Tutor tip
"The difficulty with Mechanics is interpretation, not calculation. Read all questions carefully and ensure your force diagrams make sense. If these are wrong - your working will be."
Mechanics 1 is the first mechanics unit of the Edexcel International A-Level in Mathematics. Every topic below has exam-style questions and full worked solutions, free to download.
What's on Mechanics 1
Mechanics 1 covers seven topics: constant acceleration and the SUVAT equations, including speed-time graphs; dynamics of a particle, applying Newton's second law; forces and friction, including particles on inclined planes; statics of a particle in equilibrium; moments; momentum and impulse, including collisions; and vectors in mechanics. Mechanics rewards a good diagram more than any other unit. Most lost marks come from resolving forces in the wrong direction or omitting one entirely, and both are usually prevented by drawing every force on the particle before writing an equation. Connected particles — two masses over a pulley, or a car towing a trailer — are the questions that separate grades. They need one equation per particle, and the tension is the same throughout while the accelerations are equal in magnitude.
How Mechanics 1 is examined
Mechanics 1 is a written paper of 1 hour 30 minutes worth 75 marks, sat in the January, June or October series, counting for one sixth of the full International A-Level. Take g as 9.8 metres per second squared unless the question says otherwise, and give answers to three significant figures. Modelling assumptions matter: a question asking why a string is modelled as light or a particle as smooth carries marks of its own.
Practise Mechanics 1 by topic
Every chapter below has exam-style questions with full worked solutions, free to download. Constant acceleration — the SUVAT equations, speed-time and displacement-time graphs, and vertical motion under gravity. Dynamics of a particle — Newton's second law, connected particles over a pulley, and motion on a rough or smooth plane. Forces and friction — resolving on an inclined plane, limiting equilibrium, and the coefficient of friction. Statics of a particle — equilibrium in two dimensions, and finding an unknown force or angle. Moments — turning effect about a point, uniform and non-uniform rods, and reactions at supports. Momentum and impulse — impulse as change in momentum, direct collisions, and conservation of momentum. Vectors in mechanics — forces and velocities in i and j notation, resultant forces, and vector SUVAT.
Mechanics 1 questions — common questions
How long is the Mechanics 1 exam? 1 hour 30 minutes, worth 75 marks. What value of g should I use? 9.8 metres per second squared, unless the question states otherwise. What is the hardest topic in Mechanics 1? Connected particles and inclined planes, because both require resolving forces correctly before any of the arithmetic can help. Do I need Pure 1 before Mechanics 1? The trigonometry from Pure 1 is assumed throughout, since resolving forces depends on it. Vectors in mechanics also use notation introduced in the Pure units.