AP Physics 1 Review

AP Physics 1 flashcards for exam review.

Scalars

Quantities described by magnitude only.

Vectors

Quantities described by both magnitude and direction.

Distance and Speed

Examples of scalar quantities.

Position, Displacement, Velocity, and Acceleration

Examples of vector quantities.

Displacement

The change in an object's position. (Δx = x - x₀)

Average Velocity

The displacement of an object divided by the interval of time in which that displacement occurs. (v_avg = Δx/Δt)

Average Acceleration

The change in velocity divided by the interval of time in which that change in velocity occurs. (a_avg = Δv/Δt)

Constant Acceleration Kinematic Equations

vx = vox + axt, x = xo + voxt + ½ axt², & v² = v²x + 2ax(x − x0)

Vertical Acceleration Near Earth's Surface

Approximately equal to ag = g = 10m/s² downward.

Instantaneous Velocity

The rate of change of the object's position, which is equal to the slope of a line tangent to a point on a graph of the object's position as a function of time.

Instantaneous Acceleration

The rate of change of the object's velocity, which is equal to the slope of a line tangent to a point on a graph of the object's velocity as a function of time.

Displacement (from velocity-time graph)

Equal to the area under the curve of a graph of the object's velocity as a function of time.

Change in Velocity (from acceleration-time graph)

Equal to the area under the curve of a graph of the acceleration of the object as a function of time.

Inertial Reference Frames

The acceleration of any object is the same as measured from all inertial reference frames.

Projectile Motion

A special case of two dimensional motion that has zero acceleration in one dimension and constant, nonzero acceleration in the second dimension.

Center of Mass

The location of a system's center of mass along a given axis can be calculated using the equation: cm = Σmi xi / Σm_i

Forces

Vector quantities that describe the interactions between objects or systems.

Free-body diagrams

Useful tools for visualizing forces being exerted on a single object or system and for determining the equations that represent a physical situation. Shows each of the forces exerted on the object or system by the environment.

Newton's Third Law

Describes the interaction of two objects or systems in terms of the paired forces that each exerts on the other. FA on B = -FB on A

Ideal String

Has negligible mass and does not stretch when under tension. The tension in an ideal string is the same at all points within the string.

Translational Equilibrium

The configuration of forces such that the net force exerted on a system is zero. ΣF = 0

Newton's First Law

If the net force exerted on a system is zero, the velocity of that system will remain constant.

Newton's Second Law

The acceleration of a system's center of mass has a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of the net force exerted on the system and is in the same direction as that net force. asys = Fnet/msys

Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation

Describes the gravitational force between two objects or systems as directly proportional to each of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the systems' centers of mass. |F|= G(m1m2)/r^2

Weight

The gravitational force exerted by an astronomical body on a relatively small nearby object. Weight = Fg = mg

Kinetic Friction

Occurs when two surfaces in contact move relative to each other. The kinetic friction force is exerted in a direction opposite the motion of each surface relative to the other surface.

Static Friction

May occur between the contacting surfaces of two objects that are not moving relative to each other. Static friction adopts the value and direction required to prevent an object from slipping or sliding on a surface. Fs,k| ≤ |μsFN |

Ideal Spring

Has negligible mass and exerts a force that is proportional to the change in its length as measured from its relaxed length.