Forces: GCSE Combined Science
Scalars and vectors, contact and non-contact forces, resultants, Newton’s laws, weight, and motion graphs - Combined depth
The short version
Separate scalars from vectors, find resultants, use W = mg and F = ma, and read distance-time and velocity-time graphs.
Key idea
Arrows: length for size, arrowhead for direction
Grade 2–3: Some quantities need a direction as well as a size. Force needs a direction.
Grade 5–6: I can sort speed/velocity and mass/weight. Energy is a scalar.
Grade 9: Weight is a force (vector) downwards; mass is a scalar and does not change on the Moon. Momentum is Higher and not developed in Combined depth. I never write that speed is a vector "because cars go in a direction".
Go a bit deeper
non-contact: gravitational (always attractive), magnetic, electrostatic (attract or repel)
Grade 2–3: Some forces need a touch. Magnets and gravity work without touching.
Grade 5–6: I can list friction, tension and air resistance as contact, and gravity, magnetic and electrostatic as non-contact.
Grade 9: If they ask for two forces on a falling skydiver: weight down, air resistance up. k from the spring graph is in N/m. Area under a straight force-extension graph is elastic energy (link to Paper 1 EPE).
Worked example
Worked example
Grade 2–3: Some quantities need a direction as well as a size. Force needs a direction. Grade 5–6: I can sort speed/velocity and mass/weight. Energy is a scalar. Grade 9: Weight is a force (vector) downwards; mass is a scalar and does not change on the Moon. Momentum is Higher and not developed in Combined depth. I never write that speed is a vector "because cars go in a direction".
Lessons in this topic
- Scalars vectors
- Contact non-contact
- Resultant forces
- Newton's laws
- Gravity weight
- Speed velocity distance-time acceleration Combined
In the app each lesson is video (when we have a real YouTube id) then intro, learn and summary steps.
What the examiner wants
Weight is a force in newtons. Resultant zero means constant velocity (including rest). Gradient of st is speed; gradient of vt is acceleration. Moments and full momentum are not Combined depth.
Try these questions
Cover the answers and have a go first. Worked solutions are underneath.
Which quantity is a vector?
Distance is to displacement as speed is to
Which is a non-contact force?
A free-body diagram should not include
Common mistakes
- Do not write that speed is a vector "because cars go in a direction". If the question gives no direction, it is speed.
- Never draw "motion" as a force. Speed is not a force. Weight and the floor's push are not the same type of story as a Newton-3 pair (that is the next lessons).
- Do not say "balanced forces mean the object is stopped". It means constant velocity.
- F in F = ma is the resultant, not the engine force on its own if drag exists.
Answers and working
Frequently asked questions
Is GCSE Forces on Combined Science and Triple?
Forces is on Combined Science and on Triple Physics. Progress is shared in the ReviseEasy app.
Which exam board is this Forces page for?
The ideas are board-agnostic for AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC and CCEA. Paper lengths and question numbers differ — check your specification.
Is Forces Foundation or Higher?
The core ideas appear on both tiers. Higher papers add extra application and some HT-only detail, marked in lessons with a Higher badge.
Learn, try, get feedback, fix the mistake
Open the stepped lesson, then the quiz with hints. Required-practical and calculation questions use the same method you will need in the paper.
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