ISC Class 12 Formula Sheets
Chapter-wise key formulas for ISC Class 12 Physics, Chemistry, Maths, and Biology. Compact reference for revision — organised by chapter with variable notation.
Physics
Electrostatics
- F = kq₁q₂/r² = q₁q₂/4πε₀r²
- E = F/q = kq/r²
- V = W/q = kq/r
- C = Q/V ; C_parallel = ε₀A/d
- C_series: 1/C = 1/C₁+1/C₂ ; C_parallel: C = C₁+C₂
- U = ½CV² = Q²/2C = QV/2
- With dielectric: C = Kε₀A/d
Current Electricity
- V = IR ; R = ρl/A
- P = VI = I²R = V²/R
- R_series = R₁+R₂ ; 1/R_parallel = 1/R₁+1/R₂
- EMF: ε = V + Ir = I(R+r)
- Kirchhoff: ΣI = 0 (junction) ; ΣV = 0 (loop)
- Wheatstone bridge: P/Q = R/S (balanced)
- Meter bridge: R/S = l/(100−l)
- Drift velocity: I = nAevd
Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism
- Biot-Savart: dB = μ₀Idl sinθ / 4πr²
- Straight wire: B = μ₀I/2πr
- Centre of circular loop: B = μ₀I/2R
- Solenoid: B = μ₀nI
- Force on conductor: F = BIl sinθ
- Force on charge: F = qvB sinθ
- Torque on coil: τ = nBIA sinθ
- Galvanometer → Ammeter: S = Ig×G/(I−Ig)
- Galvanometer → Voltmeter: R = V/Ig − G
Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents
- Flux: Φ = BAcosθ
- Faraday: e = −dΦ/dt = −N dΦ/dt
- Motional EMF: e = Blv
- Self-inductance: e = −L dI/dt
- Solenoid: L = μ₀n²Al
- Mutual inductance: e₂ = −M dI₁/dt
- Energy in inductor: U = ½LI²
- Transformer: Vs/Vp = Ns/Np = Ip/Is
Alternating Currents
- Vrms = V₀/√2 ; Irms = I₀/√2
- XL = ωL = 2πfL
- XC = 1/ωC = 1/2πfC
- Impedance: Z = √[R² + (XL−XC)²]
- Phase angle: tanφ = (XL−XC)/R
- Resonance: f₀ = 1/2π√(LC) ; XL = XC
- Power: P = VrmsIrmscosφ = I²rmsR
- Power factor: cosφ = R/Z
Optics — Ray Optics
- Mirror: 1/f = 1/v + 1/u ; f = R/2
- Mirror magnification: m = −v/u = −f/(f−u)
- Snell's law: n₁sinθ₁ = n₂sinθ₂
- Critical angle: sinC = n₂/n₁ = 1/n (n₂=1)
- Lens: 1/f = 1/v − 1/u
- Lens maker's: 1/f = (n−1)[1/R₁ − 1/R₂]
- Lens magnification: m = v/u
- Power: P = 1/f(m) ; P_combined = P₁+P₂
- Microscope: m = L/f₀ × D/fe
- Telescope: m = f₀/fe
Optics — Wave Optics
- Fringe width: β = λD/d
- Bright fringe: d sinθ = nλ
- Dark fringe: d sinθ = (2n−1)λ/2
- Single slit dark: a sinθ = nλ
- Refractive index: n = c/v = λ_air/λ_medium
- Brewster's law: tanθp = n₂/n₁
Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
- Photon energy: E = hν = hc/λ
- Photoelectric: KEmax = hν − φ = h(ν−ν₀)
- Stopping potential: eV₀ = hν − φ
- de Broglie: λ = h/p = h/mv
- λ for electron: λ = h/√(2meV)
- Einstein's mass-energy: E = mc²
Atoms & Nuclei
- Bohr radius: rn = n²a₀ ; a₀ = 0.529 Å
- Energy levels: En = −13.6/n² eV
- Rydberg: 1/λ = R[1/n₁² − 1/n₂²]
- Radioactive decay: N = N₀e^(−λt)
- Half-life: T½ = 0.693/λ ; N = N₀(½)^(t/T½)
- Activity: A = λN = A₀e^(−λt)
- Mass defect: Δm = [Zmp + (A−Z)mn − M]
- Binding energy: BE = Δm × 931.5 MeV/u
Electronic Devices
- Transistor: IC = β×IB ; IE = IC + IB
- Voltage gain: Av = −β×RC/RB
- Zener regulation: VZ = constant (in breakdown)
- Logic: AND (Y=A·B) ; OR (Y=A+B) ; NOT (Y=Ā)
- NAND: Y = A̅·̅B̅ ; NOR: Y = A̅+̅B̅
Chemistry
Solutions
- Raoult's Law: p = x₂P₁° (dilute) ; p₁ = x₁P₁°
- Relative lowering VP: (P°−p)/P° = x_solute
- Boiling point elevation: ΔTb = Kb × m
- Freezing point depression: ΔTf = Kf × m
- Osmotic pressure: π = iMRT
- Molality: m = (w₂×1000) / (M₂×w₁)
- van't Hoff factor: i = observed/expected colligative property
- Degree of dissociation: α = (i−1)/(n−1)
Electrochemistry
- E°cell = E°cathode − E°anode
- Nernst (25°C): E = E° − (0.0592/n)log Q
- ΔG° = −nFE° = −RT ln K
- Faraday's 1st law: w = ZIt = (M/nF)×Q
- Specific conductance: κ = 1/ρ
- Molar conductance: Λm = κ×1000/M
- Kohlrausch: Λ°m = Σλ°_ions
- Kohlrausch law: Λm = Λ°m − K√C
Chemical Kinetics
- Rate: r = −d[A]/dt = k[A]ᵐ[B]ⁿ
- Zero order: [A]t = [A]₀ − kt ; t½ = [A]₀/2k
- First order: k = (2.303/t)log([A]₀/[A]t)
- First order t½ = 0.693/k
- Arrhenius: k = Ae^(−Ea/RT)
- log(k₂/k₁) = Ea/2.303R × (T₂−T₁)/T₁T₂
- Activation energy from graph: slope = −Ea/2.303R
d- and f-Block Elements
- d-block: 3d, 4d, 5d series ; f-block: 4f (lanthanides), 5f (actinides)
- Magnetic moment: μ = √[n(n+2)] BM (n = unpaired electrons)
- KMnO₄: purple; K₂Cr₂O₇: orange; colour due to d-d transitions
- E°(Mn³⁺/Mn²⁺) = +1.51V (high, Mn²⁺ very stable)
- Cr₂O₇²⁻ + 14H⁺ + 6e⁻ → 2Cr³⁺ + 7H₂O (E° = +1.33V)
- MnO₄⁻ + 8H⁺ + 5e⁻ → Mn²⁺ + 4H₂O (acidic; E° = +1.51V)
Coordination Chemistry
- EAN = (Z − electrons donated by metal) + 2×coordination number
- Oxidation state: charge = sum of ligand charges + metal OS
- d-orbital splitting: Δ₀ for octahedral ; Δt for tetrahedral
- CFSE for strong field: pairing energy vs Δ
- Effective atomic number rule for stability
Mathematics
Matrices & Determinants
- det(AB) = det A × det B
- det(Aᵀ) = det A ; det(kA) = kⁿ det A
- A·(adj A) = det(A)·I
- A⁻¹ = (adj A)/det A ; det A ≠ 0
- Cramer's rule: x = D₁/D, y = D₂/D, z = D₃/D
- 3×3 det expansion along any row/column
Differentiation
- d/dx(xⁿ) = nxⁿ⁻¹ ; d/dx(eˣ) = eˣ ; d/dx(aˣ) = aˣ ln a
- d/dx(ln x) = 1/x ; d/dx(log_a x) = 1/(x ln a)
- d/dx(sin x) = cos x ; d/dx(cos x) = −sin x
- d/dx(sin⁻¹x) = 1/√(1−x²) ; d/dx(tan⁻¹x) = 1/(1+x²)
- Product: (uv)' = u'v + uv'
- Quotient: (u/v)' = (u'v − uv')/v²
- Chain rule: dy/dx = (dy/du)·(du/dx)
- Parametric: dy/dx = (dy/dt)/(dx/dt)
Applications of Derivatives
- Increasing: f'(x) > 0 ; Decreasing: f'(x) < 0
- Local max/min: f'(x) = 0 (critical point)
- 2nd derivative test: f''(c)<0 → max ; f''(c)>0 → min
- Rate of change: dy/dt = (dy/dx)·(dx/dt)
- Approximation: Δy ≈ f'(x)·Δx = dy
- Rolle's theorem: f(a)=f(b) → ∃c: f'(c)=0
- LMVT: f'(c) = [f(b)−f(a)]/(b−a)
- Tangent slope = f'(x₁) ; Normal slope = −1/f'(x₁)
Integration
- ∫xⁿdx = xⁿ⁺¹/(n+1)+C (n≠−1) ; ∫(1/x)dx = ln|x|+C
- ∫eˣdx = eˣ+C ; ∫aˣdx = aˣ/ln a + C
- ∫sin x dx = −cos x+C ; ∫cos x dx = sin x+C
- ∫sec²x dx = tan x+C ; ∫cosec²x dx = −cot x+C
- ∫1/√(a²−x²)dx = sin⁻¹(x/a)+C
- ∫1/(a²+x²)dx = (1/a)tan⁻¹(x/a)+C
- By parts: ∫uv dx = u∫v dx − ∫[u'∫v dx]dx (ILATE)
- ∫f(ax+b)dx = F(ax+b)/a + C
Definite Integrals & Area
- ∫[a→b] f(x)dx = F(b) − F(a) (Newton-Leibniz)
- ∫[a→b] f(x)dx = −∫[b→a] f(x)dx
- ∫[0→a] f(x)dx = ∫[0→a] f(a−x)dx
- ∫[0→2a] f(x)dx = 2∫[0→a] f(x)dx if f(2a−x)=f(x)
- Area = ∫[a→b] |f(x)| dx
- Area between curves = ∫[a→b] [f(x)−g(x)]dx
- Area using y-axis = ∫[c→d] x dy = ∫[c→d] g(y) dy
Differential Equations
- Order: highest derivative ; Degree: power of highest derivative
- Variable separable: f(y)dy = g(x)dx → integrate both sides
- Homogeneous: put y = vx → dv separable
- Linear 1st order: dy/dx + P(x)y = Q(x)
- Integrating factor: IF = e^∫P dx
- Solution: y·IF = ∫Q·IF dx + C
- Particular solution: use initial conditions to find C
Vectors
- |a| = √(a₁²+a₂²+a₃²) ; â = a/|a|
- a·b = |a||b|cosθ = a₁b₁+a₂b₂+a₃b₃
- |a×b| = |a||b|sinθ ; a×b = |i j k / a₁ a₂ a₃ / b₁ b₂ b₃|
- Scalar triple product: [a b c] = a·(b×c)
- Projection of a on b: a·b̂ = a·b/|b|
- Section formula: r = (mb+na)/(m+n)
- a and b parallel: a×b = 0 ; perpendicular: a·b = 0
3D Geometry
- Distance: √[(x₂−x₁)²+(y₂−y₁)²+(z₂−z₁)²]
- DCs: l²+m²+n²=1 ; l=cosα, m=cosβ, n=cosγ
- DRs (a,b,c): l=a/√(a²+b²+c²) etc.
- Line through (x₁,y₁,z₁) with DRs a,b,c: (x−x₁)/a=(y−y₁)/b=(z−z₁)/c
- Angle between lines: cosθ = |l₁l₂+m₁m₂+n₁n₂|
- Plane: ax+by+cz+d=0 ; normal = (a,b,c)
- Distance from point to plane: |ax₁+by₁+cz₁+d|/√(a²+b²+c²)
- Angle between line and plane: sinθ = |al+bm+cn|/√(a²+b²+c²)
Probability
- P(A∪B) = P(A)+P(B)−P(A∩B)
- P(A|B) = P(A∩B)/P(B)
- Multiplication: P(A∩B) = P(A)·P(B|A)
- Independence: P(A∩B) = P(A)·P(B)
- Bayes: P(Aᵢ|B) = P(B|Aᵢ)P(Aᵢ) / ΣP(B|Aⱼ)P(Aⱼ)
- Binomial: P(X=r) = ⁿCr·pʳ·qⁿ⁻ʳ
- Mean of B(n,p) = np ; Variance = npq
Linear Regression (Section C)
- Regression line of y on x: y − ȳ = byx(x − x̄)
- byx = r × (σy/σx) = Σ(xi−x̄)(yi−ȳ) / Σ(xi−x̄)²
- Regression line of x on y: x − x̄ = bxy(y − ȳ)
- bxy = r × (σx/σy)
- r² = byx × bxy (r = correlation coefficient)
- If r = 0: no linear correlation ; r = ±1: perfect linear
- Lines of regression intersect at (x̄, ȳ)
Linear Programming (Section C)
- Objective function: Z = ax + by (maximise or minimise)
- Constraints: linear inequalities in x and y
- Feasible region: common region satisfying all constraints
- Optimal solution occurs at a corner (vertex) of feasible region
- Corner point method: evaluate Z at each vertex
- No feasible region → no solution ; Unbounded → check if optimal exists
Biology
Reproduction in Plants
- Double fertilization: 1 sperm + egg → zygote (2n) ; 1 sperm + 2 polar nuclei → endosperm (3n)
- Embryo sac = megagametophyte (7 cells, 8 nuclei)
- Microsporogenesis: 2 meiotic divisions → 4 microspores
- Megasporogenesis: 1 functional megaspore (chalazal end)
- Germination: water absorption (imbibition) → enzyme activation
Reproduction in Animals
- Spermatogenesis: 1 primary spermatocyte → 4 spermatids → 4 sperm
- Oogenesis: 1 primary oocyte → 1 ovum + 3 polar bodies
- Menstrual cycle: 28 days ; ovulation ≈ day 14
- Gestation period (human): ~280 days / 40 weeks
- Cleavage: rapid mitosis without growth; cell volume constant
Genetics — Mendelian
- Monohybrid ratio: F₂ = 3:1 (phenotype) ; 1:2:1 (genotype)
- Dihybrid ratio: F₂ = 9:3:3:1
- Test cross: Aa × aa → 1:1 ; AaBb × aabb → 1:1:1:1
- χ² = Σ[(O−E)²/E] ; p<0.05 → significant deviation
- Incomplete dominance F₂: 1:2:1 phenotype
- Codominance: both alleles expressed (e.g., ABO blood groups)
Molecular Basis of Inheritance
- Chargaff's rules: A=T ; G=C ; (A+G)=(T+C) i.e., purines=pyrimidines
- Nucleotide = phosphate + pentose sugar + nitrogenous base
- DNA replication: semi-conservative (Meselson-Stahl experiment)
- Translation: 3 bases (codon) → 1 amino acid
- 64 codons: 61 sense + 3 stop (UAA, UAG, UGA)
- Genetic code: universal, non-overlapping, degenerate
Evolution
- Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium: p² + 2pq + q² = 1
- p + q = 1 (p = dominant allele freq, q = recessive allele freq)
- Conditions: large population, random mating, no selection/mutation/migration
- Geological time: Earth ≈ 4.5 Ga ; Life ≈ 3.8 Ga ; Homo sapiens ≈ 200,000 ya
- Fitness: relative reproductive success of a genotype
Human Health & Disease
- Immune response: primary (slower) → memory cells ; secondary (faster, stronger)
- Antibody structure: 2 heavy + 2 light chains; Y-shaped
- Vaccine: attenuated/killed pathogen or toxoid → active immunity
- BMI = weight(kg) / height²(m) ; Normal: 18.5–24.9
- Widal test: for typhoid ; ELISA: for HIV, hepatitis
Biotechnology
- PCR: denaturation (94°C) → annealing (55–65°C) → extension (72°C)
- n cycles of PCR → 2ⁿ copies of target DNA
- Gel electrophoresis: smaller fragments migrate farther in agarose gel
- Restriction enzymes cut at palindromic sequences; produce sticky/blunt ends
- Ti plasmid (Agrobacterium) used for plant transformation
- SCID gene therapy: ADA gene delivered via retroviral vector
Ecology
- GPP − R = NPP (net primary productivity)
- Ecological efficiency ≈ 10% (Lindemann's law; energy transfer between trophic levels)
- Population growth (exponential): dN/dt = rN ; N(t) = N₀eʳᵗ
- Population growth (logistic): dN/dt = rN[(K−N)/K]
- r = birth rate − death rate ; K = carrying capacity
- Simpson's diversity index: D = 1 − Σ(nᵢ/N)²
- Species-area relationship: log S = log C + z·log A