin(ωt)
■ AC current: I = I■ sin(ωt)
Angular frequency: ω = 2πf
■ RMS values: V_rms = V■/√2, I_rms = I■/√2
Reactance of inductor: X_L = ωL
Reactance of capacitor: X_C = 1/(ωC)
Impedance (LCR): Z = √(R² + (X_L - X_C)²)
■ Ohm’s law in AC: I = V/Z
Power factor: cosφ = R/Z
Average power: P_avg = V_rms I_rms cosφ
Resonance condition: X_L = X_C
Resonant frequency: f■ = 1/(2π√(LC))
Transformer relation: V_s/V_p = N_s/N_p
Ideal transformer: V_p I_p = V_s I_s
8. Electromagnetic Waves
Speed of EM wave: c = 3×10■ m/s
Relation: c = 1/√(µ■ε■)
Relation between E and B: E = cB
9. Ray Optics & Optical Instruments
■ Mirror formula: 1/f = 1/v + 1/u
Magnification (mirror): m = -v/u
■ Lens formula: 1/f = 1/v - 1/u
Magnification (lens): m = v/u
Power of lens: P = 1/f (f in meters)
Combination of lenses: P_eq = P■ + P■ + ...
Refractive index: n = c/v
■ Snell’s law: n■ sin i = n■ sin r
Critical angle: sin C = 1/n
Apparent depth: n = real depth / apparent depth
Prism formula (minimum deviation): n = sin((A + δ_m)/2) / sin(A/2)
Lens maker formula: 1/f = (n-1)(1/R■ - 1/R■)
10. Wave Optics
■ YDSE fringe width: β = λD/d
Path difference: ∆ = d sinθ
Constructive interference: ∆ = nλ
Destructive interference: ∆ = (2n+1)λ/2
Intensity relation: I = I■ + I■ + 2√(I■I■)cosφ
Diffraction (single slit): a sinθ = nλ
Polarization: Malus law: I = I■ cos²θ
11. Dual Nature of Radiation & Matter
■ Einstein photoelectric equation: hν = hν■ + K_max
Work function: φ = hν■
■ K_max = (1/2)mv_max² = eV_s
de Broglie wavelength: λ = h/p = h/(mv)
λ for electron accelerated by V: λ = 12.27/√V (Å)
12. Atoms
Bohr radius: r_n = n²a■ (a■ = 0.529 Å)
Energy levels: E_n = -13.6/n² eV
Radius: r_n = (n²h²)/(4π²mk e²)
Frequency: ν = (E_i - E_f)/h
Rydberg formula: 1/λ = R(1/n■² - 1/n■²)
13. Nuclei
■ Radioactive decay law: N = N■ e^{-λt}
Activity: A = λN
Half life: T½ = 0.693/λ
Mean life: τ = 1/λ
Binding energy: B.E. = ∆mc²
1 amu energy: 1u = 931.5 MeV
Q-value: Q = (m_initial - m_final)c²
14. Semiconductor Electronics
Conductivity: σ = 1/ρ
Diode equation (basic): I = I■ (e^{V/ηV_T} - 1)
■ Logic gates: AND, OR, NOT (truth tables)
Zener diode voltage regulation (concept)
LED, photodiode, solar cell applications