AQA GCSE Physics equation sheet: A complete guide for 2026
If you are sitting AQA GCSE Physics (specification 8463) or the physics papers of Combined Science Trilogy in 2026, the rules around the equation sheet are firmly in your favour. After the March 2026 Ofqual consultation outcome, full equation sheet provision has been confirmed for the remaining lifetime of the current GCSE Physics and Combined Science specifications (the reformed qualifications are not due to be first taught until around 2029-2030). Every equation you need is provided in the exam. You do not have to memorise any of them.
That said, memorising the core equations is still worth it for speed. Fluency saves you seconds per question, and seconds add up across a long paper. The sheet is a backup, not a substitute for knowing the material.
This guide covers what is on the AQA GCSE Physics equation sheet, what each equation does, and how to use the sheet well during the exam itself. There is a revision checklist at the end.
Full sheet provided
Every paper
Every equation needed for AQA GCSE Physics is provided on the sheet for the remaining lifetime of the current specification, following the March 2026 Ofqual consultation outcome.
AQA provides the full equation sheet in every GCSE Physics and Combined Science Trilogy physics paper. The 'memorise (normally)' labels in the tables below reflect the pre-2022 policy and are kept here only to flag which equations are most worth knowing by heart for exam-day speed. After the March 2026 Ofqual decision, the full sheet continues for the lifetime of the current specifications.
What's on the AQA GCSE Physics equation sheet?
Under the current policy, every equation on the AQA GCSE Physics (8463) and Combined Science Trilogy specification is printed on the sheet. That includes the equations that students traditionally had to memorise (like V = IR and F = ma) and the equations that have always been provided (like the kinematic equation and specific heat capacity).
The sheet is provided for every paper in the series, including both Paper 1 and Paper 2 of GCSE Physics, and the physics papers of Combined Science Trilogy. Invigilators hand it out with the question paper at the start of the exam.
Units are written next to each equation. Higher Tier-only equations are flagged so foundation tier students do not waste time on them. There is no constants section at GCSE level, because the only constant you typically need (g = 9.8 N/kg) is given to you within the question.
Constants and physical data
The AQA GCSE Physics equation sheet does not include a standalone constants section in the way the A-Level booklets do. Instead, constants and values are written into the question itself where they are needed. This is one of the key differences between GCSE and A-Level: At GCSE you do not need to look anything up beyond the equation list.
| Quantity | Symbol | Value typically used | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravitational field strength (Earth) | g | 9.8 N/kg | Often rounded to 10 N/kg in lower-mark questions |
| Speed of sound in air | v | 330 to 340 m/s | Given in the question when needed |
| Speed of waves in a particular medium | v | Question-specific | Always provided in the question stem |
| Specific heat capacities and latent heats | c, L | Question-specific | Provided when a calculation requires them |
Equation list by topic
The tables below list every AQA GCSE Physics equation, grouped by topic. Each equation is labelled with its pre-2022 status (Memorise or On sheet) as a guide to which formulas are most worth committing to memory for exam-day speed. All of them appear on the sheet under the current policy.
The equations cover six core topic areas of the specification: Energy, Electricity, Particle Model, Forces, Waves and Optics, and Magnetism. Higher Tier-only equations are flagged.
Energy equations
| Equation | Formula | Variables and units | Worth memorising? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinetic energy | Eₖ = ½mv² | m in kg, v in m/s | Memorise |
| Gravitational potential energy | Eₚ = mgh | m in kg, g in N/kg, h in m | Memorise |
| Power from energy | P = E/t | E in J, t in s | Memorise |
| Power from work | P = W/t | W in J, t in s | Memorise |
| Efficiency (energy) | η = useful energy out / total energy in | Often as a percentage | Memorise |
| Efficiency (power) | η = useful power out / total power in | Often as a percentage | Memorise |
| Elastic potential energy | Eₑ = ½ke² | k in N/m, e in m | On sheet |
| Specific heat capacity | ΔE = mcΔθ | m in kg, c in J/kg°C, Δθ in °C | On sheet |
Electricity equations
| Equation | Formula | Variables and units | Worth memorising? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charge flow | Q = It | I in A, t in s | Memorise |
| Ohm's law | V = IR | I in A, R in Ω | Memorise |
| Electrical power (P = IV) | P = IV | V in V, I in A | Memorise |
| Power dissipated | P = I²R | I in A, R in Ω | Memorise |
| Energy from electrical power | E = Pt | P in W, t in s | Memorise |
| Energy from charge and pd | E = QV | Q in C, V in V | Memorise |
Particle model equations
| Equation | Formula | Variables and units | Worth memorising? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | ρ = m/V | m in kg, V in m³ | Memorise |
| Specific latent heat | E = mL | m in kg, L in J/kg | On sheet |
| Gas law (fixed mass, constant T) | pV = constant | p in Pa, V in m³ | On sheet (HT only) |
Forces equations
| Equation | Formula | Variables and units | Worth memorising? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | W = mg | m in kg, g in N/kg | Memorise |
| Work done | W = Fs | F in N, s in m | Memorise |
| Distance travelled | s = vt | v in m/s, t in s | Memorise |
| Acceleration | a = Δv/t | Δv in m/s, t in s | Memorise |
| Newton's second law | F = ma | m in kg, a in m/s² | Memorise |
| Moment | M = Fd | F in N, d in m (perpendicular distance) | Memorise |
| Pressure (force / area) | p = F/A | F in N, A in m² | Memorise |
| Momentum (HT only) | p = mv | m in kg, v in m/s | Memorise |
| Hooke's law | F = ke | k in N/m, e in m | On sheet |
| Pressure in a fluid (HT only) | p = hρg | h in m, ρ in kg/m³, g in N/kg | On sheet |
| Kinematic equation | v² − u² = 2as | u, v in m/s, a in m/s², s in m | On sheet |
| Force and change in momentum (HT only) | F = mΔv/Δt | m in kg, Δv in m/s, Δt in s | On sheet |
Waves and optics equations
| Equation | Formula | Variables and units | Worth memorising? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wave speed | v = fλ | f in Hz, λ in m | Memorise |
| Period from frequency | T = 1/f | T in s, f in Hz | On sheet |
| Magnification | magnification = image height / object height | Used in optics, both tiers | On sheet |
Magnetism and transformer equations (HT only)
| Equation | Formula | Variables and units | Worth memorising? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Force on a current-carrying conductor | F = BIl | B in T, I in A, l in m | On sheet |
| Transformer voltage and turns | Vₚ/Vₛ = nₚ/nₛ | V in V, n is number of turns | On sheet |
| Transformer power (ideal) | VₚIₚ = VₛIₛ | V in V, I in A | On sheet |
A common mistake GCSE Physics students make with the equation sheet is not opening it until they are stuck. Use it from question one. Examiners often give a method mark for writing the correct equation, separately from the arithmetic. Even if your final number is wrong, that first mark is still yours.
How to use the equation sheet effectively
Having every equation in front of you is not the same as knowing how to use them. Students who rely on the sheet without practising hit three problems in the exam.
First, they waste time hunting. If you have never seen the sheet before, you will spend seconds flicking back and forth trying to find the right row. Students who have practised with the sheet go straight to the equation they need.
Second, they pick the wrong equation. The sheet gives you the formula, not the application. If you cannot tell whether a falling-ball question needs Eₖ = ½mv² or Eₚ = mgh, the sheet does not help. Practice questions are the only way to build that judgement.
Third, they struggle with rearranging. Many equations appear on the sheet in a single form, but exam questions often want you to find a different variable. Rearranging v = fλ to λ = v/f is straightforward if you have practised it and painful if you have not. Download the official PDF from AQA, print it out, and use it during every past paper attempt.
Common mistakes
The first common mistake is grabbing a similar-looking equation. Students reach for E = ½mv² when the question is asking for E = ½ke². Underline what the question is asking for before turning to the sheet.
The second is forgetting units. Mass must be in kilograms, not grams. Length must be in metres, not centimetres. The AQA mark scheme penalises wrong units even when the arithmetic is correct.
The third is rearranging in your head. If the sheet gives you V = IR and you need to find R, write R = V/I down explicitly before substituting. Skipping the algebra step is where signs flip and powers get inverted.
The fourth is sitting on the equation sheet for the easy questions. Students who only consult the sheet for the difficult questions waste time when they finally do open it. Treat it as a working tool, not a reference of last resort.
The fifth is relying on the sheet so completely that you never learn the core equations. Even with full sheet provision continuing, fluency is faster. Students who can write F = ma or V = IR from memory move through the paper noticeably quicker than students who hunt for every formula.
AQA GCSE Physics equation sheet checklist
A practical approach to using the equation sheet across every paper.
- Download the official AQA Physics Equations Sheet PDF for your exam year
- Use the sheet during every past paper so you know the layout cold
- Write each equation down explicitly before substituting numbers
- Check units before calculating (kg, m, s, A, V)
- Practise rearranging every equation to solve for each variable
- Work through past-paper questions that combine two or more equations
- Use spaced repetition flashcards for the core equations anyway, because fluency saves time
- Print the sheet and slot it next to every practice paper you sit at home
