Whole Topic Checklist

•  Identify and describe scalar quantities and vector quantities
•  Identify and give examples of forces as contact or non-contact forces
•  Describe the interaction between two objects and the force produced on each as a vector
•  Describe weight and explain that its magnitude at a point depends on the gravitational field strength
•  Calculate weight by recalling and using the equation: [ W = mg ]
•  Represent the weight of an object as acting at a single point which is referred to as the object's ‘centre of mass’
•  Calculate the resultant of two forces that act in a straight line
•  HT ONLY: describe examples of the forces acting on an isolated object or system
•  HT ONLY: Use free body diagrams to qualitatively describe examples where several forces act on an object and explain how that leads to a single resultant force or no force
•  HT ONLY: Use free body diagrams and accurate vector diagrams to scale, to resolve multiple forces and show magnitude and direction of the resultant
•  HT ONLY: Use vector diagrams to illustrate resolution of forces, equilibrium situations and determine the resultant of two forces, to include both magnitude and direction
•  Describe energy transfers involved when work is done and calculate the work done by recalling and using the equation: [ W = Fs ]
•  Describe what a joule is and state what the joule is derived from
•  Convert between newton-metres and joules.
•  Explain why work done against the frictional forces acting on an object causes a rise in the temperature of the object
•  Describe examples of the forces involved in stretching, bending or compressing an object
•  Explain why, to change the shape of an object (by stretching, bending or compressing), more than one force has to be applied – this is limited to stationary objects only
•  Describe the difference between elastic deformation and inelastic deformation caused by stretching forces
•  Describe the extension of an elastic object below the limit of proportionality and calculate it by recalling and applying the equation: [ F = ke ]
•  Explain why a change in the shape of an object only happens when more than one force is applied
•  Describe and interpret data from an investigation to explain possible causes of a linear and non-linear relationship between force and extension
•  Calculate work done in stretching (or compressing) a spring (up to the limit of proportionality) by applying, but not recalling, the equation: [ Ee= ½ke2 ]
•  Required practical 6: investigate the relationship between force and extension for a spring.
•  PHY ONLY: State that a body in equilibrium must experience equal sums of clockwise and anticlockwise moments, recall and apply the equation: [ M = Fd ]
•  PHY ONLY: Apply the idea that a body in equilibrium experiences an equal total of clockwise and anti-clockwise moments about any pivot
•  PHY ONLY: Explain why the distance, d, must be taken as the perpendicular distance from the line of action of the force to the pivot
•  PHY ONLY: Explain how levers and gears transmit the rotational effects of forces
•  PHY ONLY: Describe a fluid as either a liquid or a gas and explain that the pressure in a fluid causes a force to act at right angles (normal) to the surface of its container
•  PHY ONLY: Recall and apply the equation: [ p = F/A ]
•  PHY & HT ONLY: Explain why the pressure at a point in a fluid increases with the height of the column of fluid above and calculate differences in pressure in a liquid by applying [ p = h ρ g ]
•  PHY & HT ONLY: Describe up thrust an object and explain why the density of the fluid has an effect on the up thrust experienced by an object submerged in it
•  PHY & HT ONLY: Explain why an object floats or sinks, with reference to its weight, volume and the up thrust it experiences
•  PHY ONLY: Describe a simple model of the Earth's atmosphere and of atmospheric pressure, explaining why atmospheric pressure varies with height above a surface
•  Define distance and displacement and explain why they are scalar or vector quantities
•  Express a displacement in terms of both the magnitude and direction
•  Explain that the speed at which a person can walk, run or cycle depends on a number of factors and recall some typical speeds for walking, running, cycling
•  Make measurements of distance and time and then calculate speeds of objects in calculating average speed for non-uniform motion
•  Explain why the speed of wind and of sound through air varies and calculate speed by recalling and applying the equation: [ s = v t ]
•  Explain the vector–scalar distinction as it applies to displacement, distance, velocity and speed
•  HT ONLY: Explain qualitatively, with examples, that motion in a circle involves constant speed but changing velocity
•  Represent an object moving along a straight line using a distance-time graph, describing its motion and calculating its speed from the graph's gradient
•  Draw distance–time graphs from measurements and extract and interpret lines and slopes of distance–time graphs,
•  Describe an object which is slowing down as having a negative acceleration and estimate the magnitude of everyday accelerations
•  Calculate the average acceleration of an object by recalling and applying the equation: [ a = Δv/t ]
•  Represent motion using velocity–time graphs, finding the acceleration from its gradient and distance travelled from the area underneath
•  HT ONLY: Interpret enclosed areas in velocity–time graphs to determine distance travelled (or displacement)
•  HT ONLY: Measure, when appropriate, the area under a velocity– time graph by counting square
•  Apply, but not recall, the equation: [ v2 – u2 = 2as ]
•  PHY ONLY: Draw and interpret velocity-time graphs for objects that reach terminal velocity
•  PHY ONLY: Interpret and explain the changing motion of an object in terms of the forces acting on it
•  PHY ONLY: Explain how an object falling from rest through a fluid due to gravity reaches its terminal velocity
•  Explain the motion of an object moving with a uniform velocity and identify that forces must be in effect if its velocity is changing, by stating and applying Newton’s First Law
•  Define and apply Newton's second law relating to the acceleration of an object
• Recall and apply the equation: [ F = ma ]
•  HT ONLY: Describe what inertia is and give a definition
•  Estimate the speed, accelerations and forces of large vehicles involved in everyday road transport
•  Required practical 7: investigate the effect of varying the force on the acceleration of an object of constant mass, and the effect of varying the mass of an object on the acceleration
•  Apply Newton’s Third Law to examples of equilibrium situations
•  Describe factors that can affect a driver’s reaction time
•  Explain methods used to measure human reaction times and recall typical results
•  Interpret and evaluate measurements from simple methods to measure the different reaction times of students
•  Evaluate the effect of various factors on thinking distance based on given data
•  PHY ONLY: Estimate the distance required for an emergency stop in a vehicle over a range of typical speeds
•  PHY ONLY: Interpret graphs relating speed to stopping distance for a range of vehicles
•  State typical reaction times and describe how reaction time (and therefore stopping distance) can be affected by different factors
•  Explain methods used to measure human reaction times and take, interpret and evaluate measurements of the reaction times of students
•  Explain how the braking distance of a vehicle can be affected by different factors, including implications for road safety
•  Explain how a braking force applied to the wheel does work to reduce the vehicle's kinetic energy and increases the temperature of the brakes
•  Explain and apply the idea that a greater braking force causes a larger deceleration and explain how this might be dangerous for drivers
•  HT ONLY: Estimate the forces involved in the deceleration of road vehicles
•  HT ONLY: Calculate momentum by recalling and applying the equation: [ p = mv ]
•  HT ONLY: Explain and apply the idea that, in a closed system, the total momentum before an event is equal to the total momentum after the event
•  HT ONLY: Describe examples of momentum in a collision
•  PHY & HT ONLY: Complete conservation of momentum calculations involving two objects
•  PHY & HT ONLY: Explain that when a force acts on an object that is moving, or able to move, a change in momentum occurs
•  PHY & HT ONLY: Calculate a force applied to an object, or the change in momentum it causes, by applying but not recalling the equation: [ F = m Δv / Δt ]
•  PHY & HT ONLY: Explain that an increased force delivers an increased rate of change of momentum
•  PHY & HT ONLY: Apply the idea of rate of change of momentum to explain safety features such as air bags, seat belts, helmets and cushioned surfaces

Quizzes