AP Physics 1
Kinematics, forces, energy, momentum, rotation, oscillations and fluids. (College Board)
What the exam covers
- Kinematics
- Force and translational dynamics
- Work, energy and power
- Linear momentum
- Torque and rotational dynamics
- Energy and momentum of rotating systems
- Oscillations
- Fluids
The most common mistakes, unit by unit
Kinematics
- Using final velocity instead of the change in velocity for acceleration. Calculating acceleration →
- Leaving time in minutes when speed is needed in m/s. Speed, distance and time →
Force and translational dynamics
- Using one force instead of the net force in F = ma. Newton's second law (F = ma) →
- Cancelling third-law pairs that act on different objects. Newton's third law pairs →
- Treating mass and weight as the same quantity. Mass vs weight →
Work, energy and power
- Forgetting to square the speed in kinetic energy. Kinetic and gravitational potential energy →
- Not setting total energy before equal to total after. Conservation of energy →
Linear momentum
- Dropping the direction (sign) of velocity when adding momenta.
Torque and rotational dynamics
- Using the full distance instead of the perpendicular lever arm in torque. Choosing sine, cosine or tangent (SOH CAH TOA) →
Energy and momentum of rotating systems
- Forgetting rotational kinetic energy when an object rolls.
Oscillations
- Thinking a pendulum's period depends on its mass.
Fluids
- Using the object's total volume instead of the submerged volume for buoyant force.
A 2-week study plan
- Day 1Kinematics
- Read the common mistake for each unit below.
- Do 10 questions and save every miss.
- Clear any reviews that are due.
- Day 2Force and translational dynamics
- Read the common mistake for each unit below.
- Do 10 questions and save every miss.
- Clear any reviews that are due.
- Day 3Work, energy and power
- Read the common mistake for each unit below.
- Do 10 questions and save every miss.
- Clear any reviews that are due.
- Day 4Linear momentum
- Read the common mistake for each unit below.
- Do 10 questions and save every miss.
- Clear any reviews that are due.
- Day 5Torque and rotational dynamics
- Read the common mistake for each unit below.
- Do 10 questions and save every miss.
- Clear any reviews that are due.
- Day 6Energy and momentum of rotating systems
- Read the common mistake for each unit below.
- Do 10 questions and save every miss.
- Clear any reviews that are due.
- Day 7Mixed review
- Redo every question you missed this week, without notes.
- Save anything still shaky as a miss so it comes back.
- Day 8Oscillations
- Read the common mistake for each unit below.
- Do 10 questions and save every miss.
- Clear any reviews that are due.
- Day 9Fluids
- Read the common mistake for each unit below.
- Do 10 questions and save every miss.
- Clear any reviews that are due.
- Day 10Review what's due
- Clear due reviews first.
- Retry the day's hardest question from scratch.
- Day 11Review what's due
- Clear due reviews first.
- Retry the day's hardest question from scratch.
- Day 12Timed practice
- One timed set in AP Physics 1 format.
- Mark it, then name the unit behind each wrong answer.
- Day 13Fix the gaps
- Practise only the units from yesterday's wrong answers.
- Explain each fix out loud in one sentence (Teach-back).
- Day 14Light review
- Clear today's due reviews — nothing new.
- Sleep well. You're done for today.
Free 5-question sample quiz
No signup. Tap an answer to see if you're right.
1. A car speeds up from 5 m/s to 25 m/s in 4 s. Its acceleration is:
2. A 2 kg box has 10 N pushing right and 4 N of friction left. Its acceleration is:
3. If an object's speed doubles, its kinetic energy:
4. A book rests on a table. The reaction to the Earth pulling the book down is:
5. A runner covers 400 m in 80 s. Their average speed is:
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