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Northern IrelandFurther Maths

Unit 2: Mechanics

8 dot points across 8 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How do you find the acceleration and tension for connected particles joined by a string over a pulley?

Analyse connected particles: model two particles joined by a light inextensible string, including over a smooth pulley, and find the common acceleration and the tension.
A CCEA GCSE Further Mathematics answer on connected particles, covering two masses joined by a light string over a smooth pulley, the common acceleration, the string tension, and the equations of motion for each particle in the Mechanics unit.
12 min answer →

How do you use Newton's laws to relate force, mass and acceleration, including weight and equilibrium?

Apply Newton's laws of motion: use F equals ma to relate resultant force, mass and acceleration, work with weight, and analyse particles in equilibrium.
A CCEA GCSE Further Mathematics answer on forces and Newton's laws, covering the resultant force, F equals ma, weight as mass times g, normal reaction, and equilibrium of a particle in the Mechanics unit.
12 min answer →

How do you use the coefficient of friction and the limiting friction model on rough surfaces?

Model friction on rough surfaces: use the relationship F is at most mu R, find limiting friction, and analyse motion and equilibrium on rough horizontal surfaces.
A CCEA GCSE Further Mathematics answer on friction, covering the coefficient of friction, limiting friction F equals mu R, the normal reaction, and analysing whether an object moves or stays in equilibrium on a rough surface in the Mechanics unit.
12 min answer →

How do you use the constant-acceleration equations and motion graphs to describe motion in a straight line?

Model motion in a straight line with constant acceleration: use the suvat equations and interpret displacement-time and velocity-time graphs.
A CCEA GCSE Further Mathematics answer on kinematics with constant acceleration, covering the suvat equations, vertical motion under gravity, and reading displacement-time and velocity-time graphs in the Mechanics unit.
12 min answer →

How do you use calculus to relate displacement, velocity and acceleration when acceleration varies?

Use calculus in kinematics: differentiate to move from displacement to velocity to acceleration, and integrate to reverse the process, for motion with variable acceleration.
A CCEA GCSE Further Mathematics answer on kinematics with variable acceleration, covering differentiating displacement to find velocity and acceleration, integrating to reverse the process, and using initial conditions in the Mechanics unit.
12 min answer →

How do you use momentum, impulse and the conservation of momentum to analyse collisions?

Use momentum and impulse: calculate momentum as mass times velocity, find impulse as change in momentum, and apply conservation of momentum to collisions in a straight line.
A CCEA GCSE Further Mathematics answer on momentum and impulse, covering momentum as mass times velocity, impulse as the change in momentum, and the conservation of momentum in collisions and when objects coalesce in the Mechanics unit.
12 min answer →

How do you analyse projectile motion by treating the horizontal and vertical components separately?

Model projectile motion: resolve initial velocity into horizontal and vertical components, treat horizontal motion at constant velocity and vertical motion under gravity, and find range, time of flight and maximum height.
A CCEA GCSE Further Mathematics answer on projectile motion, covering resolving the launch velocity into components, constant horizontal velocity, vertical motion under gravity, and finding the time of flight, range and maximum height in the Mechanics unit.
13 min answer →

How do you use vectors to represent displacement, velocity and force, and find magnitude and direction?

Use vectors in mechanics: add and subtract vectors, multiply by a scalar, use component (i and j) form, and find the magnitude and direction of a vector.
A CCEA GCSE Further Mathematics answer on vectors in mechanics, covering component form, vector addition and subtraction, scalar multiples, and finding the magnitude and direction of displacement, velocity and force vectors in the Mechanics unit.
12 min answer →