AP Physics 1 Exam Comprehensive Review

Aug 7, 2024

AP Physics 1 Exam Review Notes

Kinematics Overview

  • Kinematics studies the motion of objects.
  • Important concepts include displacement, velocity, acceleration, and the distinction between vectors and scalars.

Vectors vs. Scalars

  • Vectors: Have both magnitude and direction (e.g., displacement, velocity, momentum).
  • Scalars: Have only magnitude (e.g., speed, energy, distance).
  • When adding vectors, use the head-to-tail method and account for direction.

Breaking Vectors into Components

  • Use the Pythagorean theorem to analyze motion in components (X and Y directions).
  • Example: A ball launched with an initial velocity of 20 m/s affected separately by gravity in Y direction.

Displacement and Distance

  • Displacement (D): Change in position, represented as a vector; calculated as final position minus initial position.
  • Distance: Total path traveled, a scalar quantity.
    • Example: Walking forward 10 steps and back 5 steps: Distance = 15 steps, Displacement = 5 steps.

Motion Graphs

  • Understand how to interpret motion graphs (position, velocity, and acceleration).
    • Position vs. Time Graph: Slope represents velocity.
    • Velocity vs. Time Graph: Slope represents acceleration.
    • Area under curves: Represents displacement for velocity-time graphs and change in velocity for acceleration-time graphs.

Kinematic Equations

  • Use when acceleration is constant.
  • Common equations include:
    1. v = u + at
    2. s = ut + 0.5at²
    3. v² = u² + 2as
  • Variables:
    • v = final velocity
    • u = initial velocity
    • a = acceleration
    • s = displacement

Free Fall

  • Only the force of gravity acts on the object; acceleration due to gravity (g) = 9.8 m/s².
  • Analyze motion using kinematic equations.

Projectile Motion

  • Break initial velocity into horizontal and vertical components.
    • Horizontal motion: Constant velocity, no acceleration.
    • Vertical motion: Accelerated motion due to gravity.
    • Time is the same for both directions.

Dynamics Overview

  • Study of forces and their effects on motion.

Free Body Diagrams

  • Illustrate all forces acting on an object.
  • Common forces:
    • Force of Gravity (Fg): Always downward.
    • Normal Force (Fn): Perpendicular to surface.
    • Friction: Opposes motion.
    • Tension: Force from strings or ropes.

Newton's Laws of Motion

  1. First Law: An object at rest stays at rest; an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by a net external force.
  2. Second Law: F = ma (Net force results in acceleration).
  3. Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Friction

  • Static Friction: Opposes initial motion; generally greater than kinetic friction.
  • Kinetic Friction: Opposes motion once it has started.
  • Friction Formula: F_friction = µ * F_normal, where µ is the coefficient of friction.

Systems and Accelerations

  • Treat systems as one object for analyzing forces and accelerations.
  • Use F = ma to solve for tensions and other forces within a system.

Forces on Inclines

  • Resolve gravity into components (parallel and perpendicular) relative to the incline.

Circular Motion and Gravitation Overview

  • Centripetal Force: Required for circular motion, directed towards the center of the circle.
  • Newton’s Law of Gravitation: F_g = G * (m1 * m2) / r², where G is the gravitational constant.
  • Calculate acceleration due to gravity (g) on other planets using: g = G * M/R².

Energy Overview

  • Types of Energy:
    • Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE): GPE = mgh.
    • Kinetic Energy (KE): KE = 1/2 mv².
    • Spring Potential Energy: U = 1/2 kx², where k is the spring constant, and x is the displacement from equilibrium.

Conservation of Energy

  • In a closed system, energy is conserved: E_initial = E_final.

Work Overview

  • Work = F * d * cos(θ).
  • Positive work increases energy, negative work decreases energy.

Momentum Overview

  • Momentum (p): p = mv, a vector quantity.
  • Conservation of Momentum: Total momentum of a closed system remains constant in the absence of external forces.

Types of Collisions

  1. Elastic Collisions: Both momentum and kinetic energy conserved.
  2. Inelastic Collisions: Momentum conserved; kinetic energy lost.
  3. Perfectly Inelastic Collisions: Objects stick together post-collision, resulting in maximum kinetic energy loss.

Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)

  • Repetitive motion around an equilibrium position due to a restoring force.
  • Key terms:
    • Period (T): Time for one full cycle.
    • Frequency (f): Number of cycles per second.
    • Amplitude: Maximum displacement from equilibrium.

Example Systems

  • Pendulum: T = 2π√(L/g) (independent of amplitude).
  • Spring-Mass System: T = 2π√(m/k) (independent of amplitude).

Rotational Motion Overview

  • Angular Position (θ), Angular Velocity (ω), Angular Acceleration (α).
  • Connects to linear motion through the radius.
  • Torque (τ): τ = r * F * sin(θ), causes angular acceleration.
  • Rotational Energy: KE_rotational = 1/2 Iω², where I is the moment of inertia.

Conservation of Angular Momentum

  • Analogous to linear momentum. If no external torque acts, angular momentum is conserved.

These notes serve as a comprehensive review guide for AP Physics 1 exam topics, particularly focused on Kinematics, Dynamics, Circular Motion, Gravitation, Energy, Momentum, Simple Harmonic Motion, and Rotational Motion.