The OCR Gateway Physics A and Combined Science A equation lists in full: the word equations to recall, the ones on the equation sheet, which are Higher tier only and which are Physics A only.
What you will learn
- Say which OCR equations you must recall and which are on the equation sheet
- Spot the Higher tier only and Physics A only equations
- Complete OCR's word equations
- Rearrange and use the OCR recall equations
Recall these (OCR)
OCR writes its equations in words.
Learn the words: they tell you which quantities each equation links. The symbols are the usual ones; if a paper uses other letters, go by the words.
| Word equation | Symbols | Units |
|---|---|---|
| force = mass × acceleration | F = m a | N, kg, m/s² |
| kinetic energy = 0.5 × mass × (speed)² | KE = ½ m v² | J, kg, m/s |
| momentum = mass × velocity (Higher) | p = m v | kg m/s, kg, m/s |
| work done = force × distance (along the line of action of the force) | W = F d | J, N, m |
| power = work done ÷ time | P = W ÷ t | W, J, s |
| efficiency = output energy transfer ÷ input energy transfer (the useful output) | no symbol | no unit, or × 100 for % |
| gravity force = mass × gravitational field strength | W = m g | N, kg, N/kg |
| in a gravity field: potential energy = mass × height × gravitational field strength | PE = m h g | J, kg, m, N/kg |
| force exerted by a spring = extension × spring constant | F = k x | N, m, N/m |
| moment of a force = force × distance (normal to the direction of the force) (Physics A only) | M = F d | N m, N, m |
| distance travelled = speed × time | s = v t | m, m/s, s |
| acceleration = change in velocity ÷ time | a = Δv ÷ t | m/s², m/s, s |
| wave speed = frequency × wavelength | v = f λ | m/s, Hz, m |
| charge flow = current × time | Q = I t | C, A, s |
| potential difference = current × resistance | V = I R | V, A, Ω |
| power = potential difference × current = (current)² × resistance | P = V I = I² R | W, V, A, Ω |
| energy transferred = power × time = charge flow × potential difference | E = P t = Q V | J, W, s, C, V |
| density = mass ÷ volume | ρ = m ÷ V | kg/m³, kg, m³ |
| pressure = force normal to a surface ÷ area of that surface (Physics A only) | p = F ÷ A | Pa, N, m² |
This recall list is the one in the national subject content that the OCR Gateway specifications are built on; check your board's published list for its exact wording.
Ofqual requires the boards to give an equation sheet in GCSE Physics and Combined Science exams from 2025 for the life of the current specifications (decisions updated 13 Nov 2024 and 5 May 2026). Check the sheet for your own exam series. Knowing which list an equation is on still tells you which ones to know by heart, so you can pick them out quickly.
The rest of this lesson and its 12 practice questions are locked.
In this lesson
- Recall these (OCR)
- On the equation sheet (OCR)
- Using the word equations
12 practice questions, marked as you go; about 25 minutes in all.
In this unit: Required practicals, maths skills and the equations
The skills every physics paper tests: units and standard form, uncertainty and errors, planning, graphs, the equations and the required practicals side by side.
- Units, prefixes and standard form
- Measurements, uncertainty and errors
- Variables, planning and risk
- Graphs: gradients, intercepts and areas
- The equations: learn, choose and rearrange
- The required practicals side by side
- Equation list B: recall and the formulae sheet
- Equation list C: word equations, recall and the equation sheet