Forces: Synthesis and Exam Skills

Topic P2 is one of the most equation-rich parts of GCSE Physics, and the questions that earn the most marks are usually those that combine several ideas — for example, finding a resultant force, using it to get an acceleration, and then working out a distance. This final lesson of Topic P2 (Forces) of OCR Gateway Science A pulls the whole topic together: it gathers every P2 equation in one place, recaps the required practicals, lists the mistakes that cost the most marks, and works through a multi-step problem of the kind that separates a good answer from a top one. Treat it as your revision map for the topic.

By the end of this lesson you should be able to select and use every P2 equation, recall the required practicals, recognise and avoid the common P2 exam mistakes, and tackle a multi-step forces problem with confidence.

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Every P2 Equation in One Place

Six equations run through Topic P2. You should know what each one calculates, its symbols and its units, and which are provided on the equation sheet.

Quantity	Equation	Symbols and units	Notes
Speed	$v = \dfrac{s}{t}$v=ts​	$v$v in $\text{m/s}$m/s, $s$s in $\text{m}$m, $t$t in $\text{s}$s	also works for velocity using displacement
Acceleration	$a = \dfrac{\Delta v}{t}$a=tΔv​	$a$a in $\text{m/s}^2$m/s2, $\Delta v$Δv in $\text{m/s}$m/s, $t$t in $\text{s}$s	$\Delta v = v - u$Δv=v−u (final − start)
Uniform motion	$v^2 = u^2 + 2as$v2=u2+2as	$u, v$u,v in $\text{m/s}$m/s, $a$a in $\text{m/s}^2$m/s2, $s$s in $\text{m}$m	Higher; on the equation sheet; no time term
Newton's 2nd law	$F = ma$F=ma	$F$F in $\text{N}$N, $m$m in $\text{kg}$kg, $a$a in $\text{m/s}^2$m/s2	$F$F is the resultant force
Weight	$W = mg$W=mg	$W$W in $\text{N}$N, $m$m in $\text{kg}$kg, $g$g in $\text{N/kg}$N/kg	$g = 9.8\text{ N/kg}$g=9.8 N/kg on Earth
Hooke's law	$F = ke$F=ke	$F$F in $\text{N}$N, $k$k in $\text{N/m}$N/m, $e$e in $\text{m}$m	$e$e is the extension

There is also one Higher-tier energy equation from the elasticity lesson:

$E = \dfrac{1}{2}ke^2 \quad \text{(elastic potential energy, Higher tier)}$E=21​ke2(elastic potential energy, Higher tier)

Exam Tip: Most P2 equations must be memorised; only $v^2 = u^2 + 2as$v2=u2+2as (and the Higher EPE equation) are normally provided. For each calculation, write the equation, substitution and answer with unit on three lines — method marks are awarded even if the final arithmetic slips.

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Choosing the Right Equation

Marks are often lost not because the arithmetic is wrong but because the wrong equation was chosen. Use what the question gives you to decide:

• Given distance and time → speed, $v = \dfrac{s}{t}$v=ts​.
• Given a change of velocity and a time → acceleration, $a = \dfrac{\Delta v}{t}$a=tΔv​.
• Given velocities, acceleration and distance but no time → $v^2 = u^2 + 2as$v2=u2+2as (Higher).
• Given a force and a mass (or asked for the acceleration of an object) → $F = ma$F=ma.
• Asked for weight, or given weight and asked for mass → $W = mg$W=mg.
• Anything about a spring or extension → $F = ke$F=ke (and EPE $= \dfrac{1}{2}ke^2$=21​ke2 on Higher).

graph TD
  Q[What does the question give you?] --> D{distance and time?}
  D -->|yes| SP[use v = s / t]
  D -->|no| V{change in velocity and time?}
  V -->|yes| AC[use a = change in v / t]
  V -->|no| NT{velocities, a and s but no time?}
  NT -->|yes| SU[use v squared = u squared + 2as]
  NT -->|no| FM{force and mass?}
  FM -->|yes| NL[use F = ma]
  FM -->|no| SPR[spring or weight? use F = ke or W = mg]

Exam Tip: Before calculating, list what you are given and what you need, then pick the equation that links them. If time is missing but you have velocities, acceleration and distance, reach for $v^2 = u^2 + 2as$v2=u2+2as from the equation sheet.

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Required Practical Recap

Topic P2 contains required practicals you must be able to describe and evaluate.

1. Investigating acceleration, force and mass (Newton's Second Law). A trolley is pulled along a runway by a hanging mass over a pulley, and its acceleration is measured with light gates (or ticker tape). To investigate force, keep the total accelerating mass constant (move masses from trolley to hanger) and change the force. To investigate mass, keep the force constant and add masses to the trolley. The main error is friction, reduced by tilting the runway to compensate. Results: acceleration is proportional to force and inversely proportional to mass.

2. Force and extension of a spring (Hooke's law). A spring is clamped vertically with a ruler alongside; known weights are added and the extension (new length − original length) is recorded after each. A graph of force against extension gives a straight line through the origin up to the limit of proportionality, with the spring constant as its gradient. Read the ruler at eye level to avoid parallax.

Practical	Measure	Key control	Main error / fix
Acceleration vs force/mass	acceleration (light gates)	total mass (force test) or force (mass test)	friction → tilt runway
Spring force–extension	extension vs force	same spring throughout	parallax → read at eye level

Exam Tip: For the acceleration practical, the examiner's favourite point is keeping the total accelerating mass constant by moving masses from the trolley to the hanger. For the spring practical, it is plotting extension (not total length) and reading the gradient for the spring constant.

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Common P2 Exam Mistakes

Avoiding these will protect easy marks across the whole topic.

• Forgetting the direction of a vector. Resultant forces, velocities and accelerations are vectors — quote a direction as well as a size.
• Using the applied force instead of the resultant force in $F = ma$F=ma. Always subtract friction (and other opposing forces) first.
• Confusing mass and weight. Mass is in kg and constant; weight is a force in N that changes with $g$g.
• Mixing up the two motion graphs. On a distance–time graph the gradient is speed and a flat line is stopped; on a velocity–time graph the gradient is acceleration, a flat line is constant velocity, and the area is the distance.
• Using total length instead of extension in $F = ke$F=ke. The $e$e is the increase in length.
• Leaving mass in grams. Convert to kilograms before using $F = ma$F=ma or $W = mg$W=mg.
• Saying terminal velocity means "stopped". It is a constant (non-zero) velocity with zero resultant force.
• Treating Newton's Third Law forces as acting on the same object. They act on two different objects.

Exam Tip: The two single most common slips are using the applied force rather than the resultant in $F = ma$F=ma, and confusing the gradient of a distance–time graph (speed) with that of a velocity–time graph (acceleration). Guard against both deliberately.

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A Worked Multi-Step Problem

Top-mark questions chain several P2 ideas together. Here is a worked example showing how to break one down.