GCSE Physics equations: AQA and Edexcel

Both specifications split the equations into two lists: ones you are expected to recall, and ones you select from an equation sheet. AQA has 23 to recall and 12 on its sheet; Edexcel has 22 to recall and 11 on its formulae sheet. The Higher only equations are not needed for Foundation papers.

For exams from 2025, Ofqual requires exam boards to give students an equations sheet in GCSE Physics and Combined Science that includes the equations they would normally have to memorise, and in May 2026 it extended that to the rest of the current specifications. So you will have the equations in the exam, but you still need to know which one fits a question, rearrange it and use the right units quickly. Learning them is still the fastest way to do that.

Practise with marked questions

AQA 8463: equations to recall

AQA GCSE Physics equations to recall and apply
In words	Equation	Symbols and units	Tier
weight = mass × gravitational field strength	$W = mg$	$W$ N; $m$ kg; $g$ N/kg	Both
work done = force × distance (along the line of action of the force)	$W = Fs$	$W$ J; $F$ N; $s$ m	Both
force applied to a spring = spring constant × extension	$F = ke$	$F$ N; $k$ N/m; $e$ m	Both
moment of a force = force × distance (normal to direction of force)	$M = Fd$	$M$ N m; $F$ N; $d$ m	Both
pressure = force normal to a surface ÷ area of that surface	$p = \dfrac{F}{A}$	$p$ Pa; $F$ N; $A$ m²	Both
distance travelled = speed × time	$s = vt$	$s$ m; $v$ m/s; $t$ s	Both
acceleration = change in velocity ÷ time taken	$a = \dfrac{\Delta v}{t}$	$a$ m/s²; $\Delta v$ m/s; $t$ s	Both
resultant force = mass × acceleration	$F = ma$	$F$ N; $m$ kg; $a$ m/s²	Both
momentum = mass × velocity	$p = mv$	$p$ kg m/s; $m$ kg; $v$ m/s	Higher only
kinetic energy = 0.5 × mass × (speed)²	$E_k = \tfrac{1}{2}mv^2$	$E_k$ J; $m$ kg; $v$ m/s	Both
gravitational potential energy = mass × gravitational field strength × height	$E_p = mgh$	$E_p$ J; $m$ kg; $g$ N/kg; $h$ m	Both
power = energy transferred ÷ time	$P = \dfrac{E}{t}$	$P$ W; $E$ J; $t$ s	Both
power = work done ÷ time	$P = \dfrac{W}{t}$	$P$ W; $W$ J; $t$ s	Both
efficiency = useful output energy transfer ÷ total input energy transfer	No symbol form	No unit (a ratio or a percentage)	Both
efficiency = useful power output ÷ total power input	No symbol form	No unit (a ratio or a percentage)	Both
wave speed = frequency × wavelength	$v = f\lambda$	$v$ m/s; $f$ Hz; $\lambda$ m	Both
charge flow = current × time	$Q = It$	$Q$ C; $I$ A; $t$ s	Both
potential difference = current × resistance	$V = IR$	$V$ V; $I$ A; $R$ Ω	Both
power = potential difference × current	$P = VI$	$P$ W; $V$ V; $I$ A	Both
power = (current)² × resistance	$P = I^2R$	$P$ W; $I$ A; $R$ Ω	Both
energy transferred = power × time	$E = Pt$	$E$ J; $P$ W; $t$ s	Both
energy transferred = charge flow × potential difference	$E = QV$	$E$ J; $Q$ C; $V$ V	Both
density = mass ÷ volume	$\rho = \dfrac{m}{V}$	$\rho$ kg/m³; $m$ kg; $V$ m³	Both

AQA 8463: equations on the Physics equation sheet

AQA GCSE Physics equations given on the equation sheet
In words	Equation	Symbols and units	Tier
pressure due to a column of liquid = height of column × density of liquid × gravitational field strength	$p = h\rho g$	$p$ Pa; $h$ m; $\rho$ kg/m³; $g$ N/kg	Higher only
(final velocity)² − (initial velocity)² = 2 × acceleration × distance	$v^2 - u^2 = 2as$	$v, u$ m/s; $a$ m/s²; $s$ m	Both
force = change in momentum ÷ time taken	$F = \dfrac{m\Delta v}{\Delta t}$	$F$ N; $m\Delta v$ kg m/s; $\Delta t$ s	Higher only
elastic potential energy = 0.5 × spring constant × (extension)²	$E_e = \tfrac{1}{2}ke^2$	$E_e$ J; $k$ N/m; $e$ m	Both
change in thermal energy = mass × specific heat capacity × temperature change	$\Delta E = mc\Delta\theta$	$\Delta E$ J; $m$ kg; $c$ J/kg °C; $\Delta\theta$ °C	Both
period = 1 ÷ frequency	$T = \dfrac{1}{f}$	$T$ s; $f$ Hz	Both
magnification = image height ÷ object height	No symbol form	No unit (a ratio)	Both
force on a conductor (at right angles to a magnetic field) carrying a current = magnetic flux density × current × length	$F = BIl$	$F$ N; $B$ T; $I$ A; $l$ m	Higher only
thermal energy for a change of state = mass × specific latent heat	$E = mL$	$E$ J; $m$ kg; $L$ J/kg	Both
p.d. across primary coil ÷ p.d. across secondary coil = turns on primary ÷ turns on secondary	$\dfrac{V_p}{V_s} = \dfrac{n_p}{n_s}$	$V_p, V_s$ V	Higher only
p.d. across primary × current in primary = p.d. across secondary × current in secondary	$V_pI_p = V_sI_s$	$V$ V; $I$ A	Higher only
for gases: pressure × volume = constant (fixed mass at constant temperature)	$pV = \text{constant}$	$p$ Pa; $V$ m³	Both

Edexcel 1PH0: equations to recall (list a)

Edexcel uses its own symbols in places: $x$ for distance and extension, $E$ for work done, and $P$ for pressure. Equations marked Physics only are not in Combined Science.

Edexcel GCSE Physics equations to recall and apply
In words	Equation	Symbols and units	Tier
distance travelled = average speed × time	No symbol form	distance m; speed m/s; time s	Both
acceleration = change in velocity ÷ time taken	$a = \dfrac{v - u}{t}$	$a$ m/s²; $v, u$ m/s; $t$ s	Both
force = mass × acceleration	$F = m \times a$	$F$ N; $m$ kg; $a$ m/s²	Both
weight = mass × gravitational field strength	$W = m \times g$	$W$ N; $m$ kg; $g$ N/kg	Both
momentum = mass × velocity	$p = m \times v$	$p$ kg m/s; $m$ kg; $v$ m/s	Higher only
change in gravitational potential energy = mass × gravitational field strength × change in vertical height	$\Delta GPE = m \times g \times \Delta h$	$GPE$ J; $m$ kg; $g$ N/kg; $h$ m	Both
kinetic energy = ½ × mass × (speed)²	$KE = \tfrac{1}{2} \times m \times v^2$	$KE$ J; $m$ kg; $v$ m/s	Both
efficiency = useful energy transferred by the device ÷ total energy supplied to the device	No symbol form	No unit (a ratio or a percentage)	Both
wave speed = frequency × wavelength	$v = f \times \lambda$	$v$ m/s; $f$ Hz; $\lambda$ m	Both
wave speed = distance ÷ time	$v = \dfrac{x}{t}$	$v$ m/s; $x$ m; $t$ s	Both
work done = force × distance moved in the direction of the force	$E = F \times d$	$E$ J; $F$ N; $d$ m	Both
power = work done ÷ time taken	$P = \dfrac{E}{t}$	$P$ W; $E$ J; $t$ s	Both
moment of a force = force × distance normal to the direction of the force (Physics only)	No symbol form	moment N m; force N; distance m	Both
energy transferred = charge moved × potential difference	$E = Q \times V$	$E$ J; $Q$ C; $V$ V	Both
charge = current × time	$Q = I \times t$	$Q$ C; $I$ A; $t$ s	Both
potential difference = current × resistance	$V = I \times R$	$V$ V; $I$ A; $R$ Ω	Both
power = energy transferred ÷ time taken	$P = \dfrac{E}{t}$	$P$ W; $E$ J; $t$ s	Both
electrical power = current × potential difference	$P = I \times V$	$P$ W; $I$ A; $V$ V	Both
electrical power = current squared × resistance	$P = I^2 \times R$	$P$ W; $I$ A; $R$ Ω	Both
density = mass ÷ volume	$\rho = \dfrac{m}{V}$	$\rho$ kg/m³; $m$ kg; $V$ m³	Both
force exerted on a spring = spring constant × extension	$F = k \times x$	$F$ N; $k$ N/m; $x$ m	Both
pressure = force normal to surface ÷ area of surface (Physics only)	$P = \dfrac{F}{A}$	$P$ Pa; $F$ N; $A$ m²	Both

Edexcel 1PH0: equations on the formulae sheet (list b)

Edexcel prints list b at the end of each paper. Higher only equations are left off the Foundation tier sheet.

Edexcel GCSE Physics equations given on the formulae sheet
In words	Equation	Symbols and units	Tier
(final velocity)² − (initial velocity)² = 2 × acceleration × distance	$v^2 - u^2 = 2 \times a \times x$	$v, u$ m/s; $a$ m/s²; $x$ m	Both
force = change in momentum ÷ time	$F = \dfrac{mv - mu}{t}$	$F$ N; $m$ kg; $v, u$ m/s; $t$ s	Higher only
energy transferred = current × potential difference × time	$E = I \times V \times t$	$E$ J; $I$ A; $V$ V; $t$ s	Both
force on a conductor at right angles to a magnetic field carrying a current = magnetic flux density × current × length	$F = B \times I \times l$	$F$ N; $B$ T; $I$ A; $l$ m	Higher only
p.d. across primary coil ÷ p.d. across secondary coil = turns in primary ÷ turns in secondary (Physics only)	$\dfrac{V_p}{V_s} = \dfrac{N_p}{N_s}$	$V$ V	Higher only
for a 100% efficient transformer: p.d. across primary × current in primary = p.d. across secondary × current in secondary	$V_P \times I_P = V_S \times I_S$	$V$ V; $I$ A	Both
change in thermal energy = mass × specific heat capacity × change in temperature	$\Delta Q = m \times c \times \Delta\theta$	$Q$ J; $m$ kg; $c$ J/kg °C; $\theta$ °C	Both
thermal energy for a change of state = mass × specific latent heat	$Q = m \times L$	$Q$ J; $m$ kg; $L$ J/kg	Both
pressure and volume of a fixed mass of gas at constant temperature (Physics only)	$P_1 \times V_1 = P_2 \times V_2$	$P$ Pa; $V$ m³	Both
energy transferred in stretching = 0.5 × spring constant × (extension)²	$E = \tfrac{1}{2} \times k \times x^2$	$E$ J; $k$ N/m; $x$ m	Both
pressure due to a column of liquid = height of column × density of liquid × gravitational field strength (Physics only)	$P = h \times \rho \times g$	$P$ Pa; $h$ m; $\rho$ kg/m³; $g$ N/kg	Higher only

Using an equation in the exam

Write the equation first, then substitute, then give the answer with its unit. Marks are usually given for each step, so a correct equation and substitution can still score if the arithmetic slips.

Convert to SI units before you substitute: kJ to J, g to kg, cm to m, minutes to seconds. A common lost mark is a power in watts worked out from a time in minutes.

Rearrange before you substitute when the unknown is not the subject, for example $v = \sqrt{2E_k / m}$ from $E_k = \tfrac{1}{2}mv^2$ .

Practise these with marked questions

Exam-style questions for every topic, free to read. Answer them online and Exaim marks each answer against the mark scheme, showing which marks you earned.