GCSE Physics
Forces
Forces is a core strand in Physics. Work through the topics below in any order, or follow your course — each guide includes explanations, common mistakes and exam-style practice.
Topic guides
Scalars & Vectors
In physics, quantities can be either scalars or vectors.
Open guideContact & Non-Contact Forces
A force is a push or a pull that can cause an object to accelerate, change shape, or change direction.
Open guideWeight & Mass
Mass is the amount of matter in an object, measured in kilograms (kg).
Open guideResultant Forces
The resultant force is the single force that has the same effect as all the other forces acting on an object combined.
Open guideNewton's Laws (GCSE)
Newton's three laws of motion describe the relationship between the motion of an object and the forces acting on it.
Open guideStopping Distance
The stopping distance of a vehicle is the total distance it travels from the moment the driver spots a hazard to the moment the vehicle comes to a complete stop
Open guideSpeed, Velocity & Acceleration (GCSE)
Speed, Velocity & Acceleration questions reward students who slow down long enough to decide what each quantity means.
Open guideDistance-Time Graphs
A distance-time graph plots the distance an object has travelled against time.
Open guideVelocity-Time Graphs
A velocity-time graph plots the velocity of an object against time.
Open guideMomentum (GCSE)
Momentum is a measure of an object's motion, defined as the product of its mass and velocity (p=mv).
Open guideForces & Elasticity
Elasticity is the ability of a material to return to its original shape after being stretched or compressed.
Open guideMoments, Levers & Gears
A moment is the turning effect of a force.
Open guidePressure in Fluids
Pressure in a fluid (a liquid or a gas) is caused by the collisions of the fluid particles with a surface.
Open guideWork Done & Springs
When you stretch or compress a spring, you are doing work against the elastic forces and storing elastic potential energy in it.
Open guide
Revision strategy
Students often slip on the details explained in our guides — read the “common mistakes” section in each topic.
- Alternate between reading a guide and doing timed questions — don’t only re-read notes.
- Return to this hub anytime; new guides appear automatically as we publish them.