MCAT Physics Equations
PremedHQ Science Academy
Welcome to the Physics Section of PreMed HQ's MCAT Prep Course
My name is Dave Carlson and I'll be your instructor for this section. In this introduction, we will go through the core physics formulas that you need to know for the MCAT. Instead of just memorizing these formulas, I have created a flow chart to help you understand how they relate to each other and to the major SI units that we will be using. This flow chart will also help us analyze common graphs in the physics section of the MCAT.
Flow Chart of Core Physics Formulas
X (or position) - Distance or change in position over time gives you velocity
Velocity - Change in velocity over time gives you acceleration
Acceleration - Fundamental qualities in physics
Momentum - Mass times velocity
Force - F = ma
Work - Force times distance
Power - Change in work over time or force times velocity
Impulse - Change in momentum or force times difference in time
These formulas are relevant for the MCAT. Understanding impulse is important when dealing with padding or nets that lengthen the time of a collision. Power is also important as it relates to mechanics, kinematics, and electricity. It can be described as the change in energy over time.
Unit Strategy
Using units can be helpful in solving physics problems. It provides clues on how to approach the problem and can help you remember the formulas. Here is a chart that shows the units for each quantity:
Unit Chart
By understanding the units, you can easily derive the major units used in mechanics problems.
Impulse and Momentum Formulas
Impulse formulas can be memorized by associating them with the phrase "I am fat":
Impulse - Delta M or F Delta T
Momentum - Mass times velocity
Remembering these formulas will help you in the MCAT
