M1

Mechanics i find is very easy its just learning basic rules, when i started A level mech i admit it was hard, dont worry, you'll find it progressively easier to learn throughout the course. Its a very big jump from GCSE to A Level learning and it takes time, just make sure you put in effort and it should be a piece of cake!

Just do as many questions as possible, that's the only way really.

I am finding it very difficult in comparison to the pure maths units, probably because I haven't done physics since GCSE.

Has anyone got any tips on how I can become very good at Mechanics?

Learn the equations by heart as they come up.

I found this more important for M than P, since you need to be able to run through the equations of motion in your mind, to decide which you need, depending on whether you're missing (i.e. need to find) u, v, s, t, etc.

If you can regurgitate these equations effortlessly, you do feel much more in control... and they do come up over and over again in M2, M3....

Some concepts seem odd to everyone at first, like the Normal Reaction. The idea that a table is pushing back up at a marble is strange...

But, as someone quite famous once said, in Mathematics, you don't really understand things, you just get used to them...


Aitch

Can you really pass M1 by just knowing the equations by heart? I mean take vectors for example, do you have to know how to draw them too ( I know how to draw them, just sometimes it gets a bit confusing when the questions get a lot more longwinded...)

Oh yeah, how should I approach the exercises, I mean they are so bloody long, already I have spent 4 days of hardcore maths on Vectors and still havent managed to finished the chapter because of the exercises.

Can you really pass M1 by just knowing the equations by heart? .

Vectors are hard work. My least favourite part of P3 was the vector chapter... and the exam question was a pig. M1 vectors are tiresome but less demanding than P3, of course.

Edexcel texts go in for overkill on the exercises. Just flog through them. They help in getting the necessary content into your head. Note that in the Review exercises the questions without an [E] are hardest!

I think that the Review exercises contain just about everything you can be asked to do, so are worth doing, now, or later as part of revision.

Aitch