Year 10 Physics Learning Cycle 1 Overview
How do forces interact to affect an object’s acceleration?
Learning Cycle Overview:
Line of enquiry one:
Hypothesis 1
Hypothesis 2
Hypothesis 3
How do forces affect an objects movement?
Resultant forces can be calculated using diagrams
Balanced forces create acceleration
There is no link between mass and acceleration (investigation)
Line of enquiry two:
Hypothesis 4
Hypothesis 5
Hypothesis 6
How can we use graphs to learn about an objects journey?
Only speed can be represented on a graph
Acceleration can be calculated from speed & time
Velocity-time graphs give more data than speed-time
Line of enquiry three:
Hypothesis 7
Hypothesis 8
How can knowledge of acceleration be linked to car safety?
Only the velocity affects the deceleration of a car
Stopping distance is how far a car travels before it stops
Week 1
Week 1/2
Week 2
Year 10 Physics | Learning Cycle 1 | Medium Term Plan | Science 2015/16
How do forces interact to affect an object’s acceleration?
Line of enquiry one: How do forces affect an objects movement?
Intentions for learning from AQA GCSE Specification:

Whenever two objects interact, the forces they exert on each
other are equal and opposite.

A number of forces acting at a point may be replaced by a
single force that has the same effect on the motion as the
original forces all acting together. This single force is called the
resultant force.

A resultant force acting on an object may cause a change in its
state of rest or motion.

If the resultant force acting on a stationary object is:

zero, the object will remain stationary

not zero, the object will accelerate in the direction of the
resultant force.

If the resultant force acting on a moving object is:

zero, the object will continue to move at the same speed
and in the same direction

not zero, the object will accelerate in the direction of the
resultant force.
• The acceleration of an object is determined by the resultant
force acting on the object and the mass of the object.
Lesson 3: There is no link between mass and acceleration
(investigation)
Key words: mass, linear relationship
Learning Intentions:
Students should develop an understanding that:
 The acceleration of an object is dependent on its mass
Success Criteria:
 Identify how acceleration changes for objects of different
masses
 Plot a graph of the results obtained
 Use the formula f=ma and understand where it has come from
Lesson 1: Resultant forces can be calculated using diagrams
Lesson 2: Balanced forces create acceleration
Key words: resultant, force, balanced, unbalanced
Key words: acceleration, constant, direction, speed, stationary
Learning Intentions:
Students should develop an understanding that:
 Forces always have a direction and hence can be drawn using
arrows
 An overall force can be calculated for on an object to give the
resultant force
Learning Intentions:
Students should develop an understanding that:
 A resultant force that is not zero will cause a change in
acceleration
 A resultant force that is zero will keep the acceleration
constant
Success Criteria:
 Identify what force arrows would look like when objects
interact
 Recall how to calculate the resultant force on an object
 Calculate the resultant forces in a range of situations
 Recall where there is no overall force the forces are said to be
balanced
Success Criteria:
 Recall what is meant scientifically by the term acceleration
 Predict how objects would move under a range of forces
 Identify how this is different for moving and non-moving
objects
Year 10 Physics | Learning Cycle 1 | Medium Term Plan | Science 2015/16
How do forces interact to affect an object’s acceleration?
Line of enquiry two: How can we use graphs to learn about an objects journey?
Intentions for learning from AQA GCSE Specification:

The gradient of a distance–time graph represents speed.

Calculation of the speed of an object from the gradient of a
distance–time graph.

The velocity of an object is its speed in a given direction.

The acceleration of an object is given by the equation: (v-u)/t

The gradient of a velocity–time graph represents acceleration.

Calculation of the acceleration of an object from the gradient
of a velocity–time graph.

Calculation of the distance travelled by an object from a
velocity–time graph.
Lesson 6: Velocity-time graphs give more data than speed-time
Key words: area, gradient, velocity, distance, acceleration
Learning Intentions:
Students should develop an understanding that:
 A velocity time graph can be used to show changes in speed
over time
 These graphs can be used to calculate the distance travelled
and acceleration
Success Criteria:
 Relate the acceleration equation to v/t graphs
 Calculate acceleration from v/t graphs
 Identify how to calculate distance travelled from a v/t graph
 Calculate distance travelled from a v/t graph
Lesson 4: Only speed can be represented on a graph
Lesson 5: Acceleration can be calculated from speed & time
Key words: speed, velocity, direction, gradient
Key words: acceleration, velocity, time,
Learning Intentions:
Students should develop an understanding that:
 That distance time graphs can show how an objects speed
changes over time
 Speed can be calculated off any straight line on the graph
 The velocity cannot be shown on the graph as it has a direction
Learning Intentions:
Students should develop an understanding that:

Success Criteria:
 Recall the equation for calculating speed
 Describe the journey of an object based on its distance time
graph
 Explain why the gradient of the graph is equal to the speed
 Explain why the graph cannot show the velocity
Success Criteria:
 Recall the definition for acceleration
 Link the definition for acceleration to the equation
 Use and rearrange the acceleration equation successfully
 State the units for acceleration
Year 10 Physics | Learning Cycle 1 | Medium Term Plan | Science 2015/16
How do forces interact to affect an object’s acceleration?
Line of enquiry three: How can knowledge of acceleration be linked to car safety?
Intentions for learning from AQA GCSE Specification:

When a vehicle travels at a steady speed the resistive forces
balance the driving force.

The greater the speed of a vehicle the greater the braking force
needed to stop it in a certain distance.

The stopping distance of a vehicle is the sum of the distance
the vehicle travels during the driver’s reaction time (thinking
distance) and the distance it travels under the braking force
(braking distance).

A driver’s reaction time can be affected by tiredness, drugs and
alcohol.

When the brakes of a vehicle are applied, work done by the
friction force between the brakes and the wheel reduces the
kinetic energy of the vehicle and the temperature of the brakes
increase.
 A vehicle’s braking distance can be affected by adverse road
and weather conditions and poor condition of the vehicle.
Lesson 7: Only the velocity affects the deceleration of a car
Lesson 8: Stopping distance is how far a car travels before it stops
Key words: resistive, deceleration, friction, breaking distance,
Key words: thinking distance, stopping distance
Learning Intentions:
Students should develop an understanding that:
 A car travelling at a constant speed has balanced forces
 In order to stop the resistive forces need to be greater than the
drive force
Learning Intentions:
Students should develop an understanding that:
 There are multiple factors affecting how far a car travels before
it stops
 The total stopping distance is calculated from the sum of
breaking and thinking distance
Success Criteria:
 Predict if vehicles will be moving at a constant speed based on
data
 Identify factors that could cause deceleration to be slower
 Describe what is meant by the term breaking distance
 Explain why breaking distance is used rather than breaking
time
 Recall that as the vehicle slows the breaks heat up
Success Criteria:
 Identify factors that would affect how long it takes a driver to
react to hazards in the road
 Recall what is meant by the term thinking distance and how
this will be affected by a range of factors
 Calculate the total stopping distance for a vehicle
 Use data to predict if there is enough space between vehicles
on a road