Edexcel A-Level Physics formulae sheet: A complete guide for 2026
Edexcel A-Level Physics (specification 9PH0) gives you a booklet called the List of Data, Formulae and Relationships at the start of every paper. It contains the constants, equations and unit conversions you need for the whole course. You do not need to memorise it, but you do need to know your way around it.
The same booklet is provided for Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3. Invigilators hand it out with the question paper, and you can write on it during the exam. It is collected back at the end with the rest of your scripts.
This guide walks through what is on the Edexcel A-Level Physics formulae sheet, how it is organised, and the habits that help students actually use it well. The booklet is a working tool, not an emergency backup.
Pages
10+
of constants, equations, and relationships in the Edexcel A-Level Physics List of Data, Formulae and Relationships (9PH0), provided in every exam
What's on the Edexcel A-Level Physics formulae sheet?
The booklet has three sections. First, a list of fundamental constants and particle masses. Second, a list of unit conversion factors (electron volts, atomic mass units). Third, the equations, grouped by topic in roughly the same order as the specification.
Edexcel splits the equations between Mechanics, Electric Circuits, Waves and Particle Nature of Light, Materials, Further Mechanics, Electric and Magnetic Fields, Nuclear and Particle Physics, Thermodynamics, Space, Nuclear Radiation, Gravitational Fields, and Oscillations. The headings echo the topics in the specification, so once you have learned where each topic sits the navigation is straightforward.
There are minor formatting differences compared with the AQA booklet, but the values for the universal constants are identical. The speed of light is still 3.00 × 10⁸ m s⁻¹, the elementary charge is still 1.60 × 10⁻¹⁹ C, and so on.
Constants and physical data
Edexcel lists the universal constants on the first page of the booklet, with values to three significant figures. Use the values in the booklet rather than recalled values from your notes. The mark scheme uses the booklet values for its model answers.
| Constant | Symbol | Value | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed of light in vacuum | c | 3.00 × 10⁸ | m s⁻¹ |
| Planck constant | h | 6.63 × 10⁻³⁴ | J s |
| Elementary charge | e | 1.60 × 10⁻¹⁹ | C |
| Electron mass | mₑ | 9.11 × 10⁻³¹ | kg |
| Proton mass | mₚ | 1.67 × 10⁻²⁷ | kg |
| Gravitational constant | G | 6.67 × 10⁻¹¹ | N m² kg⁻² |
| Permittivity of free space | ε₀ | 8.85 × 10⁻¹² | F m⁻¹ |
| Avogadro constant | Nₐ | 6.02 × 10²³ | mol⁻¹ |
| Molar gas constant | R | 8.31 | J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹ |
| Boltzmann constant | k | 1.38 × 10⁻²³ | J K⁻¹ |
| Stefan-Boltzmann constant | σ | 5.67 × 10⁻⁸ | W m⁻² K⁻⁴ |
| Acceleration due to gravity (Earth) | g | 9.81 | m s⁻² |
Edexcel also lists unit conversions on the first page: 1 eV = 1.60 × 10⁻¹⁹ J and 1 u = 1.66 × 10⁻²⁷ kg. Skim them every time you tackle a nuclear or particle question, because mixing units between joules and electron volts is one of the most common arithmetic slips in those topics.
Equation list by topic
The tables below cover the most exam-relevant equations from each topic in the Edexcel booklet. The full sheet has a handful of extra relationships that come up less often, but the ones below carry the bulk of the marks across Papers 1, 2 and 3.
Every equation in the booklet uses standard physics notation. Read each one alongside the variable list that follows it, because Edexcel occasionally uses a symbol like x for amplitude that other boards would write as A.
Mechanics
| Equation | Formula | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Equation of motion (velocity) | v = u + at | Initial velocity u, final velocity v |
| Equation of motion (displacement) | s = ut + ½at² | s is displacement |
| Equation of motion (no time) | v² = u² + 2as | Useful when t is unknown |
| Newton's second law | F = ma | F is the resultant force |
| Weight | W = mg | Near a planet's surface |
| Work done | W = Fs cos θ | θ between F and direction of motion |
| Kinetic energy | Eₖ = ½mv² | Translational kinetic energy |
| Gravitational PE (uniform g) | ΔEₚ = mgΔh | Only near Earth's surface |
| Power | P = E/t = Fv | Two useful forms |
| Efficiency | η = useful energy out / total energy in | Often given as a percentage |
| Momentum | p = mv | Conserved in closed systems |
| Impulse | FΔt = Δp | Force × time = change in momentum |
Electric circuits
| Equation | Formula | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Charge | Q = It | Coulombs |
| Potential difference (Ohm's law) | V = IR | Definition of resistance |
| Resistivity | R = ρL/A | ρ depends on the material |
| Electrical power | P = IV = I²R = V²/R | Three useful forms |
| Energy transferred | W = VIt | Joules |
| EMF and internal resistance | ε = I(R + r) | r is internal resistance |
Waves and particle nature of light
| Equation | Formula | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wave speed | v = fλ | v is wave speed, λ is wavelength |
| Refractive index | n = c / cₛ | cₛ is speed in the substance |
| Snell's law | n₁ sin θ₁ = n₂ sin θ₂ | Refraction at a boundary |
| Critical angle | sin C = 1/n | n is refractive index of the denser medium |
| Diffraction grating | n λ = d sin θ | n is the order of the maximum |
| Photon energy | E = hf = hc/λ | Two useful forms |
| Photoelectric equation | hf = φ + ½m vₘₐₓ² | φ is the work function |
| de Broglie wavelength | λ = h/p | p is momentum |
Materials and further mechanics
| Equation | Formula | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hooke's law | F = kΔx | k is the spring constant |
| Elastic strain energy | E = ½FΔx | Equivalent to ½k(Δx)² |
| Stress | σ = F/A | Force over cross-sectional area |
| Strain | ε = Δx/x | Extension over original length |
| Young modulus | E = σ/ε | Stress over strain |
| Centripetal acceleration | a = v²/r = ω²r | Always directed towards centre |
| Angular velocity | ω = 2π/T = 2πf | Radians per second |
| Centripetal force | F = mv²/r = mω²r | Net force, always inward |
Fields, oscillations and gravity
| Equation | Formula | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Capacitance | C = Q/V | Farads = coulombs per volt |
| Energy stored on capacitor | W = ½QV = ½CV² | Two useful forms |
| Capacitor discharge | Q = Q₀ e^(−t/RC) | RC is the time constant |
| Coulomb's law | F = (1/4πε₀)(Q₁Q₂/r²) | Inverse square law |
| Electric field (point charge) | E = (1/4πε₀)(Q/r²) | Radial field |
| Magnetic force on a wire | F = BIL sin θ | θ between B and current |
| Magnetic force on a charge | F = Bqv sin θ | θ between B and v |
| Faraday's law | ε = −dΦ/dt | Magnitude only at A-Level |
| Newton's gravitation | F = Gm₁m₂/r² | Inverse square law |
| Gravitational field strength | g = GM/r² | Radial field around a point mass |
| Gravitational potential | V = −GM/r | Always negative |
| SHM (defining) | a = −ω²x | Acceleration proportional to and opposite to displacement |
| SHM (displacement, cosine) | x = A cos(ωt) | When max displacement at t = 0 |
Thermal, nuclear and space physics
| Equation | Formula | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Specific heat capacity | ΔE = mcΔθ | θ is temperature change |
| Specific latent heat | ΔE = LΔm | L for fusion or vaporisation |
| Ideal gas equation | pV = NkT | Also pV = nRT |
| Kinetic theory of gases | pV = ⅓Nm⟨c²⟩ | N is number of molecules |
| Average KE of a molecule | ½m⟨c²⟩ = (3/2)kT | Links temperature to motion |
| Radioactive decay | N = N₀ e^(−λt) | λ is the decay constant |
| Activity | A = λN | Becquerels |
| Half-life relation | T_½ = ln 2 / λ | Time for activity to halve |
| Mass-energy equivalence | ΔE = c²Δm | Energy from nuclear reactions |
| Stefan-Boltzmann law | L = σAT⁴ | Total power radiated by a black body |
| Wien's law | λ_max T = 2.898 × 10⁻³ m K | Peak wavelength of a black body |
A common mistake Edexcel students make with the formulae sheet is treating it like a comfort blanket. The students who score top marks open it on the first question, treat it like a reference, and write the equation down before they substitute. Examiners give a method mark just for stating the correct equation, even if the arithmetic afterwards is wrong.
How to use the equation sheet effectively
Treat the booklet as a working document, not a safety net. The students who get the most from it have practised with it during their revision, not just on exam day.
The first habit is to download the official PDF from Pearson's website and print it out. Use it during every past paper attempt. Within a fortnight you will know roughly which page each topic sits on, which saves real seconds in the exam.
The second habit is writing the equation down at the start of every calculation. Examiners award substitution marks independently of arithmetic. Even if your final number is wrong, you still pick up marks for correctly identifying the equation and plugging numbers into it in the right order.
The third habit is checking units before you compute. The molar gas constant is in J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹, so kelvin and moles are mandatory. The Stefan-Boltzmann constant is in W m⁻² K⁻⁴, so temperatures again must be in kelvin. A kelvin-to-Celsius mistake here can knock an answer out by a factor of 10²⁰ in a black body question.
Common mistakes
The first common mistake is grabbing a similar-looking equation. Edexcel lists several equations involving ½mv², energy, and impulse close together. Underline what the question is asking for before you flick to the booklet, and the correct equation is much easier to spot.
The second is rearranging on the fly. Some booklet equations are only given in their canonical form. To find a different variable you have to rearrange on paper. Skipping this step on your calculator is where signs get lost and powers get inverted.
The third is failing to convert units. Electron volts, atomic mass units, and astronomical distances all need converting to SI before they go into a calculation. The booklet lists every conversion factor you need, and most candidates who lose marks here did not check the conversions page.
The fourth, which costs marks on Paper 2 specifically, is forgetting the minus sign on gravitational potential. The booklet writes V = −GM/r explicitly. Students copy the symbols and drop the sign. The mark scheme expects both magnitude and sign.
Edexcel A-Level Physics formulae sheet checklist
Build real fluency with the booklet before exam day. Tick these off over the final weeks of revision.
- Download the official List of Data, Formulae and Relationships PDF from Pearson
- Use it during every past paper attempt, not just for difficult topics
- Memorise where each topic sits in the booklet for fast navigation
- Write each equation down before substituting numbers
- Check units, especially for R, k, and σ where kelvin is required
- Practise rearranging the canonical form for every common equation
- Note the sign conventions for gravitational and electric potential
- Review the unit conversion page before any nuclear or particle question
