Ap physics 1 exam

Displacement (Δx) -Net change in position -Measured in meters (m) Δx = x(f) - x(i)


Velocity (v) -Speed and direction-Measured in meters per second (m/s) average v = Δx/t


Acceleration (a) -Rate of change of velocity w/ respect to time -Measured in meters per second squared (m/s^2) average a = Δv/t


Speeding up vs. Slowing Down -Speeding up occurs when velocity and acceleration have the same sign

-Slowing down occurs when velocity and acceleration have opposite signs


Position vs. Time Graph -Slope represents average velocity -Object changes direction when graph crosses x-axis


Velocity vs. Time Graph -Slope represents average acceleration -Area represents displacement


Acceleration vs. Time Graph -Area represents change in velocity


Scalars Quantities with only a size/magnitude (ex: speed, mass, length, temperature, time, distance, energy, etc.)


Vectors Quantities with both a size and direction (ex: displacement, velocity, position, acceleration, force, etc.)


Projectile Motion -Horizontal and vertical components are independent of each other

-Complementary angles travel same horizontal distance

-Larger angles travel higher and spend more time in air, while smaller angles have greater horizontal velocities


Force (F) -A push or pull -Measured in Newtons (N)


Newton's 1st Law An object will move at a constant velocity in a frictionless, airless vacuum unless another force is exerted on it


Inertia -property of an object that resists a change in motion -measured in mass


Newton's 2nd Law Net force = mass x acceleration


Newton's 3rd Law Every action has an equal and opposite reaction


Normal Force (Fn) A contact force between force between two hard surfaces


Weight -Force of gravity on an object -Depends on mass of object and strength of gravitational field

-Measured in Newtons (N)


Mass -How much stuff an object is made of

-Mass is independent of location of object

-Measured in kilograms (kg)


Static Friction (Fs) Force that resists motion of two objects that are stationary relative to one another Fs (max) = Us x Fn


Kinetic Friction (Fk) Friction when two objects slide against each other 

Fk = Uk x Fn


Hooke's Law Fs = kΔx, where k is the spring constant


Momentum (p) p = mv

-Measured in kg x m/s

-momentum is conserved in collisions and explosions


Impulse (J) J = Fnet Δt = Δp

-Measured in N x s


Elastic Collisions -Momentum and kinetic energy are conserved 

-Can use equation v1(i) - v2(i) = v2(f) - v1(f)


Inelastic Collisions -Momentum is conserved BUT kinetic energy is not conserved

-Collision is completely inelastic if objects stick together


Translational Kinetic Energy (K) -Energy of objects in motion 

-Measured in joules

K = 1/2 mv^2


Gravitational Potential Energy (Ug) -Energy of an object based on its position

-Measured in joules

Ug = mgh


Elastic Potential Energy (Ue) -Energy of a spring

-Measured in joules

Ue = 1/2 kx^2


Work (W) W = FΔxcosϴ

W = ΔK


Power (P) The amount of work done over time, measured in Watts (W)

P = W/t


Conservative Forces -The amount of work done by the force does not depend on its path

-Mechanical energy is conserved


Nonconservative Forces -The amount of work done by the force depends on its path

-Mechanical energy is not conserved


Centripetal Acceleration -Acceleration towards the center of a circle

Ac = v^2 / r



Conditions for Circular Motion 1. Net force must point toward center of circle

2. Velocity must point tangent to circle



Period (T) Time to complete one cycle or revolution

T = 2∏r/v


Frequency (f) Number of cycles per second 

f = 1/T, measured in Hertz (Hz)


Centripetal Force The net force (not a real force) that points toward the center of a circle



Fictitious Force -A fake force that appears in an accelerating reference frame

-Can be explained by looking at the situation from a non-accelerating reference frame



Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation Fg = Gm1m2/r^2, where G is the universal gravitational constant


Gravitational Fields -Any object with mass creates a gravitational field around itself that expands infinitely in all directions

-The field exerts a gravitational force on any other object with mass



Gravitational Field Strength -Gravitational field strength varies depending on location 

g = Gm2/r^2



Gravitational Potential Energy in Outer Space Ug = -Gm1m2/r, where r is the distance between the objects

-Zero position is defined as infinitely far away



Orbiting -To orbit, an object must have an initial velocity tangent to the Earth

-Gravity provides the centripetal acceleration


Circular vs. Elliptical Orbits Circular Orbits: radius is constant, Ug is constant, and K is constant

Elliptical Orbits: radius is NOT constant, Ug is greater farther away, and K is greater closer to planet


Restoring Force -Force pointing toward equilibrium position 

Restoring force = kΔx, where k is the restoring constant


Simple Harmonic Motion A repeated, back and forth motion that is caused by a restoring force

Period of SHM The amount of time required to complete once cycle of motion 

T spring = 2∏√(m/k)

T pendulum = 2∏√(L/g)


Angular Frequency (w) Frequency measured in radians per second (rads/s)

w = 2∏f = 2∏/T

Amplitude (A) The maximum displacement from equilibrium


Displacement in SHM -Displacement is zero at equilibrium and maximum at extreme positions

x(t) = Acost(wt + ϴ), where ϴ is the phase constant/shift


Velocity in SHM -Velocity is the 1st derivative of displacement

-Maximum velocity occurs at equilibrium


Acceleration in SHM -Acceleration is the 2nd derivative of displacement

-Maximum acceleration occurs at extreme positions


Transverse Waves Particles vibrate perpendicular to direction of wave (ex: wave on rope)


Longitudinal Waves Particles vibrate parallel to direction of wave (ex: sound waves)


Wavespeed -Wave speed depends on physical properties of the medium (NOT frequency or wavelength)

v = ƛf


Superposition Two waves run into each other → constructive interference (adding amplitude) or destructive interference (subtracting amplitude)


Beats When sound waves with slightly different frequencies meet, the interference is alternately constructive and destructive, so the sound gets louder and softer at regular intervals


Standing Waves -Created when two waves of equal amplitude and equal frequency interfere continuously 

-Can have two fixed ends, two open ends, or one open and one closed end


Dopple Effect -When a source moves towards an observer, the wavelength decreases and the frequency increases 

-When an observer moves towards a source, the wavelength stays the same but the frequency increases


Resonance Objects have a natural (resonant) frequency it liked to oscillate at



Rotational Position -Position defined by angle ϴ

-Measured in radians


Angular Velocity (w) -Change in angle over time

-Measured in radians per second (rads/s) or revolutions per minute (rpm)

w = Δϴ/t


Angular Acceleration (α) -Change in angular velocity over time

-Measured in radians per second squared (rads/s^2)

α = Δw/t



Angular Kinematics Δϴ = 1/2 αt^2 + w(o)t + x(o)

w(f)^2 - w(i)^2 = 2αΔϴ



Torque (T) -Torque depends on amount of applied force, distance from pivot point, & angle between force and distance

T = Frsinϴ

Tnet = Iα


Rotational Inertia (I) Inertia that resists rotation/twisting 

I = mr^2 for a point mass



Angular Momentum (L) L = Iw, measured in kg x m^2/s^2

Angular momentum is conserved if no net torque is applied


Rotational Kinetic Energy (Krot) Krot = 1/2 Iw^2

Coulomb's Law F = k|q1||q2|/r^2, where k is the Coulomb's law constant


Conductors vs. Insulator Conductors: objects/materials in which charge can flow freely

Insulators: objects that restrict the flow of charge


Voltage (V) -The electric potential energy per coulomb

-Measured in Volts (V)


Current (I) -The rate of flow of charge

-Measured in amperes (A)

-Current flows in the direction positive charges would move


Resistance (R) -A measure of how difficult it is for electrons to moved through a material 

-Measured in Ohms (Ω)

-Resistance increases with resistivity (density) and length BUT decreases with area


Ohm's Law -The resistance in an ohmic device is constant, independent of current and voltage 

V = IR


Parallel Circuit -There are multiple paths through the circuit

-Resistors share total current

-Electrons use up all of their voltage at one resistor


Series Circuit -There is only one path through the circuit

-Resistor each draw total current

-Electrons split their electrical energy between each resistor


Power in a Circuit (P) -Change in electrical energy over time

P = IΔV



Energy Efficiency- Ratio of useful output energy over total input energy



Light bulbs -Brightness depends on power

-Bulbs with less watts shine brighter in series b/c they have greater resistance

-Bulbs with less watts shine less in parallel b/c they have less resistance