AQA Forces – Knowledge Organiser

Keywords Contact Forces Non-Contact Forces Scalar Quantity Vector Quantity

Force Make objects move or change shape. Friction Gravitational Forces Mass Force
Measured in Newtons (N) Air Resistance Electrostatic Forces Speed Acceleration
Vector Quantities with both magnitude [size] and Tension Magnetic Forces Distance Displacement
direction such as momentum Reaction Forces Nuclear Forces Time Velocity
Scalar Quantities with only magnitude Equations Forces and Vectors
Speed A scalar quantity – How something covers a Energy Transfer Work (J or N/m) = Force (N) x
Measure displacement /
set distance [speed = distance ÷ time] (work) Distance (m)
resultant force with a
Velocity A vector quantity – speed in a given Weight Weight (N) = mass (kg) x g

10m
ruler or by
direction
Acceleration How quickly something speeds up. (change Hookes law Force (N) = spring constant F = √ a2 + b2
in speed ÷ time taken) [m/s/s] (N/m) x extension (m)
Distance A scalar quantity that measures how much Elastic Potential Elastic potential energy = ½ x
ground an object covers when moved Energy spring constant x (extension)2
Displacement A vector quantity that measures how far out PHYSICS ONLY Moment of a force(Nm) =
of place an object is from A to B Turning Force force (N) x distance (m)
Weight A force caused by gravity. Measured in PHYSICS ONLY Pressure (Pa) = Force (N) ÷
Newtons [weight = mass x gravity] Pressure Area (m2)
Mass The amount of matter an object has. PHYSICS ONLY (HT) Pressure(Pa) = column height Newtons Laws
Measured in g or kg Liquid Column Pressure (m) x density (kg/m3) x g (N/kg) First law Resultant force is zero if stationary or
Resultant The overall, single force. This is zero if Speed Speed (m/s) = distance (m) ÷ travelling at constant speed. Objects will
Force objects are stationary or at constant speed time (s) [v = s ÷ t] travel in a straight line unless a force acts
Terminal The maximum speed objects reach when Newtons 2nd Law Resultant Force (N) = mass on it. (HT- resisting that change)
Velocity falling. When weight = resistive forces (kg) x acceleration (m/s2)
Joule Force of 1 Newton displaces an object of 1 HT ONLY Momentum (kg m/s) = mass Second F=ma – acceleration is proportional to
metre (1 Joule = 1 Newton-metre) Momentum (kg) x velocity (m/s) Law force & inversely proportional to mass
Hookes Law Extension of an elastic object is directly Acceleration Acceleration (m/s/s or m/s2) = Third When objects interact their forces are
proportional to the force [F = ke] change in velocity ÷ time taken Law equal and opposite
Stopping The amount of time it takes to stop. Uniform V2 – U2 = 2 a s V = u + at Common Speeds
Distance Thinking distance + braking distance. (in m) Acceleration V2 = U2 + 2 a s S = ut + ½ at2 walking 1.5 m/s, running 3 m/s, cycling 6 m/s
Momentum Vector quantity that is a property of moving U = initial velocity V = final velocity t = time PHYSICS & HT ONLY Force as rate of change of
(HT) objects [momentum = mass x velocity] (kg a = acceleration s = displacement momentum: Force = change in momentum ÷ time
m/s) also written as p = mv u, v, a, s = vector quantities t = scalar quantity taken for the change
 AQA Forces – Knowledge Organiser
Keywords Contact Forces Non-Contact Forces Scalar Quantity Vector Quantity
Force Make objects move or change shape. Friction Gravitational Forces Mass Force
Measured in Newtons (N) Air Resistance Electrostatic Forces Speed Acceleration
Vector Quantities with both magnitude [size] and Tension Magnetic Forces Distance Displacement
direction such as momentum Reaction Forces Nuclear Forces Time Velocity
Scalar Quantities with only magnitude Equations Forces and Vectors
Speed A scalar quantity – How something covers a Energy Transfer Work (J or N/m) = Force (N) x
Measure displacement /
set distance [speed = distance ÷ time] (work) Distance (m)
resultant force with a
Velocity A vector quantity – speed in a given Weight Weight (N) = mass (kg) x g

10m
ruler or by
direction
Acceleration How quickly something speeds up. (change Hookes law Force (N) = spring constant F = √ a2 + b2
in speed ÷ time taken) [m/s/s] (N/m) x extension (m)
Distance A scalar quantity that measures how much Elastic Potential Elastic potential energy = ½ x
ground an object covers when moved Energy spring constant x (extension)2
Displacement A vector quantity that measures how far out PHYSICS ONLY Moment of a force(Nm) =
of place an object is from A to B Turning Force force (N) x distance (m)
Weight A force caused by gravity. Measured in PHYSICS ONLY Pressure (Pa) = Force (N) ÷
Newtons [weight = mass x gravity] Pressure Area (m2)
Mass The amount of matter an object has. PHYSICS ONLY (HT) Pressure(Pa) = column height Newtons Laws
Measured in g or kg Liquid Column Pressure (m) x density (kg/m3) x g (N/kg) First law Resultant force is zero if stationary or
Resultant The overall, single force. This is zero if Speed Speed (m/s) = distance (m) ÷ travelling at constant speed. Objects will
Force objects are stationary or at constant speed time (s) [v = s ÷ t] travel in a straight line unless a force acts
Terminal The maximum speed objects reach when Newtons 2nd Law Resultant Force (N) = mass on it. (HT- resisting that change)
Velocity falling. When weight = resistive forces (kg) x acceleration (m/s2)
Joule Force of 1 Newton displaces an object of 1 HT ONLY Momentum (kg m/s) = mass Second F=ma – acceleration is proportional to
metre (1 Joule = 1 Newton-metre) Momentum (kg) x velocity (m/s) Law force & inversely proportional to mass
Hookes Law Extension of an elastic object is directly Acceleration Acceleration (m/s/s or m/s2) = Third When objects interact their forces are
proportional to the force [F = ke] change in velocity ÷ time taken Law equal and opposite
Stopping The amount of time it takes to stop. Uniform V2 – U2 = 2 a s V = u + at Common Speeds
Distance Thinking distance + braking distance. (in m) Acceleration V2 = U2 + 2 a s S = ut + ½ at2 walking 1.5 m/s, running 3 m/s, cycling 6 m/s
Momentum Vector quantity that is a property of moving U = initial velocity V = final velocity t = time PHYSICS & HT ONLY Force as rate of change of
(HT) objects [momentum = mass x velocity] (kg a = acceleration s = displacement momentum: Force = change in momentum ÷ time
m/s) also written as p = mv u, v, a, s = vector quantities t = scalar quantity taken for the change