AP Physics 1 Exam Review

Kinematics

• Vectors vs Scalars
  • Vectors: Magnitude and direction (e.g., displacement, velocity, momentum).
  • Scalars: Only magnitude (e.g., speed, energy, distance).
• Adding Vectors
  • Add from head to tail; include direction.
  • Break vectors into components using trigonometry and analyze using Pythagorean theorem.
• Motion Analysis
  • Displacement (D): Vector, change in position (final - initial).
  • Distance: Scalar, total path length.
  • Speed = Distance/time; Velocity = Displacement/time.
  • Acceleration = Change in velocity/time.
• Graph Interpretation
  • Position vs Time: Exponential increase indicates increasing velocity.
  • Velocity vs Time: Slope = acceleration.
  • Area under velocity-time graph = displacement.
• Free Fall and Projectile Motion
  • Only force = gravity (9.8 m/s² downwards).
  • Kinematic equations for constant acceleration.
  • Projectiles: Analyze using components; horizontal and vertical motions are independent.

Dynamics

• Free Body Diagrams
  • Force of gravity (Fg), force of friction, normal force, tension/applied force.
• Newton’s Laws of Motion
  • First Law: Object at rest stays at rest, object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by net external force.
  • Second Law: F = ma; net force causes acceleration.
  • Third Law: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
• Friction
  • Static vs Kinetic: Static > Kinetic.
  • Force of friction = coefficient (μ) × normal force.
• Elevator Problems
  • Scale reads normal force; affected by acceleration direction.
• Forces on Inclines
  • Break gravitational force into components; use trigonometry.

Circular Motion and Gravitation

• Uniform Circular Motion
  • Centripetal force keeps object in circular path.
  • Velocity changes direction, not magnitude.
• Gravitation
  • Objects orbit a shared center of mass.
  • Gravitational force = G (constant) × (m₁m₂ / r²).
  • Orbital velocity derived from setting gravitational force equal to centripetal force.

Energy

• Types of Energy
  • Gravitational Potential Energy: U = mgh.
  • Kinetic Energy: Translational and rotational.
  • Spring Potential Energy.
• Conservation of Energy
  • Energy initial = Energy final; account for work done by non-conservative forces.
• Work and Power
  • Work = Force × Displacement; can be positive or negative.
  • Power = Work/time or Force × Velocity.

Momentum

• Conservation of Momentum
  • Total momentum conserved in closed system.
• Impulse
  • Change in momentum; impulse = Force × Time.
• Collisions
  • Elastic: Kinetic energy and momentum conserved.
  • Inelastic: Only momentum conserved.

Simple Harmonic Motion

• Key Concepts
  • Period, frequency, amplitude.
• Pendulum and Mass-Spring Systems
  • Pendulum: Period depends on length and gravity.
  • Spring: Period depends on mass and spring constant.

Torque and Rotational Motion

• Angular Kinematics
  • Angular position, velocity, acceleration.
• Torque
  • Causes angular acceleration; similar to force in linear motion.
• Rotational Energy
  • Kinetic rotational energy analog to linear kinetic energy.
• Angular Momentum
  • Conserved in absence of external torque; L = Iω.

These notes summarize key concepts and equations necessary for the AP Physics 1 exam, particularly focusing on kinematics, dynamics, circular motion, gravitation, energy, momentum, simple harmonic motion, and rotational motion.