Preface vii
Acknowledgments ix
About the Authors xi
Introduction: The Five-Step Program xiii
Step 1 Get to Know the Exam and Set Up Your Study Program
CHAPTER 1 Frequently Asked Questions About the AP Physics 1 Exam 3
FAQs: The AP Physics Program 4
FAQs: The AP Physics 1 Exam 5
CHAPTER 2 Understanding the Exam: The AP Physics 1 Revolution 11
What Happened to the AP Physics Test? 12
What Is AP Physics 1? Eleven Things You Should Know About the Course
and Exam 12
CHAPTER 3 How to Use Your Time 19
Personalizing Your Study Plan 19
Plan A: You Have a Full School Year to Prepare 20
Plan B: You Have One Semester to Prepare 21
Plan C: You Have Six Weeks to Prepare 21
Step 2 Determine Your Test Readiness
CHAPTER 4 Facts to Know for the AP Physics 1 Exam 25
Forces and Motion 26
Conservation Laws 32
Fluids 35
Strategies to Get the Most Out of Your AP Physics Course 37
Seven Simple Strategies 37
Step 3 Develop Strategies for Success
CHAPTER 5 Types of Questions on the AP Physics 1 Exam 43
Three Tools You Can Use, and Why Theyre Not as Useful as You Think 44
How Do You Ask a Calculation Question That Doesnt Need a Calculator? 46
Strategies for Questions That Involve Graphs 49
How the Four Types of Free-Response Questions Are Structured? 51
What Do the Exam Readers Look For? 61
Step 4 Review the Knowledge You Need to Score High
UNIT 1 Kinematics / How Things Move 65
Introduction to Motion in a Straight Line 66
Graphical Analysis of Motion 66
Algebraic Analysis of Motion 69
Practice Problems 73
Solutions to Practice Problems 74
Rapid Review 75
UNIT 2 Force and Translational Dynamics / Newtons Laws 77
Describing Forces: Free-Body Diagrams 78
Determining the Net Force 80
Newtons Third Law 81
Forces at Angles 81
Determining the Gravitational Field 85
Determining Gravitational Force 86
Force of Two Planets on One AnotherOrder of Magnitude Estimates 86
Gravitational and Inertial Mass 87
Motion of the Center of Mass 88
Circular Motion 89
Practice Problems 91
Solutions to Practice Problems 93
Rapid Review 96
UNIT 3 Work, Energy, and Power 97
Energy 98
Work 99
The Work-Energy Theorem 101
Power 102
Gravitational Potential Energy 103
Escape Velocity 103
Practice Problems 104
Solutions to Practice Problems 106
Rapid Review 107
UNIT 4 Linear Momentum / Collisions 109
The Impulse-Momentum Theorem 110
Conservation of Momentum 111
Practice Problems 116
Solutions to Practice Problems 116
Rapid Review 118
UNIT 5 Torque and Rotational Dynamics 119
Torque 120
Rotational Kinematics 122
Rotational Inertia 123
Newtons Second Law for Rotation 124
The Parallel Axis Theorem 125
Practice Problems 126
Solutions to Practice Problems 127
Rapid Review 127
UNIT 6 Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems / Using Angular Momentum and Rotational Kinetic Energy 129
Angular Momentum 130
Rotational Kinetic Energy 132
Practice Problems 133
Solutions to Practice Problems 133
Rapid Review 134
UNIT 7 Oscillations / Simple Harmonic Motion 135
Simple Harmonic Motion 136
Practice Problems 138
Solutions to Practice Problems 139
Rapid Review 139
UNIT 8 Fluids 141
Practice Problems 146
Free-Response 147
Solutions to Practice Problems 147
Solutions to Free-Response 148
CHPATER 6 Extra Drills on Difficult but Frequently Tested Topics 149
How to Use This Chapter 149
Springs and Graphs 150
Tension 156
Inclined Planes 159
Motion Graphs 162
Step 5 Build Your Test-Taking Confidence
AP Physics 1 Practice Exam 1 169
AP Physics 1 Practice Exam 2 197
Appendixes
Recommended Websites 229
The Pantheon of Pizza 231