Edexcel International Advanced Level Physics.

Topic 1 : Mechanics
1A : Motions.
Velocity And Acceleration.
Speed is distance / time and velocity is displacement / time. Speed is a scalar quantity
while velocity is a vector quantity.
Accelaration is the change in velocity / change in time.
• Acceleration = v – u / time
• Where; ‘v’ is the final velocity and ‘u’ is the intital velocity.

Motion Graphs.
Displacement-Time Graphs.
Gradient of the line of a displacement-time graph helps to get velocity of the object. If
the line is plotted as a negative value on the y-axis, it means that object is moving in
opposite direction.
Velocity-Time Graphs.
Gradient of the line of a velociy-time graph helps to get acceleration of the object. The
area under the line of velocity-time graph helps to calculate the distance travelled by
the object. Area under the graph is the distance covered.
Accelaration-Time Graphs.
If line is plotted as negative value on the y-axis, it means that object is decelerating.
Positive value plotted on the y-axis shows acceleration. Area under line of a-t graph
shows velocity. Area under the graph is the velocity of the object.
Adding Forces
To add forces in the same line,add and subtract forces according to directions given.
The result is known as Resultant Force.
To add perpendicular forces, resultant force(add forces) using Pythagoras Theorem.
Since force is a vector quantity, the angle must also be stated which is calculated
using trigonometry.
To add non-perpendicular forces, divide it into 2 or more perpendicular forces and
calculate resultant force of each perpendicular force and add them. The Parallelogram
Rule is also used to calculate non-perpendicular force. Always draw diagrams to show
forces acting on objct to make calculations easier.

Moments.
An object can stay still and not moving along but rotating from a fixed pivot /
Fulcrum. If the object is fixed and no pivot, it will bend.
Moments = Force applied × Perpendicular Distance from turning point.
Principle of moments → Sum of Anti-clockwise Moments = Sum of Clockwise
Moments.
If an object is in rotational equilibrium (following principle of moments), it will
remain stationary, or if it is moving, it will continue rotating in same direction in the
same speed.
When calculating forces, distance or moments, we use given values and substitute
them in principle of moments.We always consider the centre of gravity in the equation
ie if the turning point is not from equal distances from end-point,then we have to add
the weight/force to the side of moments in the principle.
Centre of Gravity(COG) is the point of objects from where the whole wieght seems to
act from.
For regular objects the COG seems to act from the mid-point.But for irregular
objects,COG acts from the point where the mass is greater since more mass leads to
more gravity force acting on it.
Newton’s Laws Of Motion.
Newton’s 1st law of motion:An object remains in state of rest or continuous motion on
a straight line unless an external force acts on it.
This means that an object has a resultant force of 0 if it is at rest or,speed remains
unchanged if moving.To move objects at rest or increase speed,resultant force must be
greater than 0.
Newton’s 2nd law of motion:For a moving object,acceleration is directly proportional
to force applied and inversely proportional to mass of object unless physical
properties change.
This is proved by the formula:Force=Mass × Acceleration F=ma
Newton’s 3rd law of motion:For every action,there is an equal an opposite reaction.
This means that when you push something,it also pushes you back with equal
force,but in opposite direction.But since the body’s mass is less than Earth,there is
less acceleration and hence you cannot feel that opposite force the object applies to
your body.
Kinematics Equations.
Use ‘suvat’ equations to solve any equations considering motion.
s is displacement,u is initial velocity,v is final velocity,a is acceleration,t is time.
Since a=v-u/t,then rearranging the formula makes the formula,v=u+at.
Since s=v × t, then v is average speed which is v-u/2,hence s=(v-u/2)t.
Combining these 2 equations and rearranging gives the formula: s=ut+0.5at2.
Another formula can also be rearranged to give the formula: v2=u2+2as.
So these are 4 formulae that can be rearranged to solve kinematics equations.
Resolving Vectors.
Resolving vectors are vectors that are at right angles to each other and sum to a single
vector they were resolved from.
Projectiles.
Resolving vectors and suvat equations can be used to calculate projectiles(Related to
the gravity of the Earth).
Example:A stone is kicked from a cliff of height 60 metres at a speed of 8.2
m/s.Calculate time taken for it to hit the beach.
s=ut+(1/2 at2)
So t=3.5 seconds. This is used to find vertical motion.
For horizontal motion,the stone is moving in constant speed hence,to calculate
distance moved horizontally,use the formula: Distance=Speed × Time.
Hence distance is 8.2 × 3.5 = 28.7 metres.
After finding horizontal motion,use resolving vectors to find final velocity of the
stone.
This can be calculated by:
Finding vertical velocity using formula: v2=u2+2as.
Hence hroizontal velocity is 8.2 m/s & vertical velocity is 34.3 m/s calculated from
the formula.
So use Pythagoras Theorem to find Resultant Velocity which is 35.3 m/s.
The angle of motion is calculated using Trigonometry,SOHCAHTOA.
1B : Energy.
Gravitational Potential And Kinetic Energies.
Gravitational potential energy is calculated using the formula-:
GPE:Mass × Gravitational Energy × Height.
Kinetic energy is calculated using the formula-:
KE:1/2 × Mass × Squared Velocity.
When an object falls from rest,it loses its GPE and KE increases.This means that at
rest GPE is max. and KE is 0.Just before the object touches the ground,KE is max.
and GPE is 0.After it hits the ground,KE is 0 and GPE is max.
Hence Total GPE=Total KE.
So if mass is divided from both sides; v=√(2gh)
Or; h=v2/2g.
All calculations are done by assuming there is no friction,air drag etc.
Work And Power.
If energy is transferred mechanically(Work is done),we calculate it by the formula;
Work done=Force × Distance moved W=Fd
If you want to calculate work acting on an object on an inclined plane,distance is same
but;
Force is given by mg cosθ because mg is the weight acting downwards to Earth and
cosθ is the perpendicular force exerted by the object.
Power is rate of energy transfer.There are 2 formulae for calculating power;
Power=Energy transferred/Time and Power=Work done/Time.
Efficiency is the calculation of useful energy transferred out of the total energy input.
Hence Efficiency=Useful work or energy output/Total energy or power input.
1C : Momentum.
Momentum.
Momentum is measuring an object’s motion and what is required to stop/accelerate
the moving object.
It is calculated by the formula; Momentum=Mass × Velocity
For different objects,different forces need to be applied to stop/accelerate to certain
velocity the object,hence having different momentum.
Newton wrote is 2nd law of motion originally as;The rate of change of momentum of
body is directly proportional to resultant force applied and is in the same direction as
the force.
Hence:Force=Change in momentum/Change in time.
Conservation Of Linear Momentum.
The law of conservation of momentum is;Momentum before collision=Momentum
after collision
So this can be used to calculate velocity and momentum in the event of a collision.
An explosion is said to happen if objects move in opposite direction after collision.
If objects move in same direction,(Ma × Ua)+(Mb × Ub)…=(Ma + Mb)Common
Velocity(Vc)
If objects move in opposite direction,(Ma × Ua)+(Mb × Ub)…=(Ma × Va)+(Mb ×
Vb).