Definitions and Concepts for AQA Physics GCSE

Topic 5: Forces

Definitions in ​bold ​are for higher tier only

Definitions marked by ‘*’ are for separate sciences only

Acceleration: ​The rate of change of velocity. It can be calculated from the

gradient of a velocity-time graph.

*Atmosphere: ​The thin layer of air surrounding the Earth, which gets less dense
with increasing altitude.

Braking Distance: ​The distance a vehicle travels under the braking force. This
can be affected by adverse road and weather conditions as well as the condition
of the vehicle.

Centre of Mass: ​The single point through which the weight of the object can be
said to act.

Changes of Momentum: When a force acts on a moving object, or one an

object that has the ability to move, a change of momentum will occur. The
force is equal to the rate of change of momentum.

Conservation of Momentum: The total momentum of a system before an

event is always equal to the total momentum of the system after the event.

Contact Forces: ​A force that occurs when objects are physically touching.

Displacement: ​A measure of how far an object moves in a given direction. It is

the straight line between the starting and finishing points and is a vector quantity.

Distance: ​A measure of how far an object moves, that does not depend on
direction and is therefore a scalar quantity.

Elastic Deformation: ​Non-permanent deformation which allows the object to

return to its original shape when the deforming forces are removed.

Elastic Limit:​ The force beyond which an object will no longer deform elastically,
and will instead deform plastically.

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Elastic Potential Energy: ​The energy stored in a spring when it is stretched or
compressed, due to the work done on the spring by the deforming force. It is equal
to the work done as long as the object does not plastically deform.

Equilibrium: ​An object is in equilibrium if the resultant force and resultant moment
are both equal to zero.

*Floating: An object will float if the volume of liquid it displaces has a greater
weight than that of the object itself. The upthrust acting on the object is
greater than its weight.

*Fluid: ​A liquid or gas.

Forces: ​A push or pull that an object experiences due to the interaction with
another object. Force is a vector quantity.

Inertia:​ ​The tendency of an object to remain in its same state of uniform

motion or rest.

Inertial Mass:​ ​A measure of how hard it is to change an object’s velocity. It is

defined as the ratio of force over acceleration.

Limit of Proportionality: ​The point beyond which the extension of an elastic

object is no longer directly proportional to the force applied to it.

*Moment: ​The turning effect of a force, equal to the product of the magnitude of
the force and the perpendicular distance from the pivot to the line of action of the
force.

Momentum: The product of an object’s mass and velocity.

Newtonmeter: ​A calibrated spring-balance used to measure weight.

Newton’s First Law:​ If a stationary object’s resultant force is zero, the object will
remain stationary. If a moving object’s resultant force is zero, the object will
continue to move at the same speed, and in the same direction.

Newton’s Second Law: ​An object’s acceleration is directly proportional to the

force applied to it, and inversely proportional to its mass.

Newton’s Third Law:​ The forces that two objects exert on each other when they
interact are equal and opposite.

Non-Contact Forces:​ A force that occurs when objects are physically separated.

Plastic Deformation: ​Permanent deformation which means the object will no

longer return to its original shape when the deforming forces are removed.

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*Pressure in a Column: The pressure in a column of liquid is equal to the
product of the liquid’s density, the height of the column and the gravitational
field strength.

Resolution of Forces: All forces can be resolved into two perpendicular

components that have the same effect as the single force.

Resultant Force:​ The single force that can replace all the individual forces acting
on an object, and have the same effect.

*Resultant Moment:​ The single moment that has the same effect as the sum of
all the other clockwise and anticlockwise moments acting on an object.

Scalar Quantities: ​Quantities that only have a magnitude, not a direction.

*Sinking: An object will sink if the volume of liquid it displaces has a lower
weight than that of the object itself. The upthrust acting on the object is
lower than its weight and so there is a resultant downwards force.

Speed: ​A scalar quantity that is a measure of the rate of increase of distance.

Spring Constant: ​A measure of a spring’s stiffness, which is the constant of

proportionality for a spring’s extension. The higher the spring constant, the smaller
the extension is for a given force.

Stopping Distance: ​The sum of the thinking and braking distances.

Thinking Distance: ​The distance a vehicle travels during the driver’s reaction
time. Typical human reaction times are in the range of 0.2-0.9 seconds. This
reaction time may be affected by tiredness, drugs or alcohol.

Upthrust: The upward force acting on an object in a fluid, due to it

experiencing a greater pressure below it than above it.

Vector Quantities: ​Quantities that have both a magnitude and direction. They are
represented by an arrow, with the length representing the magnitude and the
arrowhead representing the direction.

Velocity: ​A vector quantity that is a measure of the rate of change of

displacement. It is the speed in a given direction.

Weight: ​The force acting on an object due to gravity. It is equal to the product of
the object’s mass and the gravitational field strength at its location.

Work Done: ​Work is done on an object when a force causes it to move through a
distance. It is directly proportional to the distance travelled and the magnitude of
the force in the direction of motion.

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