BlogPhysicsGuide to HSC Physics Module 5: Advanced Mechanics
Guide to HSC Physics Module 5: Advanced Mechanics
Struggling with the complex problem solving involved in HSC Module 5 Physics: Advanced Mechanics? 🤔
You’re in luck!
In this guide I’ll be diving into the PROVEN strategies you can use as problem solving tools for Advanced Mechanics ✅
With years of experience leading HSC Physics classes as the Head of Science, and helping countless students achieve top marks, I’ve witnessed the common pitfalls plaguing Advanced Mechanics time and time again.
I’ll be introducing Module 5 Physics in manageable steps and with handy tools that you need to score high marks.
This guide will be your ultimate gateway to understanding the Module and acing it with confidence 🙌
Overview of Topics in HSC Physics Module 5: Advanced Mechanics
As things stand right now, there are two theories in Physics (General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics) out of which all the behaviours of the universe naturally arise.
The ultimate end goal of Physics is to figure out what these two theories click into – the Grand Unified Theory (GUT).
Although Module 5 Physics may seem daunting, the truth is there are not a whole lot of new ideas in Module 5.
A small committee of concepts tie the whole thing together, and you’ve already met most of the big players, such as:
Are you looking for some help with Module 5 Physics? We have an award-winning team of HSC Physics coaches and mentors here to share their expert tips in personalised lessons to help you succeed!
WHEN and HOW will Module 5 Physics: Advanced Mechanics be assessed?🧐
Wait a minute! What will your assessment for Module 5: Advanced Mechanics look like?
Well, the assessment for Module 5: Advanced Mechanics is typically a practical task, occurring in late Term 4.
Of course, this topic will then be assessed again in the HSC Trial examinations that occur in Term 3 of the following year.
This just means that it’s important and worthwhile to practise a wide range of Advanced Mechanics questions!
So without further ado, let’s get into it!
For more information on how YOUR school might structure the HSC Physics Modules and Assessments, check out the NESA Sample Assessment Schedules at the bottom of this page!
Topic 1: Projectile Motion
Image from RVA Mag
This is none other than the kinematics of falling things in disguise and how objects undertake ballistic flight, aka projectile motion.
Vector solving will be super helpful here – you will learn how to solve for velocity by breaking it down into its components in the horizontal (x – plane) and vertical (y – plane).
And I remember to label all vectors as either final, x or y vector so that I don’t lose track of which plane I’m working in!
Now, you’ll learn about projectiles being launched vertically and obliquely, so remember to always draw out a diagram so that you can visualise the movement of the object. I always found this the best way to solve both Maths and Physics questions in high school!
By drawing it out and solving for vectors, this also meant that I would often gain some partial marks even when I was unsure about how to answer a question (depending on the marking criteria).
If you follow the sequence of highlighting and drawing what is depicted in the question, then it also makes it easier to identify the appropriate equations that you will need to answer the question!
Most importantly, familiarise yourself with the 4 equations that will be used for nearly all projectile motion questions.
These can then be used to calculate the variable that the question asks for, but I wouldn’t stress about memorising these – 3 of them are on the formula sheet (highlighted in pink below and the fourth one is written out for you).
The fourth equation ( s_x = u_x \times t ) is simply putting your junior physics knowledge to use.
Only now, you’re focusing on the displacement and initial velocity in the x – dimension.
Basically, it’s a little more complex version of the \frac{s}{d} formula!
Topic 2: Circular Motion
Newton’s laws tell us that if we have an object and it doesn’t experience any further push in any direction, then it will continue to move in a straight- line (or stand-still) direction (i.e. it gets to hold on to its exact velocity, whatever it is).
But when objects start moving in a circle, then things get a little trickier.
Circular motion occurs when an object tries to move in a straight line but is pulled in towards a fixed point.
This causes it to change its direction of motion and accelerate towards the centre of the circular path.
But remember, despite the object accelerating towards the centre, it doesn’t actually move into the centre of the circle.
So basically, the object is being yanked away from any possible straight-line paths they could take, which all perpetually lie outside the circle.
This is why you feel compelled towards some location outside the window when your car rounds a corner too quickly.
(It’s where your inertia would have taken you had you not been yanked away from it forcefully).
So, what’s this force that can stick an object’s motion onto a circle and hold it there?
What pulls cars around part of a circle when they round corners?
Centripetal force
It’s centripetal force, but despite its name, it’s not a force on its own.
Any of the forces we’ve learnt before like tension, friction, gravitational or normal force can actas the centripetal force.
BUT it has its own special formula and it’s linked to Newton’s Second Law of Motion, F = ma :
Again, bring your vector skills because it’s all roller coaster loops, jets pulling out of dives, merry-go-rounds and cars sticking-to/slipping-off road curvatures – there’ll be vectors all over the workshop floor.
And for your reference, I’ve drawn up some handy diagrams of these common circular motion scenarios here:
💡TIP: If you’ve ever seen a solar system animation/model (quite spinny), or a motor spinning, you’ll intuit that this circular stuff is about to become a big deal in your physics journey!
But wait, there is more to cover.
We’re going to look into mechanical energy transformations and how to apply the Law of Conservation of Energy (LOCOE) in rollercoaster scenarios.
Just remember your kinetic and potential energy equations that we’ll use to resolve the components for, like you see in this diagram:
When the rollercoaster reaches the top of the hill, it has a high gravitational potential energy (GPE).
And if you’ve been on a roller coaster, you’ll notice that you always move slower at the peak than you do at the bottom. That’s why the kinetic energy is at its lowest and GPE is at its highest!
Now, as the roller coaster moves down to the bottom, LOCOE begins its work. The GPE gets converted into kinetic energy and the cart starts to move faster and faster. It reaches its highest velocity at the lowest part of the roller coaster ride.
Torque
In the last section of this topic, you’ll learn how to use a wrench- just kidding!
But you’ll cover the concept of torque and how a force applied on an object can cause it to turn around its axis.
So think about it like this, when you open any door – you place a force in the direction of the movement.
If it is a push door, then you will force the door forward with your arms right?
But where is the torque?
In this case, the torque that is being applied is in the hinge joint of the door.
As you push the door, the joint will rotate around its axis. This allows the door to open in the forward direction.
To help with trying to understand how this visually looks, I’ve drawn it up for you:
Hold on tight because all this circular motion might make your head spin 🫣
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Topic 3: Gravitation
It’s circular motion… in Space.
You’ll look briefly at what’s pulling all the masses out of straight lines (gravity fields) and then it’s all circular motion of planetary orbits, coloured in by the energy of the g-field.
You’ll need to understand Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation (quite the mouthful, so let’s condense it down into NLUG) which tells us that big masses become attracted to each other and have a force of pull between them.
We’ll use its formula to derive the gravitational field strength formula (shown below).
LEO and GEO
We’ll look into LEO and GEO and no, they are not zodiac signs! Rather these refer to different orbital paths that can be undertaken by satellites.
LEO stands for Low Earth Orbit, whereas GEO stands for Geostationary Orbit.
I’ve complied this table to better understand the difference between LEO and GEO satellites:
Kepler’s 3 Laws of Planetary Motion
The comparison between the two will lead us down to Kepler’s 3 Laws of Planetary Motion, one of which will be a formula for orbital velocity which you will need to learn to derive.
Kepler’s Laws state that:
LAW 1: the orbit that planets undertake is elliptical, which means that there are 2 foci one of which must be the sun.
LAW 2: despite an elliptical orbit, planets will cover the same distance of the same time as seen in the diagram below:
LAW 3: is an equation (as seen below) that states that the ratio \frac{r^3}{t^2} is the same for everything in-orbit around the same central mass (M).
Just as we did in Topic 2: Circular Motion, we’ll go through kinetic and potential energy transformations in orbital systems and how much speed is required to escape the orbit (so you can figure out how to launch stuff from the Earth to Mars if you like 🫣)
Now it’s important to understand your equations from first principles – just like in maths when you differentiate by first principles.
My top tip would be to understand how to derive these equations, which you often need to gain marks.
This will also help you understand when and where to apply these equations!
How to Study for HSC Module 5 Physics: Advanced Mechanics
Step 1: Find Resources that work for YOU
Although NESA has provided a syllabus, it can be hard to know the depth required for each topic.
I would highly recommend using a textbook that makes sense to you 📚
Try go through content BEFORE class so that you have a little understanding before your teacher goes through it.
Step 2: Understand the study method that works
Each subject is different. It’s imperative to figure out what type of study method works best for you in each subject.
For example, I preferred to type all my notes for Biology and Chemistry, but I found that handwriting my Physics notes worked best (see below).
This helped me visualise all the forces when a car banked a corner or when a projectile was launched into the sky.
Looking to organiseyour study notes and stay on top of your revision? Download our FREE HSC Physics Dashboardsto not only maximise your marks but gain access to our online video library for every syllabus dot point!
Step 3: Make sure the foundations are solid
There’s a handful of year 11 central ideas you need to bring with you. Year 12 assumes you’ve got them.
Here are the main ones:
Newton’s Law Package:
Energy Conservation:
You’ll also need to know vector addition, and all of the motion equations from kinematics.
This stuff was all groundwork. I’m not kidding – revisit it and bring it all back to the front of your head.
It’s quick to learn things the second time around, so this is efficient study time.
Re-do your Year 11 Kinematics and dynamics tests to iron out the sticking points.
Go over some vector addition problems from your year 11 textbook’s chapter review (as well as linearly accelerated motion).
Make sure you feel confident with these topics, because they’re the groundwork for the Year 12 course!
Step 4: Practise, practise, practise!
Thinking is very important in Physics. Module 5 Physics problems beg you to interpret and analyse a wide array of specific real situations on a case-by-case basis and apply mental tools to dig out a solution. Sometimes, it takes some trickery. But, like anything, there’s absolutely an art to this which can be learned. You’llwant to familiarise yourself with the answer-winning procedures and techniques.
General Problem Solving Script:
Here’s an example set-up for a circular motion problem asking about someone swinging from a rope.
Note: The True Physics Statement is just Newton’s 2nd Law from Year 11!
Also note: Declaring a positive direction, handling negatives straight away, neatness and sensible vector lengths.
Students often trip over questions like the above because they skip Step 4(the “make a 100 % undeniably true physics statement” step) and defer to assuming something tempting about the forces that seems right at a glance.
Make a True Physics Statement!
Sometimes, you just simply would not know how to proceed unless you’d seen the trick performed before (by reading someone else’s solution).
It’s not a question of smarts, but rather, who’s got the most experienced physics problem-solving hand.
Highly intelligent medical students are sometimes bewildered when they watch veteran doctors diagnose seemingly impossibly complicated cases almost just by glancing at them from across the room briefly (before confirming it).
Sometimes you’ll feel the same when watching a teacher solve a high-end physics problem (and, then, at the end of the year, *you’ll* have that experience). Churn through as many practice problems as you can get your hands on. Become more of a veteran than your peers!
Every problem you get wrong is a huge +1 to your experience as a physics problem-solver. Get as many problems wrong as you possibly can now – get experienced.
Grab some more practice problems here and here (especially chapter 6) if you exhaust your textbook’s ones!
Step 5: Use the KISS Method – Keep It Super Simple!
Keep It Super Simple!
Make the above prescription (in step 2) into your problem solving etiquette. No matter how simple a problem seems, stick to the script!
Some things in Physics are not intuitive at all when the human brain looks at them (and some things are).
Even for the simplest of problems, start diagramming!
Figure out exactly what your True Physics Statement is going to be.
Get into the habit of having a process of how you like to babysit the negative signs in your equations. Make it your procedure or your problem-crunching/answer-extracting algorithm.
It’s smart practice to diagram even seemingly simple problems out in full.
You’re going to be amazed at how many “seems true, but is completely wrong” answers that lurk in the shadows of your problem solving.
Plus, if your process is disciplined like this when you’re answering the Band 6-separator questions at the back of the HSC paper which are designed to trip up almost everyone else, it can be game-changing!
Step 6: Use the KISS Method – Keep It Super Simple!
Year 12 can be a lot, but it doesn’t have to consume all your time and energy.
Learn to be smart with your time – use online notes to consolidate your knowledge and complete as many practice questions to sharpen your answering skills.
Focus on understanding, not rote memorising concepts as this will help retain knowledge in the long run.
Moreover, don’t leave your study till the end – space it out over the year and remain on top of it.
Use your holidays to catch up so that you don’t fall behind. And lastly, enjoy your time in Year 12 – it’s your last year in high school!
That wraps up our breakdown and study tips for HSC Module 5 Physics: Advanced Mechanics!
Happy studying!
You can also check out our other HSC Physics guides below:
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Adrian W is a qualified high school teacher who has a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Chemistry from the University of Sydney. He was awarded the University Medal in Chemistry and an award from the Physics Foundation for Astronomy. Adrian is Head of Sciences at Art of Smart, and is very passionate about teaching and would like to see all students reach their full potential. Adrian has 13 years and 5000+ hours of 1 on 1 and small group class teaching experience!
