Fluid Mechanics and Projectile Motion

What Fluid Mechanics and Projectile Motion covers

Fluid Mechanics and Projectile Motion is examined in Component 01, Physiological factors affecting performance. It covers air resistance and drag, factors affecting projectile distance, forces on a projectile and flight paths, Bernoulli's principle and lift and spin and the Magnus effect.

The 5 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• Air resistance and dragDrag and the four factors that affect it, velocity, frontal cross-sectional area, streamlining and shape, surface characteristics, the swimmer, cyclist, golf ball and skier, parachute training and the time-trial position.Open →
• Factors affecting projectile distanceProjectiles and the release factors of speed, angle and height, the optimum 45° angle, shot putters, javelin throwers and long jumpers, releasing too steeply or too flat, and the hammer thrower's turns.Open →
• Forces on a projectile and flight pathsWeight and air resistance on projectiles in flight, free body diagrams of a shot and a badminton shuttle, the parallelogram of forces, parabolic and non-parabolic flight paths, and a football against a hammer.Open →
• Bernoulli's principle and liftBernoulli's principle and lift force, the angle of attack, the discus, javelin and ski jumper's V position, and downward lift from an F1 car's rear wing and track cycling equipment.Open →
• Spin and the Magnus effectHow spin is imparted, the Magnus force, topspin and backspin in tennis, golf and table tennis, how each behaves after a bounce, sidespin and a curling free kick, and the hook and slice in golf.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Fluid Mechanics and Projectile Motion further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

• Parabolic flight path vs Non-parabolic flight path

  Parabolic flight path: a symmetrical curve seen when weight dominates. Non-parabolic flight path: an asymmetric curve seen when air resistance dominates.

• Topspin vs Backspin

  Topspin: rotation that makes a ball dip and shortens its flight. Backspin: rotation that makes a ball float and lengthens its flight.

• Hook vs Slice

  Hook: a right-hander's golf shot that curves sharply left. Slice: a right-hander's golf shot that curves sharply right.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is drag?

   Model answer

   Drag is the force that opposes the motion of a body moving through water. Air resistance is the equivalent force acting on a body moving through air.

2. 2

   Name the four factors that affect the size of air resistance or drag.

   Model answer

   Velocity and frontal cross-sectional area affect air resistance and drag. The other two factors are streamlining and shape, and surface characteristics.

3. 3

   How does velocity affect air resistance?

   Model answer

   Air resistance increases as velocity increases. Velocity has the greatest effect of the four factors, since air resistance rises roughly with the square of velocity.

4. 4

   Why does air resistance matter more to a track cyclist than to a marathon runner?

   Model answer

   The cyclist travels much faster, and air resistance increases sharply with velocity. Air resistance is most of the force a cyclist must overcome at racing speed.

5. 5

   What is frontal cross-sectional area?

   Model answer

   Frontal cross-sectional area is the size of the body's front surface facing the oncoming air or water. A larger frontal area increases air resistance and drag.

6. 6

   How does a track cyclist reduce frontal cross-sectional area?

   Model answer

   The cyclist crouches low over the handlebars with the elbows tucked in. The smaller area facing the air reduces air resistance.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Fluid Mechanics and Projectile Motion revision questions

What does Fluid Mechanics and Projectile Motion cover in OCR A-Level Physical Education?

5 subtopics: air resistance and drag, factors affecting projectile distance, forces on a projectile and flight paths, bernoulli's principle and lift and spin and the magnus effect. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Fluid Mechanics and Projectile Motion organised?

By the OCR H555 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.