AQA GCSE PHYSICS PAPER 2 QUICK REVIEW
SUMMARY WITH PROVEN QUESTIONS AND
CONFIDENCE BOOST 2026
‣ Which quantities have magnitude or size only? Answer: Scalar
‣ What are the properties of vector quantities? Answer: They have
magnitude and an associated direction
‣ How can you represent a vector quantity using a symbol? Answer:
With an arrow where the length of the arrow represents the magnitude,
and the direction of the arrow the direction of the vector quantity
‣ What is a force? Answer: A push or pull that acts on an object due the
interaction of another object
‣ What is a contact force? Answer: A force that acts between two objects
that are physically touching each other
‣ Name four contact forces Answer: Friction, air resistance, tension and
normal
‣ What is Newton's Third Law of motion? Answer: When a contact force
acts between two objects, both objects experience the same size force,
but in opposite directions
,‣ What is a non-contact force? Answer: Non-contact forces are forces
that act between two objects that are not physically touching each other
‣ Name three non-contact forces Answer: Gravitational force,
electrostatic force and magnetic force
‣ What is weight? Answer: The force acting on an object due to gravity
‣ What does the weight of an object depend on? Answer: The
gravitational field strength at the point where the object is
‣ What is the equation that links weight, mass and gravitational field
strength? Answer: Weight = mass x gravitational field strength if
[W=mg]
‣ What is the relationship between the mass of an object and its
gravitational field? Answer: The more mass an object has the greater its
gravitational field
‣ What is the unit of gravitational field strength? Answer: Newtons per
kg [N/kg]
‣ What is the unit of weight? Answer: Newtons (N)
,‣ What is the unit of mass? Answer: Kilograms (kg)
‣ What is the 'centre of mass' of an object? Answer: A single point in an
object where the weight may be considered to act
‣ How do you measure weight? Answer: Using a calibrated spring-
balance (a newtonmeter)
‣ What's the relationship between the weight and the mass of an object?
Answer: They are directly proportional
‣ What is a resultant force? Answer: A single force that replaces a
number of forces acting on an object that has the same effect as all of the
original forces acting together
‣ When does a force do work on an object? Answer: When the force
causes a displacement of the object
‣ What is the equation that links work done, force and distance? Answer:
work done = force × distance [W=Fs]
‣ What is the unit of work done? Answer: Joules (J)
‣ When is one joule of work done? Answer: When a force of one newton
causes a displacement of one metre; 1 joule = 1 newton-metre
, ‣ When work is done against the frictional forces acting on an object
what does it cause? Answer: An increase in temperature of the object
‣ What must be acting to change the shape of a stationary object?
Answer: More than one force
‣ What is deformation? Answer: A change in shape
‣ What is elastic deformation? Answer: When the force is removed the
deformation is reversed
‣ What is inelastic deformation? Answer: When the force is removed the
deformation is not fully reversed; the change in shape is permanent
‣ When does extension happen in an object? Answer: When an object
increases in length
‣ When does compression happen in an object? Answer: When an object
decreases in length
‣ What is the equation, spring constant and extension? Answer: Force =
spring constant x extension [F=ke]
‣ What is the unit for force? Answer: Newton (N)
SUMMARY WITH PROVEN QUESTIONS AND
CONFIDENCE BOOST 2026
‣ Which quantities have magnitude or size only? Answer: Scalar
‣ What are the properties of vector quantities? Answer: They have
magnitude and an associated direction
‣ How can you represent a vector quantity using a symbol? Answer:
With an arrow where the length of the arrow represents the magnitude,
and the direction of the arrow the direction of the vector quantity
‣ What is a force? Answer: A push or pull that acts on an object due the
interaction of another object
‣ What is a contact force? Answer: A force that acts between two objects
that are physically touching each other
‣ Name four contact forces Answer: Friction, air resistance, tension and
normal
‣ What is Newton's Third Law of motion? Answer: When a contact force
acts between two objects, both objects experience the same size force,
but in opposite directions
,‣ What is a non-contact force? Answer: Non-contact forces are forces
that act between two objects that are not physically touching each other
‣ Name three non-contact forces Answer: Gravitational force,
electrostatic force and magnetic force
‣ What is weight? Answer: The force acting on an object due to gravity
‣ What does the weight of an object depend on? Answer: The
gravitational field strength at the point where the object is
‣ What is the equation that links weight, mass and gravitational field
strength? Answer: Weight = mass x gravitational field strength if
[W=mg]
‣ What is the relationship between the mass of an object and its
gravitational field? Answer: The more mass an object has the greater its
gravitational field
‣ What is the unit of gravitational field strength? Answer: Newtons per
kg [N/kg]
‣ What is the unit of weight? Answer: Newtons (N)
,‣ What is the unit of mass? Answer: Kilograms (kg)
‣ What is the 'centre of mass' of an object? Answer: A single point in an
object where the weight may be considered to act
‣ How do you measure weight? Answer: Using a calibrated spring-
balance (a newtonmeter)
‣ What's the relationship between the weight and the mass of an object?
Answer: They are directly proportional
‣ What is a resultant force? Answer: A single force that replaces a
number of forces acting on an object that has the same effect as all of the
original forces acting together
‣ When does a force do work on an object? Answer: When the force
causes a displacement of the object
‣ What is the equation that links work done, force and distance? Answer:
work done = force × distance [W=Fs]
‣ What is the unit of work done? Answer: Joules (J)
‣ When is one joule of work done? Answer: When a force of one newton
causes a displacement of one metre; 1 joule = 1 newton-metre
, ‣ When work is done against the frictional forces acting on an object
what does it cause? Answer: An increase in temperature of the object
‣ What must be acting to change the shape of a stationary object?
Answer: More than one force
‣ What is deformation? Answer: A change in shape
‣ What is elastic deformation? Answer: When the force is removed the
deformation is reversed
‣ What is inelastic deformation? Answer: When the force is removed the
deformation is not fully reversed; the change in shape is permanent
‣ When does extension happen in an object? Answer: When an object
increases in length
‣ When does compression happen in an object? Answer: When an object
decreases in length
‣ What is the equation, spring constant and extension? Answer: Force =
spring constant x extension [F=ke]
‣ What is the unit for force? Answer: Newton (N)
