Physics Formula guide for ICSE standard 10

Contents
How to solve a problem in Physics ......................................................................................................... 2
Important terms and their units ............................................................................................................. 2
Page | 1
Chapter 1 Force ....................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Formula Quick reference: Force ................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 2 Work Power and Energy......................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Formula quick reference: Work power and Energy ...................................................................... 3
Chapter 3 Machines ................................................................................................................................ 5
3.1 Formula and quick reference card: ............................................................................................... 5
3.2 Inclined plane and gear ................................................................................................................. 6
Pulley................................................................................................................................................... 7
Chapter 4 Refraction of Light .................................................................................................................. 8
Refraction of Light through a prism .................................................................................................... 8
Chapter 5 Refraction of Light through a Lens ......................................................................................... 9
Chapter 7 Sound ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Chapter 8 Current electricity ................................................................................................................ 10
8.1 Formula and quick reference card: ............................................................................................. 10
8.2 Electro-Motive force, Terminal voltage and internal resistance of a cell ................................... 11
Chapter 9 Electrical Power and Household Circuits ............................................................................. 12
Chapter 9 Calorimetry........................................................................................................................... 12

Author Srikanth K S
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 Physics Formula guide for ICSE standard 10

How to solve a problem in Physics

1. Read the problem at least twice
2. Write down what is given in the problem
3. Draw a diagram Ensure to draw the direction in case of ray diagrams and different forces.
4. Write down the formulae that will help you to solve the problem
Page | 2
5. Solve the problem by proper substitution.
6. Simplify your answer
7. Don’t forget to write the units

Important terms and their units

Term Description SI Unit
Length Meters m
Mass Kilo gram Kg
Time Seconds s
Force Newton , CGS unit Dyne N
Force SI unit to CGS unit conversion 1N = 105 dynes
Velocity Meters per second m/s
Acceleration Meters per second squared m/s2
Moment of force In SI Units its Newton meter Nm
Moment of force In CGS Units its dyne centimeter dyne cm
Remember 1Nm = 107 dyne cm
1kgf X m = 9.8Nm
1gf X cm = 980 dyne cm
Work 1 joule = 1 newton X 1 meter Joule
Remember 1 Joule = 107 erg
Power 1 Joule/ second Watt
Remember 1 W = 1 Js-1 = 107 erg s-1
1 HP = 746 W = 0.746 kW
Energy 1 joule = 1 newton X 1 meter Joule
Electrical Energy is expressed as Kilowatt
hour
Energy of sub atomic particles 1eV = 1.6 X 10-19 J Electron volt
(eV)
Machines Mechanical advantage, Velocity ratio Unit less
Wavelength Symbol λ m
Frequency Hertz Hz
Current Amphers A
Voltage Volts V
Resistance Ohms
Ω

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 Physics Formula guide for ICSE standard 10

Chapter 1 Force

1.1 Formula Quick reference: Force

Newton’s second law Force is directly proportional to the rate of change
of momentum and indirectly proportional to rate
Page | 3 of change of time
Momentum Momentum is the product of mass and velocity
Change in momentum ( )
Rate of change of
momentum
Rate of change of Force = Mass X Acceleration
momentum
1 N = 105 Dynes Newton is the SI unit and Dyne is CGS Unit
Gravitational unit of
force
Equation of motion

1Nm = 107 dynes cm

1kgf X m = 9.8 Nm
1 gf X cm = 980 dyne cm

Principle of moments Sum Clock wise moments

= Sum anti clockwise
moments

Chapter 2 Work Power and Energy

2.1 Formula quick reference: Work power and Energy

Work Work done = Force X
Displacement
Work When the work done by the force
when the displacement is not
along the force
Positive Work When , example Positive
work done by a force of gravity in
free fall
Zero work done , when Work done when a coolie is
carrying some load on his head
moves horizontally.
Note : Zero work done by
centripetal force.
Negative work done Work done is –ve when
Example when a ball is thrown up
in the air.
Work done by force of

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 Physics Formula guide for ICSE standard 10

gravity
Unit of work = 1 joule = 1 N * 1 m
Kilo joules = 1000 Joules
CGS Unit of work 1 erg = 1dyne x 1cm
Conversion of Joules to 1 Joule = 107 erg 1N = 105 dyne and 1m = 102 cm
Page | 4 ergs 105 X 102 =107 erg
Power The rate of doing work is called
power
Power is also the product of force
and average speed
Unit of power SI Unit of power is Watts
-1

-1
Conversion of SI unit to = 107 ergs -1

CGS Units
1 HP = 746 W = 0.746 kW
Energy The energy of a body is the ability to
do work
Unit of energy
-1
X 3600 s = 3.6kJ
1 Kilowatt hour = 3.6 X 106 J
Heat energy Heat energy is usually measured in
calorie. 1 Calorie of heat energy
required to raise the temperature
of 1g of water from 14.5o C to 15.5o
C
Relationship of Calorie
and Joule

Electron volt The Energy of atomic particle is very

small. It is measured in terms of
electron volt (eV)
1eV = 1.6 X 10-19 J
Different forms of energy
Kinetic energy The energy processed by a body by virtue
of its state of motion
The kinetic energy possessed by a moving
body can be measured as the amount of
work which the moving body can perform
before it comes to rest
Measurement of 2

kinetic energy
Relationship between 2

momentum and kinetic

energy
( )

Work energy theorem Work done by a force on a moving body is

equal to the increase in kinetic energy.

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 Physics Formula guide for ICSE standard 10

Proof

On Simplification

Page | 5
( )

( ) ( )

Types of Kinetic energy Translational kinetic energy Car moving in a straight

path
Free falling object
Rotational kinetic energy Spinning top

Vibrational kinetic energy Movement to and fro from

a mean position example
plucking a guitar string

Potential energy Energy possessed by a body at rest

Forms of potential Mechanical potential energy
energy 1. Gravitational potential energy
2. Elastic potential energy
Gravitational potential
energy
Conservation of energy and energy degradation
Energy degradation The gradual decrease of useful energy due
to radiation loss, frictional loss etc is called
degradation of energy
Law of conservation of Energy can neither be created or
energy destroyed

Chapter 3 Machines

3.1 Formula and quick reference card:

Load The resistive or opposive force to be
overcome by a machine is called load
Effort The force applied on the machine to
overcome the load is called Effort
Mechanical Advantage Ratio of Load to effort
Mechanical Advantage MA ( )
MA = ( )
Velocity Ratio VR VR = The ratio of the velocity of
effort to the velocity of load
Velocity of Load VL = dL is the distance moved by
the Load in time t
Velocity of Effort VE = ⁄ dE is the distance moved by

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 Physics Formula guide for ICSE standard 10

the Effort in time t

Velocity Ratio VR VR = ⁄ Note velocity ratio has no unit
as it’s a ratio
Work input The work done on the machine by the
effort
Page | 6 Work Output The work done by the machine on the
load
Efficiency (ƞ) The ratio of the useful work done by the Efficiency (ƞ)
machine to the work put into the = ⁄
machine by the effort
Ideal machine A machine in which there is no loss of The efficiency of an ideal
energy in any manner machine is 100%
Actual Machine An actual machine has an efficiency
always less than 100% because the
moving parts are neither weightless or
frictionless
Strings are not perfectly elastic and the
different parts are not rigid
Relationship between efficiency MA = VR X ƞ
mechanical advantage and
velocity ratio
Class 1 Lever Fulcrum is in between the effort and See Saw, Plier, crow bar,
load Effort and Load are in the same scissors
direction
MA can be <1 = 1 or >1

Class 2 Lever Mechanical advantage of the lever is Bottle opener, Nut cracker
always > 1
Class 3 Lever Effort is in between the fulcrum and the Sugar tongs, Knife spade
load MA is always < 1

3.2 Inclined plane and gear

Inclined plane A sloping surface that behaves
like a simple machine whose
MA is always greater than 1

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 Physics Formula guide for ICSE standard 10

MA and VR of an inclined plane VR = MA = This is true in the absence of friction

Gear A wheel with teeth around its
rim
Gear Ratio Gear Ratio = Where Na is the number of teeth in the
driving and Nb is the number of teeth
Page | 7 in the driven
Relationship between number = =
of teeth, radius and the speed
of rotation

Pulley
Single Fixed Pulley A pulley which has its axis of
rotation fixed in position is
called fixed pulley

MA = = =1

Single Movable pulley A pulley whose axis of

rotation is not fixed in
position is called a movable
pulley. It is also called as a
force multiplier

MA = = =2

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 Physics Formula guide for ICSE standard 10

Combination Pulleys One fixed and other movable

Pulley’s
MA =VR = 2n

Page | 8

Block and Tackle pulley MA = = =n

VR = =n

Chapter 4 Refraction of Light

Refraction of Light Change in direction of the path of light
when it passes from one transparent
medium to another transparent
medium

Refractive Index µ= = Snells law

Refraction of Light through a prism

Prism A transparent refracting medium bounded by 5 surface inclined at the
same angle

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 Physics Formula guide for ICSE standard 10

Page | 9

Chapter 5 Refraction of Light through a Lens

Lens A transparent refracting medium bounded by two curved surface which are
generally spherical
Convex lens or Thicker in the middle and thinner in the periphery
converging lens

Concave Lens Thicker in the periphery and thinner in the middle

Chapter 7 Sound
Longitudinal waves The vibration of the medium is along the direction of propagation

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 Physics Formula guide for ICSE standard 10

They can travel in solids liquids or gases

Transverse wave The vibration of the medium is perpendicular to the direction of propagation
They can only travel in solids or liquids
Echo The sound heard after reflection from a distant obstacle after the original sound
has ceased is called an echo.
Page | 10 An echo is heard only if the distance between the person producing the sound
and the rigid obstacle is long enough to allow the reflected sound to reach the
person at least 0.1 second later
Distance D=
Relations between V=fλ
velocity and frequency
Frequency of vibration f= ( )

Chapter 8 Current electricity

8.1 Formula and quick reference card:

Current Rate of flow of charge
Unit of current Ampere -1

Unit of charge Coulomb

Flow of current If n electrons pass through a cross
section of a conductor in time t, then
the total charge passed through the
conductor is given as

Potential Direction of flow of charge when

Potential at a point
Potential at a point
two conductors are placed in
contact.
It is the amount of work done in
bringing a unit positive charge from
infinity to that point
Unit is volts -

Potential difference Pd between two points is the work

Resistance and its relation
with length and area of cross
section
Ohms law
Author Srikanth K S
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done in moving a unit positive
charge from one point to the other
Current flowing in a conductor is
directly proportional to the potential
difference across its ends provided
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 Physics Formula guide for ICSE standard 10

the physical conditions and the

temperature of the conductor
remain constant
Specific resistance or Where is the specific resistance
resistivity
Page | 11
8.2 Electro-Motive force, Terminal voltage and internal resistance of a cell
Electro motive force When no current is drawn from a cell
(EMF) that is the cell is open, the potential
difference between the terminal o the
cell is called electro motive force (ε)

The EMF of a cell is ε =

defined as the energy
spent per unit charge
in taking a positive
charge around the
complete circuit
Terminal voltage of a When current is drawn from a cell
cell when the cell is In closed circuit. The
potential difference between the
electrodes is called terminal voltage
V=

Voltage drop in a cell ε = V +v or V = ε - v

Representation of a
cell with internal
resistance

Resistors in series Effective resistance R = R1 + R2 + .. Rn

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 Physics Formula guide for ICSE standard 10

Resistors in Parallel Effective resistance Formula

= + + + ….

Page | 12

Chapter 9 Electrical Power and Household Circuits

Electrical Energy W = Q V or W = VI t or W = I2Rt or Unit Joules
V2t/R
Charge Q = I X t Columb
Electrical Power P = VI or I2R or V2/R or W/t Unit Watt
Commercial unit of W = power X time Unit Watt second
electrical energy 1 Wh = 3600 Joules
Remember Fuse is made up of an alloy of Lead
and Tin
Remember A bulb (incandescent lamp) filament is
made up of tungsten

Chapter 10 Calorimetry
Heat The kinetic energy due to random motion of molecules of a
substance.
Temperature of a The average internal kinetic energy of molecules of a
substance substance
One calorie One calorie of heat is the heat energy required to raise the
temperature of 1g of water from 14.50C to 15.50C
One Kilo calorie One Kilo calorie of heat is the heat energy required to raise
the temperature of 1Kg of water from 14.50C to 15.50C
Heat capacity The heat capacity of a body is the amount of heat energy C=
required to raise its temperature by 10c or 1K
Specific heat capacity c= Joules/ kelvin
Principle of Heat energy lost by A is equal to the heat energy gained by B
calorimetry m1c1 (t1 – t) = m2 c2 (t – t2)
Melting Change of state from solid to liquid. The temperature at which
this state change happens is called melting point
Boiling Change of state from liquid to gas. The temperature at which
this state change happens is called boiling point

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