2012

II Newtonian mechanics | y
CIE AS & A LEVEL PHYSICS

Kinematics
Dynamics
Define force.
Force is the rate of change of momentum.
State Newtons third law of motion.
When two bodies interact, force on one body is equal but opposite in direction to force on the
other body.
two objects interacting and the forces acting on each other being equal and opposite. The
required comment that these forces were of the same kind was rarely seen.
Torque:
product of (magnitude of one) force and distance between forces reference to either
perpendicular distance between forces or line of action of forces and perpendicular distance

Law of conservation of momentum:
total momentum before and after the collision remains the same provided no external force
acts on the system (isolated system).
Work, energy, power
Motion in a circle
Gravitational field
Define gravitational field strength.
It is defined as the force per unit mass.

Suggest factors that could, in case of a real planet, cause variations in the acceleration of free fall at its
surface.
e.g.
1. radius of planet varies
2. density of planet not constant
3. planet spinning
4. nearby planets / stars
State Newtons law of gravitation.
It states that two point masses attract each other with a force that is proportional to the product of
their masses and inversely proportional to the square of their separation.
Describe what is meant by a geostationary orbit.
1. equatorial orbit .................................................................................................... B1
2. period 24 hours / same angular speed ............................................................... B1
3. from west to east / same direction of rotation ..................................................... B1
It means that the satellite is in equatorial orbit with exactly the same period of rotation as the Earth and
move in the same direction as the Earth.