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Questions on SUVAT equations

I just did a mock exam for Physics AS level unit 1 (OCR) and have found it realy hard to figure out a way to recognise if the questions is asking me to use a SUVAT equation. :s-smilie:

Does anyone have a way for me to practice these questions and eqations. Thank you.

Reply 1

sso93

Hi, I am doing ocr physics as well. If suppose in the question 3 or more things from the SUVAT equation is giving then that means they want you to use SUVAT equations to solve the problem.
http://www.aplusphysics.com/courses/honors/videos/vid_index.html just follow the link its a good site to revise. I used it last year and i found it useful.

Reply 2

qgujxj39

Whenever you have a SUVAT problem, identify the three things you know and the one thing you want to find out. Use the equation with these four things in.

Reply 3

Stonebridge

Original post by Jimmy909

I just did a mock exam for Physics AS level unit 1 (OCR) and have found it realy hard to figure out a way to recognise if the questions is asking me to use a SUVAT equation. :s-smilie:

Does anyone have a way for me to practice these questions and eqations. Thank you.

Hi Jimmy!
It can be daunting at first, knowing what a question is asking for, and which bit of physics.
I can assure you that over time, after you've done a lot more examples, it begins to make sense and you start to spot what is required.

In the case of SUVAT equations, they are there to get answers about uniformly accelerated motion.
So any question where there is acceleration has a good chance of being a SUVAT example.
You will find acceleration in questions on gravity where an object is falling or where it is a projectile. (Acceleration due to gravity) You'll find it in the questions about cars and other things that accelerate. You will also meet SUVAT when you talk about an electron being accelerated by an electric field. And of course, questions with F=ma have an acceleration there too.

Whenever there is acceleration, a velocity is changing. So you will need to look out for initial and final velocity. These feature in the formulas because they calculate the change in the velocity.

If something is moving it will cover a distance. So in the equations you will have distance (displacement) as well.
When physics questions involve these things, you can be pretty sure there is a SUVAT equation just waiting to pop out.
You then need to see which of these things s,u,v,a and t you have, and find the appropriate equation to use. You will always need three of these quantities to find the fourth in any formula. So write down which 3 you know or have been given and scan the formulas for the one to use.

I hope this helps a bit.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 4

Jimmy909

Thanks all of you! :biggrin:

So the best thing for me to do is to do practice questions alot? If so is there a easy website were i can find some questions?

Reply 5

Amullai

Original post by Jimmy909

Thanks all of you! :biggrin:

So the best thing for me to do is to do practice questions alot? If so is there a easy website were i can find some questions?

I like physicsandmathstutor It has some questions for physic and maths however it doesn't take long to burn through all the questions. Honestly i think looking for past papers might just be best because then you have to identify them as well.