Do you get a formula sheet in the WACE Physics exam?

Yes. The paper cover lists a Formulae and Data booklet under materials provided by the supervisor, and the instructions say it is not handed in with your Question/Answer booklet. It is eight printed pages: five of formulae and an electromagnetic spectrum chart, then physical data, constants, conversions, prefixes and a page of mathematical expressions.

Is Kepler's third law on the WACE Physics formula sheet?

Yes, under Circular motion, gravity and relativity on page 2. A 2022 exam question even told candidates that the law appears in the booklet, then asked them to derive it from first principles and match the printed expression. Having the formula in front of you does not remove the derivation.

Does the WACE Physics booklet give the value of the Hubble constant?

No. It prints Hubble's law, v = H0 d, and the conversions between kilometres, light years and megaparsecs, but no value for H0. If a calculation needs one, the question has to supply it.

Is trigonometry on the WACE Physics formula sheet?

Only the sine rule and cosine rule for a general triangle, and the quadratic formula, on the last page. Right-angled triangle ratios are not printed. SCSA's 2024 and 2025 Physics reports both advise candidates to build fluency with trigonometric functions and to practise rearranging equations, so treat both as skills you bring with you.

Why does the booklet use ℓ, L and m for different things?

The booklet has no glossary, and the same letter does different jobs. Length is ℓ in the relativity formulae and conductor length in the force on a current, while the 2025 paper's length contraction question labelled lengths L and L0. In the gravitational field strength line the source mass is written m, where Kepler's third law uses M. Read what the question defines, not only what the booklet prints.

What are the physical constants and data on the WACE Physics booklet?

Pages 6 and 7 give the Earth, Moon and Sun data, the electron and proton masses, the speed of light, the electron charge, the Planck constant, G, the electric and magnetic constants, the electron volt, light year and megaparsec conversions, and the metric prefixes from tera to pico. The booklet gives no neutron mass and no Hubble constant.

WACE Physics Formula Sheet 2026: Formulae and Data Booklet (SCSA)

Quick answer. The WACE Physics formula sheet is the Physics ATAR Course Year 12 Formulae and Data Booklet, an eight-page SCSA booklet supplied with the exam. It prints the relationships for every Year 12 topic (static equilibrium, circular motion, gravity, relativity, electromagnetism, particle accelerators, quantum theory and Hubble's law), plus physical data, constants, conversions, metric prefixes, the quadratic formula and the sine and cosine rules. It prints no symbol list (only a few angles, the perpendicular area and the work function are defined beside their formulae) and no right-angled trigonometry, and it leaves out uncertainty calculations, so you bring those with you.

This guide describes the 2026 booklet (reference 2025/113799), which goes with the Year 12 Physics ATAR syllabus for teaching from 2026. The cover prints the year and no validity date, so check with your teacher that the booklet you practise with is the 2026 edition. For the questions the paper asks, see WACE Physics most tested topics. For every marked question in one place, see the WACE Physics past exams page.

The booklet is SCSA's copyright and may be copied only unchanged and for non-commercial educational use. This guide therefore describes the booklet, states its facts and annotates the lines that cause trouble, without reproducing its pages. Open the official 2026 Physics booklet beside this page.

Is there a WACE Physics formula sheet in the exam?

Yes, and it is called the Formulae and Data booklet. The 2025 paper's cover lists it under materials provided by the supervisor, the same line appears on the 2022, 2023 and 2024 papers, and the instructions say it is not to be handed in with your Question/Answer booklet. The paper gives 10 minutes of reading time and three hours of working time, and allows up to three calculators that cannot create or store programmes or text.

The 2025 paper has three sections.

Section	Questions	Marks	Share	Suggested working time
One: Short response	12	56	30%	50 minutes
Two: Problem-solving	6	92	50%	90 minutes
Three: Comprehension	2	43	20%	40 minutes

There is no multiple-choice section. Candidates give calculated answers to three significant figures unless told otherwise, and estimates to at most two, with working and units shown.

Here is what sits on each page.

Page	What is on it
1	Cover, with the course name, the year and the reference number
2	Static equilibrium and centre of mass, then circular motion, gravity and relativity
3	Electromagnetism
4	Particle accelerators
5	Wave particle duality and the quantum theory, cosmology, and the electromagnetic spectrum chart
6	Physical data
7	Physical constants, conversions and metric prefixes
8	Mathematical expressions, then the copyright notice

Nothing on the booklet explains how to use a formula. There are no worked examples and no symbol list, only a short definition beside a few formulae, which is why the rest of this guide exists.

What formulae are on the WACE Physics formula sheet?

Many Unit 3 and Unit 4 dot points in the syllabus (pp. 11 to 18) end with "including applying the relationship" and the relationship is the one printed here, so the syllabus and the booklet are two views of one list.

Static equilibrium and centre of mass (page 2). The moment of a force, $\tau = rF\sin\theta$ , and the two conditions for equilibrium: the forces sum to zero and the moments sum to zero. The angle is the one between the force and the lever arm.
Circular motion, gravity and relativity (page 2). Speed, centripetal acceleration and resultant force in circular motion, energy and work relationships, Newton's law of universal gravitation, $F_{net} = ma$ , weight, gravitational field strength, Kepler's third law, the equations of motion with $p = mv$ , and the relativistic effects: length contraction, time dilation and the two velocity addition expressions.
Electromagnetism (page 3). Potential difference, Coulomb's law, electric field strength and the uniform field between parallel plates, the field of a current, the magnetic force on a moving charge and on a current-carrying conductor, torque on a coil, flux, the three induced emf expressions, the AC generator emf and its rms value, Ohm's law, current, and transformer theory with the power relationships.
Particle accelerators (page 4). The electric field and potential relationships, the circular-path condition $\frac{mv^2}{r} = qvB$ , the equations of motion again, relativistic momentum, mass-energy equivalence, rest energy and kinetic energy, and the energy-momentum relation.
Wave particle duality and the quantum theory (page 5). Period, the wave equation, photon energy and momentum, the photoelectric effect, energy transitions and the de Broglie wavelength.
Cosmology (page 5). Hubble's law, $v = H_0 d$ .

Several relationships appear in more than one place. The equations of motion are printed on both page 2 and page 4. The torque relationship is printed twice on page 2 and again on page 3, and the kinetic energy relationship appears twice on page 2. If you cannot find a formula under the heading you expect, check the other pages before assuming it is missing.

How do you use the Physics formula sheet in an exam?

The booklet gives you the relationship and the data. You choose the formula, match the quantities, convert units and rearrange. SCSA's 2024 Physics report said some candidates chose an incorrect formula or could not rearrange simple algebraic or trigonometric equations to isolate a variable, and its 2025 report asked candidates to practise rearranging and to set out all reasoning step by step, stating every formula used. These worked examples use the booklet's own constants, with the question quantities supplied as an exam would.

Kepler's third law with the booklet's data

Here $M$ is the mass of the body being orbited, and the booklet gives you every number except which mass goes where. A 2022 comprehension question (Question 19(b), 5 marks) told candidates that Kepler's third law appears in the booklet, then asked them to derive it for a circular orbit with the final expression matching the one printed. The printed formula is the target of that derivation, not a substitute for it.

Special relativity

The booklet does not say which time is the proper time. The formula answers it: the dilated time $\Delta t'$ is always the longer one, so $\Delta t$ is the shorter, proper time. The same logic applies to $\ell' = \ell\sqrt{1 - \frac{v^2}{c^2}}$ , where the moving length $\ell'$ is the shorter one. In 2025 Question 2 (4 marks) the length contraction figure labelled the lengths $L$ and $L_0$ , so be ready to translate between the paper's symbols and the booklet's.

For a question on why mass cannot reach the speed of light, the 2025 paper (Question 10, 4 marks) asked candidates to use a graph and "a relevant formula from the Formulae and Data booklet". The booklet has two candidates on page 4, relativistic momentum and mass-energy equivalence, and either is meaningful because the denominator tends to zero as $v$ approaches $c$ .

Circular motion in a magnetic field

The proton mass is on page 6. The charge needs care: page 7 prints the electron charge as $e = -1.60 \times 10^{-19}\ \text{C}$ , with the negative sign. For a proton, use the magnitude and decide the direction of the force separately. The booklet also gives the force as $F = qvB\sin\theta$ , where $\theta$ is the angle between the field and the velocity, so $\sin\theta = 1$ here only because the motion is at right angles.

Photons and the photoelectric effect

Photoelectrons from 400 nm light

Light of wavelength $4.00 \times 10^{-7}\ \text{m}$ falls on a surface with a work function of $2.30\ \text{eV}$ (given in the question). Find the maximum kinetic energy of the emitted electrons.

$E = \frac{hc}{\lambda} = \frac{(6.63 \times 10^{-34})(3.00 \times 10^8)}{4.00 \times 10^{-7}} = 4.97 \times 10^{-19}\ \text{J}$ , which is $3.11\ \text{eV}$ using $1.00\ \text{eV} = 1.60 \times 10^{-19}\ \text{J}$ .

$E_k = hf - \phi = 3.108 - 2.30 = 0.808\ \text{eV}$ , keeping the unrounded photon energy, or $1.29 \times 10^{-19}\ \text{J}$ .

The booklet's photoelectric line is written with $hf$ , and its photon energy line gives $hf = \frac{hc}{\lambda}$ , so the step from wavelength to frequency is built in. The work function $\phi$ is a property of the surface and is never in the booklet.

Distance units and Hubble's law

Page 7 converts a light year to $9.46 \times 10^{12}\ \text{km}$ and a megaparsec to $3.09 \times 10^{19}\ \text{km}$ or $3.26 \times 10^6$ light years. The conversions are in kilometres, so a calculation in metres needs a factor of 1000 added by you. Hubble's law has no value of $H_0$ attached. A question that gives $H_0 = 70.0\ \text{km s}^{-1}\ \text{Mpc}^{-1}$ and a galaxy at $50.0\ \text{Mpc}$ gives $v = H_0 d = 3.50 \times 10^3\ \text{km s}^{-1}$ , with the distance also expressible as $1.63 \times 10^8$ light years.

What constants and data does the Physics booklet give?

Page 6 is physical data about bodies: the mean acceleration due to gravity on Earth (9.80 m s $^{-2}$ ) and on the Moon (1.62 m s $^{-2}$ ), the mean radius and mass of the Earth, Sun and Moon, the mean Earth-Moon and Earth-Sun distances (the second also stated as 1.00 astronomical unit), the electron and proton masses, and the tonne.

Page 7 is constants and conversions.

Constant	Booklet value
Speed of light in vacuum or air	$c = 3.00 \times 10^8\ \text{m s}^{-1}$
Electron charge	$e = -1.60 \times 10^{-19}\ \text{C}$
Planck constant	$h = 6.63 \times 10^{-34}\ \text{J s}$
Newtonian constant of gravitation	$G = 6.67 \times 10^{-11}\ \text{N m}^2\ \text{kg}^{-2}$
Electric constant	$\varepsilon_0 = 8.85 \times 10^{-12}\ \text{C}^2\ \text{N}^{-1}\ \text{m}^{-2}$
Magnetic constant	$\mu_0 = 4\pi \times 10^{-7}\ \text{N A}^{-2} = 1.26 \times 10^{-6}\ \text{N A}^{-2}$

The electron volt, light year and megaparsec conversions follow, then the metric prefixes from tera ( $10^{12}$ ) down to pico ( $10^{-12}$ ). Every constant is given to three significant figures, which matches the three significant figures the paper asks for in answers. Round only the final answer.

What are the symbol traps on the formula sheet?

The booklet has no glossary, and its letters do double duty.

Symbol	Where it changes meaning
$\ell$	Length in the relativity formulae; conductor length in the force on a current and in $\varepsilon = \ell vB\sin\theta$
$E$	Electric field strength on pages 3 and 4; total energy in the relativity formulae; energy in the photon formulae
$\varepsilon$ and $\varepsilon_0$	Induced emf on page 3; the electric constant, a permittivity, on page 7
$\Phi$ and $\phi$	Magnetic flux on page 3; the work function of the surface on page 5
$T$	Period in circular motion, Kepler's third law and the wave period; the symbol for tera in the prefix table on page 7
$m$ and $M$	In $g = \frac{F_g}{m} = G\frac{m}{r^2}$ the first $m$ is the mass in the field and the second is the source mass; Kepler's third law writes the source mass as $M$
$t$	Time in the equations of motion and in $I = \frac{q}{t}$ ; the tonne ( $1.00\ \text{t} = 10^3\ \text{kg}$ ) on page 6
$\theta$	A different angle in each of the torque, magnetic force and induced emf formulae, as defined beside each one

Each angle is defined next to its formula on the page. Check the definition before you substitute: the angle for the force on a charge is between the field and the velocity, and the angle for torque is between the force and the lever arm.

What is not on the WACE Physics formula sheet?

These come up in Year 12 Physics, and none is printed.

Right-angled trigonometry. Page 8 has the sine rule and the cosine rule for a triangle, and the quadratic formula, and no sine, cosine or tangent ratios. Resolving a force or velocity into components is yours to do.
Uncertainty. The syllabus requires you to state absolute uncertainties, calculate percentage uncertainty, combine uncertainties and calculate a percentage difference from an accepted value. None of those relationships is in the booklet.
Orbital speed of a satellite. You derive it from the gravitational force and circular motion relationships on page 2.
Series and parallel resistance. Only Ohm's law is printed.
Impulse and conservation of momentum. The booklet has $p = mv$ and no further statement.
Mechanical power as work over time. The only power expression is the electrical one under transformer theory.
Young's double-slit relationship. The syllabus names the experiment but attaches no relationship to it, and the booklet prints none.
The value of the Hubble constant and the mass of a neutron.
Graph interpretation. SCSA's 2024 report noted that very few candidates recognised an equation given in a question as the form $y = mx + c$ , and so could not identify the intercept or gradient of a line of best fit. The booklet will not do that for you.

Common mistakes with the Physics booklet

Weak wording	Stronger wording
Use the relativity equation	Use $\Delta t' = \frac{\Delta t}{\sqrt{1 - v^2/c^2}}$ because the particle moves at $0.950c$ , with $\Delta t$ the proper time
$r = 0.0418$	$r = 4.18 \times 10^{-2}\ \text{m}$ , three significant figures, with the unit stated
The charge is $-1.60 \times 10^{-19}\ \text{C}$	A proton has charge $+1.60 \times 10^{-19}\ \text{C}$ , the magnitude of $e$ on the booklet
It cannot reach $c$ because of the formula	As $v \to c$ the denominator $\to 0$ , so momentum and energy increase without limit, and no finite amount of work can supply them

How should you practise with the Physics booklet?

Use the actual booklet in every practice question, and keep the SCSA original in front of you rather than a copy you have rewritten. The reason is speed and accuracy: you are looking for a relationship, a constant and a unit conversion on three different pages inside a three-hour paper. Time yourself finding the formula for each topic, then the constants it needs.

Do a lap of the pages once with the syllabus open, and tick every relationship against the dot point that names it. That also shows you where the booklet is silent, since the dot points on uncertainty and percentage difference have no printed relationship to tick. For the topics that carry the marks and the ones students lose them on, see WACE Physics most tested topics and WACE Physics hardest topics. For what each question's key word asks you to do, see WACE command words explained. For papers to practise on, see WACE Physics past exams (SCSA), and for the course content, the WACE Physics ATAR syllabus.

Syllabus and assessment material referenced in this guide is used under licence, © School Curriculum and Standards Authority. See our SCSA licensing notice. The School Curriculum and Standards Authority does not endorse this publication or product.