Download AP C 1st Semester Review

AP Physics C
First Semester Review of EVERYTHING I learned 
KINEMATICS:

The general relationship between position, velocity, and acceleration:
o I can analyze x vs. t, v vs. t, and a vs. t graphs
o Given one equation (x, v or a), I can find the other 3.

I know 4 main kinematics equations:

Students should know how to deal with situations in which acceleration is a function of velocity
and time and write an appropriate differential equation and solve it for v(t), for example:

A vector is:
o The rules for adding vectors:
o I know how to find a resultant vector:

I know how to use my 4 kinematics equations to solve problems in 2 dimensions:
o My main “projectile” formulas:
o Velocity in x-direction vs. Velocity in y-direction:
o Basic picture of a projectile with velocity and acceleration vectors:

Given functions of x(t) and y(t), I can determine the components, magnitude and direction of
the particle’s velocity and acceleration.
DYNAMICS/NEWTON’S LAWS

Newton’s Three Laws:
o 1st –
o 2nd –
o 3rd –

Net force means:

If there is NO NET FORCE on an object, then the object is doing 1 of 2 things:
o The object is
o Or the object is

I can draw a well-labeled for body diagram, for example:

I know the steps for solving…
o Hanging stop light questions:
o Pulley questions:
o Pulley on Table questions:
o Pulley on Ramp questions:

When I sum my forces, I know that I can set them equal to 1 of 2 things:
o =
o =

Friction is:
o 2 types of friction:
o What the coefficient of friction means:
o Formula for Frictional force:
o I can figure out when an object will start to slip, for example:

Terminal Velocity is:
o I can calculate terminal velocity, for example:
o I can describe with graphs or words the acceleration, velocity and displacement of a
particle reaching terminal velocity after falling or being projected, for example:
o I can use Newton’s 2nd Law to write a differential equation for the velocity of the object
as a function of time:
o I can derive an expression for the acceleration of the object as a function of time
(under the influence of drag forces):

Action-Reaction Pairs are:

A great picture for remembering equal and opposite forces is:
WORK, ENERGY & POWER

Work is:
o Work is positive when:
o Work is negative when:
o Work is zero when:
o Formula for Work:

I can calculate work from a graph.

I can use integration to calculate the work performed by a force F(x) on an object that
undergoes a specified displacement in one dimension:

Work-Energy Theorem is:
o Example problem:
o I know that I have to find the _________________ on an object before finding the NET
WORK done on an object.
o If I want to find the work done by a specific force, I use that force in the work
equation.
 Example:
o I can figure out the stopping distance needed for an object using the Work-Energy
Theorem.
 Example:
o If an object is moving at a CONSTANT VELOCITY, then the NET WORK is __________.
 BUT, work is still done on the object by the individual forces, for example:

More formulas for this chapter:
o Work
o Kinetic Energy
o Gravitational Potential Energy
o Elastic Potential Energy
o Hooke’s Law

A Conservative Force is:
o Examples of Conservative forces:
o Examples of Non-Conservative forces:

The relationship between force and potential energy is:
o Potential energy can be associated only with conservative forces because:
o I can calculate a potential energy function associated with a one-dimensional force F(x)
o I can calculate the magnitude and direction of a one-dimensional force when given the
potential energy function U(x) for the force.

Law of Conservation of Energy:
o I can use conservation of energy in situations such as:
 Atwood’s machine

Pendulums

Mass-Spring systems

Objects that slide and compress springs

I can state and apply the relation between the work performed on an object by nonconservative forces and the change in an object’s mechanical energy, for example:

I can apply conservation of energy when objects are under the influence of non-constant onedimensional forces, for example:

Power is:
o 4 Formulas for power:
o When a person is lifting themselves up (as in going up a flight of stairs), the force I use
in the power equation is _________________________.
o When calculating the power needed to lift something up, the force I use in the power
equation is________________________.
o When I calculate AVERAGE POWER, then I need to use AVERAGE VELOCITY.

Formula for Center of Mass:
o Example problems:
o Use integration to find the center of mass of a thin rod of non-uniform density:
LINEAR MOMENTUM

Formulas:
o Momentum:
o Impulse:
o Impulse-Momentum Theorem:
o Conservation of Momentum:

I can use graphs to solve momentum questions, for example:

2 types of collisions are:
o ___________________
 After colliding, the objects _______________________

Momentum is _______________________

Kinetic Energy is _____________________
o ___________________
 After colliding, the objects _______________________

Momentum is ______________________

Kinetic Energy is _____________________

I can find the loss of energy in a collision by:

The relationship between linear momentum and center-of-mass motion for a system of
particles is:

I can calculate the change in momentum of an object given a function F(t) for the net force
acting on the object:

I can calculate conservation of momentum questions in one- and two-dimensions, for
example:

Newton’s Third Law and Conservation of Linear Momentum relate to each other because:

Frame of Reference:

I can solve frame of reference problems, for example:
CIRCULAR MOTION & ROTATION

Uniform Circular Motion means:

Since speed = distance/time, I can find an object’s speed moving in a circle simply by

Formula for Centripetal Acceleration:

If asked to draw vectors (force, acceleration, velocity) on ANY circular example:

I can identify graphs of an objects velocity or acceleration vs. time during circular motion:

Centripetal Force is:
o I will NEVER say _____________________________________.
o I know that there is NOT _________________________________________________.
o Formula for Centripetal force:
o I know that Centripetal force will be set equal to some other force, for example:

Torque is:
o Formula for torque:
o Direction of torque:
o Translational Equilibrium =
o Rotational Equilibrium =

o I can solve problems with torque, for example:
Rotational Inertia is:
o I can figure out which object has the greatest rotational inertia:
o I can figure out the change in rotational inertia of an object after increasing a
dimension:
o I can calculate the rotational inertia of:
 A collection of point masses

A thin rod of uniform density about an arbitrary perpendicular axis

A thin cylindrical shell about it’s axis
o Parallel-Axis Theorem:

Example problem:

Angular analogs for linear variables:

Right-Hand Rule:

Rotational Dynamics Formulas:

Rotational Dynamics Example problems:

Massive Pulley problems:

Total Kinetic Energy of an object

Rolling with Slipping

Conservation of Angular Momentum:
o Formula:
o Example Problem:

Relation between net external torque and angular momentum
o When is angular momentum conserved?
GRAVITATION

Universal Law of Gravitation Formula:

I can calculate the gravitational force that one object exerts on another, for example:
o I know that the force that these objects exert on each other is ___________________.

I know that the motion of a circular orbit DOES NOT DEPEND on _______________________.
o For orbit questions, I will most likely have to:
o Example:
o Kepler’s Three Laws:
o Use angular momentum conservation and energy conservation to relate speeds at
different extremes of an elliptical orbit