OCR Physics Specification A - H156/H556
Module 3: Forces and Motion
Progress and
You should be able to demonstrate and show your understanding of: understanding:
1 2 3 4
3.1 Motion
Displacement, instantaneous speed, average speed, velocity and
acceleration.
Graphical representations of displacement, speed, velocity and acceleration.
Displacement–time graphs; velocity is gradient.
Velocity–time graphs; acceleration is gradient; displacement is area under
graph. You will also be expected to estimate the area under non-linear
graphs.
The equations of motion for constant acceleration in a straight line,
including motion of bodies falling in a uniform gravitational field without air
resistance;
v = u + at
s = ut + ½ at2
s = ½ (u+v)t
v2 = u2 + 2as
Techniques and procedures used to investigate the motion and collisions of
objects. Apparatus may include trolleys, air-track gliders, ticker timers, light
gates, data-loggers and video techniques.
Acceleration, g, of free fall.
Techniques and procedures used to determine the acceleration of free fall in
the laboratory using trapdoor and electromagnet arrangement or light gates
and timer.
Reaction time and thinking distance; braking distance and stopping distance
for a vehicle.
The independence of the vertical and horizontal motion of a projectile.
For more resources and video tutorials please visit: www.alevelphysicsonline.com
Progress and
You should be able to demonstrate and show your understanding of: understanding:
1 2 3 4
Two-dimensional motion of a projectile with constant velocity in one
direction and constant acceleration in a perpendicular direction.
3.1 Forces in Action
Net force = mass × acceleration;
F = ma [not in the data book]
The newton as the unit of force.
Weight of an object;
W = mg [not in the data book]
The terms tension, normal contact force, upthrust and friction.
Free-body diagrams.
One- and two-dimensional motion under constant force.
Drag as the frictional force experienced by an object travelling through a
fluid.
Factors affecting drag for an object travelling through air.
Motion of objects falling in a uniform gravitational field in the presence of
drag.
Terminal velocity.
Techniques and procedures used to determine terminal velocity in fluids,
e.g. ball-bearing in a viscous liquid or cones in air.
Moment of force.
Couple; torque of a couple.
The principle of moments.
Centre of mass; centre of gravity; experimental determination of centre of
gravity.
Equilibrium of an object under the action of forces and torques.
Condition for equilibrium of three coplanar forces; triangle of forces.
Density;
ρ=m/V
For more resources and video tutorials please visit: www.alevelphysicsonline.com
Progress and
You should be able to demonstrate and show your understanding of: understanding:
1 2 3 4
Pressure for solids, liquids and gases;
p=F/A
Upthrust on an object in a fluid; Archimedes’ principle;
p = hρg
3.3 Work, Energy and Power
Work done by a force; the unit joule.
W = Fx cos θ for work done by a force.
The principle of conservation of energy.
Energy in different forms; transfer and conservation.
Transfer of energy is equal to work done.
Kinetic energy of an object;
Ek = ½ mv2
You will also be expected to recall this equation and derive it from first
principles.
Gravitational potential energy of an object in a uniform gravitational field;
Ep = mgh
You will also be expected to recall this equation and derive it from first
principles.
The exchange between gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy.
Power; the unit watt;
P = W/ t
Power;
P = Fv
You will also be expected to derive this equation from first principles.
Efficiency of a mechanical system;
efficiency = useful output energy x 100%
total input energy
For more resources and video tutorials please visit: www.alevelphysicsonline.com
Progress and
You should be able to demonstrate and show your understanding of: understanding:
1 2 3 4
3.4 Materials
Tensile and compressive deformation; extension and compression.
Hooke’s law.
Force constant k of a spring or wire;
F = kx
Force–extension (or compression) graphs for springs and wires.
Techniques and procedures used to investigate force–extension
characteristics for arrangements which may include springs, rubber bands,
polythene strips.
Force–extension (or compression) graph where work done is area under
graph.
Elastic potential energy;
E = 1/2Fx
E = ½ kx2
Stress, strain and ultimate tensile strength.
Young’s modulus = Tensile strain
Tensile stress
E = σ/ε
Techniques and procedures used to determine the Young’s modulus for a
metal.
Stress–strain graphs for typical ductile, brittle and polymeric materials.
Elastic and plastic deformations of materials.
3.5 Newton’s Laws of Motion and Momentum
Newton’s three laws of motion.
Linear momentum; vector nature of momentum;
p = mv
Net force = rate of change of momentum;
F = Δp / Δt
For more resources and video tutorials please visit: www.alevelphysicsonline.com
Progress and
You should be able to demonstrate and show your understanding of: understanding:
1 2 3 4
Impulse of a force;
impulse = FΔt
Impulse is equal to the area under a force–time graph. You will also be
expected to estimate the area under non-linear graphs.
The principle of conservation of momentum.
Collisions and interaction of bodies in one dimension and in two dimensions.
Two-dimensional problems will only be assessed at A level.
Perfectly elastic collision and inelastic collision.
The material in this checklist is based on the OCR Physics A Specification published at ocr.org.uk/alevelphysicsa by
Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations.
For more resources and video tutorials please visit: www.alevelphysicsonline.com
