UK examsA-level
AQA A-level Physics data and formulae sheet (7408): what is on it and what is not
A-level Physics: Year 1
Start today's paperA-level Physics: Year 2
Start today's paperPapers reset in
Formula sheet
The card below opens today's A-level Physics paper with this sheet in the drawer, so you practise the way you will sit the exam. The contents follow, grouped like the real booklet in our own layout and words. Check against AQA's Physics data and formulae before you rely on anything here.
Formula sheet
Open formula sheetA-level Physics: Year 1
Fundamental constants and values
| Quantity | Symbol | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| speed of light in a vacuum | c | 3.00 × 10⁸ | m s⁻¹ |
| permeability of free space | μ₀ | 4π × 10⁻⁷ | H m⁻¹ |
| permittivity of free space | ε₀ | 8.85 × 10⁻¹² | F m⁻¹ |
| magnitude of the charge of an electron | e | 1.60 × 10⁻¹⁹ | C |
| the Planck constant | h | 6.63 × 10⁻³⁴ | J s |
| gravitational constant | G | 6.67 × 10⁻¹¹ | N m² kg⁻² |
| the Avogadro constant | NA | 6.02 × 10²³ | mol⁻¹ |
| molar gas constant | R | 8.31 | J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹ |
| the Boltzmann constant | k | 1.38 × 10⁻²³ | J K⁻¹ |
| the Stefan constant | σ | 5.67 × 10⁻⁸ | W m⁻² K⁻⁴ |
| the Wien constant | α | 2.90 × 10⁻³ | m K |
| electron rest mass | mₑ | 9.11 × 10⁻³¹ | kg |
| electron charge to mass ratio | e/mₑ | 1.76 × 10¹¹ | C kg⁻¹ |
| proton rest mass | mₚ | 1.673 × 10⁻²⁷ | kg |
| proton charge to mass ratio | e/mₚ | 9.58 × 10⁷ | C kg⁻¹ |
| neutron rest mass | mₙ | 1.675 × 10⁻²⁷ | kg |
| gravitational field strength | g | 9.81 | N kg⁻¹ |
| acceleration due to gravity | g | 9.81 | m s⁻² |
| atomic mass unit | u | 1.661 × 10⁻²⁷ | kg |
Astronomical data
| Body | Mass / kg | Mean radius / m |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | 1.99 × 10³⁰ | 6.96 × 10⁸ |
| Earth | 5.97 × 10²⁴ | 6.37 × 10⁶ |
Photons and energy levels
E=hf=\frac{hc}{\lambda}photon energy
hf=\phi+E_{k(max)}photoelectric equation
hf=E_1-E_2energy levels
\lambda=\frac{h}{p}de Broglie wavelength
Waves
v=f\lambdawave speed
f=\frac{1}{T}frequency and period
f=\frac{1}{2l}\sqrt{\frac{T}{\mu}}first harmonic on a string
w=\frac{\lambda D}{s}double slit fringe spacing
d\sin\theta=n\lambdadiffraction grating
n=\frac{c}{v}refractive index
n_1\sin\theta_1=n_2\sin\theta_2law of refraction
\sin C=\frac{n_2}{n_1}critical angle (n₁ > n₂)
Mechanics
\text{moment}=Fxmoment
v=u+atfinal velocity
s=\frac{1}{2}(u+v)tdisplacement from the average velocity
v^2=u^2+2asvelocity without time
s=ut+\frac{1}{2}at^2displacement from the start velocity
F=maresultant force
F=\frac{\Delta p}{\Delta t}force as the rate of change of momentum
F\Delta t=\Delta pimpulse
W=Fs\cos\thetawork done
E_k=\frac{1}{2}mv^2kinetic energy
\Delta E_p=mg\Delta hchange in gravitational potential energy
P=\frac{W}{t}power
P=Fvpower from force and velocity
\text{efficiency}=\frac{\text{useful output}}{\text{total input}}efficiency
Materials
\rho=\frac{m}{V}density
F=kxHooke's law
E=\frac{\sigma}{\varepsilon}Young modulus
\sigma=\frac{F}{A}tensile stress
\varepsilon=\frac{\Delta L}{L}tensile strain
E=\frac{1}{2}F\Delta Lenergy stored in a stretched material
Electricity
I=\frac{\Delta Q}{\Delta t}current
V=\frac{W}{Q}potential difference
R=\frac{V}{I}resistance
R=\frac{\rho L}{A}resistivity
R_T=R_1+R_2+R_3+\cdotsresistors in series
\frac{1}{R_T}=\frac{1}{R_1}+\frac{1}{R_2}+\frac{1}{R_3}+\cdotsresistors in parallel
P=VI=I^2R=\frac{V^2}{R}electrical power
\varepsilon=\frac{E}{Q}emf
\varepsilon=I(R+r)emf and internal resistance
Circular motion
\omega=\frac{2\pi}{T}=2\pi fangular speed
a=\frac{v^2}{r}=\omega^2rcentripetal acceleration
F=\frac{mv^2}{r}=m\omega^2rcentripetal force
Simple harmonic motion
a=-\omega^2xacceleration in simple harmonic motion
x=A\cos\omega tdisplacement in simple harmonic motion
v=\pm\omega\sqrt{A^2-x^2}speed in simple harmonic motion
v_{max}=\omega Amaximum speed
a_{max}=\omega^2Amaximum acceleration
T=2\pi\sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}period of a mass on a spring
T=2\pi\sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}period of a simple pendulum
Thermal physics
Q=mc\Delta\thetaenergy to change temperature
Q=mlenergy to change state
pV=nRTideal gas equation, moles
pV=NkTideal gas equation, molecules
pV=\frac{1}{3}Nm\overline{c^2}kinetic theory of gases
\frac{1}{2}m\overline{c^2}=\frac{3}{2}kT=\frac{3RT}{2N_A}mean kinetic energy of a gas molecule
Gravitational fields
F=\frac{Gm_1m_2}{r^2}gravitational force between two masses
g=\frac{F}{m}gravitational field strength
g=\frac{GM}{r^2}gravitational field strength of a point mass
\Delta W=m\Delta Vwork done in a gravitational field
V=-\frac{GM}{r}gravitational potential
g=-\frac{\Delta V}{\Delta r}field strength from potential
Electric fields and capacitors
F=\frac{Q_1Q_2}{4\pi\varepsilon_0r^2}force between two point charges
F=EQforce on a charge
E=\frac{V}{d}uniform electric field
E=\frac{Q}{4\pi\varepsilon_0r^2}electric field of a point charge
V=\frac{Q}{4\pi\varepsilon_0r}electric potential of a point charge
C=\frac{Q}{V}capacitance
C=\frac{A\varepsilon_0\varepsilon_r}{d}parallel plate capacitor
E=\frac{1}{2}QV=\frac{1}{2}CV^2=\frac{Q^2}{2C}energy stored in a capacitor
Q=Q_0\left(1-e^{-t/RC}\right)capacitor charging
Q=Q_0e^{-t/RC}capacitor discharge
RCtime constant
Magnetic fields
F=BIlforce on a current
F=BQvforce on a moving charge
\Phi=BAmagnetic flux
N\Phi=BAN\cos\thetaflux linkage
\varepsilon=-N\frac{\Delta\Phi}{\Delta t}induced emf
\varepsilon=BAN\omega\sin\omega temf induced in a rotating coil
I_{rms}=\frac{I_0}{\sqrt{2}},\quad V_{rms}=\frac{V_0}{\sqrt{2}}root mean square values
\frac{N_s}{N_p}=\frac{V_s}{V_p}transformer
\text{efficiency}=\frac{I_sV_s}{I_pV_p}transformer efficiency
Nuclear physics
I=\frac{k}{x^2}inverse square law for gamma radiation
\frac{\Delta N}{\Delta t}=-\lambda N,\quad N=N_0e^{-\lambda t}radioactive decay
A=\lambda Nactivity
T_{1/2}=\frac{\ln2}{\lambda}half-life
R=R_0A^{1/3}nuclear radius
E=mc^2energy-mass equation
Option topics
The booklet closes with data and equations for the five option topics, all of them in the drawer, summarised here by topic.
| Option | What it gives |
|---|---|
| Astrophysics | astronomical unit, light year, parsec, Hubble constant, telescope, Rayleigh criterion, magnitude, Wien and Stefan laws, Schwarzschild radius, Doppler shift and red shift |
| Medical physics | lens equations, threshold of hearing, intensity level, absorption and ultrasound impedance, effective half-life |
| Engineering physics | moment of inertia, angular kinetic energy and motion, torque, thermodynamics, heat engines, heat pumps |
| Turning points in physics | electrons in fields, Millikan, Maxwell's formula, de Broglie, special relativity |
| Electronics | resonant frequency, Q-factor, operational amplifiers, bandwidth for AM and FM |
Gaps in the AQA booklet
- No equation for current in a conductor (I = nAvq), no pressure equation and no Stokes' law. They come from your own revision.
- No definitions and no units next to the equations. The constants carry units; the equations do not.
- Option equations for topics you did not study. The last pages cover all five options, but you answer only the one you were taught.
Working with the 7408 booklet
Version 1.5 opens with a table of fundamental constants and the astronomical data for the Sun and Earth, followed by the particle physics tables and then the equations by topic. Learn that order: constants, particle tables, then photons, waves, mechanics and on through the course.
Note that g appears twice, as 9.81 N kg⁻¹ and as 9.81 m s⁻². Both are on the sheet, so use whichever matches the units in your working.
Work out a photon energy from its frequency or wavelength, in units of 10^-19 J.
Press Mark to have your answer marked in the Light & Energy course.
Worked example: the photoelectric effect
Light of frequency 1.2 × 10¹⁵ Hz falls on a metal with a work function of 4.0 × 10⁻¹⁹ J. Find the maximum kinetic energy of the electrons, using h from the booklet.
E_{k(max)}=hf-\phi=(6.63\times10^{-34})(1.2\times10^{15})-4.0\times10^{-19}=3.96\times10^{-19}\ \text{J}
The photon carries 7.96 × 10⁻¹⁹ J and the electron keeps about half. The usual slip is to quote hf as the answer.
The AQA sheet and the other boards
| Board | Sheet | What it holds |
|---|---|---|
| AQA (this guide) | A-level Physics data and formulae (7408), version 1.5 | Constants and astronomical data, equations by topic, then five option sections |
| Edexcel | List of data, formulae and relationships (9PH0), Issue 3, November 2022 | Fourteen data values, then equations in twelve sections from Mechanics to Oscillations |
| OCR A | Data, Formulae and Relationships Booklet (H156, H556), 8 pages | Constants, conversion factors and maths equations, then equations by module; no kinetic energy line |
| Eduqas | Data Booklet, A level component 3 (2019 paper) | Values and conversions, one list of equations, options A to D, and maths information |
| WJEC | Data Booklet, A2 unit 3 (2019 paper) | The same layout as Eduqas, without the option sections |
| CCEA | Data and formulae sheet for A2 Units 1 and 2 (APH11, APH21) | Constants and a short list of "useful formulae"; the Hubble constant is given as about 2.4 × 10⁻¹⁸ s⁻¹ |
AQA's is the only sheet here with an astronomical data table and with five option sections: astrophysics, medical physics, engineering physics, turning points and electronics. Edexcel and OCR print no options.
Exam answers
You will find our own worked answers after marking a daily paper. They are written for this site and are not AQA's.
Daily papers to try with the AQA sheet
Both daily tracks, A-level Physics 1 and Physics 2, are 8-question papers. They are far shorter than a 7408 paper, so expect to finish quickly and spend the spare minutes checking which booklet entry you used.
Slips with the AQA booklet
- Using the astronomical data from memory instead of the table.
- Reading a radioactive decay line without noticing it has two forms.
- Taking F = BIl as the full force when the angle is not 90°.
Common questions
Do you get a data sheet in AQA A-level Physics?
Yes. AQA publishes A-level Physics data and formulae for use in exams from the June 2017 series onwards.
What is in the AQA A-level Physics data and formulae booklet?
Fundamental constants, astronomical data, particle physics tables, equations for each topic, and data and equations for the optional topics.
Does the AQA booklet define the symbols?
No. It prints equations and data, so you need to know what each symbol means.
What is not on the AQA data sheet?
Definitions, units for the equations, derivations, and some equations such as current in a conductor and Stokes' law.
Is the AQA physics data sheet the same as Edexcel or OCR?
No. Each board prints its own, with different constants, layouts and equations.
Revision cards
Say the answer first, then flip the card to check it.
Where to go next
- Solve it
Half Life Calculator
Calculate radioactive decay and half-life
Open the tool - Learn it
Light & Energy
Waves, photons and the electromagnetic spectrum explained
Start the course - Test it
A-level Physics: Year 1
A new exam-style paper every day, with instant marking and a mark scheme
Start today's paper
Read next
UK · A-levelA-Level Physics 2027: Data Booklet, Papers, Grade BoundariesA-level Physics for AQA, OCR and Edexcel: the data and formulae booklet, every paper, 2027 exam dates, June 2026 grade boundaries and worked examples.