IB Physics 11

Denny LaBarge The American International School in Egypt

Unit 2 – Mechanics
Study Guide
 Know how to apply the Kinematics equations for situations involving displacement,
velocity, and/or acceleration.

 Know how to draw force vectors in Free-Body Diagrams.

 Know how to apply Newton’s First Law of Motion (ΣF = 0) in problem solving. Also
know the conditions for which Newton’s First Law of Motion applies.

 Know how to apply Newton’s Second Law of Motion (ΣF = ma) in problem solving. Also
know the conditions for which Newton’s Second Law of Motion applies.

 Know that Impulse (Ft) causes a change in momentum (mΔv) and how to use these
relations in problem solving.

 Know the Work/Energy theorem – in other words, know how work can change the
energy of an object or a system. And, know how energy can be used to do work.

 Know that Power can be calculated as the product of force and velocity (P = Fv).

 Know the definition for work and the formula for calculating work.

 Remember that Momentum is a vector and the you need to distinguish between
positive velocity and negative velocity for objects changing directions as a result of
a collision or for multiple objects travelling in opposite directions.

 Know that Work and Energies (Potential and Kinetic) are scalars and, otherwise, do
not have directions.

 Know Newton’s Third Law of Motion and how it applies to collisions and the
Conservation of Momentum.

 Know the condition for applying the Conservation of Momentum.

 Know that the force of friction does work in slowing down an object in motion.

 Know the difference between elastic and inelastic collisions and how to properly
apply the Law of Conservation of Momentum in problem solving for collisions.

 Know how to decompose vectors into x and y components.