Advanced Higher Physics learning outcomes
MECHANICS
KEY
MECHANICS BOOKLET = MB
SCHOLAR = S
1.1 Kinematic relationships and relativistic motion
Derive from a= dv/dt ie a=d2s/ dt2 the kinetatic
relationships:
1
2
v=u+at, s=ut+ at2 and v2=u2+2as where a is a
constant acceleration
MB=p2-3
S=p2-3
Carry out calculations involving constant
accelerations.
State that the greatest possible speed of any
object is always less than the speed of light in a
vacuum.
State that the relativistic mass, m, of a moving
object is not constant but increases with speed.
Carry out calculations involving rest mass,
relativistic mass and speed.
MB=tut 1 Qn 1
S =p5-13
MB=p4
S = p16
MB = tut 1 Q2-6
S = p17 – 18
State that the relativistic energy E of an object is
mc2.
MB= p5
S= p19-21
Carry out calculations involving relativistic energy.
S= p22
1.2 Angular Motion
State that angular velocity  is the rate of change
of angular displacement,
ie ddt
State that angular acceleration  = d /dt ie
d2/dt2.
Carry out calculations involving constant angular
accelerations.
MB = p6
S= p29
MB = p6
S = p31-32
MB = tutorial 2 Qn 1 – 6
S = p33
Derive the expression v=r for a particle in circular
motion.
MB = p6
S = p34
Carry out calculations involving the relationship
between tangential velocity, radius and angular
velocity.
Carry out calculations involving the relationship
between tangential acceleration, radius and angular
acceleration.
Explain that a central force is required to maintain
circular motion
State that the central force required depends on
mass, speed and radius of rotation.
Derive the equations ar=v2/r and ar=r2 for radial
acceleration.
Carry out calculations involving central forces and
radial accelerations.
S = p37-38
MB = p8
S = p44 – 45
MB = p7
S = p40 - 41
MB= tutorial 3 p42 -43
S = acc = p43 -44
Force = p47-48
1.3 Rotational Dynamics
State what is meant by the moment of a force.
State that an unbalanced torque produces an
angular acceleration.
State that the angular acceleration produced by an
unbalanced torque depends on the moment of inertia
of the object.
Explain that the moment of inertia of an object
depends on the mass of the object and the
distribution of the mass about a fixed axis.
Carry out calculations involving moment of inertia
Carry out calculations involving the relationship
between torque, force, radius, moment of inertia
and angular acceleration given the moment of inertia
where required.
State that the angular momentum of a rigid object
depends on its moment of inertia and the angular
velocity.
State that in the absence of external torques, the
angular momentum of a rotating rigid object is
conserved.
Carry out calculations involving the conservation of
angular momentum.
State that the rotational kinetic energy of a rigid
object depends on its moment of inertia and angular
velocity.
Carry out calculations involving rotational kinetic
energy.
MB = p9
S = p56 -57
MB = p11
MB = p11
S = P62
MB = p10
S = p63
MB = tutorial 4 p 44 -45
As above
MB = p11
S = p67
S = p70
MB = p12
S = p68
MB = tutorial 4 p46
S = p70
1.4 Gravitation
Carry out calculations involving Newton’s universal
law of gravitation.
Define gravitational field strength.
MB = tutorial 5 Q1&2
MB = p21
Sketch gravitational field lines for an isolated point
mass and for two point masses.
MB = p21
S = p61
State that the gravitational potential at a point in a
gravitational field is work done by external forces
in bringing unit mass from infinity to that point.
State that the zero of gravitational potential is
taken to be at infinity.
Carry out calculations involving the gravitational
potential energy of a mass in gravitational field.
Explain what is meant by a conservative field.
State that a gravitational field is a conservative
field.
Explain the term “escape velocity”.
Derive the expression below for escape velocity:
2GM
ve =
r
State that the motion of photons is affected by
gravitational fields.
MB = p22
S = p89
S = p92
MB = p23
MB = p23
S = p99
MB = p23
S = P93
MB = p24
1.4 Gravitation (cont)
State that, within a certain distance from a
sufficiently dense object, the escape velocity is
greater than c, hence nothing can escape from such
and object – a black hole.
Carry out calculations involving orbital speed, period
of motion and radius of orbit of satellites.
MB = p24
S = P100
MB = tutorial 5 p48 -49
S = p101
1.5 Simple Harmonic Motion
Describe examples of simple harmonic motion
(SHM)
MB = p27
State that in SHM the unbalanced force is
proportional to the displacement of the object and
acts in the opposite direction.
Explain the significance of the equation:
d2y = - 2y
dt2
for SHM
Show that y = A cos t and y = A sin t are
solutions of the equation for SHM.
MB = p28
S = p104
MB = p28
S = p105
MB = p29
S = p107
1.5 Simple Harmonic Motion (cont)
Show that
v = +  (A2 – y2)
for the relationship in previous learning outcome.
MB = p30 – 32
S = p109
Derive the equations ½m(A2 – y2) and ½my2 for
the kinetic and potential energies of a particle
executing SHM.
MB = p33 – 34
S = p111 – 113
Carry out calculations involving the relations above.
State that damping on an oscillation system causes
the amplitude of oscillations to decay.
MB = tutorial 6 p50
S = p110,p113,p118
MB = p35
S = p119
1.6 Wave-particle duality
State that electrons can behave like waves.
MB = p36
S = p133
Describe evidence which shows that electrons and
electromagnetic radiation exhibit wave-particle
duality.
MB = p36 – 37
S = p124 -134
State that the wavelength found for a particle using
h/p is small compared with the dimensions of any
physical system (except on the atomic or sub-atomic
scale)
Carry out calculations involving the relationship
between wavelength and momentum.
State that the angular momentum of an electron
about the nucleus is quantised.
Describe qualitatively the Bohr model of the atom
Carry out calculations involving quantisation of
angular momentum of an electron.
State that a more far-reaching model of atomic and
nuclear structure interprets waves in terms of
probabilities.
State that quantum mechanics provides methods to
determine probabilities.
MB = p36
S = P128
MB = p52 Qns 1 – 4
S = p129 & p135
MB = p38
S = p139
MB = p38
S = p138 -139
MB = p52 Qns 5 to 9
S = p 143
MB = p39
S = p144
MB = p39
S = p144