AP Physics Full Review

Past Exam Breakdown

• Energy (25%)
• Dynamics/Newton's Law (20%)
• Kinematics (17%)
• Rotational Motion (16%)
• Momentum (14%)
• Circular Motion/Gravitation (5%)
• Simple Harmonic Motion (3%)

Key Concepts

Kinematic Equations

• Motion graphs explained:
  • In a position graph, velocity is the slope.
  • In a velocity graph, acceleration is the slope and the area under the graph is displacement.
  • In an acceleration graph, the area under the line is velocity.
• Basic Formulas:
  • Acceleration = velocity/time (v/t)
  • Velocity = distance/time (d/t)
  • Average velocity = (V1 + V2)/2

Projectile Motion

• Basics:
  • Horizontal motion: velocity, displacement, time.
  • Vertical motion: initial velocity, final velocity, displacement, time, acceleration.
  • Horizontal and vertical times are equal.
  • Use kinematic equations for vertical quantities, then horizontal.
• When involving an angle:
  • Split into horizontal and vertical components.
  • Use sine for vertical and cosine for horizontal.
  • Horizontal range: equation Voy^2 * sin(2θ)/g*

Forces

Newton's Laws

1. An object at rest stays at rest unless acted upon by a net external force.
2. Acceleration is equal to the net force divided by mass (a = Fnet/m).
3. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Equilibrium

• Static: Net force on a motionless object is zero.
• Dynamic: Net force on a moving object is zero (constant velocity).

Normal Force & Friction

• Normal force acts perpendicular to the surface.
• Friction force acts parallel:
  • Static friction (Fs): Keeps object from moving.
  • Kinetic friction (Fk): Opposes movement after static friction is overcome.

Mechanical Energy and Work

• Work is the mechanical transfer of energy (W = Fd cosθ or change in KE).
• Kinetic Energy (K = 1/2 m v^2) requires work to change.
• Potential Energy:
  • Gravitational (Ug = mgh)
  • Elastic (Us = 1/2 k x^2)
• Conservation of Energy: Total energy is constant in an isolated system.

Power

• Power is the rate of energy change (P = Fv or P = W/t), measured in watts.

Momentum

• Conserved in all collisions.
• Impulse (J = Ft = change in momentum).

Collisions

• Elastic: Conserves momentum and kinetic energy.
• Inelastic: Conserves momentum but not kinetic energy.

Circular Motion & Gravitation

• Uniform circular motion at constant speed with centripetal acceleration directed towards the center (ac = v^2/r).
• Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation (Fg = Gm1m2/r^2).

Rotational Motion

• Rotational quantities include angular velocity and acceleration.
• Torque (T = Frsinθ) changes angular velocity.
• Rotational Equilibrium: Net torque is zero.
• Moment of Inertia: Resistance to rotation.

Simple Harmonic Motion

• Periodic motion with restoring force proportional to displacement.
• Hooke's Law: Fs = kx.
• Period and frequency:
  • Mass-Spring: Ts = 2π√(m/k)
  • Pendulum: Tp = 2π√(l/g)

Waves

• Transverse waves: Crests and troughs.
• Speed of wave determined by medium.
• Wave interference: constructive and destructive.

Sound Waves

• Produced by vibration causing pressure variations.
• Longitudinal waves move parallel to propagation direction.

Electric Forces and Fields

• Electric charge is conserved and quantized.
• Coulomb's Law defines the force between two charges.
• Electric fields represent the influence a charge has in its vicinity.

Direct Current Circuits

• Electric current is charge crossing a plane per unit time (I = Q/t).
• Resistance (R = V/I) measures opposition to flow.
• Voltage drives current through a circuit.

Circuit Analysis

• Kirchhoff’s Rules: Junction rule and Loop rule for analyzing circuits.