Australian examsWACE

WACE Physics ATAR formulae and data booklet: every equation and constant

Published 12 Nov 20266 min read

Year 12 Physics

Year 11 Physics

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Formula sheet

The card below opens today's Year 12 Physics paper with the booklet in a drawer. The contents follow in our own layout. SCSA publishes the 2026 booklet on the Physics course page, so check any value against it before you rely on it.

Formula sheet

Year 12 Physics

Open formula sheet

Static equilibrium and centre of mass

\tau=rF\sin\thetamoment of a force, where θ is the angle between the force and the lever arm

\Sigma F=0\quad\tau=rF\sin\theta\quad\Sigma\tau=0static equilibrium

Circular motion, gravity and relativity

v=\frac{2\pi r}{T}circular motion: speed

a_c=\frac{v^2}{r}circular motion: acceleration

F_c=ma_c=\frac{mv^2}{r}circular motion: resultant force

E_p=mg\Delta h\quad W=\Delta E\quad E_k=\frac{1}{2}mv^2conservation of energy

F_g=G\frac{m_1m_2}{r^2}Newton's law of universal gravitation

F_{net}=maforce

F_{weight}=mgweight

E_p=mg\Delta h\quad W=Fs\quad W=\Delta E\quad E_k=\frac{1}{2}mv^2work done

g=\frac{F_g}{m}=G\frac{m}{r^2}gravitational field strength

\frac{T^2}{r^3}=\frac{4\pi^2}{GM}Kepler's third law

v=\frac{s}{\Delta t}\quad a=\frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t}=\frac{v_f-v_i}{t_f-t_i}\quad v_f=v_i+a\Delta tequations of motion: speed and acceleration

s=v_i\Delta t+\frac{1}{2}a\Delta t^2\quad v_f^2=v_i^2+2as\quad p=mvequations of motion: displacement and momentum

\ell'=\ell\sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}}length contraction

\Delta t'=\frac{\Delta t}{\sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}}}time dilation

u=\frac{u'+v}{1+\frac{u'v}{c^2}}\quad u'=\frac{u-v}{1-\frac{uv}{c^2}}relativistic velocity addition

Electromagnetism

\Delta V=\frac{W}{q}work and energy

F=\frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0}\frac{q_1q_2}{r^2}Coulomb's law

E=\frac{F}{q}electric field strength

E=\frac{\Delta V}{d}electric field between parallel plates

B=\frac{\mu_0}{2\pi}\frac{I}{r}magnetic flux density near a long wire

F=qvB\sin\thetamagnetic force on a charged particle

F=I\ell B\sin\thetamagnetic force on a current-carrying conductor

\tau=rF\sin\thetatorque on a coil

\Phi=BA_{\perp}magnetic flux

\varepsilon=\ell vB\sin\thetainduced emf from motion

\varepsilon=-N\frac{\Delta\Phi}{\Delta t}=-N\frac{\Delta BA_{\perp}}{\Delta t}induced emf from changing flux

\varepsilon_{max}=2N\ell vB=2\pi NBAfAC generator, maximum emf

\varepsilon_{rms}=\frac{\varepsilon_{max}}{\sqrt{2}}rms emf

V=IROhm's law

I=\frac{q}{t}electric current

\frac{V_p}{V_s}=\frac{N_p}{N_s}transformer voltage ratio

P=VI=I^2R=\frac{V^2}{R}electrical power

Particle accelerators

E=\frac{F}{q}=\frac{\Delta V}{d}\quad\Delta V=\frac{W}{q}\quad\frac{mv^2}{r}=qvBmotion of charged particles

a=\frac{\Delta v}{\Delta t}\quad v_f=v_i+a\Delta t\quad s=v_i\Delta t+\frac{1}{2}a\Delta t^2\quad v_f^2=v_i^2+2as\quad p=mvkinematics in an accelerator

p=\frac{mv}{\sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}}}relativistic momentum

E=\frac{mc^2}{\sqrt{1-\frac{v^2}{c^2}}}mass-energy equivalence

E_{rest}=mc^2\quad E_k=E-E_{rest}rest energy and kinetic energy

E^2=p^2c^2+m^2c^4energy-momentum relation

Wave particle duality and the quantum theory

T=\frac{1}{f}wave period

c=f\lambdawave equation

E=hf=\frac{hc}{\lambda}\quad E=pcenergy of a photon

E_k=hf-\phiphotoelectric effect, where φ is the work function

\Delta E=hf\quad E_2-E_1=hfenergy transitions

\lambda=\frac{h}{p}de Broglie wavelength

Cosmology

v=H_0dHubble's law

Physical data

Quantity	Symbol	Value	Unit
mean acceleration due to gravity on Earth	g	9.80	m s⁻²
mean acceleration due to gravity on the Moon	gM	1.62	m s⁻²
mean radius of the Earth	RE	6.37×10⁶	m
mass of the Earth	ME	5.97×10²⁴	kg
mean radius of the Sun	RS	6.96×10⁸	m
mass of the Sun	MS	1.99×10³⁰	kg
mean radius of the Moon	RM	1.74×10⁶	m
mass of the Moon	MM	7.35×10²²	kg
mean Earth-Moon distance		3.84×10⁸	m
mean Earth-Sun distance		1.50×10¹¹	m (1.00 AU)
mass of an electron	me	9.11×10⁻³¹	kg
mass of a proton	mp	1.67×10⁻²⁷	kg
tonne	1.00 t	10³	kg

Physical constants

Quantity	Symbol	Value	Unit
speed of light in vacuum or air	c	3.00×10⁸	m s⁻¹
electron charge	e	-1.60×10⁻¹⁹	C
Planck constant	h	6.63×10⁻³⁴	J s
Newtonian constant of gravitation	G	6.67×10⁻¹¹	N m² kg⁻²
electric constant	ε0	8.85×10⁻¹²	C² N⁻¹ m⁻²
magnetic constant	μ0	4π×10⁻⁷	N A⁻² (1.26 × 10⁻⁶)

Conversions

Quantity	Symbol	Value	Unit
electron volt	1.00 eV	1.60×10⁻¹⁹	J
light year	1.00 ly	9.46×10¹²	km
megaparsec	1.00 Mpc	3.09×10¹⁹	km (3.26 × 10⁶ ly)

Prefixes of the metric system

Factor	Prefix	Symbol	Factor	Prefix	Symbol
10¹²	tera	T	10⁻³	milli	m
10⁹	giga	G	10⁻⁶	micro	μ
10⁶	mega	M	10⁻⁹	nano	n
10³	kilo	k	10⁻¹²	pico	p

Mathematical expressions

x=\frac{-b\pm\sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}quadratic equation: ax² + bx + c = 0

\frac{a}{\sin A}=\frac{b}{\sin B}=\frac{c}{\sin C}sine rule for a triangle ABC

a=\sqrt{b^2+c^2-2bc\cos A}cosine rule for a triangle ABC

How the exam works with the booklet

The 2026 Physics ATAR examination front cover says the supervisor provides the question/answer booklet and the Formulae and Data booklet:

Item	Detail
Reading time	10 minutes before commencing work
Working time	3 hours
Calculators	Up to three, which cannot create or store programs or text
Other items	Drawing templates, a drawing compass and a protractor
Provided	The Formulae and Data booklet

Our HSC physics formula sheet guide shows how New South Wales differs, and the QCE physics sheet guide covers Queensland.

What is not in the WACE Physics booklet

Symbol meanings and units. Only a few equations say what θ or φ is. The rest assume you know u, s and N.
Conservation of momentum and impulse. The booklet has p = mv but no lines for collisions or F Δt.
Refraction and Snell's law. Only the wave equation and period are in the waves part.
Standing waves and Doppler shift. Not given.
Series and parallel resistance. Ohm's law and the power equations are given, but not the combination rules.
Photoelectric stopping voltage and energy levels in hydrogen. The photoelectric line is given, but not stopping potential or the Rydberg formula.
Rearrangements and worked units. Each line appears in one form.

How to use the booklet in the exam

Read the 10 minutes of reading time for the question stems and mark the section of the booklet each one needs.
Take constants from the booklet and match the significant figures: g is 9.80, c is 3.00 × 10⁸ and h is 6.63 × 10⁻³⁴.
Write the equation, then the substitution, then the answer with a unit.
Convert units first: eV to J, nm to m, km to m.

Example 1: a low orbit

A satellite orbits the Earth once every 5,400 s. Kepler's third law with G and the Earth's mass from the booklet gives the orbital radius:

r=\left(\frac{GMT^2}{4\pi^2}\right)^{\frac{1}{3}}=\left(\frac{6.67\times10^{-11}\times5.97\times10^{24}\times5400^2}{4\pi^2}\right)^{\frac{1}{3}}=6.65\times10^{6}\ \text{m}

Subtracting the Earth's mean radius of 6.37 × 10⁶ m leaves an altitude of 2.8 × 10⁵ m, or 280 km. The radius in the formula is from the centre of the Earth.

Example 2: an electron in a magnetic field

An electron moving at 2.0 × 10⁶ m s⁻¹ crosses a 0.10 T field at right angles. The circular motion and magnetic force lines combine as mv²/r = qvB, so:

r=\frac{mv}{qB}=\frac{9.11\times10^{-31}\times2.0\times10^{6}}{1.60\times10^{-19}\times0.10}=1.14\times10^{-4}\ \text{m}

That is 0.114 mm. The booklet gives both lines in its particle accelerators section, so it is clear which two to link.

Example 3: photon energy

Red light has a wavelength of 620 nm. The photon energy line gives:

E=\frac{hc}{\lambda}=\frac{6.63\times10^{-34}\times3.00\times10^{8}}{620\times10^{-9}}=3.21\times10^{-19}\ \text{J}

Dividing by 1.60 × 10⁻¹⁹ J per eV from the conversions list gives 2.01 eV. Learn how photons work in the Light and Energy course.

Practise with the booklet open

Our Year 12 Physics daily paper is a short timed paper of 8 questions worth 25 to 35 marks. It is not a SCSA paper. Use it as a short mock with the booklet open and a calculator. Year 11 Physics covers the earlier units.

Exam answers

The answers and a worked mark scheme come with today's paper once it is marked. They show which line of the sheet each question wanted. We do not publish official answers, past paper answers or leaked papers.

Common questions

Do you get a formula sheet in WACE Physics?

Yes. The supervisor provides the Formulae and Data booklet with the Physics ATAR examination.

How long is the WACE Physics exam?

Ten minutes of reading time and three hours of working time.

What value of g does the booklet use?

9.80 m s⁻² for Earth and 1.62 m s⁻² for the Moon.

Can I use a calculator in WACE Physics?

Up to three calculators that cannot create or store programs or text are permitted.

Does the booklet include the electromagnetic spectrum?

Yes. It has a chart of wavelength and frequency regions on page 5.

Revision cards

Say the answer first, then flip the card to check it.

Where to go next

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Circular Motion Calculator
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WACE Physics ATAR formulae and data booklet: every equation and constant

Year 12 Physics

Year 11 Physics

Formula sheet

Year 12 Physics

Static equilibrium and centre of mass

Circular motion, gravity and relativity

Electromagnetism

Particle accelerators

Wave particle duality and the quantum theory

Cosmology

Physical data

Physical constants

Conversions

Prefixes of the metric system

Mathematical expressions

How the exam works with the booklet

What is not in the WACE Physics booklet

How to use the booklet in the exam

Example 1: a low orbit

Example 2: an electron in a magnetic field

Example 3: photon energy

Practise with the booklet open

Exam answers

Common questions

Revision cards

Where to go next

Circular Motion Calculator

Particles

Year 12 Physics