Physics for the AP® Course

Case Study: Laying the foundation for the successful study of physics
Chapter 1 Introduction to Physics
1-1 Scientists use special practices to understand and describe the natural world 
1-2 Success in physics requires well-developed problem-solving skills utilizing mathematical, graphical and reasoning skills 
 1-3 Scientists use simplifying models to make it possible to solve problems; “object” will be an important model in your studies
1-4 Measurements in physics are based on standard units of time, length, and mass 
1-5 Correct use of significant digits helps keep track of uncertainties in numerical values and uncertainty impacts conclusions from experimental results 
1-6 Dimensional analysis is a powerful way to check the results of a physics calculation


Case Study: Kinematics
Chapter 2 Linear Motion
2-1 Studying motion in a straight line is the first step in understanding physics
2-2 Constant velocity means moving at a constant speed without changing direction 
2-3 Velocity is the rate of change of position, and acceleration is the rate of change of velocity     
2-4 Constant acceleration means velocity changes at a steady (constant) rate 
2-5 Solving straight-line motion problems: Constant acceleration
2-6 Objects falling freely near Earth’s surface have constant acceleration


Chapter 3 Motion in Two or Three Dimensions
3-1  The ideas of linear motion help us understand motion in two or three dimensions
3-2  A vector quantity has both a magnitude and a direction
3-3  Vectors can be described in terms of components
3-4 Velocity and acceleration are vector quantities
3-5  A projectile moves in a plane and has a constant acceleration
3-6  You can solve projectile motion problems using techniques learned for straight-line motion


Case Study: Dynamics
Chapter 4 Forces and Motion I: Newton’s Laws 
4-1 How objects move is determined by their interactions with other objects, which can be described by forces
4-2 If a net external force is exerted on an object, the object accelerates
4-3 Mass and weight are distinct but related concepts
4-4 A free-body diagram is essential in solving any problem involving forces, making one relies upon center of mass
4-5 Newton’s third law relates the forces that two objects exert on each other
4-6 All problems involving forces can be solved using the same series of steps


Chapter 5 Forces and Motion II: Applications
5-1 We can use Newton’s laws in situations beyond those we have already studied 
5-2 The static friction force changes magnitude to offset other applied forces
5-3 The kinetic friction force on a sliding object has a constant magnitude
5-4 Problems involving static and kinetic friction are like any other problem with forces 
5-5 An object moving through air or water experiences a drag force


Case Study: Circular Motion and Gravitation
Chapter 6 Circular Motion and Gravitation
6-1 Gravitation is a force of universal importance; add circular motion and you are on your way to explaining the motion of the planets and stars
6-2 An object moving in a circle is accelerating even if its speed is constant
6-3 For an object in uniform circular motion, the net force exerted on the object points toward the center of the circle  
6-4 Newton’s law of universal gravitation explains the orbit of the Moon, and gives us an opportunity to introduce to the concept of field
6-5 Newton’s law of universal gravitation begins to explain the orbits of planets and satellites
6-6 Apparent weight and what it means to be “weightless”

Case Study: Energy
Chapter 7 Energy and Conservation I: Foundations
7-1 The ideas of work and energy are intimately related, this relationship is based on a conservation principle
7-2 The work done on a moving object by a constant force depends on the magnitude and direction of the force
7-3 Newton’s second law applied to an object lets us determine a formula for kinetic energy and state the work-energy theorem for an object 
7-4 The work-energy theorem can simplify many physics problems 
7-5 The work-energy theorem is also valid for curved paths and varying forces, and, with a little more information, systems as well as objects 
7-6 Potential energy is energy related to reversible changes in a system’s configuration


Chapter 8 Energy and Conservation II: Applications and Extensions
8-1 Total energy is always conserved, but it is only constant for a closed, isolated system
8-2   Choosing systems and considering multiple interactions, including nonconservative ones, is required in solving physics problems 
8-3   Energy conservation is an important tool for solving a wide variety of problems
8-4 Power is the rate at which energy is transferred into or out of a system or converted within a system
8-5      Gravitational potential energy is much more general, and profound, than our approximation for near the surface of Earth


Case Study: Momentum
Chapter 9 Momentum, Collisions, and the Center of Mass 
9-1 Newton’s third law helps lead us to the idea of momentum 
9-2 Momentum is a vector that depends on an object’s mass and velocity 
9-3 The total momentum of a system of objects is always conserved; it is constant for systems that are well approximated as closed and isolated 
9-4 In an inelastic collision some of the mechanical energy is dissipated 
9-5 In an elastic collision both momentum and mechanical energy are constant 
9-6 What happens in a collision is related to the time the colliding objects are in contact 
9-7 The center of mass of a system moves as though all of the system’s mass were concentrated there


Case Study: Torque and Rotational Motion
Chapter 10 Rotational motion I
10-1 Rotation is an important and ubiquitous kind of motion 
10-2 An extended object’s rotational kinetic energy is related to its angular velocity and how its mass is distributed
10-3 An extended object’s rotational inertia depends on its mass distribution and the choice of rotation axis 
10-4 Conservation of mechanical energy also applies to rotating extended objects
10-5 The equations for rotational kinematics are almost identical to those for linear motion 
10-6 Torque is to rotation as force is to translation 
10-7 The techniques used for solving problems with Newton’s second law also apply to rotation problems


Chapter 11 Rotational motion II    
11-1 Angular momentum and our next conservation law, conservation of angular momentum
11-2 Angular momentum is always conserved; it is constant when there is zero net torque exerted on a system
11-3 Rotational quantities such as torque are actually vectors
11-4 Newton’s law of universal gravitation along with gravitational potential energy and angular momentum explains Kepler’s laws for the orbits of planets and satellites 


Case Study: Simple Harmonic Motion
Chapter 12 Oscillations and Simple Harmonic Motion
12-1 We live in a world of oscillations
12-2 Oscillations are caused by the interplay between a restoring force and inertia
12-3 An object changes length when under tensile or compressive stress; Hooke’s Law is a special case
12-4 The simplest form of oscillation occurs when the restoring force obeys Hooke’s law
12-5 Mechanical energy is conserved in simple harmonic motion 
12-6 The motion of a pendulum is approximately simple harmonic 


Case Study: Mechanical Waves and Sound
Chapter 13 Waves and Sound
13-1 Waves transport energy and momentum from place to place without transporting matter
13-2 Mechanical waves can be transverse, longitudinal, or a combination of these; their speed depends on the properties of the medium
13-3 Sinusoidal waves are related to simple harmonic motion 
13-4 Waves pass through each other without changing shape; while they overlap, the net displacement is just the sum of that of the individual waves
13-5 A standing wave is caused by interference between waves traveling in opposite directions
13-6 Wind instruments, the human voice, and the human ear use standing sound waves
13-7 Two sound waves of slightly different frequencies produce beats
13-8 The frequency of a sound depends on the motion of the source and the listener 

Case Study: Electric Charge and Electric Force
Chapter 14 Electrostatics: Electric Charge and Force
14-1 Electric forces and electric charges are all around you—and within you 
14-2 Matter contains positive and negative electric charge, and charge is always conserved
14-3 Charge can flow freely in a conductor, but not in an insulator 
14-4 Coulomb’s law describes the force between charged objects
14-5 Electric forces are the true cause of many other forces you experience


Case Study: DC Circuits
Chapter 15 DC Circuits
15-1 Life on Earth and our technological society are only possible because of charges in motion 
15-2 Electric current equals the rate at which charge flows
15-3 The resistance to current flow through an object depends on the object’s resistivity and dimensions
15-4  Electric Energy (modified from 17-1 and 2, to just talk in terms of forces, not fields).
15-5 Electric potential difference between two points equals the change in electric potential energy per unit charge moved between those two points
15-6 Conservation of energy and conservation of charge make it possible to analyze electric circuits
15-7 The rate at which energy is produced or taken in by a circuit element depends on current and electric potential difference