Free Printable Worksheets for learning Physics at the College level

Physics is a fundamental science that studies the behavior and interactions of matter and energy. It is the study of the physical universe, from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies. Physics seeks to explain the natural world by uncovering the laws that govern the behavior of matter and energy. It is a highly interdisciplinary field that draws on mathematics, chemistry, and biology to understand the behavior of matter and energy. Physics is used to study the structure of matter, the forces that act upon it, and the energy it contains. Physics also examines the nature of space and time, and the behavior of light, sound, and other forms of radiation. By understanding the physical laws that govern the universe, physicists can develop technologies to improve the quality of life, such as medical imaging, renewable energy sources, and advanced materials. Physics is an essential part of our understanding of the world and how it works, and provides the foundation for many other sciences.

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Physics Info Sheet

Key Concepts

  • Mechanics: the study of motion and its causes
  • Thermodynamics: the study of heat and temperature
  • Electromagnetism: the study of electric and magnetic phenomena
  • Optics: the study of light and its behavior
  • Quantum Mechanics: the study of subatomic particles and their interactions

Important Definitions

  • Energy: the ability to do work or produce heat
  • Force: any influence that changes the motion of an object
  • Velocity: the rate at which an object changes its position
  • Acceleration: the rate at which an object changes its velocity
  • Mass: the amount of matter in an object

Laws and Principles

  • Newton's Laws of Motion: describe the relationship between an object and the forces acting upon it
  • Conservation of Energy: energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or converted
  • Ohm's Law: the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points
  • Coulomb's Law: the force between two electric charges is proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
  • Planck's Law: relates the energy of a photon to its frequency

Important Information

  • SI Units: International System of Units is the standard measurement system for Physics
  • Scalars: quantities that have only magnitude (e.g., mass, temperature)
  • Vectors: quantities that have both magnitude and direction (e.g., velocity, force)
  • Waves: disturbances that travel through a medium
  • Electric Circuits: a closed loop of conductive material through which an electric current can flow

Takeaways

  • Physics is a study of the natural world and uses scientific methods to gather knowledge and explain phenomena
  • The laws and principles of Physics apply to everything in the universe, from subatomic particles to galaxies
  • Physics is a fundamental subject for many fields, including engineering, medicine, and technology.

Here's some sample Physics vocabulary lists Sign in to generate your own vocabulary list worksheet.

Word Definition
Force A push or pull on an object. Example: using a force of 10 Newtons to push a crate across the floor.
Velocity The speed of an object in a given direction. Example: a car driving at a velocity of 60 miles per hour to the north.
Acceleration The rate at which an object changes its velocity. Example: a racecar accelerating from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5 seconds.
Energy The ability of an object to do work. Example: lifting a heavy box requires energy.
Momentum The product of an object's mass and velocity. Example: a semi truck has a lot of momentum due to its large mass and high velocity.
Inertia The tendency of an object to resist a change in motion. Example: a hockey puck sliding across the ice will continue moving unless acted upon by an external force due to its inertia.
Kinematics The study of motion without consideration of its causes. Example: calculating the time and distance a ball will travel when thrown.
Gravity The force of attraction between two objects. Example: the gravity between Earth and the Moon causes tides in the oceans.
Friction The force that opposes motion between two surfaces in contact. Example: the friction between shoes and a floor prevents slipping.
Work The product of the force on an object and the distance through which the force is exerted. Example: lifting a box requires work to be done.
Torque The force that causes an object to rotate around an axis or pivot point. Example: opening a door by applying a force to the doorknob creates torque.
Gravitational Force the force of attraction between masses. Example: the gravitational force between the Earth and the Sun holds the Earth in orbit.
Wave A disturbance that travels through a medium, transferring energy from one point to another. Example: light waves travel through space, allowing us to see objects.
Frequency The number of waves that pass a fixed point in a given amount of time. Example: the frequency of a sound wave determines how high or low the pitch of the sound is.
Electrostatics The study of electric charges at rest. Example: a charged balloon sticking to a wall due to electrostatic forces.
Magnetism The force of attraction or repulsion between magnetic poles. Example: the attraction between a magnet and a refrigerator door.
Circuit A closed path in which an electric current flows. Example: a simple circuit consists of a battery, wire, and light bulb.
Ohm's Law The relationship between voltage (V), current (I), and resistance (R) in a circuit, expressed by the equation V = IR. Example: calculating the voltage across a resistor using Ohm's Law.
Thermodynamics The branch of physics that deals with the relationships between heat and other forms of energy in a system. Example: studying the efficiency of a car engine using thermodynamics.
Optics The study of light and its properties. Example: understanding how lenses refract light is important in the design of eyeglasses and telescopes.

Here's some sample Physics study guides Sign in to generate your own study guide worksheet.

Physics Study Guide

Introduction to Physics

  • Definition of Physics
  • Scientific Method
  • Units and Measurement

Motion

  • Kinematics
  • Forces
  • Energy
  • Momentum

Thermodynamics

  • Temperature and Heat
  • Laws of Thermodynamics
  • Heat transfer

Waves and Optics

  • Properties of Waves
  • Sound Waves
  • Light Waves
  • Reflection and Refraction

Electricity and Magnetism

  • Electric Charge
  • Electric Fields
  • Electric Current
  • Magnetism

Modern Physics

  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Relativity
  • Nuclear Physics

Tips for Success in Physics

  • Practice Problems
  • Use Formulas
  • Read the Textbook
  • Study with Others

Resources

  • Textbook
  • Lectures
  • Online Tutorials
  • Practice Problems

Here's some sample Physics practice sheets Sign in to generate your own practice sheet worksheet.

Physics Practice Sheet

Section 1: Kinematics

Problem 1

An object moves with uniform acceleration of 5 m/s2. Its initial velocity is 10 m/s and travels a distance of 100 m. Find its final velocity.

Problem 2

A car starts from rest and accelerates uniformly at a rate of 8 m/s2. How long will it take to travel a distance of 400 m?

Problem 3

A ball is thrown horizontally from the top of a building. The ball strikes the ground after travelling a horizontal distance of 60 m. How tall is the building?

Section 2: Newton's Laws of Motion

Problem 4

A box is pushed across a frictionless surface with a force of 20 N. If the mass of the box is 5 kg, what is the acceleration of the box?

Problem 5

A force of 30 N is exerted on a 5 kg block of wood. What is the acceleration of the block?

Problem 6

A 70 kg skier starts from rest and slides down a 30° slope. What is the force of friction acting on the skier if the coefficient of friction is 0.1?

Section 3: Work and Energy

Problem 7

A 5 kg object is lifted 10 m. How much work was done against the force of gravity?

Problem 8

A force of 20 N is applied to a block of wood weighing 10 N that slides on a frictionless surface. If the block moves a distance of 5 m, how much work is done on it?

Problem 9

A 2 kg object is released from rest at a height of 20 m. What is its velocity right before impact with the ground?

Section 4: Waves

Problem 10

A wave is moving through a medium with a frequency of 500 Hz and a wavelength of 0.5 m. What is the speed of the wave?

Problem 11

A sound wave has a wavelength of 0.01 m and a frequency of 5000 Hz. What is the speed of sound in the medium?

Problem 12

A guitar string has a length of 0.5 m and a tension of 100 N. What is the speed of sound in the string if it has a mass of 0.01 kg?

Goodluck on the practice problems!

Physics Practice Sheet

Kinematics

  1. A car is travelling at a constant velocity of 10 m/s. How far does the car travel in 10 seconds?

  2. A ball is thrown upward at an initial velocity of 20 m/s. How long does it take for the ball to reach its maximum height?

  3. A car is travelling at a constant acceleration of 2 m/s2. How long does it take for the car to reach a velocity of 20 m/s?

  4. A ball is thrown upward at an initial velocity of 10 m/s. What is the velocity of the ball when it reaches its maximum height?

  5. A car is travelling at a constant velocity of 10 m/s. What is the distance travelled by the car in 5 minutes?

Dynamics

  1. A car is travelling at a constant velocity of 10 m/s. What is the net force acting on the car?

  2. A ball is thrown upward at an initial velocity of 20 m/s. What is the net force acting on the ball?

  3. A car is travelling at a constant acceleration of 2 m/s2. What is the net force acting on the car?

  4. A ball is thrown upward at an initial velocity of 10 m/s. What is the net force acting on the ball?

  5. A car is travelling at a constant velocity of 10 m/s. What is the net torque acting on the car?

Work and Energy

  1. A car is travelling at a constant velocity of 10 m/s. How much work is done by the net force acting on the car?

  2. A ball is thrown upward at an initial velocity of 20 m/s. How much work is done by the net force acting on the ball?

  3. A car is travelling at a constant acceleration of 2 m/s2. How much work is done by the net force acting on the car?

  4. A ball is thrown upward at an initial velocity of 10 m/s. How much energy is transferred to the ball?

  5. A car is travelling at a constant velocity of 10 m/s. How much energy is transferred to the car?

Momentum

  1. A car is travelling at a constant velocity of 10 m/s. What is the momentum of the car?

  2. A ball is thrown upward at an initial velocity of 20 m/s. What is the momentum of the ball?

  3. A car is travelling at a constant acceleration of 2 m/s2. What is the momentum of the car?

  4. A ball is thrown upward at an initial velocity of 10 m/s. What is the momentum of the ball?

  5. A car is travelling at a constant velocity of 10 m/s. What is the change in momentum of the car?

Physics Practice Sheet

Kinematics

  1. What is the definition of velocity?
  2. What is the formula for acceleration?
  3. How do you calculate the displacement of an object?
  4. What is the equation for the average velocity of an object?
  5. What is the difference between speed and velocity?
  6. How does an object's acceleration affect its velocity?
  7. What is the formula for momentum?
  8. What is the equation for kinetic energy?
  9. What is the equation for the acceleration due to gravity?
  10. What is the equation for the force of friction?

Forces

  1. What is the definition of a force?
  2. What is the equation for the net force of an object?
  3. What is the equation for the force of gravity?
  4. What is the equation for the force of normal?
  5. How do you calculate the force of tension?
  6. What is the equation for the force of static friction?
  7. What is the equation for the force of kinetic friction?
  8. What is the equation for the force of air resistance?
  9. How do you calculate the force of magnetic attraction?
  10. What is the equation for the force of electrostatic attraction?

Here's some sample Physics quizzes Sign in to generate your own quiz worksheet.

Physics Quiz

Answer the following questions to the best of your ability without using any external resources.

Problem Answer
What is the difference between speed and velocity? Speed is the magnitude of the rate of motion, while velocity is the rate of motion in a specific direction.
What is Newton's First Law of Motion? An object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will continue in motion with constant velocity, unless acted upon by an external force.
What is Newton's Second Law of Motion? Force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma).
What is Newton's Third Law of Motion? For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
When is an object said to be in equilibrium? An object is in equilibrium when the net force acting on it is zero.
What is the difference between kinetic and potential energy? Kinetic energy is energy possessed by a moving object while potential energy is energy that an object possesses due to its position or state.
What is the formula to calculate work done? Work = Force x Displacement x Cosine of the angle between force and displacement.
What is the difference between a conductor and an insulator? A conductor allows the flow of charged particles while an insulator does not allow the flow of charged particles.
What is Ohm's Law? Ohm's law states that the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points.
What is the difference between fusion and fission? Fusion is the process of combining atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus, while fission is the process of splitting an atomic nucleus into smaller nuclei.
Question Answer
What is the definition of force? Force is a push or pull on an object that results from the object's interaction with another object.
What is the equation for Newton's Second Law of Motion? F = ma
What is the equation for gravitational force? F = Gm1m2/r2
What is the equation for power? P = W/t
What is the equation for momentum? P = mv
What is the equation for kinetic energy? KE = 1/2 mv2
What is the equation for work? W = Fd
What is the equation for potential energy? PE = mgh
What is the equation for electric field? E = V/d
What is the equation for magnetic field? B = μ0I/2πr
Questions Answers
What is the equation for the kinetic energy of an object? $KE = \frac{1}{2}mv2$
What is the equation for the acceleration due to gravity? $g = \frac{GM}{r2}$
What is the equation for the force of gravity? $F = G\frac{m1m2}{r2}$
What is the equation for the velocity of an object? $v = \frac{d}{t}$
What is the equation for work? $W = Fd$
What is the equation for power? $P = \frac{W}{t}$
What is the equation for force? $F = ma$
What is the equation for momentum? $p = mv$
What is the equation for potential energy? $PE = mgh$
What is the equation for angular momentum? $L = I\omega$
Background image of planets in outer space