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Every physics formula you need, solved in your pocket

PhysRef is a complete physics formula reference for students, engineers, and science enthusiasts — hundreds of formulas, physical constants, and built-in calculators that work entirely without internet.

  • 100% offline
  • No account needed
  • No tracking
  • iPhone & iPad
PhysRef app icon: an orange integral symbol on a dark background
PhysRef formula page for Newton's Second Law showing F equals m a tagged Mechanics and Dynamics, a plain-language description, the variables F, m and a with their units, and a calculator ready for input.
Every formula carries its description, variable definitions with units, and a calculator.
Inside the app

Five tabs, no clutter, no ads

PhysRef opens on the topic grid and everything else is one tap away: solve a formula, convert a unit, or check a constant.

PhysRef home screen headed 252 formulas at your fingertips, with topic cards for Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Waves, Electricity and Magnetism, Optics and Modern Physics, each showing its topic count.
The formula library, organized by topic — Mechanics through Modern Physics, with nothing competing for your attention.
Newton's Second Law calculator with mass 10 kg and acceleration 25 metres per second squared entered, returning a force of 250 newtons, above the derivation and links to related formulas.
Enter what you know, get the unknown — with the derivation and related formulas underneath.
Unit converter set to the Pressure category, converting 100 kilopascals to pascals, with category chips for energy, power, pressure and temperature along the top.
A 14-category unit converter, reachable from any screen.
Physical constants reference listing the speed of light, gravitational constant, Planck and reduced Planck constants under Universal, and elementary charge, Coulomb constant and vacuum permittivity under Electromagnetic.
Standard reference values for dozens of physical constants.
The problem

Formula sheets scatter. Wi-Fi drops. Exams don't wait.

Studying physics the hard way

You're mid-problem-set and can't remember whether that kinematics equation uses ½at² or at². The formula sheet is a crumpled PDF, the website you bookmarked needs Wi-Fi, and half the "free" formula apps interrupt you with ads.

Worse, a bare equation doesn't tell you what each symbol means, which units to use, or where the formula comes from — so you memorize without understanding.

The PhysRef way

PhysRef bundles hundreds of formulas — each with variable definitions, units, and related concepts — plus physical constants, calculators, and a unit converter into one app that never needs a connection.

Search by formula name, variable, or concept. Read the step-by-step derivation. Enter your known values and let the built-in calculator compute the unknown. Add your own notes for exam day.

Features

A full physics toolkit, not just a formula list

Everything below is bundled in the app and works completely offline.

Comprehensive formula database

Hundreds of formulas organized by topic. Each one includes variable definitions, units, and related concepts — with bookmarks for quick access.

Built-in calculators

Stop doing manual algebra. Enter your known values and instantly compute the unknown variable, with input validation and results in appropriate units.

Physical constants table

Speed of light, gravitational constant, Planck's constant, electron mass, Boltzmann constant, and dozens more — all using standard reference data.

Unit converter — 14 categories

Length, mass, time, velocity, acceleration, force, energy, power, pressure, temperature, electric charge, electric current, angle, and frequency.

Personal notes & bookmarks

Attach your own notes to any formula — problem-solving strategies, exam reminders, or flags on the formulas you find tricky.

Step-by-step derivations

Understand where formulas come from. Derivations connect fundamental principles to the equations you actually use, so you learn instead of just memorizing.

Coverage

From first-semester mechanics to modern physics

Formulas are organized by topic, and the content covers AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C, IB Physics, and introductory university physics courses.

  • Mechanics
  • Thermodynamics
  • Waves
  • Electricity & Magnetism
  • Optics
  • Modern Physics
How it helps

Built for the way physics students actually study

Find it fast

Search by formula name, variable, or concept — or browse by topic. Bookmarks and search history keep your most-used formulas one tap away.

Understand it

Variable definitions, units, related formulas, and step-by-step derivations turn a bare equation into something you can reason about on exam day.

Solve with it

Use the built-in calculators to compute unknowns from your known values, check units with the converter, and record your strategy as a personal note.

FAQ

Questions students ask before downloading

Yes. PhysRef is free on the App Store, with no ads. There is no account to create and no sign-up required.

Yes — 100% offline. All formulas, constants, calculators, and the unit converter are bundled inside the app, so it works on airplanes, in basements, or anywhere without signal.

Formulas are organized by topic: Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Waves, Electricity and Magnetism, Optics, and Modern Physics. Each formula includes variable definitions, units, and related concepts.

Yes. PhysRef covers content from AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C, IB Physics, and introductory university physics courses — for exam prep and homework alike.

No. Your data stays on your device. PhysRef does not collect personal information — no tracking, no analytics, and no ads.

It calculates. Built-in calculators let you enter known values and instantly compute the unknown variable, with input validation and results shown in appropriate units. There is also a unit converter covering 14 categories.

PhysRef is a universal iOS app for iPhone and iPad, requiring iOS 15.1 or later. It supports dark and light themes and is localized in 20+ languages.

Put the whole formula book in your pocket

Free, ad-free, and fully offline. Built for physics students who want a reliable reference that works anywhere.