AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based

Course and Exam Description

Including: Course Framework and Sample Exam Questions

Effective Fall 2017

 About the College Board
The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to
college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand
access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of over 6,000 of the
world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in
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successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college
success — including the SAT® and the Advanced Placement Program®. The organization
also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students,
educators, and schools. For further information, visit www.collegeboard.org.

AP® Equity and Access Policy

The College Board strongly encourages educators to make equitable access a guiding
principle for their AP programs by giving all willing and academically prepared students the
opportunity to participate in AP. We encourage the elimination of barriers that restrict access
to AP for students from ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups that have been traditionally
underserved. Schools should make every effort to ensure their AP classes reflect the diversity
of their student population. The College Board also believes that all students should have
access to academically challenging course work before they enroll in AP classes, which can
prepare them for AP success. It is only through a commitment to equitable preparation and
access that true equity and excellence can be achieved.

AP Course and Exam Descriptions

AP course and exam descriptions are updated regularly. Please visit AP Central®
(apcentral.collegeboard.org) to determine whether a more recent course and exam
description PDF is available.

© 2017 The College Board. College Board, Advanced Placement Program, AP, AP Central, and the acorn
logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. All other products and services may be trademarks of
their respective owners. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.

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 Contents
1 About This Edition

2 Acknowledgments

3 About AP
3 Offering AP Courses and Enrolling Students
4 How AP Courses and Exams Are Developed
4 How AP Exams Are Scored
5 Using and Interpreting AP Scores
5 Additional Resources

6 About the AP Physics 1 Course

6 About This Course
6 College Course Equivalent
6 Prerequisites
6 The Laboratory Requirement

6 Participating in the AP Course Audit

9 The AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Course Framework

9 Overview

11 Science Practices for AP Physics

16 Content Outline
16 Content Area 1: Kinematics
19 Content Area 2: Dynamics
25 Content Area 3: Circular Motion and Gravitation
33 Content Area 4: Energy
40 Content Area 5: Momentum
45 Content Area 6: Simple Harmonic Motion
48 Content Area 7: Torque and Rotational Motion
54 Content Area 8: Electric Charge and Electric Force
56 Content Area 9: DC Circuits
59 Content Area 10: Mechanical Waves and Sound

64 References

iii
 65 The Laboratory Investigations
65 Inquiry Instruction in the AP Science Classroom

66 Expectations for Analysis of Uncertainty in Laboratory Investigations

66 Time and Resources

67 References

68 The AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Exam

68 Exam Information
69 Student Work for Free-Response Sections
69 Terms Defined
70 The Paragraph-Length Response
71 Expectations for the Analysis of Uncertainty
71 Calculators and Equation Tables
72 Time Management

73 Sample Questions for the AP Physics 1 Exam

73 Multiple-Choice Questions
101 Answers to Multiple-Choice Questions
102 Free-Response Questions
107 Scoring Guidelines

Appendixes
113 Appendix A: The Big Ideas in AP Physics 1

120 Appendix B: Developing Big Ideas from Foundational Physics Principles

121 Appendix C: AP Physics 1 Equations and Constants

124 Contact Us

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About This Edition
This revised edition of the AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Course and Exam Description provides
a stand-alone course and exam description for the AP Physics 1 course. While the scope,
sequence, and course content of AP Physics 1 has not changed, this revised edition provides
a content outline of the course that is topically arranged. The content outline is also presented
in a tabular format to more clearly show the relationships between enduring understandings,
learning objectives, and essential knowledge statements.
Additional conceptual information related to each enduring understanding and learning
objective is included in the essential knowledge sections of the content outline. Relevant
equations from the AP Physics 1 Equations and Constants tables have also been added to the
essential knowledge sections so that teachers and students can see specific instances where
they apply.
The AP Physics 2 Course and Exam Description has also been revised in the same way.

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 Acknowledgments
The College Board would like to acknowledge the following committee members, consultants,
and reviewers for their assistance with and commitment to the development of this
curriculum:

Members of the AP Physics 1 and 2 Curriculum Development and

Assessment Committee
Andrew Elby (co-chair), University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Connie Wells (co-chair), Pembroke Hill School, Kansas City, MO
Eugenia Etkina, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ
Dolores Gende, Parish Episcopal School, Dallas, TX
Nick Giordano, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Robert Morse, St. Albans School, Washington, DC
Deborah Roudebush, Oakton High School, Vienna, VA
Gay Stewart (co-chair), University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

Consultants and Reviewers for the College Board

Carlos Ayala, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA
Richard Duschl, Pennsylvania State University State College, PA
Bob Hilborn, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX
Jose Mestre, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
Jim Pellegrino, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL
Jeanne Pemberton, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Mark Reckase, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Nancy Songer, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Marianne Wiser, Clark University, Worcester, MA

Director, Curriculum and Content Development for AP Physics

Trinna Johnson

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 Offering AP Courses and Enrolling Students   About AP

About AP
The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) enables students to pursue college-
level studies while still in high school. Through more than 30 courses, each culminating in a
rigorous exam, AP provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity
to earn college credit and/or advanced placement. Taking AP courses also demonstrates
to college admission officers that students have sought out the most rigorous course work
available to them.
Each AP course is modeled upon a comparable college course, and college and university
faculty play a vital role in ensuring that AP courses align with college-level standards.
Talented and dedicated AP teachers help AP students in classrooms around the world develop
and apply the content knowledge and skills they will need later in college.
Each AP course concludes with a college-level assessment developed and scored by
college and university faculty as well as experienced AP teachers. AP Exams are an
essential part of the AP experience, enabling students to demonstrate their mastery of
college-level course work. Most four-year colleges and universities in the United States
and universities in more than 60 countries recognize AP in the admission process and
grant students credit, placement, or both on the basis of successful AP Exam scores. Visit
www.collegeboard.org/apcreditpolicy to view AP credit and placement policies at more
than 1,000 colleges and universities.
Performing well on an AP Exam means more than just the successful completion of a
course; it is a gateway to success in college. Research consistently shows that students who
receive a score of 3 or higher on AP Exams typically experience greater academic success in
college and have higher graduation rates than their non-AP peers.1 Additional AP studies are
available at www.collegeboard.org/research.

Offering AP Courses and Enrolling Students

This AP Course and Exam Description details the essential information required to understand
the objectives and expectations of an AP course. The AP Program unequivocally supports the
principle that each school implements its own curriculum that will enable students to develop
the content knowledge and skills described here.
Schools wishing to offer AP courses must participate in the AP Course Audit, a process
through with AP teachers’ syllabi are reviewed by college faculty. The AP Course Audit
was created to provide teachers and administrators with clear guidelines on curricular and
resource requirements for AP courses and to help colleges and universities validate courses
marked “AP” on students’ transcripts. This process ensures that AP teachers’ syllabi meet
or exceed the curricular and resource expectations that college and secondary school faculty
have established for college-level courses. For more information on the AP Course Audit, visit
www.collegeboard.org/apcourseaudit.
The College Board strongly encourages educators to make equitable access a guiding
principle for their AP programs by giving all willing and academically prepared students the
opportunity to participate in AP. We encourage the elimination of barriers that restrict access
to AP for students from ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups that have been traditionally

1 See the following research studies for more details:

Linda Hargrove, Donn Godin, and Barbara Dodd, College Outcomes Comparisons by AP and Non-AP High
School Experiences (New York: The College Board, 2008).
Chrys Dougherty, Lynn Mellor, and Shuling Jian, The Relationship Between Advanced Placement and
College Graduation (Austin, Texas: National Center for Educational Accountability, 2006).

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 About AP  How AP Courses and Exams Are Developed 

underserved. The College Board also believes that all students should have access to
academically challenging course work before they enroll in AP classes, which can prepare
them for AP success. It is only through a commitment to equitable preparation and access
that true equity and excellence can be achieved.

How AP Courses and Exams Are Developed

AP courses and exams are designed by committees of college faculty and expert AP
teachers who ensure that each AP subject reflects and assesses college-level expectations.
A list of each subject’s current AP Development Committee members is available on
apcentral.collegeboard.org. AP Development Committees define the scope and expectations
of the course, articulating through a course framework what students should know and be
able to do upon completion of the AP course. Their work is informed by data collected from a
range of colleges and universities to ensure that AP coursework reflects current scholarship
and advances in the discipline.
The AP Development Committees are also responsible for drawing clear and well-articulated
connections between the AP course and AP Exam — work that includes designing and
approving exam specifications and exam questions. The AP Exam development process is a
multi-year endeavor; all AP Exams undergo extensive review, revision, piloting, and analysis
to ensure that questions are high quality and fair and that there is an appropriate spread of
difficulty across the questions.
Throughout AP course and exam development, the College Board gathers feedback from
various stakeholders in both secondary schools and higher education institutions. This
feedback is carefully considered to ensure that AP courses and exams are able to provide
students with a college-level learning experience and the opportunity to demonstrate their
qualifications for advanced placement.

How AP Exams Are Scored

The exam scoring process, like the course and exam development process, relies on the
expertise of both AP teachers and college faculty. While multiple-choice questions are scored
by machine, the free-response questions are scored by thousands of college faculty and expert
AP teachers at the annual AP Reading. AP Exam Readers are thoroughly trained, and their
work is monitored throughout the Reading for fairness and consistency. In each subject, a
highly respected college faculty member fills the role of Chief Reader, who, with the help of
AP readers in leadership positions, maintains the accuracy of the scoring standards. Scores
on the free-response questions are weighted and combined with the results of the computer-
scored multiple-choice questions, and this raw score is converted into a composite AP score
of 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1.
The score-setting process is both precise and labor intensive, involving numerous
psychometric analyses of the results of a specific AP Exam in a specific year and of the
particular group of students who took that exam. Additionally, to ensure alignment with
college-level standards, part of the score-setting process involves comparing the performance
of AP students with the performance of students enrolled in comparable courses in colleges
throughout the United States. In general, the AP composite score points are set so that the
lowest raw score need to earn an AP score of 5 is equivalent to the average score among
college students earning grades of A in the college course. Similarly, AP Exam scores of 4 are
equivalent to college grades of A−, B+, and B. AP Exam scores of 3 are equivalent to college
grades of B−, C+, and C.

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 Using and Interpreting AP Scores   About AP

Using and Interpreting AP Scores

The extensive work done by college faculty and AP teachers in the development of the course
and the exam and throughout the scoring process ensures that AP Exam scores accurately
represent students’ achievement in the equivalent college course. While colleges and
universities are responsible for setting their own credit and placement policies, AP scores
signify how qualified students are to receive college credit or placement:

AP Score Qualification

5 Extremely well qualified

4 Well qualified

3 Qualified

2 Possibly qualified

1 No recommendation

Additional Resources
Visit apcentral.collegeboard.org for more information about the AP Program.

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 About the AP Physics 1 Course   About This Course  

About the AP Physics 1 Course

About This Course
AP Physics 1 is an algebra-based, introductory college-level physics course. Students cultivate
their understanding of Physics through inquiry-based investigations as they explore these
topics: kinematics; dynamics; circular motion and gravitation; energy; momentum; simple
harmonic motion; torque and rotational motion; electric charge and electric force; DC circuits;
and mechanical waves and sound.

College Course Equivalent

AP Physics 1 is a full-year course that is the equivalent of a first-semester introductory college
course in algebra-based physics.

Prerequisites
There are no prerequisite courses. Students should have completed geometry and be
concurrently taking Algebra II or an equivalent course. Although the Physics 1 course
includes basic use of trigonometric functions, this understanding can be gained either in the
concurrent math course or in the AP Physics 1 course itself.

The Laboratory Requirement

This course requires that 25 percent of the instructional time be spent in hands-on laboratory
work, with an emphasis on inquiry-based investigations that provide students with
opportunities to demonstrate the foundational physics principles and apply all seven science
practices defined in the course framework.
Colleges may require students to present their laboratory materials from AP science courses
before granting college credit for laboratory work, so students should be encouraged to retain
their laboratory notebooks, reports, and other materials.

Participating in the AP Course Audit

Schools wishing to offer AP courses must participate in the AP Course Audit. Participation
in the AP Course Audit requires the online submission of two documents: the AP Course
Audit form and the teacher’s syllabus. The AP Course Audit form is submitted by the AP
teacher and the school principal (or designated administrator) to confirm awareness and
understanding of the curricular and resource requirements. The syllabus, detailing how
course requirements are met, is submitted by the AP teacher for review by college faculty.

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 Participating in the AP Course Audit

Please visit http://www.collegeboard.com/html/apcourseaudit/courses/physics_1.html for

more information to support syllabus development including:
nn Annotated Sample Syllabi — Provide examples of how the curricular requirements can be
demonstrated within the context of actual syllabi.
nn Curricular and Resource Requirements — Identifies the set of curricular and resource
expectations that college faculty nationwide have established for a college-level course.
nn Example Textbook List — Includes a sample of AP college-level textbooks that meet the
content requirements of the AP course.
nn Syllabus Development Guide — Includes the guidelines reviewers use to evaluate syllabi
along with three samples of evidence for each requirement. This guide also specifies the
level of detail required in the syllabus to receive course authorization.
nn Syllabus Development Tutorial — Describes the resources available to support
syllabus development and walks through the syllabus development guide requirement by
requirement.

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The AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based

Course Framework
Course Framework

Based on the Understanding by Design (Wiggins and McTighe) model, the AP Physics 1
course framework is intended to provide a clear and detailed description of the course
requirements necessary for student success. The framework specifies what students must
know, be able to do, and understand, and encourages instruction that allows students to make
connections across domains through a broader way of thinking about the physical world.
This course framework is structured around six “big ideas” of physics, which encompass core
scientific principles, theories, and processes of the discipline. See Appendix A for a complete
presentation of the following big ideas:

Big Idea 1: Objects and systems have properties such as mass and
charge. Systems may have internal structure.
Big Idea 2: Fields existing in space can be used to explain
interactions.
Big Idea 3: The interactions of an object with other objects can be
described by forces.
Big Idea 4: Interactions between systems can result in changes in
those systems.
Big Idea 5: Changes that occur as a result of interactions are
constrained by conservation laws.
Big Idea 6: Waves can transfer energy and momentum from one
location to another without the permanent transfer of mass
and serve as a mathematical model for the description of
other phenomena.

A table that illustrates how the foundational physics principles support the development of
these big ideas is in Appendix B.

Overview
The AP Science Practices explicitly articulate the behaviors in which students need to
engage in order to achieve conceptual understanding in the course. The science practices
enable students to establish lines of evidence and use them to develop and refine testable
explanations and predictions of natural phenomena. Because content, inquiry, and reasoning
are equally important in AP Physics, each learning objective described in the content outline
combines content with inquiry and reasoning skills described in the science practices.

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 Overview

The content outline in this framework contains the key concepts and related content that
define the course, topically arranged into 10 content areas: Kinematics; Dynamics; Circular
Course Framework

Motion and Gravitation; Energy; Momentum; Simple Harmonic Motion; Torque and Rotational
Motion; Electric Charge and Electric Force; DC Circuits; and Mechanical Waves and Sound.
These content areas are presented in a tabular format. The components of the content outline
are as follows:
nn Big ideas: Each content area begins with a list of the particular big ideas that are the main
focus points for the topic covered.
nn Enduring understandings: The first column of the table lists the enduring understandings.
These are the long-term takeaways related to the big ideas that a student should retain after
exploring the content and skills. These understandings are expressed as generalizations
that specify what a student will come to understand about the key concepts in each content
area. Enduring understandings are numbered to correspond with the appropriate big idea.
nn Learning objectives: Aligned to the right of each enduring understanding are the
corresponding learning objectives. The learning objectives convey what a student needs
to be able to do in order to develop the enduring understandings. The learning objectives
serve as targets of assessment for each course. Learning objectives are numbered to
correspond with the appropriate big idea and enduring understanding (e.g., LO 5.F.1.1 is
from Big Idea 5, Enduring Understanding 5.F, and is the first learning objective aligned
to that EU). The science practices that align to the learning objective are also designated
within brackets (e.g., [SP 2.1, 2.2, 7.2]).
nn Essential knowledge: Aligned to the right of each learning objective are the corresponding
essential knowledge statements. These statements describe the facts and basic concepts
that a student should know and be able to recall in order to demonstrate mastery of each
learning objective. Relevant equations from the AP Physics 1 Equations and Constants
tables (Appendix C) are provided to show where they are applicable. Since these
equations are provided to students at the exam, students do not need to memorize them,
but they do need to know when and how to use them in the correct context. Essential
knowledge statements are numbered to correspond with the appropriate big idea, enduring
understanding, and learning objective.
nn Boundary statements: These statements provide guidance to teachers regarding the
content boundaries for the AP Physics 1 and 2 courses. These statements help articulate
the contextual differences of how the same big ideas and enduring understandings are
applied in each course. Boundary statements appear at the end of essential knowledge
statements where appropriate.

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 Science Practices for AP Physics

Science Practices for AP Physics

Course Framework
The science practices that follow capture important aspects of the work that scientists engage
in, at the level of competence expected of AP Physics students. AP Physics teachers will see
within the learning objectives how these practices are integrated with the course content, and
they will be able to design instruction with these practices in mind.

Science Practice 1: The student can use representations and models to

communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems.
The real world is extremely complex. When physicists describe and explain phenomena, they
try to simplify real objects, systems, and processes to make the analysis manageable. These
simplifications or models are used to predict how new phenomena will occur. A simple model
may treat a system as an object, neglecting the system’s internal structure and behavior.
More complex models are models of a system of objects, such as an ideal gas. A process can
be simplified, too; free fall is an example of a simplified process when we consider only the
interaction of the object with the Earth. Models can be both conceptual and mathematical.
Ohm’s law is an example of a mathematical model, while the model of a current as a steady
flow of charged particles is a conceptual model (the charged particles move randomly with
some net motion [drift] of particles in a particular direction). Basically, to make a good model,
one needs to identify a set of the most important characteristics of a phenomenon or system
that may simplify analysis. Inherent in the construction of models that physicists invent is
the use of representations. Examples of representations used to model introductory physics
are pictures, motion diagrams, force diagrams, graphs, energy bar charts, and ray diagrams.
Mathematical representations such as equations are another example. Representations help
in analyzing phenomena, making predictions, and communicating ideas. An example here
is using a motion diagram and a force diagram to develop the mathematical expression of
Newton’s second law in component form to solve a dynamics problem.
1.1 The student can create representations and models of natural or man-made
phenomena and systems in the domain.

1.2 The student can describe representations and models of natural or man-made
phenomena and systems in the domain.

1.3 The student can refine representations and models of natural or man-made
phenomena and systems in the domain.

1.4 The student can use representations and models to analyze situations or solve
problems qualitatively and quantitatively.

1.5 The student can reexpress key elements of natural phenomena across multiple
representations in the domain.

Science Practice 2: The student can use mathematics appropriately.

Physicists commonly use mathematical representations to describe and explain phenomena
as well as to solve problems. When students work with these representations, we want
them to understand the connections between the mathematical description, the physical
phenomena, and the concepts represented in the mathematical descriptions. When using
equations or mathematical representations, students need to be able to justify why using a
particular equation to analyze a particular situation is useful as well as to be aware of the
conditions under which the equations/mathematical representations can be used. Students
tend to rely too much on mathematical representations. When solving a problem, they need to
be able to describe the problem situation in multiple ways, including picture representations,

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 Science Practices for AP Physics  

force diagrams, and so on, and then choose an appropriate mathematical representation,
instead of first choosing a formula whose variables match the givens in the problem. In
Course Framework

addition, students should be able to work with the algebraic form of the equation before
they substitute values. They also should be able to evaluate the equation(s) and the answer
obtained in terms of units and limiting case analysis: Does the equation lead to results that
can be predicted qualitatively if one of the quantities in the problem is zero or infinity? They
should be able to translate between functional relations in equations (proportionalities,
inverse proportionalities, etc.) and cause-and-effect relations in the physical world. They
should also be able to evaluate the numerical result in terms of whether it makes sense. For
example, obtaining 35 m/s2 for the acceleration of a bus — about four times the acceleration
of a freely falling object — should raise flags in students’ minds. In many physics situations,
simple mathematical routines may be needed to arrive at a result even though they are not the
focus of a learning objective.
2.1 The student can justify the selection of a mathematical routine to solve problems.

2.2 The student can apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe natural
phenomena.

2.3 The student can estimate numerically quantities that describe natural
phenomena.

Science Practice 3: The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend

thinking or to guide investigations within the context of the AP course.
Research scientists pose and answer meaningful questions. Students may easily miss this
point since, depending on how a science class is taught, it may seem that science is about
compiling and passing down a large body of known facts (e.g., the acceleration of free-falling

objects is 9.8 m/s2; ).

At the opposite end of the spectrum, some students may believe that science can solve every
important societal problem. Thus, helping students learn how to pose, refine, and evaluate
scientific questions is an important instructional and cognitive goal, albeit a difficult skill
to learn. Even within a simple physics topic, posing a scientific question can be difficult.
When asked what they might want to find out about a simple pendulum, some students may
ask, “How high does it swing?” Although this is a starting point from which a teacher may
build, students need to be guided toward refining “fuzzy” questions and relating questions
to relevant models and theories. As a first step to refining this question, students might
first consider in what ways one can measure physical quantities relevant to the pendulum’s
motion, leading to a discussion of time, angle (amplitude), and mass. Follow-up discussions
can lead to how one goes about evaluating questions such as, “Upon what does the period of
a simple pendulum depend?” by designing and carrying out experiments and then evaluating
data and findings.
3.1 The student can pose scientific questions.

3.2 The student can refine scientific questions.

3.3 The student can evaluate scientific questions.

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 Science Practices for AP Physics

Science Practice 4: The student can plan and implement data collection
strategies appropriate for a particular scientific question.

Course Framework
[Note: Data can be collected from many different sources, e.g., investigations, scientific
observations, the findings of others, historic reconstruction, and/or archived data.]
Scientific questions can range in scope from broad to narrow, as well as in specificity, from
determining influencing factors and/or causes to determining mechanism. The question posed
will determine the type of data to be collected and will influence the plan for collecting data.
An example of a broad question is “What caused the extinction of the dinosaurs?” whereas
a narrow one is “Upon what does the period of a simple pendulum depend?” Both questions
ask for influencing factors and/or causes; an answer to the former might be “An asteroid
collision with Earth caused the extinction of the dinosaurs,” whereas an answer to the latter
might be “The period depends on the mass and length of the pendulum.” To test the cause
of the pendulum’s period, an experimental plan might vary mass and length to ascertain if
these factors indeed influence the period of a pendulum, taking care to control variables so as
to determine whether one factor, the other, or both influence the period. A question could be
posed to ask about mechanism, e.g., “How did the dinosaurs become extinct?” or “How does
the period of a simple pendulum depend on the mass and length?” In the second question,
the object is to determine a mathematical relationship between period, mass, and length of a
pendulum. Designing and improving experimental designs and/or data collection strategies is
a learned skill. A class discussion among students in a pendulum experiment might find some
who measured the time for a single round-trip, while others timed 10 round-trips and divided
by 10. Such discussions can reveal issues of measurement uncertainty and assumptions
about the motion. Students need to understand that the result of collecting and using data
to determine a numerical answer to a question is best thought of as an interval, not a single
number. This interval, the experimental uncertainty, is due to a combination of uncertainty
in the instruments used and the process of taking the measurement. Although detailed error
analysis is not necessary to convey this pivotal idea, it is important that students make some
reasoned estimate of the interval within which they know the value of a measured data point
and express their results in a way that makes this clear.
4.1 The student can justify the selection of the kind of data needed to answer a
particular scientific question.

4.2 The student can design a plan for collecting data to answer a particular
scientific question.

4.3 The student can collect data to answer a particular scientific question.

4.4 The student can evaluate sources of data to answer a particular scientific
question.

Science Practice 5: The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of
evidence.
Students often think that to make a graph they need to connect the data points or that the
best-fit function is always linear. Thus, it is important that they can construct a best-fit curve
even for data that do not fit a linear relationship (such as quadratic or exponential functions).
Students should be able to represent data points as intervals whose size depends on the
experimental uncertainty. After students find a pattern in the data, they need to ask why this
pattern is present and try to explain it using the knowledge that they have. When dealing
with a new phenomenon, they should be able to devise a testable explanation of the pattern

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 Science Practices for AP Physics  

if possible (see Science Practice 6.4). It is important that students understand that instruments
do not produce exact measurements and learn what steps they can take to decrease the
Course Framework

uncertainty. Students should be able to design a second experiment to determine the same
quantity and then check for consistency across the two measurements, comparing two results
by writing them both as intervals and not as single, absolute numbers. Finally, students
should be able to revise their reasoning based on the new data, data that for some may appear
anomalous.
5.1 The student can analyze data to identify patterns or relationships.

5.2 The student can refine observations and measurements based on data
analysis.

5.3 The student can evaluate the evidence provided by data sets in relation to a
particular scientific question.

Science Practice 6: The student can work with scientific explanations

and theories.
Scientific explanations may specify a cause-and-effect relationship between variables or
describe a mechanism through which a particular phenomenon occurs. Newton’s second law,

expressed as , gives the acceleration observed when a given combination of forces is

exerted on an object with a certain mass. Liquids dry up because randomly moving molecules
can leave liquids if their kinetic energy is higher than the negative potential energy of
interaction between them and the liquid. A scientific explanation, accounting for an observed
phenomenon, needs to be experimentally testable. One should be able to use it to make
predictions about a new phenomenon. A theory uses a unified approach to account for a large
set of phenomena and gives accounts that are consistent with multiple experimental outcomes
within the range of applicability of the theory. Examples of theories in physics include kinetic
molecular theory, quantum theory, and atomic theory. Students should understand the
difference between explanations and theories.
In this framework the word “claim” means any answer that a student provides except those
that constitute direct and simple observational evidence. To say that all objects fall down is
not a claim, but to say that all objects fall with the same acceleration is a claim, as one would
need to back it up with evidence and a chain of reasoning. Students should be prepared to
offer evidence, to construct reasoned arguments for their claim from the evidence, and to use
the claim or explanation to make predictions. A prediction states the expected outcome of a
particular experimental design based on an explanation or a claim under scrutiny. Consider
the claim that current is directly proportional to potential difference across conductors
based on data from an experiment varying voltage across a resistor and measuring current
through it. The claim can be tested by connecting other resistors or lightbulbs in the circuit,
measuring the voltage, using the linear relationship to predict the current, and comparing
the predicted and measured current. This procedure tests the claim. Students should be able
to design experiments to test alternative explanations of phenomena by comparing predicted
outcomes. For example, students may think that liquids dry because air absorbs moisture. To
test the claim they can design an experiment in which the same liquid dries in two conditions:
in open air and in a vacuum jar. If the claim is correct, the liquid should dry faster in air. If
the outcome does not match the prediction, the explanation is likely to be false. By contrast, if
the outcome confirms the prediction, it only means that this experiment does not disprove the
explanation; alternate explanations of the given outcome can always be formulated. Looking
for experiments that can reject explanations and claims is at the heart of science.

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14 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
 Science Practices for AP Physics

6.1 The student can justify claims with evidence.

Course Framework
6.2 The student can construct explanations of phenomena based on evidence
produced through scientific practices.

6.3 The student can articulate the reasons that scientific explanations and theories
are refined or replaced.

6.4 The student can make claims and predictions about natural phenomena based
on scientific theories and models.

6.5 The student can evaluate alternative scientific explanations.

Science Practice 7: The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across
various scales, concepts, and representations in and across domains.
Students should have the opportunity to transfer their learning across disciplinary boundaries
so that they are able to link, synthesize, and apply the ideas they learn across the sciences
and mathematics. Research on how people learn indicates that providing multiple contexts
to which major ideas apply facilitates transfer; this allows students to bundle knowledge
in memory together with the multiple contexts to which it applies. Students should also be
able to recognize seemingly appropriate contexts to which major concepts and ideas do not
apply. After learning various conservation laws in the context of mechanics, students should
be able to describe what the concept of conservation means in physics and extend the idea
to other contexts. For example, what might conservation of energy mean at high-energy
scales with particle collisions, where Einstein’s mass–energy equivalence plays a major role?
What does conservation of energy mean when constructing or evaluating arguments about
global warming? Another context in which students may apply ideas from physics across
vast spatial and time scales is the origin of human life on Earth coupled with the notion of
extraterrestrial intelligent life. If one views the age of the Earth in analogy to a year of time
(see Ritger & Cummins, 1991) with the Earth formed on January 1, then life began on Earth
around April 5; multicellular organisms appeared on November 6; mammals appeared on
December 23. Perhaps most amazingly, humans appeared on December 31 just 28 minutes
before midnight. What are the implications of this for seeking intelligent life outside our
solar system? What is a reasonable estimate of the probability of finding intelligent life on an
earthlike planet that scientists might discover through astronomical observations, and how
does one go about making those estimates? Although students are not expected to answer
these very complex questions after a single AP science course, they should be able to talk
intelligently about them using the concepts they learned.
7.1 The student can connect phenomena and models across spatial and temporal scales.

7.2 The student can connect concepts in and across domain(s) to generalize or
extrapolate in and/or across enduring understandings and/or big ideas.

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 15
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 1: Kinematics 

Content Outline
Course Framework

Content Area 1: Kinematics

Big Idea 3: The interactions of an object with other objects can be
described by forces.
Big Idea 4: Interactions between systems can result in changes in
those systems.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
students should retain) able to do) know)

3.A: All forces share 3.A.1.1: The student is able 3.A.1: An observer in a particular reference
certain common to express the motion of frame can describe the motion of an
characteristics when an object using narrative, object using such quantities as position,
considered by observers mathematical, and displacement, distance, velocity, speed, and
in inertial reference graphical representations. acceleration.
frames. [SP 1.5, 2.1, 2.2]
a. Displacement, velocity, and acceleration
3.A.1.2: The student are all vector quantities.
is able to design an
b. Displacement is change in position.
experimental investigation
Velocity is the rate of change of position with
of the motion of an object.
time. Acceleration is the rate of change of
[SP 4.2]
velocity with time. Changes in each property
3.A.1.3: The student are expressed by subtracting initial values
is able to analyze from final values.
experimental data
Relevant Equations:
describing the motion of
an object and is able to
express the results of the
analysis using narrative,
mathematical, and
graphical representations. c. A choice of reference frame determines the
[SP 5.1] direction and the magnitude of each of these
quantities.
d. There are three fundamental interactions
or forces in nature: the gravitational force,
the electroweak force, and the strong force.
The fundamental forces determine both the
structure of objects and the motion of objects.
e. In inertial reference frames, forces are
detected by their influence on the motion
(specifically the velocity) of an object. So force,
like velocity, is a vector quantity. A force vector
has magnitude and direction. When multiple
forces are exerted on an object, the vector sum
of these forces, referred to as the net force,
causes a change in the motion of the object.
The acceleration of the object is proportional
to the net force.

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16 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Area 1: Kinematics   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

3.A: All forces share f. The kinematic equations only apply to

certain common constant acceleration situations. Circular
characteristics motion and projectile motion are both
when considered by included. Circular motion is further covered in
observers in inertial Content Area 3. The three kinematic equations
reference frames. describing linear motion with constant
(Continued) acceleration in one and two dimensions are:

g. For rotational motion there are analogous

quantities such as angular position, angular
velocity, and angular acceleration. The
kinematic equations describing angular
motion with constant angular acceleration are:

Circular motion is included, and is further

discussed in Content Area 3.

4.A: The acceleration of 4.A.1.1 The student 4.A.1: The linear motion of a system can be
the center of mass of a is able to use described by the displacement, velocity, and
system is related to the representations of the acceleration of its center of mass.
net force exerted on the center of mass of an
a. The variables x, v, and a all refer to the
isolated two-object system
center-of-mass quantities.
system, where . to analyze the motion of
the system qualitatively Relevant Equations:
and semiquantitatively.
[SP 1.2, 1.4, 2.3, 6.4]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 17
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 1: Kinematics 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

4.A: The acceleration of 4.A.2.1: The student is 4.A.2: The acceleration is equal to the rate of
the center of mass of a able to make predictions change of velocity with time, and velocity is
system is related to the about the motion of a equal to the rate of change of position with
net force exerted on the system based on the fact time.
!
! ∑F that acceleration is equal
system, where a = . a. The acceleration of the center of mass of a
m to the change in velocity
system is directly proportional to the net force
(Continued) per unit time, and velocity
exerted on it by all objects interacting with the
is equal to the change in
system and inversely proportional to the mass
position per unit time.
of the system.
[SP 6.4]
b. Force and acceleration are both vectors,
4.A.2.3: The student
with acceleration in the same direction as the
is able to create
net force.
mathematical models
and analyze graphical c. The acceleration of the center of mass of
relationships for a system is equal to the rate of change of the
acceleration, velocity, center of mass velocity with time, and the
and position of the center center of mass velocity is equal to the rate of
of mass of a system and change of the position of the center of mass
use them to calculate with time.
properties of the motion d. The variables x, v, and a all refer to the
of the center of mass of a center-of-mass quantities.
system. [SP 1.4, 2.2]
Relevant Equations:

"!
! Δx
v avg =
Δt
! !
Δv
a avg =
Δt

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18 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Area 2: Dynamics   Content Outline

Content Area 2: Dynamics

Course Framework
Big Idea 1: Objects and systems have properties such as mass and
charge. Systems may have internal structure.
Big Idea 2: Fields existing in space can be used to explain
interactions.
Big Idea 3: The interactions of an object with other objects can be
described by forces.
Big Idea 4: Interactions between systems can result in changes in
those systems.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
students should retain) able to do) know)

1.A: The internal structure [While there is no specific 1.A.1: A system is an object or a collection
of a system determines learning objective for of objects. Objects are treated as having no
many properties of the it, EK 1.A.1 serves as internal structure.
system. a foundation for other
a. A collection of particles in which internal
learning objectives in the
interactions change little or not at all, or
course.]
in which changes in these interactions are
irrelevant to the question addressed, can be
treated as an object.
b. Some elementary particles are fundamental
particles (e.g., electrons). Protons and
neutrons are composed of fundamental
particles (i.e., quarks) and might be treated as
either systems or objects, depending on the
question being addressed.
c. The electric charges on neutrons and
protons result from their quark compositions.

1.A.5.1: The student is 1.A.5: Systems have properties

able to model verbally or determined by the properties and
visually the properties interactions of their constituent atomic
of a system based on its and molecular substructures. In AP Physics,
substructure and to relate when the properties of the constituent
this to changes in the parts are not important in modeling the
system properties over behavior of the macroscopic system,
time as external variables the system itself may be referred to as
are changed. [SP 1.1, 7.1] an object.

1.C: Objects and 1.C.1.1: The student 1.C.1: Inertial mass is the property of an
systems have properties is able to design an object or a system that determines how its
of inertial mass and experiment for collecting motion changes when it interacts with other
gravitational mass that are data to determine the objects or systems.
experimentally verified relationship between the
to be the same and that net force exerted on an a.
satisfy conservation object its inertial mass
principles.  and its acceleration.
[SP 4.2]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 19
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 2: Dynamics 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

1.C: Objects and 1.C.3.1: The student is 1.C.3: Objects and systems have properties
systems have properties able to design a plan for of inertial mass and gravitational mass that
of inertial mass and collecting data to measure are experimentally verified to be the same and
gravitational mass that gravitational mass and to that satisfy conservation principles.
are experimentally measure inertial mass and
verified to be the to distinguish between the
same and that satisfy
two experiments. [SP 4.2]
conservation principles.
(Continued)

2.B: A gravitational field 2.B.1.1: The student is 2.B.1: A gravitational field at the location of
is caused by an object able to apply to an object with mass m causes a gravitational
with mass. calculate the gravitational force of magnitude mg to be exerted on the
force on an object with object in the direction of the field.
mass m in a gravitational
a. On Earth, this gravitational force is called
field of strength g in the
weight.
context of the effects of a
net force on objects and b. The gravitational field at a point in space is
systems. [SP 2.2, 7.2] measured by dividing the gravitational force
exerted by the field on a test object at that
point by the mass of the test object and has
the same direction as the force.
c. If the gravitational force is the only force
exerted on the object, the observed free-fall
acceleration of the object (in meters per
second squared) is numerically equal to
the magnitude of the gravitational field (in
Newtons/kilogram) at that location.
Relevant Equation:

3.A: All forces share 3.A.2.1: The student 3.A.2: Forces are described by vectors.
certain common is able to represent
a. Forces are detected by their influence on the
characteristics when forces in diagrams or
motion of an object.
considered by observers mathematically using
in inertial reference appropriately labeled b. Forces have magnitude and direction.
frames. vectors with magnitude,
direction, and units during
the analysis of a situation.
[SP 1.1]

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20 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Area 2: Dynamics   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

3.A: All forces share 3.A.3.1: The student 3.A.3: A force exerted on an object is always
certain common is able to analyze a due to the interaction of that object with
characteristics scenario and make claims another object.
when considered by (develop arguments,
observers in inertial a. An object cannot exert a force on itself.
justify assertions) about
reference frames. b. Even though an object is at rest, there
the forces exerted on an
(Continued) object by other objects for may be forces exerted on that object by other
different types of forces or objects.
components of forces. c. The acceleration of an object, but not
[SP 6.4, 7.2] necessarily its velocity, is always in the
3.A.3.2: The student is direction of the net force exerted on the object
able to challenge a claim by other objects.
that an object can exert a
force on itself. [SP 6.1]
3.A.3.3: The student is
able to describe a force
as an interaction between
two objects and identify
both objects for any force.
[SP 1.4]

3.A.4.1: The student 3.A.4: If one object exerts a force on a second

is able to construct object, the second object always exerts a force
explanations of physical of equal magnitude on the first object in the
situations involving the opposite direction.
interaction of bodies
using Newton’s third law
and the representation of
action-reaction pairs of
forces. [SP 1.4, 6.2]
3.A.4.2: The student is
able to use Newton’s third
law to make claims and
predictions about the
action-reaction pairs of
forces when two objects
interact.
[SP 6.4, 7.2]
3.A.4.3: The student is
able to analyze situations
involving interactions
among several objects
by using free-body
diagrams that include the
application of Newton’s
third law to identify
forces. [SP 1.4]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 21
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 2: Dynamics 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

3.B: Classically, the 3.B.1.1: The student is 3.B.1: If an object of interest interacts with
acceleration of an object able to predict the motion several other objects, the net force is the
interacting with other of an object subject vector sum of the individual forces. Projectile
objects can be predicted to forces exerted by motion and circular motion are both included
several objects using an in AP Physics 1.
by using . application of Newton’s
Relevant Equation:
second law in a variety
of physical situations
with acceleration in one
dimension. [SP 6.4, 7.2]
3.B.1.2: The student is
Boundary Statement:
able to design a plan
AP Physics 2 contains learning objectives for
to collect and analyze
Enduring Understanding 3.B that focus on
data for motion (static,
electric and magnetic forces and other forces
constant, or accelerating)
arising in the context of interactions introduced
from force measurements
in Physics 2, rather than the mechanical
and carry out an
systems introduced in Physics 1.
analysis to determine the
relationship between the
net force and the vector
sum of the individual
forces. [SP 4.2, 5.1]
3.B.1.3: The student
is able to reexpress
a free-body diagram
representation into
a mathematical
representation and
solve the mathematical
representation for the
acceleration of the object.
[SP 1.5, 2.2]

3.B.2.1: The student is 3.B.2: Free-body diagrams are useful tools

able to create and use free- for visualizing forces being exerted on a
body diagrams to analyze single object and writing the equations that
physical situations to represent a physical situation.
solve problems with
a. An object can be drawn as if it was
motion qualitatively and
extracted from its environment and the
quantitatively. [SP 1.1,
interactions with the environment identified.
1.4, 2.2]
b. A force exerted on an object can be
represented as an arrow whose length
represents the magnitude of the force and
whose direction shows the direction of the force.
c. A coordinate system with one axis parallel
to the direction of the acceleration simplifies
the translation from the free body diagram to
the algebraic representation.
d. Free-body diagrams are depicted where the
forces exerted on an object are represented
as arrows pointing outward from a dot, and
also diagrams that show at what point on the
object each force is exerted.

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22 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Area 2: Dynamics   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

3.C: At the macroscopic 3.C.4.1: The student is 3.C.4: Contact forces result from the interaction
level, forces can be able to make claims about of one object touching another object and they
categorized as either various contact forces arise from interatomic electric forces. These
long-range (action-at-a- between objects based on forces include tension, friction, normal, spring
distance) forces or contact the microscopic cause of (Physics 1), and buoyant (Physics 2).
forces. those forces. [SP 6.1]
Relevant Equations:
3.C.4.2: The student is
able to explain contact
forces (tension, friction,
normal, buoyant,
spring) as arising from
interatomic electric forces
and that they therefore
have certain directions.
[SP 6.2]

4.A: The acceleration of 4.A.1.1 The student 4.A.1: The linear motion of a system can be
the center of mass of a is able to use described by the displacement, velocity, and
system is related to the representations of the acceleration of its center of mass.
net force exerted on the center of mass of an
The variables x, v, and a; all refer to the
isolated two-object system
center-of-mass quantities.
system, where . to analyze the motion of
the system qualitatively Relevant Equation:
and semiquantitatively.
[SP 1.2, 1.4, 2.3, 6.4]

4.A.2.2: The student is 4.A.2: The acceleration is equal to the rate of

able to evaluate using change of velocity with time, and velocity is
given data whether all equal to the rate of change of position with
the forces on a system time.
or whether all the parts
a. The acceleration of the center of mass of a
of a system have been
system is directly proportional to the net force
identified. [SP 5.3]
exerted on it by all objects interacting with the
system and inversely proportional to the mass
of the system.
Relevant Equation:

b. Force and acceleration are both vectors,

with acceleration in the same direction as the
net force.
Relevant Equations:

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 23
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 2: Dynamics 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

4.A: The acceleration of c. The acceleration of the center of mass of

the center of mass of a a system is equal to the rate of change of the
system is related to the center of mass velocity with time, and the
net force exerted on the center of mass velocity is equal to the rate of
system, where . change of the position of the center of mass
with time.
(Continued)
d. The variables x, v, and a all refer to the
center-of-mass quantities.
Relevant Equation:

4.A.3.1: The student is 4.A.3: Forces that that systems exert on each
able to apply Newton’s other are due to interactions between objects
second law to systems in the systems. If the interacting objects are
to calculate the change parts of the same system, there will be no
in the center-of-mass change in the center-of-mass velocity of that
velocity when an external system.
force is exerted on the
Relevant Equation:
system. [SP 2.2]
4.A.3.2: The student
is able to use visual
or mathematical
representations of the
forces between objects
in a system to predict
whether or not there will
be a change in the center-
of-mass velocity of that
system. [SP 1.4]

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24 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Area 3: Circular Motion and Gravitation   Content Outline

Content Area 3: Circular Motion and Gravitation

Course Framework
Big Idea 1: Objects and systems have properties such as mass and
charge. Systems may have internal structure.
Big Idea 2: Fields existing in space can be used to explain
interactions.
Big Idea 3: The interactions of an object with other objects can be
described by forces.
Big Idea 4: Interactions between systems can result in changes in
those systems.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
students should retain) able to do) know)

1.C: Objects and [While there is no specific 1.C.2: Gravitational mass is the property of
systems have properties learning objective for an object or a system that determines the
of inertial mass and it, EK 1.C.2 serves as strength of the gravitational interaction with
gravitational mass that are a foundation for other other objects, systems, or gravitational fields.
experimentally verified learning objectives in the
a. The gravitational mass of an object
to be the same and that course.]
determines the amount of force exerted on the
satisfy conservation
object by a gravitational field.
principles.
b. Near the Earth’s surface, all objects fall
(in a vacuum) with the same acceleration,
regardless of their inertial mass.

1.C.3.1: The student is 1.C.3: Objects and systems have properties

able to design a plan for of inertial mass and gravitational mass that
collecting data to measure are experimentally verified to be the same and
gravitational mass and to that satisfy conservation principles.
measure inertial mass and
to distinguish between the
two experiments. [SP 4.2]

2.A: A field associates a [While there is no specific 2.A.1: A vector field gives, as a function of
value of some physical learning objective for position (and perhaps time), the value of a
quantity with every point it, EK 2.A.1 serves as physical quantity that is described by a vector.
in space. Field models a foundation for other
a. Vector fields are represented by field vectors
are useful for describing learning objectives in the
indicating direction and magnitude.
interactions that occur course.]
at a distance (long-range b. When more than one source object with
forces) as well as a mass or electric charge is present, the field
variety of other physical value can be determined by vector addition.
phenomena. c. Conversely, a known vector field can be
used to make inferences about the number,
relative size, and location of sources.

Boundary Statement:
Physics 1 treats gravitational fields; Physics 2
treats electric and magnetic fields.

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 25
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 3: Circular Motion and Gravitation 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

2.B: A gravitational field 2.B.1.1: The student is 2.B.1: A gravitational field at the location of
is caused by an object able to apply to an object with mass m causes a gravitational
with mass. calculate the gravitational force of magnitude mg to be exerted on the
force on an object with object in the direction of the field.
mass m in a gravitational
a. On Earth, this gravitational force is called
field of strength g in the
weight.
context of the effects of a
net force on objects and b. The gravitational field at a point in space is
systems. [SP 2.2, 7.2] measured by dividing the gravitational force
exerted by the field on a test object at that
point by the mass of the test object and has
the same direction as the force.
c. If the gravitational force is the only force
exerted on the object, the observed free-fall
acceleration of the object (in meters per
second squared) is numerically equal to
the magnitude of the gravitational field (in
Newtons/kilogram) at that location.
Relevant Equation:

2.B.2.1: The student is 2.B.2: The gravitational field caused by a

able to apply to spherically symmetric object with mass is
radial and, outside the object, varies as the
calculate the gravitational
inverse square of the radial distance from the
field due to an object with
center of that object.
mass M, where the field is
a vector directed toward a. The gravitational field caused by a
the center of the object of spherically symmetric object is a vector
mass M. [SP 2.2] whose magnitude outside the object is equal

2.B.2.2: The student is to .

able to approximate a b. Only spherically symmetric objects will
numerical value of the be considered as sources of the gravitational
gravitational field (g) near field.
the surface of an object
Relevant Equation:
from its radius and mass
relative to those of the
Earth or other reference
objects. [SP 2.2]

3.A: All forces share 3.A.1.1: The student 3.A.1: An observer in a particular reference
certain common is able to express the frame can describe the motion of an object
characteristics when motion of an object using using such quantities as position, displacement,
considered by observers narrative, mathematical, distance, velocity, speed, and acceleration.
in inertial reference and graphical
a. Displacement, velocity, and acceleration are
frames. representations.
all vector quantities.
[SP 1.5, 2.1, 2.2]
b. Displacement is change in position.
Velocity is the rate of change of position with
time. Acceleration is the rate of change of
velocity with time. Changes in each property
are expressed by subtracting initial values
from final values.

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26 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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 Content Area 3: Circular Motion and Gravitation   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

3.A: All forces share 3.A.1.2: The student Relevant Equations:

certain common is able to design an
characteristics experimental investigation
when considered by of the motion of an object.
observers in inertial [SP 4.2]
reference frames.
3.A.1.3: The student
(Continued) c. A choice of reference frame determines the
is able to analyze
direction and the magnitude of each of these
experimental data
quantities.
describing the motion of
an object and is able to d. We know of three fundamental interactions
express the results of the or forces in nature: the gravitational force,
analysis using narrative, the electroweak force, and the strong force.
mathematical and The fundamental forces determine both the
graphical representatives. structure of objects and the motion of objects.
[SP 5.1] e. In inertial reference frames, forces are
detected by their influence on the motion
(specifically the velocity) of an object. So
force, like velocity, is a vector quantity. A force
vector has magnitude and direction. When
multiple forces are exerted on an object, the
vector sum of these forces, referred to as the
net force, causes a change in the motion of
the object. The acceleration of the object is
proportional to the net force.
f. The three kinematic equations only
apply to constant acceleration situations
(this includes projectile motion). The three
kinematic equations describing linear motion
with constant acceleration in one and two
dimensions are:

g. For rotational motion there are analogous

quantities such as angular position, angular
velocity, and angular acceleration. The
kinematic equations describing angular
motion with constant angular acceleration are:

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 27
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 Content Outline  Content Area 3: Circular Motion and Gravitation 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

3.A: All forces share h. This also includes situations where there
certain common is both a radial and tangential acceleration for
characteristics an object moving in a circular path.
when considered by
observers in inertial Relevant Equation:
reference frames.
(Continued)
i. For uniform circular motion of radius r, v
is proportional to omega (for a given r), and
proportional to r (for a given omega). Given a
radius r and a period of rotation T, students
derive and apply v = (2πr)/T.

Boundary Statement:
AP Physics 2 has learning objectives under
Enduring Understanding 3.A that focus on
electric and magnetic forces and other forces
arising in the context of interactions introduced
in Physics 2, rather than the mechanical
systems introduced in Physics 1.

3.A.2.1: The student is 3.A.2: Forces are described by vectors.

able to represent forces in
a. Forces are detected by their influence on the
diagrams or mathematically
motion of an object.
using appropriately labeled
vectors with magnitude, b. Forces have magnitude and direction.
direction, and units during
the analysis of a situation.
[SP 1.1]

3.A.3.1: The student 3.A.3: A force exerted on an object is always

is able to analyze a due to the interaction of that object with another
scenario and make claims object.
(develop arguments,
a. An object cannot exert a force on itself.
justify assertions) about
the forces exerted on an b. Even though an object is at rest, there may be
object by other objects for forces exerted on that object by other objects.
different types of forces or c. The acceleration of an object, but not
components of forces. necessarily its velocity, is always in the direction
[SP 6.4, 7.2] of the net force exerted on the object by other
3.A.3.3: The student is objects.
able to describe a force as
an interaction between two
objects and identify both
objects for any force.
[SP 1.4]

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 Content Area 3: Circular Motion and Gravitation   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

3.A: All forces share certain 3.A.4.1: The student is able 3.A.4: If one object exerts a force on a second
common characteristics to construct explanations object, the second object always exerts a force
when considered by of physical situations of equal magnitude on the first object in the
observers in inertial involving the interaction of opposite direction.
reference frames. bodies using Newton’s third
(Continued) law and the representation
of action-reaction pairs of
forces. [SP 1.4, 6.2]
3.A.4.2: The student is able
to use Newton’s third law to
make claims and predictions
about the action-reaction
pairs of forces when two
objects interact. [SP 6.4, 7.2]
3.A.4.3: The student is
able to analyze situations
involving interactions
among several objects by
using free-body diagrams
that include the application
of Newton’s third law to
identify forces. [SP 1.4]

3.B: Classically, the 3.B.1.2: The student is 3.B.1: If an object of interest interacts with
acceleration of an object able to design a plan several other objects, the net force is the
interacting with other to collect and analyze vector sum of the individual forces.
objects can be predicted data for motion (static,
constant, or accelerating)
by using . Boundary Statement:
from force measurements
AP Physics 2 contains learning objectives under
and carry out an
Enduring Understanding 3.B that focus on
analysis to determine the
electric and magnetic forces and other forces
relationship between the
arising in the context of interactions introduced
net force and the vector
in Physics 2, rather than the mechanical
sum of the individual
systems introduced in Physics 1.
forces. [SP 4.2, 5.1]
3.B.1.3: The student
is able to reexpress
a free-body diagram
representation into
a mathematical
representation and
solve the mathematical
representation for the
acceleration of the object.
[SP 1.5, 2.2]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 29
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 Content Outline  Content Area 3: Circular Motion and Gravitation 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

3.B: Classically, the 3.B.2.1: The student is 3.B.2: Free-body diagrams are useful tools
acceleration of an object able to create and use free- for visualizing forces being exerted on a
interacting with other body diagrams to analyze single object and writing the equations that
objects can be predicted physical situations to represent a physical situation.
solve problems with
by using . a. An object can be drawn as if it was
motion qualitatively and
extracted from its environment and the
(Continued) quantitatively. [SP 1.1,
interactions with the environment identified.
1.4, 2.2]
b. A force exerted on an object can be
represented as an arrow whose length
represents the magnitude of the force and
whose direction shows the direction of the
force.
c. A coordinate system with one axis parallel
to the direction of the acceleration simplifies
the translation from the free body diagram to
the algebraic representation.

3.C: At the macroscopic 3.C.1.1: The student is 3.C.1: Gravitational force describes the
level, forces can be able to use Newton’s law interaction of one object with mass with
categorized as either of gravitation to calculate another object with mass.
long-range (action-at-a- the gravitational force the
a. The gravitational force is always attractive.
distance) forces or contact two objects exert on each
forces. other and use that force in b. The magnitude of force between two
contexts other than orbital spherically symmetric objects of mass m1 and
motion. [SP 2.2]
m2 is where r is the center-to-center
3.C.1.2: The student is
able to use Newton’s law distance between the objects.
of gravitation to calculate
c. In a narrow range of heights above the
the gravitational force
Earth’s surface, the local gravitational field, g,
between two objects and
is approximately constant.
use that force in contexts
involving orbital motion Relevant Equations:
(for circular orbital motion
only in Physics 1). [SP
2.2]

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30 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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 Content Area 3: Circular Motion and Gravitation   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

3.C: At the macroscopic 3.C.2.2: The student 3.C.2: Electric force results from the
level, forces can be is able to connect the interaction of one object that has an electric
categorized as either concepts of gravitational charge with another object that has an electric
long-range (action- force and electric force to charge.
at-a-distance) forces compare similarities and
or contact forces. a. Electric forces dominate the properties
differences between the
of the objects in our everyday experiences.
(Continued) forces. [SP 7.2]
However, the large number of particle
interactions that occur make it more
convenient to treat everyday forces in terms of
nonfundamental forces called contact forces,
such as normal force, friction, and tension.
b. Electric forces may be attractive or
repulsive, depending upon the charges on the
objects involved.
Relevant Equations:

3.G: Certain types of 3.G.1.1: The student is 3.G.1: Gravitational forces are exerted at all
forces are considered able to articulate situations scales and dominate at the largest distance
fundamental. when the gravitational and mass scales.
force is the dominant
force and when the
electromagnetic, weak,
and strong forces can be
ignored. [SP 7.1]

4.A: The acceleration of 4.A.2.2: The student is 4.A.2: The acceleration is equal to the rate of
the center of mass of a able to evaluate using change of velocity with time, and velocity is
system is related to the given data whether all equal to the rate of change of position with
net force exerted on the the forces on a system time.
or whether all the parts
system, where . a. The acceleration of the center of mass of a
of a system have been
system is directly proportional to the net force
identified. [SP 5.3]
exerted on it by all objects interacting with the
system and inversely proportional to the mass
of the system.
b. Force and acceleration are both vectors,
with acceleration in the same direction as the
net force.
Relevant Equation:

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 31
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 Content Outline  Content Area 3: Circular Motion and Gravitation 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

4.C: Interactions with 4.C.1.1: The student is 4.C.1: The energy of a system includes
other objects or systems able to calculate the total its kinetic energy, potential energy, and
can change the total energy of a system and microscopic internal energy. Examples should
energy of a system. justify the mathematical include gravitational potential energy, elastic
routines used in the potential energy, and kinetic energy.
calculation of component
a. A rotating, rigid body may be considered to
types of energy within
be a system, and may have both translational
the system whose sum is
and rotational kinetic energy.
the total energy. [SP 1.4,
2.1, 2.2] b. Although thermodynamics is not part of
Physics 1, included is the idea that during an
inelastic collision, some of the mechanical
energy dissipates as (converts to) thermal
energy.
Boundary Statement:
Thermodynamics is treated in Physics 2 only.

Relevant Equations:

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32 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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 Content Area 4: Energy   Content Outline

Content Area 4: Energy

Course Framework
Big Idea 3: The interactions of an object with other objects can be
described by forces.
Big Idea 4: Interactions between systems can result in changes in
those systems.
Big Idea 5: Changes that occur as a result of interactions are
constrained by conservation laws.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
students should retain) able to do) know)

3.E: A force exerted on 3.E.1.1: The student is 3.E.1: The change in the kinetic energy of an
an object can change able to make predictions object depends on the force exerted on the
the kinetic energy of the about the changes in object and on the displacement of the object
object. kinetic energy of an object during the interval that the force is exerted.
based on considerations
a. Only the component of the net force exerted
of the direction of the net
on an object parallel or antiparallel to the
force on the object as the
displacement of the object will increase
object moves. [SP 6.4, 7.2]
(parallel) or decrease (antiparallel) the kinetic
3.E.1.2: The student energy of the object.
is able to use net force
b. The magnitude of the change in the kinetic
and velocity vectors to
energy is the product of the magnitude of the
determine qualitatively
displacement and of the magnitude of the
whether kinetic energy of
component of force parallel or antiparallel to the
an object would increase,
displacement.
decrease, or remain
unchanged. [SP 1.4] Relevant Equation:

3.E.1.3: The student

is able to use force
c. The component of the net force exerted on
and velocity vectors to
an object perpendicular to the direction of the
determine qualitatively
displacement of the object can change the
or quantitatively the net
direction of the motion of the object without
force exerted on an object
changing the kinetic energy of the object. This
and qualitatively whether
should include uniform circular motion and
kinetic energy of that
projectile motion.
object would increase,
decrease, or remain d. The kinetic energy of a rigid system may
unchanged. [SP 1.4, 2.2] be translational, rotational, or a combination
of both. The change in the rotational kinetic
3.E.1.4: The student is
energy of a rigid system is the product of the
able to apply mathematical
angular displacement and the net torque.
routines to determine the
change in kinetic energy Relevant Equations:
of an object given the
forces on the object and the
displacement of the object.
[SP 2.2]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 33
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 Content Outline  Content Area 4: Energy 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

4.C: Interactions with 4.C.1.1: The student is 4.C.1: The energy of a system includes
other objects or systems able to calculate the total its kinetic energy, potential energy, and
can change the total energy of a system and microscopic internal energy. Examples include
energy of a system. justify the mathematical gravitational potential energy, elastic potential
routines used in the energy, and kinetic energy.
calculation of component
a. A rotating, rigid body may be considered to
types of energy within
be a system, and may have both translational
the system whose sum is
and rotational kinetic energy.
the total energy. [SP 1.4,
2.1, 2.2] b. Although thermodynamics is not part of
Physics 1, included is the idea that during an
4.C.1.2: The student is
inelastic collision, some of the mechanical
able to predict changes
energy dissipates as (converts to) thermal
in the total energy of a
energy.
system due to changes
in position and speed Relevant Equations:
of objects or frictional
interactions within the
system. [SP 6.4]

4.C.2.1: The student is 4.C.2: Mechanical energy (the sum of kinetic

able to make predictions and potential energy) is transferred into or out
about the changes in the of a system when an external force is exerted
mechanical energy of a on a system such that a component of the force
system when a component is parallel to its displacement. The process
of an external force acts through which the energy is transferred is
parallel or antiparallel called work.
to the direction of the a. If the force is constant during a given
displacement of the center displacement, then the work done is
of mass. [SP 6.4] the product of the displacement and the
4.C.2.2: The student is component of the force parallel or antiparallel
able to apply the concepts to the displacement.
of Conservation of Energy Relevant Equation:
and the Work-Energy
theorem to determine
qualitatively and/or b. Work (change in energy) can be found from
quantitatively that work the area under a graph of the magnitude of the
done on a two-object force component parallel to the displacement
system in linear motion versus displacement.
will change the kinetic Relevant Equation:
energy of the center
of mass of the system,
the potential energy of
the systems, and/or the
internal energy of the
system. [SP 1.4, 2.2, 7.2]

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34 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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 Content Area 4: Energy   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

5.A: Certain quantities [While there is no specific 5.A.1: A system is an object or a collection of
are conserved, in the learning objective for objects. The objects are treated as having no
sense that the changes it, EK 5.A.1 serves as internal structure.
of those quantities in a a foundation for other
given system are always learning objectives in the
equal to the transfer of course.]
that quantity to or from
the system by all possible 5.A.2.1: The student 5.A.2: For all systems under all
interactions with other is able to define open circumstances, energy, charge, linear
systems. and closed systems momentum, and angular momentum are
for everyday situations conserved. For an isolated or a closed system,
and apply conservation conserved quantities are constant. An open
concepts for energy, system is one that exchanges any conserved
charge, and linear quantity with its surroundings.
momentum to those
situations. [SP 6.4, 7.2]

[While there is no specific 5.A.3: An interaction can be either a force

learning objective for exerted by objects outside the system or the
it, EK 5.A.3 serves as transfer of some quantity with objects outside
a foundation for other the system.
learning objectives in the
course.]

[While there is no specific 5.A.4: The placement of a boundary between

learning objective for a system and its environment is a decision
it, EK 5.A.4 serves as made by the person considering the situation
a foundation for other in order to simplify or otherwise assist in
learning objectives in the analysis.
course.]

5.B: The energy of a 5.B.1.1: The student is able 5.B.1: Classically, an object can only have
system is conserved. to set up a representation kinetic energy since potential energy requires
or model showing that an interaction between two or more objects.
a single object can only
Relevant Equation:
have kinetic energy and
use information about
that object to calculate its
kinetic energy. [SP 1.4, 2.2]
5.B.1.2: The student is Boundary Statement:
able to translate between Conservation principles apply in the context
a representation of a of the appropriate Physics 1 and Physics 2
single object, which courses. Work, potential energy, and kinetic
can only have kinetic energy concepts are related to mechanical
energy, and a system that systems in Physics 1 and electric, magnetic,
includes the object, which thermal, and atomic and elementary particle
may have both kinetic systems in Physics 2.
and potential energies.
[SP 1.5]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 35
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 Content Outline  Content Area 4: Energy 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

5.B: The energy of a 5.B.2.1: The student 5.B.2: A system with internal structure
system is conserved. is able to calculate the can have internal energy, and changes in
expected behavior of a a system’s internal structure can result in
(Continued)
system using the object changes in internal energy. [Physics 1:
model (i.e., by ignoring includes mass-spring oscillators and simple
changes in internal pendulums. Physics 2: includes charged
structure) to analyze a objects in electric fields and examining
situation. Then, when the changes in internal energy with changes in
model fails, the student configuration.]
can justify the use of
conservation of energy
principles to calculate
the change in internal
energy due to changes in
internal structure because
the object is actually a
system. [SP 1.4, 2.1]

5.B.3.1: The student 5.B.3: A system with internal structure can

is able to describe and have potential energy. Potential energy exists
make qualitative and/or within a system if the objects within that
quantitative predictions system interact with conservative forces.
about everyday examples
a. The work done by a conservative force
of systems with internal
is independent of the path taken. The work
potential energy.
description is used for forces external to the
[SP 2.2, 6.4, 7.2]
system. Potential energy is used when the
5.B.3.2: The student is forces are internal interactions between parts
able to make quantitative of the system.
calculations of the internal
b. Changes in the internal structure can result
potential energy of a
in changes in potential energy. Examples
system from a description
include mass-spring oscillators, objects falling
or diagram of that system.
in a gravitational field.
[SP 1.4, 2.2]
c. The change in electric potential in a circuit
5.B.3.3: The student
is the change in potential energy per unit
is able to apply
charge. [Physics 1: only in the context of
mathematical reasoning
circuits.]
to create a description
of the internal potential Relevant Equations:
energy of a system
from a description or
diagram of the objects
and interactions in that
system. [SP 1.4, 2.2]

5.B.4.1: The student 5.B.4: The internal energy of a system

is able to describe and includes the kinetic energy of the objects that
make predictions about make up the system and the potential energy
the internal energy of of the configuration of the objects that make
systems. [SP 6.4, 7.2] up the system.
5.B.4.2: The student is a. Since energy is constant in a closed system,
able to calculate changes changes in a system’s potential energy can
in kinetic energy and result in changes to the system’s kinetic
potential energy of a energy.
system, using information b. The changes in potential and kinetic
from representations of that energies in a system may be further
system. [SP 1.4, 2.1, 2.2] constrained by the construction of the system.

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36 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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 Content Area 4: Energy   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

5.B: The energy of a 5.B.5.1: The student 5.B.5: Energy can be transferred by an
system is conserved. is able to design an external force exerted on an object or system
experiment and analyze that moves the object or system through a
(Continued)
data to examine how a distance; this energy transfer is called work.
force exerted on an object Energy transfer in mechanical or electrical
or system does work on systems may occur at different rates. Power
the object or system as it is defined as the rate of energy transfer into,
moves through a distance. out of, or within a system. [A piston filled with
[SP 4.2, 5.1] gas getting compressed or expanded is treated
5.B.5.2: The student in Physics 2 as part of thermodynamics.]
is able to design an Relevant Equations:
experiment and analyze
graphical data in which
interpretations of the area
under a force-distance
curve are needed to
determine the work done
on or by the object or
system. [SP 4.2, 5.1]
5.B.5.3: The student
is able to predict and
calculate from graphical
data the energy transfer
to or work done on an
object or system from
information about a force
exerted on the object
or system through a
distance. [SP 1.4, 2.2, 6.4]
5.B.5.4: The student
is able to make claims
about the interaction
between a system and its
environment in which the
environment exerts a force
on the system, thus doing
work on the system and
changing the energy of
the system (kinetic energy
plus potential energy). [SP
6.4, 7.2]
5.B.5.5: The student is able
to predict and calculate the
energy transfer to (i.e., the
work done on) an object or
system from information
about a force exerted on the
object or system through a
distance. [SP 2.2, 6.4]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 37
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 Content Outline  Content Area 4: Energy 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

5.D: The linear 5.D.1.1: The student is 5.D.1: In a collision between objects, linear
momentum of a system is able to make qualitative momentum is conserved. In an elastic
conserved. predictions about collision, kinetic energy is the same before
natural phenomena and after.
based on conservation
a. In a closed system, the linear momentum is
of linear momentum
constant throughout the collision.
and restoration of
kinetic energy in elastic b. In a closed system, the kinetic energy after
collisions. [SP 6.4, 7.2] an elastic collision is the same as the kinetic
energy before the collision.
5.D.1.2: The student
is able to apply the Relevant Equations:
principles of conservation
of momentum and
restoration of kinetic
energy to reconcile a
situation that appears to
be isolated and elastic,
but in which data indicate
that linear momentum
and kinetic energy are
not the same after the
interaction, by refining
a scientific question to
identify interactions that
have not been considered.
Students will be expected
to solve qualitatively and/
or quantitatively for one-
dimensional situations and
only qualitatively in two-
dimensional situations.
[SP 2.2, 3.2, 5.1, 5.3]
5.D.1.3: The student
is able to apply
mathematical routines
appropriately to
problems involving
elastic collisions in one
dimension and justify
the selection of those
mathematical routines
based on conservation
of momentum and
restoration of kinetic
energy. [SP 2.1, 2.2]

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 Content Area 4: Energy   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

5.D: The linear 5.D.1.4: The student

momentum of a system is able to design an
is conserved. experimental test
(Continued) of an application of
the principle of the
conservation of linear
momentum, predict an
outcome of the experiment
using the principle,
analyze data generated
by that experiment
whose uncertainties are
expressed numerically,
and evaluate the match
between the prediction
and the outcome. [SP 4.2,
5.1, 5.3, 6.4]
5.D.1.5: The student is
able to classify a given
collision situation as
elastic or inelastic,
justify the selection of
conservation of linear
momentum and restoration
of kinetic energy as the
appropriate principles
for analyzing an elastic
collision, solve for missing
variables, and calculate
their values. [SP 2.1, 2.2]

5.D.2.1: The student 5.D.2: In a collision between objects, linear

is able to qualitatively momentum is conserved. In an inelastic
predict, in terms of linear collision, kinetic energy is not the same before
momentum and kinetic and after the collision.
energy, how the outcome
a. In a closed system, the linear momentum is
of a collision between
constant throughout the collision.
two objects changes
depending on whether b. In a closed system, the kinetic energy after
the collision is elastic or an inelastic collision is different from the
inelastic. [SP 6.4, 7.2] kinetic energy before the collision.

5.D.2.3: The student Relevant Equations:

is able to apply the
conservation of linear
momentum to a closed
system of objects involved
in an inelastic collision
to predict the change in
kinetic energy. [SP 6.4,
7.2]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 39
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 Content Outline  Content Area 5: Momentum 

Content Area 5: Momentum

Course Framework

Big Idea 3: The interactions of an object with other objects can be

described by forces.
Big Idea 4: Interactions between systems can result in changes in those systems.
Big Idea 5: Changes that occur as a result of interactions are
constrained by conservation laws.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
students should retain) able to do) know)

3.D: A force exerted on 3.D.1.1: The student is able 3.D.1: The change in momentum of an object
an object can change the to justify the selection of is a vector in the direction of the net force
momentum of the object. data needed to determine exerted on the object.
the relationship between the
Relevant Equation:
direction of the force acting
on an object and the change
in momentum caused by
that force. [SP 4.1]

3.D.2.1: The student is able 3.D.2: The change in momentum of an object

to justify the selection of occurs over a time interval.
routines for the calculation
a. The force that one object exerts on a
of the relationships
second object changes the momentum of the
between changes in
second object (in the absence of other forces
momentum of an object,
on the second object).
average force, impulse, and
time of interaction. [SP 2.1] b. The change in momentum of that
object depends on the impulse, which is
3.D.2.2: The student is
the product of the average force and the
able to predict the change
time interval during which the interaction
in momentum of an object
occurred.
from the average force
exerted on the object and Relevant Equation:
the interval of time during
which the force is exerted.
[SP 6.4]
3.D.2.3: The student is
able to analyze data to
characterize the change
in momentum of an object
from the average force
exerted on the object and
the interval of time during
which the force is exerted.
[SP 5.1]
3.D.2.4: The student is
able to design a plan for
collecting data to investigate
the relationship between
changes in momentum and
the average force exerted on
an object over time. [SP 4.2]

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40 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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 Content Area 5: Momentum   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

4.B: Interactions with 4.B.1.1: The student is able 4.B.1: The change in linear momentum for
other objects or systems to calculate the change in a constant-mass system is the product of
can change the total linear linear momentum of a two- the mass of the system and the change in
momentum of a system. object system with constant velocity of the center of mass.
mass in linear motion from
Relevant Equation:
a representation of the
system (data, graphs, etc.).
[SP 1.4, 2.2]
4.B.1.2: The student is
able to analyze data to
find the change in linear
momentum for a constant-
mass system using the
product of the mass and the
change in velocity of the
center of mass. [SP 5.1]

4.B.2.1: The student is 4.B.2: The change in linear momentum of

able to apply mathematical the system is given by the product of the
routines to calculate the average force on that system and the time
change in momentum of interval during which the force is exerted.
a system by analyzing the
a. The units for momentum are the same as
average force exerted over a
the units of the area under the curve of a
certain time on the system.
force versus time graph.
[SP 2.2]
b. The change in linear momentum and force
4.B.2.2: The student is
are both vectors in the same direction.
able to perform analysis on
data presented as a force- Relevant Equations:
time graph and predict the
change in momentum of a
system. [SP 5.1]

5.A: Certain quantities 5.A.2.1: The student is 5.A.2: For all systems under all
are conserved, in the able to define open and circumstances, energy, charge, linear
sense that the changes closed systems for everyday momentum, and angular momentum are
of those quantities in a situations and apply conserved. For an isolated or a closed
given system are always conservation concepts system, conserved quantities are constant.
equal to the transfer of for energy, charge, and An open system is one that exchanges any
that quantity to or from linear momentum to those conserved quantity with its surroundings.
the system by all possible situations. [SP 6.4, 7.2]
interactions with other
systems.

5.D: The linear 5.D.1.1: The student is 5.D.1: In a collision between objects, linear
momentum of a system is able to make qualitative momentum is conserved. In an elastic
conserved. predictions about natural collision, kinetic energy is the same before
phenomena based on and after.
conservation of linear
a. In a closed system, the linear momentum
momentum and restoration
is constant throughout the collision.
of kinetic energy in elastic
collisions. [SP 6.4, 7.2] b. In a closed system, the kinetic energy after
an elastic collision is the same as the kinetic
energy before the collision.

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 41
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 5: Momentum 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

5.D: The linear 5.D.1.2: The student is able Relevant Equations:

momentum of a system to apply the principles of
is conserved. conservation of momentum
(Continued) and restoration of kinetic
energy to reconcile a
situation that appears to
be isolated and elastic, Boundary Statement:
but in which data indicate Physics 1 includes a quantitative and
that linear momentum qualitative treatment of conservation
and kinetic energy are of momentum in one dimension and a
not the same after the semiquantitative treatment of conservation
interaction, by refining of momentum in two dimensions. Test items
a scientific question to involving solution of simultaneous equations
identify interactions that are not included in Physics 1, but items
have not been considered. testing whether students can set up the
Students will be expected equations properly and can reason about how
to solve qualitatively and/ changing a given mass, speed, or angle would
or quantitatively for one- affect other quantities are included.
dimensional situations and Physics 1 includes only conceptual
only qualitatively in two- understanding of center of mass motion of
dimensional situations. [SP a system without the need for calculation of
2.2, 3.2, 5.1, 5.3] center of mass.
5.D.1.3: The student is
able to apply mathematical The Physics 1 course includes topics from
routines appropriately to Enduring Understanding 5.D in the context of
problems involving elastic mechanical systems.
collisions in one dimension
and justify the selection
of those mathematical
routines based on
conservation of momentum
and restoration of kinetic
energy. [SP 2.1, 2.2]
5.D.1.4: The student
is able to design an
experimental test of an
application of the principle
of the conservation of linear
momentum, predict an
outcome of the experiment
using the principle,
analyze data generated by
that experiment whose
uncertainties are expressed
numerically, and evaluate
the match between the
prediction and the outcome.
[SP 4.2, 5.1, 5.3, 6.4]

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42 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Area 5: Momentum   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

5.D: The linear 5.D.1.5: The student is

momentum of a system able to classify a given
is conserved. collision situation as elastic
(Continued) or inelastic, justify the
selection of conservation
of linear momentum and
restoration of kinetic energy
as the appropriate principles
for analyzing an elastic
collision, solve for missing
variables, and calculate
their values. [SP 2.1, 2.2]

5.D.2.1: The student is able 5.D.2: In a collision between objects, linear

to qualitatively predict, in momentum is conserved. In an inelastic
terms of linear momentum collision, kinetic energy is not the same
and kinetic energy, how before and after the collision.
the outcome of a collision
a. In a closed system, the linear momentum
between two objects
is constant throughout the collision.
changes depending on
whether the collision is b. In a closed system, the kinetic energy
elastic or inelastic. after an inelastic collision is different from
[SP 6.4, 7.2] the kinetic energy before the collision.

5.D.2.2: The student is Relevant Equations:

able to plan data collection
strategies to test the law of
conservation of momentum
in a two-object collision that
is elastic or inelastic and
analyze the resulting data
graphically. [SP 4.1, 4.2, 5.1]
5.D.2.3: The student is able
to apply the conservation
of linear momentum to a
closed system of objects
involved in an inelastic
collision to predict the
change in kinetic energy.
[SP 6.4, 7.2]
5.D.2.4: The student is able
to analyze data that verify
conservation of momentum
in collisions with and
without an external friction
force. [SP 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 5.1,
5.3]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 43
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 5: Momentum 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

5.D: The linear 5.D.2.5: The student is

momentum of a system able to classify a given
is conserved. collision situation as elastic
(Continued) or inelastic, justify the
selection of conservation
of linear momentum as
the appropriate solution
method for an inelastic
collision, recognize that
there is a common final
velocity for the colliding
objects in the totally
inelastic case, solve for
missing variables, and
calculate their values. [SP
2.1, 2.2]

5.D.3.1: The student is able 5.D.3: The velocity of the center of mass
to predict the velocity of the of the system cannot be changed by an
center of mass of a system interaction within the system. [Physics 1:
when there is no interaction includes no calculations of centers of mass;
outside of the system but the equation is not provided until Physics
there is an interaction 2. However, without doing calculations,
within the system (i.e., the Physics 1 students are expected to be
student simply recognizes able to locate the center of mass of highly
that interactions within a symmetric mass distributions, such as a
system do not affect the uniform rod or cube of uniform density, or
center of mass motion of two spheres of equal mass.]
the system and is able to
a. The center of mass of a system depends
determine that there is no
upon the masses and positions of the objects
external force). [SP 6.4]
in the system. In an isolated system (a
system with no external forces) the velocity
of the center of mass does not change.
b. When objects in a system collide, the
velocity of the center of mass of the system
will not change unless an external force is
exerted on the system.
c. Included in Physics 1 is the idea that
where there is both a heavier and lighter
mass, the center of mass is closer to
the heavier mass. Only a qualitative
understanding of this concept is required.

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44 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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 Content Area 6: Simple Harmonic Motion   Content Outline

Content Area 6: Simple Harmonic Motion

Course Framework
Big Idea 3: The interactions of an object with other objects can be
described by forces.
Big Idea 5: Changes that occur as a result of interactions are
constrained by conservation laws.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
students should retain) able to do) know)

3.B: Classically, the 3.B.3.1: The student is 3.B.3: Restoring forces can result in
acceleration of an object able to predict which oscillatory motion. When a linear restoring
interacting with other properties determine force is exerted on an object displaced from an
objects can be predicted the motion of a simple equilibrium position, the object will undergo a
harmonic oscillator and special type of motion called simple harmonic
by using .
what the dependence of motion. Examples include gravitational force
the motion is on those exerted by the Earth on a simple pendulum
properties. [SP 6.4, 7.2] and mass-spring oscillator.
3.B.3.2: The student a. For a spring that exerts a linear restoring
is able to design a force, the period of a mass-spring oscillator
plan and collect data increases with mass and decreases with
in order to ascertain spring stiffness.
the characteristics of
b. For a simple pendulum, the period
the motion of a system
increases with the length of the pendulum
undergoing oscillatory
and decreases with the magnitude of the
motion caused by a
gravitational field.
restoring force. [SP 4.2]
c. Minima, maxima, and zeros of position,
3.B.3.3: The student can
velocity, and acceleration are features of
analyze data to identify
harmonic motion. Students should be able to
qualitative or quantitative
calculate force and acceleration for any given
relationships between
displacement for an object oscillating on a
given values and variables
spring.
(i.e., force, displacement,
acceleration, velocity, Relevant Equations:
period of motion,
frequency, spring
constant, string length,
mass) associated with
objects in oscillatory
motion to use that data to
determine the value of an
unknown. [SP 2.2, 5.1]
3.B.3.4: The student
is able to construct a
qualitative and/or a
quantitative explanation
of oscillatory behavior
given evidence of a
restoring force.
[SP 2.2, 6.2]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 45
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 6: Simple Harmonic Motion 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

5.B: The energy of a 5.B.2.1: The student 5.B.2: A system with internal structure
system is conserved. is able to calculate the can have internal energy, and changes in
expected behavior of a a system’s internal structure can result
system using the object in changes in internal energy. [Physics 1:
model (i.e., by ignoring includes mass-spring oscillators and simple
changes in internal pendulums. Physics 2: includes charged
structure) to analyze a object in electric fields and examining
situation. Then, when the changes in internal energy with changes in
model fails, the student configuration.]
can justify the use of
conservation of energy
principles to calculate
the change in internal
energy due to changes in
internal structure because
the object is actually a
system. [SP 1.4, 2.1]

5.B.3.1: The student 5.B.3: A system with internal structure can

is able to describe and have potential energy. Potential energy exists
make qualitative and/or within a system if the objects within that
quantitative predictions system interact with conservative forces.
about everyday examples
a. The work done by a conservative force
of systems with internal
is independent of the path taken. The work
potential energy. [SP 2.2,
description is used for forces external to the
6.4, 7.2]
system. Potential energy is used when the
5.B.3.2: The student is forces are internal interactions between parts
able to make quantitative of the system.
calculations of the internal
b. Changes in the internal structure can result
potential energy of a
in changes in potential energy. Examples
system from a description
include mass-spring oscillators and objects
or diagram of that system.
falling in a gravitational field.
[SP 1.4, 2.2]
c. The change in electric potential in a circuit
5.B.3.3: The student
is the change in potential energy per unit
is able to apply
charge. [Physics 1: only in the context of
mathematical reasoning
circuits.]
to create a description
of the internal potential Relevant Equations:
energy of a system
from a description or
diagram of the objects
and interactions in that
system.
[SP 1.4, 2.2]

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46 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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 Content Area 6: Simple Harmonic Motion   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

5.B: The energy of a 5.B.4.1: The student 5.B.4: The internal energy of a system
system is conserved. is able to describe and includes the kinetic energy of the objects that
make predictions about make up the system and the potential energy
(Continued)
the internal energy of of the configuration of the objects that make
systems. [SP 6.4, 7.2] up the system.
5.B.4.2: The student is a. Since energy is constant in a closed system,
able to calculate changes changes in a system’s potential energy can
in kinetic energy and result in changes to the system’s kinetic
potential energy of a energy.
system, using information
b. The changes in potential and kinetic
from representations of
energies in a system may be further
that system. [SP 1.4, 2.1,
constrained by the construction of the system.
2.2]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 47
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 7: Torque and Rotational Motion  

Content Area 7: Torque and Rotational Motion

Course Framework

Big Idea 3: The interactions of an object with other objects can be

described by forces.
Big Idea 4: Interactions between systems can result in changes in
those systems.
Big Idea 5: Changes that occur as a result of interactions are
constrained by conservation laws.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
students should retain) able to do) know)

3.A: All forces share 3.A.1.1: The student 3.A.1: An observer in a particular reference
certain common is able to express the frame can describe the motion of an
characteristics when motion of an object using object using such quantities as position,
considered by observers narrative, mathematical, displacement, distance, velocity, speed, and
in inertial reference and graphical acceleration.
frames. representations. [SP 1.5,
a. For rotational motion, there are analogous
2.1, 2.2]
quantities such as angular position, angular
velocity, and angular acceleration. The
kinematic equations describing angular
motion with constant angular acceleration are:

b. For uniform circular motion of radius r, v

is proportional to omega (for a given r), and
proportional to r (for a given omega). Given a
radius r and a period of rotation T, students
derive and apply v = (2πr)/T.

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48 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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 Content Area 7: Torque and Rotational Motion   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

3.F: A force exerted on an 3.F.1.1: The student 3.F.1: Only the force component perpendicular
object can cause a torque is able to use to the line connecting the axis of rotation and
on that object. representations of the the point of application of the force results in
relationship between force a torque about that axis.
and torque. [SP 1.4]
a. The lever arm is the perpendicular distance
3.F.1.2: The student from the axis of rotation or revolution to the
is able to compare the line of application of the force.
torques on an object
b. The magnitude of the torque is the product
caused by various forces.
of the magnitude of the lever arm and the
[SP 1.4]
magnitude of the force.
3.F.1.3: The student
c. The net torque on a balanced system is
is able to estimate the
zero.
torque on an object
caused by various forces Relevant Equation:
in comparison to other τ = r⊥F = rFsin θ
situations. [SP 2.3]
3.F.1.4: The student Boundary Statement:
is able to design an Quantities such as angular acceleration,
experiment and analyze velocity, and momentum are defined as vector
data testing a question quantities, but in Physics 1 the determination
about torques in a of “direction” is limited to clockwise and
balanced rigid system. counterclockwise with respect to a given axis
[SP 4.1, 4.2, 5.1] of rotation.

3.F.1.5: The student is

able to calculate torques
on a two-dimensional
system in static
equilibrium, by examining
a representation or model
(such as a diagram or
physical construction).
[SP 1.4, 2.2]

3.F.2.1: The student is 3.F.2: The presence of a net torque along any
able to make predictions axis will cause a rigid system to change its
about the change in the rotational motion or an object to change its
angular velocity about rotational motion about that axis.
an axis for an object
a. Rotational motion can be described in terms
when forces exerted on
of angular displacement, angular velocity, and
the object cause a torque
angular acceleration about a fixed axis.
about that axis. [SP 6.4]
b. Rotational motion of a point can be related
3.F.2.2: The student
to linear motion of the point using the
is able to plan data
distance of the point from the axis of rotation.
collection and analysis
strategies designed to test c. The angular acceleration of an object or
the relationship between rigid system can be calculated from the net
a torque exerted on an torque and the rotational inertia of the object
object and the change in or rigid system.
angular velocity of that
object about an axis. [SP
4.1, 4.2, 5.1]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 49
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 Content Outline  Content Area 7: Torque and Rotational Motion  

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

3.F: A force exerted on Relevant Equations:

an object can cause a
τ = r⊥F = rFsin θ
torque on that object.
(Continued)

3.F.3.1: The student 3.F.3: A torque exerted on an object can

is able to predict the change the angular momentum of an object.
behavior of rotational
a. Angular momentum is a vector quantity,
collision situations by
with its direction determined by a right-hand
the same processes that
rule.
are used to analyze linear
collision situations using b. The magnitude of angular momentum of a
an analogy between point object about an axis can be calculated
impulse and change by multiplying the perpendicular distance
of linear momentum from the axis of rotation to the line of motion
and angular impulse by the magnitude of linear momentum.
and change of angular c. The magnitude of angular momentum
momentum. [SP 6.4, 7.2] of an extended object can also be found
3.F.3.2: In an unfamiliar by multiplying the rotational inertia by the
context or using angular velocity. Students do not need to
representations beyond know the equation for an object’s rotational
equations, the student is inertia, as it will be provided at the exam.
able to justify the selection They should have a qualitative sense of what
of a mathematical routine factors affect rotational inertia, for example
to solve for the change in why a hoop has more rotational inertia than a
angular momentum of an puck of the same mass and radius.
object caused by torques d. The change in angular momentum of an
exerted on the object. object is given by the product of the average
[SP 2.1] torque and the time the torque is exerted.
3.F.3.3: The student Relevant Equations:
is able to plan data
collection and analysis
strategies designed to test ΔL = τΔt
the relationship between
L = mvr
torques exerted on an
object and the change in
angular momentum of
that object. [SP 4.1, 4.2,
5.1, 5.3]

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50 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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 Content Area 7: Torque and Rotational Motion   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

4.D: A net torque exerted 4.D.1.1: The student 4.D.1: Torque, angular velocity, angular
on a system by other is able to describe a acceleration, and angular momentum are
objects or systems will representation and use vectors and can be characterized as positive
change the angular it to analyze a situation or negative depending upon whether they give
momentum of the system. in which several forces rise to or correspond to counterclockwise or
exerted on a rotating clockwise rotation with respect to an axis.
system of rigidly
Relevant Equations:
connected objects change
the angular velocity and
angular momentum of the
system. [SP 1.2, 1.4]
4.D.1.2: The student
is able to plan data
collection strategies
designed to establish that ΔL = τΔt
torque, angular velocity,
angular acceleration, and
angular momentum can
be predicted accurately
when the variables are
treated as being clockwise
or counterclockwise with
respect to a well-defined Boundary Statement:
axis of rotation, and refine Students do not need to know the right hand
the research question rule. A full dynamic treatment of rolling without
based on the examination slipping—for instance, using forces and torques
of data. [SP 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, to find the linear and angular acceleration of a
5.1, 5.3] cylinder rolling down a ramp—is not included
in Physics 1.

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 51
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 7: Torque and Rotational Motion  

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

4.D: A net torque exerted 4.D.2.1: The student is 4.D.2: The angular momentum of a system may
on a system by other able to describe a model change due to interactions with other objects
objects or systems will of a rotational system or systems.
change the angular and use that model to
momentum of the system. a. The angular momentum of a system with
analyze a situation in
respect to an axis of rotation is the sum of the
(Continued) which angular momentum
angular momenta, with respect to that axis, of
changes due to interaction
the objects that make up the system.
with other objects or
systems. [SP 1.2, 1.4] b. The angular momentum of an object about
a fixed axis can be found by multiplying
4.D.2.2: The student
the momentum of the particle by the
is able to plan a data
perpendicular distance from the axis to the
collection and analysis
line of motion of the object.
strategy to determine
the change in angular c. Alternatively, the angular momentum of a
momentum of a system system can be found from the product of the
and relate it to interactions system’s rotational inertia and its angular
with other objects and velocity. Students do not need to know the
systems. [SP 4.2] equation for an object’s rotational inertia, as
it will be provided at the exam. They should
have a qualitative sense that rotational inertia
is larger when the mass is farther from the
axis of rotation.
Relevant Equations:

ΔL = τΔt

4.D.3.1: The student is 4.D.3: The change in angular momentum is

able to use appropriate given by the product of the average torque and
mathematical routines to the time interval during which the torque is
calculate values for initial or exerted.
final angular momentum,
Relevant Equations:
or change in angular
momentum of a system,
or average torque or time ΔL = τΔt
during which the torque
is exerted in analyzing a
situation involving torque
and angular momentum.
[SP 2.2]
4.D.3.2: The student is able
to plan a data collection
strategy designe d to test
the relationship between
the change in angular
momentum of a system and
the product of the average
torque applied to the system
and the time interval during
which the torque is exerted.
[SP 4.1, 4.2]

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52 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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 Content Area 7: Torque and Rotational Motion   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

5.E: The angular 5.E.1.1: The student is 5.E.1: If the net external torque exerted on the
momentum of a system is able to make qualitative system is zero, the angular momentum of the
conserved. predictions about the system does not change.
angular momentum of
Relevant Equations:
a system for a situation
in which there is no net
external torque. [SP 6.4, ΔL = τΔt
7.2]
5.E.1.2: The student is
able to make calculations
of quantities related to
the angular momentum
of a system when the net
external torque on the
system is zero. [SP 2.1,
2.2]

5.E.2.1: The student 5.E.2: The angular momentum of a system

is able to describe or is determined by the locations and velocities
calculate the angular of the objects that make up the system. The
momentum and rotational rotational inertia of an object or system
inertia of a system in depends upon the distribution of mass within
terms of the locations the object or system. Changes in the radius of
and velocities of objects a system or in the distribution of mass within
that make up the system. the system result in changes in the system’s
Students are expected to rotational inertia, and hence in its angular
do qualitative reasoning velocity and linear speed for a given angular
with compound objects. momentum. Examples include elliptical orbits
Students are expected in an Earth-satellite system. Mathematical
to do calculations with expressions for the moments of inertia will be
a fixed set of extended provided where needed. Students will not be
objects and point masses. expected to know the parallel axis theorem.
[SP 2.2]
Students do not need to know the equation
for an object’s rotational inertia, as it will
be provided at the exam. They should have
a qualitative sense that rotational inertia is
larger when the mass is farther from the axis
of rotation.
Relevant Equation:
I = mr 2

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 53
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 8: Electric Charge and Electric Force 

Content Area 8: Electric Charge and Electric Force

Course Framework

Big Idea 1: Objects and systems have properties such as mass and
charge. Systems may have internal structure.
Big Idea 3: The interactions of an object with other objects can be
described by forces.
Big Idea 5: Changes that occur as a result of interactions are
constrained by conservation laws.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must (What students need to
students should retain) be able to do) know)

1.B: Electric charge is 1.B.1.1: The student is 1.B.1: Electric charge is conserved. The net
a property of an object able to make claims about charge of a system is equal to the sum of the
or system that affects natural phenomena based charges of all the objects in the system.
its interactions with on conservation of electric
a. An electrical current is a movement of
other objects or systems charge. [SP 6.4]
charge through a conductor.
containing charge.
1.B.1.2: The student is
b. A circuit is a closed loop of electrical
able to make predictions,
current.
using the conservation of
electric charge, about the Relevant Equation:
sign and relative quantity Δq
I=
of net charge of objects Δt
or systems after various
charging processes, Boundary Statement:
including conservation of Full coverage of electrostatics occurs in
charge in simple circuits. Physics 2. A basic introduction to the concepts
[SP 6.4, 7.2] that there are positive and negative charges, and
the electrostatic attraction and repulsion between
these charges, is included in Physics 1 as well.
Physics 1 treats gravitational fields only; Physics
2 treats electric and magnetic fields.

1.B.2.1: The student 1.B.2: There are only two kinds of electric
is able to construct an charge. Neutral objects or systems contain
explanation of the two- equal quantities of positive and negative
charge model of electric charge, with the exception of some
charge based on evidence fundamental particles that have no electric
produced through charge.
scientific practices. [SP
a. Like-charged objects and systems repel,
6.2]
and unlike-charged objects and systems
attract.
Relevant Equation:

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54 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Area 8: Electric Charge and Electric Force   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) be able to do) know)

1.B: Electric charge is 1.B.3.1: The student is 1.B.3: The smallest observed unit of charge
a property of an object able to challenge the that can be isolated is the electron charge,
or system that affects claim that an electric also known as the elementary charge.
its interactions with charge smaller than the
other objects or systems a. The magnitude of the elementary charge is
elementary charge has
containing charge. equal to 1.6 x 10-19 coulombs.
been isolated. [SP 1.5,
(Continued) 6.1, 7.2] b. Electrons have a negative elementary
charge; protons have a positive elementary
charge of equal magnitude, although the mass
of a proton is much larger than the mass of an
electron.

3.C: At the macroscopic 3.C.2.1: The student is 3.C.2: Electric force results from the
level, forces can be able to use Coulomb’s interaction of one object that has an electric
categorized as either law qualitatively and charge with another object that has an electric
long-range (action-at-a- quantitatively to make charge.
distance) forces or contact predictions about the
a. Electric forces dominate the properties
forces. interaction between two
of the objects in our everyday experiences.
electric point charges
However, the large number of particle
(interactions between
interactions that occur make it more
collections of electric
convenient to treat everyday forces in terms of
point charges are not
nonfundamental forces called contact forces,
covered in Physics 1 and
such as normal force, friction, and tension.
instead are restricted to
Physics 2). b. Electric forces may be attractive or
[SP 2.2, 6.4] repulsive, depending upon the charges on the
objects involved.
3.C.2.2: The student
is able to connect the Relevant Equations:
concepts of gravitational
force and electric force to
compare similarities and
differences between the
forces. [See SP 7.2]

5.A: Certain quantities 5.A.2.1: The student 5.A.2: For all systems under all
are conserved, in the is able to define open circumstances, energy, charge, linear
sense that the changes and closed systems momentum, and angular momentum are
of those quantities in a for everyday situations conserved. For an isolated or a closed system,
given system are always and apply conservation conserved quantities are constant. An open
equal to the transfer of concepts for energy, system is one that exchanges any conserved
that quantity to or from charge and linear quantity with its surroundings.
the system by all possible momentum to those
interactions with other situations. [SP 6.4, 7.2]
systems.

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 55
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 9: DC Circuits 

Content Area 9: DC Circuits

Course Framework

Big Idea 1: Objects and systems have properties such as mass and
charge. Systems may have internal structure.
Big Idea 5: Changes that occur as a result of interactions are
constrained by conservation laws.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must (What students need to
students should retain) be able to do) know)

1.B: Electric charge is 1.B.1.1: The student is 1.B.1: Electric charge is conserved. The net
a property of an object able to make claims about charge of a system is equal to the sum of the
or system that affects natural phenomena based charges of all the objects in the system.
its interactions with on conservation of electric
a. An electrical current is a movement of
other objects or systems charge. [SP 6.4]
charge through a conductor.
containing charge.
1.B.1.2: The student is
b. A circuit is a closed loop of electrical
able to make predictions,
current.
using the conservation of
electric charge, about the Relevant Equation:
sign and relative quantity Δq
I=
of net charge of objects Δt
or systems after various
charging processes,
including conservation of
charge in simple circuits.
[SP 6.4, 7.2]

1.E: Materials have 1.E.2.1: The student 1.E.2: Matter has a property called resistivity.
many macroscopic is able to choose and
a. The resistivity of a material depends on its
properties that result justify the selection of
molecular and atomic structure.
from the arrangement and data needed to determine
interactions of the atoms resistivity for a given b. The resistivity depends on the temperature
and molecules that make material. [SP 4.1] of the material. Resistivity changes with
up the material. temperature.
Relevant Equation:

Boundary Statement:
Knowledge of what causes temperature to affect
resistivity is not part of Physics 1.

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56 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Area 9: DC Circuits   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) be able to do) know)

5.B: The energy of a 5.B.9.1: The student 5.B.9: Kirchhoff’s loop rule describes
system is conserved. is able to construct or conservation of energy in electrical circuits.
interpret a graph of the [The application of Kirchhoff’s laws to
energy changes within circuits is introduced in Physics 1 and further
an electrical circuit with developed in Physics 2 in the context of
only a single battery and more complex circuits, including those with
resistors in series and/or capacitors.]
in, at most, one parallel
The potential difference across an ideal
branch as an application
battery is also referred to as the emf of the
of the conservation of
battery, represented as ε. [Non-ideal batteries
energy (Kirchhoff’s loop
are not covered in Physics 1.]
rule). [SP 1.1, 1.4]
a. Energy changes in simple electrical circuits
5.B.9.2: The student is
are conveniently represented in terms of
able to apply conservation
energy change per charge moving through a
of energy concepts to the
battery and a resistor.
design of an experiment
that will demonstrate the b. Since electric potential difference times
validity of Kirchhoff’s loop charge is energy, and energy is conserved,
rule (∑ΔV=0) in a circuit the sum of the potential differences about any
with only a battery and closed loop must add to zero.
resistors either in series c. The electric potential difference across a
or in, at most, one pair of resistor is given by the product of the current
parallel branches. [SP 4.2, and the resistance.
6.4, 7.2]
d. The rate at which energy is transferred from
5.B.9.3: The student is a resistor is equal to the product of the electric
able to apply conservation potential difference across the resistor and the
of energy (Kirchhoff’s current through the resistor.
loop rule) in calculations
involving the total electric Relevant Equations:
potential difference for ΔV
I=
complete circuit loops R
with only a single battery P=IΔV
and resistors in series
and/or in, at most, one
parallel branch. [SP 2.2,
6.4, 7.2]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 57
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 9: DC Circuits 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) be able to do) know)

5.C: The electric charge of 5.C.3.1: The student is 5.C.3: Kirchhoff’s junction rule describes the
a system is conserved. able to apply conservation conservation of electric charge in electrical
of electric charge circuits. Since charge is conserved, current
(Kirchhoff’s junction rule) must be conserved at each junction in
to the comparison of the circuit. Examples include circuits that
electric current in various combine resistors in series and parallel.
segments of an electrical [Physics 1: covers circuits with resistors in
circuit with a single series, with at most one parallel branch, one
battery and resistors in battery only. Physics 2: includes capacitors
series and in, at most, in steady-state situations. For circuits with
one parallel branch capacitors, situations should be limited to
and predict how those open circuit, just after circuit is closed, and a
values would change long time after the circuit is closed.]
if configurations of the
Relevant Equations:
circuit are changed. [SP
6.4, 7.2] Δq
I=
Δt
5.C.3.2: The student
ΔV
is able to design an I=
R
investigation of an
electrical circuit with one P=IΔV
or more resistors in which
evidence of conservation
of electric charge can be
collected and analyzed.
[SP 4.1, 4.2, 5.1]
5.C.3.3: The student is
able to use a description
or schematic diagram
of an electrical circuit to
calculate unknown values
of current in various
segments or branches of
the circuit. [SP 1.4, 2.2]

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58 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Area 10: Mechanical Waves and Sound   Content Outline

Content Area 10: Mechanical Waves and Sound

Course Framework
Big Idea 6: Waves can transfer energy and momentum from one
location to another without the permanent transfer of mass
and serve as a mathematical model for the description of
other phenomena.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
students should retain) able to do) know)

6.A: A wave is a traveling 6.A.1.1: The student 6.A.1: Waves can propagate via different
disturbance that transfers is able to use a visual oscillation modes such as transverse and
energy and momentum. representation to longitudinal.
construct an explanation
a. Mechanical waves can be either transverse
of the distinction
or longitudinal. Examples include waves on a
between transverse and
stretched string and sound waves.
longitudinal waves by
focusing on the vibration b. This includes, as part of the mechanism
that generates the wave. of “propagation,” the idea that the speed of
[SP 6.2] a wave depends only on properties of the
medium.
6.A.1.2: The student
is able to describe c. The propagation of sound waves included
representations in this EK includes the idea that the traveling
of transverse and disturbance consists of pressure variations
longitudinal waves. [SP coupled to displacement variations.
1.2] d. This applies to both periodic waves and to
wave pulses.

Boundary Statement:
Physics 1 treats mechanical waves only.
Mathematical modeling of waves using sines or
cosines is included in Physics 2. Superposition
of no more than two wave pulses and properties
of standing waves is evaluated in Physics 1.
Interference is revisited in Physics 2, where
two-source interference and diffraction may be
demonstrated with mechanical waves, leading to
the development of these concepts in the context
of electromagnetic waves, the focus of Physics 2.

6.A.2.1: The student is 6.A.2: For propagation, mechanical waves

able to describe sound require a medium, while electromagnetic
in terms of transfer of waves do not require a physical medium.
energy and momentum Examples include light traveling through a
in a medium and relate vacuum and sound not traveling through a
the concepts to everyday vacuum.
examples. [SP 6.4, 7.2].
Boundary Statement:
Electromagnetic waves are not tested in
Physics 1. This applies to both periodic waves
and wave pulses.

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 59
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 10: Mechanical Waves and Sound 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

6.A: A wave is a traveling 6.A.3.1: The student is 6.A.3: The amplitude is the maximum
disturbance that transfers able to use graphical displacement of a wave from its equilibrium
energy and momentum. representation of a value.
(Continued) periodic mechanical
a. The amplitude is the maximum
wave to determine the
displacement from equilibrium of the wave.
amplitude of the wave.
A sound wave may be represented by either
[SP 1.4]
the pressure or the displacement of atoms or
molecules. This covers both periodic waves
and wave pulses.
b. The pressure amplitude of a sound wave
is the maximum difference between local
pressure and atmospheric pressure.

6.A.4.1: The student is 6.A.4: Classically, the energy carried by

able to explain and/or a wave depends upon and increases with
predict qualitatively how amplitude. Examples include sound waves.
the energy carried by a
a. Higher amplitude refers to both greater
sound wave relates to the
pressure variations and greater displacement
amplitude of the wave,
variations.
and/or apply this concept
to a real-world example. b. Examples include both periodic waves and
[SP 6.4] wave pulses.

6.B: A periodic wave 6.B.1.1: The student is 6.B.1: For a periodic wave, the period is the
is one that repeats as able to use a graphical repeat time of the wave. The frequency is the
a function of both time representation of a periodic number of repetitions of the wave per unit
and position and can mechanical wave (position time.
be described by its versus time) to determine
a. In a periodic sound wave, pressure
amplitude, frequency, the period and frequency of
variations and displacement variations are
wavelength, speed, and the wave and describe how
both present and with the same frequency.
energy. a change in the frequency
would modify features of Relevant Equation:
the representation. [SP
1.4, 2.2]

6.B.2.1: The student 6.B.2: For a periodic wave, the wavelength is

is able to use a visual the repeat distance of the wave.
representation of a
periodic mechanical wave
to determine wavelength
of the wave. [SP 1.4]

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60 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Area 10: Mechanical Waves and Sound   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

6.B: A periodic wave 6.B.4.1: The student 6.B.4: For a periodic wave, wavelength is the
is one that repeats is able to design an ratio of speed over frequency.
as a function of both experiment to determine
time and position Relevant Equation:
the relationship between
and can be described periodic wave speed,
by its amplitude, wavelength, and
frequency, wavelength,
frequency and relate these
speed, and energy.
concepts to everyday
(Continued) examples. [SP 4.2, 5.1,
7.2]

6.B.5.1: The student is 6.B.5: The observed frequency of a wave

able to create or use a depends on the relative motion of source and
wave front diagram to observer. This is a qualitative treatment only.
demonstrate or interpret
qualitatively the observed
frequency of a wave,
dependent upon relative
motions of source and
observer. [SP 1.4]

6.D: Interference and 6.D.1.1: The student 6.D.1: Two or more wave pulses can interact
superposition lead to is able to use in such a way as to produce amplitude
standing waves and beats. representations of variations in the resultant wave. When two
individual pulses and pulses cross, they travel through each other;
construct representations they do not bounce off each other. Where the
to model the interaction pulses overlap, the resulting displacement can
of two wave pulses to be determined by adding the displacements of
analyze the superposition the two pulses. This is called superposition.
of two pulses. [SP 1.1,
1.4]
6.D.1.2: The student
is able to design a
suitable experiment and
analyze data illustrating
the superposition of
mechanical waves
(only for wave pulses or
standing waves). [SP 4.2,
5.1]
6.D.1.3: The student is
able to design a plan for
collecting data to quantify
the amplitude variations
when two or more traveling
waves or wave pulses
interact in a given medium.
[SP 4.2]

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 61
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  Content Area 10: Mechanical Waves and Sound 

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to
Course Framework

students should retain) able to do) know)

6.D: Interference and 6.D.2.1: The student is 6.D.2: Two or more traveling waves can
superposition lead to able to analyze data or interact in such a way as to produce amplitude
standing waves and beats. observations or evaluate variations in the resultant wave.
(Continued) evidence of the interaction
of two or more traveling
waves in one or two
dimensions (i.e., circular
wave fronts) to evaluate
the variations in resultant
amplitudes. [SP 5.1]

6.D.3.1: The student is 6.D.3: Standing waves are the result of the
able to refine a scientific addition of incident and reflected waves that
question related to are confined to a region and have nodes and
standing waves and antinodes. Examples include waves on a fixed
design a detailed plan for length of string and sound waves in both
the experiment that can be closed and open tubes.
conducted to examine the
a. Reflection of waves and wave pulses, even
phenomenon qualitatively
if a standing wave is not created, is covered in
or quantitatively. [SP 2.1,
Physics 1.
3.2, 4.2]
b. For standing sound waves, pressure nodes
6.D.3.2: The student is
correspond to displacement antinodes, and
able to predict properties
vice versa. For example, the open end of a
of standing waves that
tube is a pressure node because the pressure
result from the addition
equalizes with the surrounding air pressure
of incident and reflected
and therefore does not oscillate. The closed
waves that are confined to
end of a tube is a displacement node because
a region and have nodes
the air adjacent to the closed end is blocked
and antinodes. [SP 6.4]
from oscillating.
6.D.3.3: The student is
able to plan data collection
strategies, predict the
outcome based on the
relationship under test,
perform data analysis,
evaluate evidence
compared to the prediction,
explain any discrepancy
and, if necessary, revise
the relationship among
variables responsible for
establishing standing
waves on a string or in a
column of air. [SP 3.2, 4.1,
5.1, 5.2, 5.3]
6.D.3.4: The student is able
to describe representations
and models of situations
in which standing waves
result from the addition
of incident and reflected
waves confined to a region.
[SP 1.2]

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62 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Area 10: Mechanical Waves and Sound   Content Outline

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Essential Knowledge

(Core concepts that (What students must be (What students need to

Course Framework
students should retain) able to do) know)

6.D: Interference and 6.D.4.1: The student is 6.D.4: The possible wavelengths of a standing
superposition lead to able to challenge with wave are determined by the size of the region
standing waves and beats. evidence the claim to which it is confined.
(Continued) that the wavelengths
a. A standing wave with zero amplitude at
of standing waves
both ends can only have certain wavelengths.
are determined by the
Examples include fundamental frequencies
frequency of the source
and harmonics.
regardless of the size of
the region. [SP 1.5, 6.1] b. Other boundary conditions or other region
sizes will result in different sets of possible
6.D.4.2: The student
wavelengths.
is able to calculate
wavelengths and c. The term first harmonic refers to the
frequencies (if given standing waves corresponding to the
wave speed) of standing fundamental frequency, i.e., the lowest
waves based on boundary frequency corresponding to a standing wave.
conditions and length The second harmonic is the standing wave
of region within which corresponding to the second lowest frequency
the wave is confined, that generates a standing wave in the given
and calculate numerical scenario.
values of wavelengths and d. Resonance is another term for standing
frequencies. Examples sound wave.
include musical
instruments. [SP 2.2] Relevant Equations:

6.D.5.1: The student 6.D.5: Beats arise from the addition of waves
is able to use a visual of slightly different frequency.
representation to explain
a. Because of the different frequencies, the
how waves of slightly
two waves are sometimes in phase and
different frequency give
sometimes out of phase. The resulting
rise to the phenomenon
regularly spaced amplitude changes are called
of beats.
beats. Examples include the tuning of an
[SP 1.2]
instrument.
b. The beat frequency is the difference in
frequency between the two waves.
c. In Physics 1, only qualitative understanding
of EK 6.D.5 is necessary.

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 63
© 2017 The College Board
 Content Outline  References 

References
Course Framework

The AP course and exam development process relies on groups of nationally renowned
subject-matter experts in each discipline, including professionals in secondary and
postsecondary education as well as from professional organizations. These experts ensure
that AP courses and exams reflect the most up-to-date information available, that the courses
and exams are appropriate for a college-level course, and that student proficiency is assessed
properly. To help ensure that the knowledge, skills, and abilities identified in the course and
exam are articulated in a manner that will serve as a strong foundation for both curriculum
and assessment design, the subject-matter experts for AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based and AP
Physics 2: Algebra-Based utilized principles and tools from the following works.
Mislevy, R. J., and M. M. Riconscente. 2005. Evidence-Centered Assessment Design: Layers,
Structures, and Terminology (PADI Technical Report 9). Menlo Park, CA: SRI International
and University of Maryland. Retrieved May 1, 2006, from http://padi.sri.com/downloads/
TR9_ECD.pdf
Riconscente, M. M., R. J. Mislevy, and L. Hamel. 2005. An Introduction to PADI Task Templates
(PADI Technical Report 3). Menlo Park, CA: SRI International and University of Maryland.
Retrieved May 1, 2006, from http://padi.sri.com/downloads/TR3_Templates.pdf
Wiggins, G., and J. McTighe. 2005. Understanding by Design. 2nd ed. Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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64 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
   Inquiry Instruction in the AP Science Classroom

The Laboratory Investigations

Inquiry-based laboratory experiences support the AP Physics 1 course and AP Course Audit
Curricular Requirements by providing opportunities for students to engage in the seven
science practices as they design plans for experiments, make predictions, collect and analyze
data, apply mathematical routines, develop explanations, and communicate about their work.
The science practices that align to the content outline of the course framework capture
important aspects of the work that scientists engage in, at the level of competence that college
and university faculty expect students to possess at the end of an introductory college-level
course. AP Physics teachers will see within the learning objectives how these practices are

Lab Investigations
integrated with the course content, and they will be able to design laboratory investigations
and instruction with these practices in mind.

Inquiry Instruction in the AP

Science Classroom
The 2014 AP Physics 1 and 2 Inquiry-Based Lab Investigations: A Teacher’s Manual supports
recommendations by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that science teachers should
include opportunities in their curricula for students to develop skills in communication,
teamwork, critical thinking, and commitment to life-long learning (NSF 1996, NSF, 2012,
AAPT 1992). An inquiry approach to laboratory work engages and inspires students to
investigate meaningful questions about the physical world and align with the best practices
described in America’s Lab Report, a comprehensive synthesis of research about student
learning in science laboratories from the National Research Council.
Scientific inquiry experiences in the AP classroom should be designed and implemented
with increasing student involvement to help enhance inquiry learning and the development
of critical-thinking and problem-solving skills and abilities. Adaptations of Herron’s
approach (1971) and that of Rezba, Auldridge, and Rhea (1999) define inquiry instruction for
investigations in four incremental ways:

The fourth and final level is Open Inquiry. At this level,

students investigate topic-related questions that are
formulated through student designed/selected procedures.

The third level is Guided Inquiry. At this level, students

investigate a teacher-presented question using student
designed/selected procedures.
Increasing in Critical-
Thinking Skills
The second level is Structured Inquiry. At this level,
students investigate a teacher-presented question through a
prescribed procedure.

The first level of investigation is Confirmation. At this

level, students confirm a principle through an activity in
which the results are known in advance.

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 65
© 2017 The College Board
 Expectations for Analysis of Uncertainty in Laboratory Investigations    

Typically, the level of investigations in an AP classroom should focus primarily on the

continuum between guided inquiry and open inquiry. However, depending on student
familiarity with a topic, a given laboratory experience might incorporate a sequence involving
all four levels or a subset of them. For instance, students might first carry out a simple
confirmation investigation that also familiarizes them with equipment and then proceed to
a structured inquiry that probes more deeply into the topic and gives more practice with
equipment. At that point students would be presented with a question and asked to design/
select their own procedure. A class discussion of results could then lead to questions that
could be explored differently by different groups in open inquiry.
The idea of asking questions and inquiry is actually natural to students. However, in the
classroom setting it may not seem natural to them as they may have developed more teacher-
Lab Investigations

directed procedural habits and expectations in previous lab courses. As students experience
more opportunities for more self-directed investigations with less teacher guidance, they
will become more sophisticated in their reasoning and approach to inquiry. The teacher
can promote inquiry habits in students throughout the course — during class and in the
laboratory — by handing over more of the planning of experiments and manipulation of
equipment over to students.

Expectations for Analysis of Uncertainty

in Laboratory Investigations
Some colleges and universities expect students to submit a laboratory notebook to receive
credit for laboratory courses. Given the emphasis on time spent in the laboratory, students
should be introduced to the methods of error analysis including and supported by mean,
standard deviation, percentage error, propagation of error, and linear regression, or the
calculation of a line of best fit. Colleges will expect students to be familiar with these methods
and to have carried out the procedures on at least some of the laboratory experiments they
undertake, particularly since the use of computers and calculators have significantly reduced
the need for students to perform computations on their own.

Time and Resources

Teachers are expected to devote a minimum of 25 percent of instructional time to laboratory
work in this course. Additionally, students should be provided with an opportunity to engage
in a minimum of seven inquiry-based investigations. The AP Physics 1 course emphasizes
depth of understanding over breadth of content. By limiting the scope of content, students
have more time to engage in inquiry-based learning experiences that will develop conceptual
understanding of content while building expertise in the science practices. Applying this
instructional approach to laboratory investigations typically takes more time than simple
verification/confirmation labs; however the reduced breadth of content will allow teachers to
meet the AP Course Audit curricular requirements of 25 percent of course time that must be
devoted laboratory work.
The labs in the AP Physics 1 and 2 Inquiry-Based Lab Investigations: A Teacher’s Manual are
intended to serve as models, not as required activities; teachers are encouraged to develop
their own teacher-guided or student-directed inquiry-based labs that address the learning
objectives in the course framework. They should also consider supporting their physical
laboratory work with interactive, online simulations, such as PhET simulations developed by
the University of Colorado, Boulder.

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66 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
© 2017 The College Board
   References

References
National Research Council. National Science Education Standards. Washington, DC: The
National Academies Press, 1996.
National Research Council. A Framework for K–12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting
Concepts, and Core Ideas. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2012.
The Role of Labs in High School Physics, American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT),
Position Paper, 1992. Accessed on July 27, 2013. http://www.aapt.org/resources/policy/
RoleOfLabs.cfm

Lab Investigations
Singer, Susan R., Margaret L. Hilton, and Heidi A. Schweingruber. America’s Lab
Report: Investigations in High School Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies
Press, 2006.

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 67
© 2017 The College Board
 Exam Information    

The AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based

Exam
Exam Information
The AP Physics 1 exam consists of two sections: multiple choice and free response. The
exam is 3 hours long and includes a multiple-choice section and a free-response section of
one hour and 30 minutes each. The multiple-choice section accounts for half of each student’s
exam grade, and the free-response section accounts for the other half. Both sections include
questions aligned to the learning objectives and their associated science practices in order to
assess students’ ability to:
nn Provide both qualitative and quantitative explanations, reasoning, or justification of
physical phenomena, grounded in physics principles and theories
nn Solve problems mathematically — including symbolically — but with less emphasis on only
mathematical routines used for solutions
Interpret and develop conceptual models
The AP Physics 1 Exam

nn

nn Transfer knowledge and analytical skills developed during laboratory experiences to design
and describe experiments and analyze data and draw conclusions based on evidence.
Section I in the AP Physics 1 exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions, either as discrete
questions, questions in sets, or multi-correct questions that represent the knowledge and
science practices outlined in the AP Physics 1 learning objectives in the course framework,
which students should understand and be able to apply. Multi-correct questions will be in
a separate section of the multiple-choice portion of the exam (Part B) and will indicate to
students to select the two correct options for each question in the stimulus.
Section II contains three types of free-response questions that each student will have a total
of one hour and 30 minutes to complete. The three question types are:
nn Experimental design — Pertains to designing and describing an investigation, analysis of
authentic lab data, and observations to identify patterns or explain phenomena
nn Qualitative/quantitative translation — Requires translating between quantitative and
qualitative justification and reasoning
nn Short-answer questions — One of which will require a paragraph-length coherent argument

Number of
Section Timing Scoring Question Type Questions

I: Multiple Choice One hour and 50% of exam Part A: Multiple Choice – Discrete 45
30 minutes score Items and Items in Sets

Part B: Multiple Correct – Items with 5

two correct answers

Total – 50

II: Free Response One hour and 50% of exam Experimental Design 1
30 minutes score
Qualitative/Quantitative Translation 1

Short-Answer 3

Total – 5

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 Student Work for Free-Response Sections   Exam Information

The sample exam questions in this course and exam description represent the kinds of
questions that are included on the AP Physics 1 exam. The concepts, content, application
of science practices, and level of difficulty in these sample questions are comparable to
what students will encounter on an actual AP Exam. Each sample multiple-choice and free-
response question is followed by a text box that shows each question’s alignment with the
learning objectives and science practices provided in the AP Physics 1 course framework.
Multiple-choice questions will contain four answer options. A student’s total score on the
multiple-choice section is based on the number of questions answered correctly. Points are
not deducted for incorrect answers or unanswered questions.

Student Work for Free-Response Sections

In scoring the free-response sections, credit for the answers depends on the quality of the
solutions and the explanations given; partial solutions may receive partial credit, so students
are advised to show all their work. Correct answers without supporting work may lose credit.
This is especially true when students are asked specifically to justify their answers, in which
case the AP Exam Readers are looking for some verbal or mathematical analysis that shows
how the students arrived at their answers. Also, all final numerical answers should include
appropriate units.

The AP Physics 1 Exam

Terms Defined
On the AP Physics 1 exam the words “describe,” “explain,” “justify,” “calculate,”
“derive,” “what is,” “determine,” “sketch,” “plot,” “draw,” “label,” “design,” and
“outline” have precise meanings.
Students should pay careful attention to these words in order to obtain maximum credit and
should avoid including irrelevant or extraneous material in their answers.
nn Students will be asked both to “describe” and “explain” natural phenomena. Both terms
require the ability to demonstrate an understanding of physics principles by providing an
accurate and coherent description or explanation. Students will also be asked to “justify”
a previously given answer. A justification is an argument supported by evidence. Evidence
may consist of statements of physical principles, equations, calculations, data, graphs,
and diagrams as appropriate. The argument, or equations used to support justifications
and explanations, may in some cases refer to fundamental ideas or relations in physics,
such as Newton’s laws, conservation of energy, or Bernoulli’s equation. In other cases, the
justification or explanation may take the form of analyzing the behavior of an equation for
large or small values of a variable in the equation.
nn “Calculate” means that a student is expected to show work leading to a final answer,
which may be algebraic but more often is numerical. “Derive” is more specific and indicates
that the students need to begin their solutions with one or more fundamental equations,
such as those given on the AP Physics 1 Exam equation sheet. The final answer, usually
algebraic, is then obtained through the appropriate use of mathematics. “What is”
and “determine” are indicators that work need not necessarily be explicitly shown to
obtain full credit. Showing work leading to answers is a good idea, as it may earn a student
partial credit in the case of an incorrect answer. Strict rules regarding significant digits are
usually not applied to the scoring of numerical answers. However, in some cases, answers
containing too many digits may be penalized. In general, two to four significant digits are
acceptable. Exceptions to these guidelines usually occur when rounding makes a difference
in obtaining a reasonable answer.

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 69
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 Exam Information   The Paragraph-Length Response 

nn The words “sketch” and “plot” relate to student-produced graphs. “Sketch” means to draw
a graph that illustrates key trends in a particular relationship, such as slope, curvature,
intercept(s), or asymptote(s). Numerical scaling or specific data points are not required in
a sketch. “Plot” means to draw the data points given in the problem on the grid provided,
either using the given scale or indicating the scale and units when none are provided.
nn Exam questions that require the drawing of free-body or force diagrams will direct the
students to “draw and label the forces (not components) that act on the [object],” where
[object] is replaced by a reference specific to the question, such as “the car when it reaches
the top of the hill.” Any components that are included in the diagram will be scored in the
same way as incorrect or extraneous forces. In addition, in any subsequent part asking for
a solution that would typically make use of the diagram, the following will be included:
“If you need to draw anything other than what you have shown in part [x] to assist in your
solution, use the space below. Do NOT add anything to the figure in part [x].” This will give
students the opportunity to construct a working diagram showing any components that are
appropriate to the solution of the problem. This second diagram will not be scored.
nn Some questions will require students to “design” an experiment or “outline” a procedure
that investigates a specific phenomenon or would answer a guiding question. Students are
expected to provide an orderly sequence of statements that specifies the necessary steps in
the investigation needed to reasonably answer the question or investigate the phenomenon.
The AP Physics 1 Exam

The Paragraph-Length Response

A paragraph-length response to a question should consist of a coherent argument that uses
the information presented in the question and proceeds in a logical, expository fashion to
arrive at a conclusion.
AP Physics students are asked to give a paragraph-length response so that they may demonstrate
their ability to communicate their understanding of a physical situation in a reasoned, expository
analysis. A student’s response should be a coherent, organized, and sequential description of
the analysis of a situation. The response should argue from evidence, cite physical principles,
and clearly present the student’s thinking to the reader. The presentation should not include
extraneous information. It should make sense on the first reading.
The style of the exposition is to explain and/or describe, like a paragraph, rather than present
a calculation or a purely algebraic derivation, and should be of moderate length, not long and
elaborate.
A paragraph-length response will earn points for correct physics principles, as does a
response to any other free-response question. However, full credit may not be earned if a
paragraph-length response contains any of the following: principles not presented in a logical
order, lengthy digressions within an argument, or primarily equations or diagrams with little
linking prose.
On the AP Physics 1 exam the argument may include, as needed, diagrams, graphs,
equations, and perhaps calculations to support the line of reasoning. The style of such a
response may be seen in the example problems in textbooks, which are typically a mix of
prose statements, equations, diagrams, etc., that present an orderly analysis of a situation.
To reiterate, the goal is that students should be able to both analyze a situation and construct
a coherent, sequenced, well-reasoned exposition that cites evidence and principles of physics
and that makes sense on the first reading.

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 Expectations for the Analysis of Uncertainty   Exam Information

Expectations for the Analysis of Uncertainty

On the AP Physics 1 exam, students will not need to calculate uncertainty but will need
to demonstrate understanding of the principles of uncertainty. In general, multiple-choice
questions on the AP Physics 1 exam will deal primarily with qualitative assessment of
uncertainty, while free-response laboratory questions may require some quantitative
understanding of uncertainty as described below.
Experiment and data analysis questions on the AP Physics 1 exam will not require students
to calculate standard deviations or carry out the propagation of error or a linear regression.
Students will be expected to estimate a line of best fit to data that they plot or to a plot they
are given. Students may be expected to discuss which measurement or variable in a procedure
contributes most to overall uncertainty in the final result and on conclusions drawn from a
given data set. They should recognize that there may be no significant difference between two
reported measurements if they differ by less than the smallest difference that can be discerned
on the instrument used to make the measurements. They should be able to reason in terms of
percentage error and to report results of calculations to an appropriate number of significant
digits. Students are also expected to be able to articulate the effects of error and error
propagation on conclusions drawn from a given data set and how results and conclusions
would be affected by changing the number of measurements, measurement techniques, or the

The AP Physics 1 Exam

precision of measurements. Students should be able to review and critique an experimental
design or procedure and decide whether the conclusions can be justified based on the
procedure and the evidence presented.

Calculators and Equation Tables

Students will be allowed to use a calculator on the entire AP Physics 1 exam — including
both the multiple-choice and free-response sections. Scientific or graphing calculators may be
used, provided that they don’t have any unapproved features or capabilities. A list of approved
graphing calculators is available at https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/takingtheexam/exam-
policies/calculator-policy. Calculator memories do not need to be cleared before or after the
exam. Since graphing calculators can be used to store data, including text, proctors should
monitor that students are using their calculators appropriately. Communication between
calculators is prohibited during the exam administration. Attempts by students to use
the calculator to remove exam questions and/or answers from the room may result in the
invalidation of AP Exam scores. The policy regarding the use of calculators on the AP Physics
1 exam was developed to address the rapid expansion of the capabilities of calculators, which
include not only programming and graphing functions but also the availability of stored
equations and other data. Students should be allowed to use the calculators to which they are
accustomed. However, students should be encouraged to develop their skills in estimating
answers and orders of magnitude quickly and in recognizing answers that are physically
unreasonable or unlikely.
Tables containing equations commonly used in physics will be provided for students to
use during the entire AP Physics 1 exam. In general, the equations for each year’s exam are
printed and distributed with the course and exam description at least a year in advance so
that students can become accustomed to using them throughout the year. However, because
the equation tables will be provided with the exam, students will NOT be allowed to bring
their own copies to the exam room. The latest version of the equations and formulas list is
included in Appendix B to this course and exam description. One of the purposes of providing
the tables of commonly employed equations for use with the exam is to address the issue of
equity for those students who do not have access to equations stored in their calculators. The
availability of these equations to all students means that in the scoring of the exam, little or
no credit will be awarded for simply writing down equations or for answers unsupported by
explanations or logical development.

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 71
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 Multiple-Choice Questions   

In general, the purpose of allowing calculators and equation sheets to be used in both
sections of the exam is to place greater emphasis on the understanding and application of
fundamental physical principles and concepts. For solving problems and writing essays, a
sophisticated scientific or graphing calculator, or the availability of stored equations, is no
substitute for a thorough grasp of the physics involved.

Time Management
Students need to learn to manage their time to allow them to complete all parts of the exam.
Time left is announced by proctors, but students are not forced to move to the next question;
thus if they do not properly budget their time, they may not wind up with enough time to
complete all the multiple-choice questions in Section I and all the free-response questions in
Section II. Students often benefit from taking a practice exam under timed conditions prior to
the actual administration.
Sample Questions

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   Multiple-Choice Questions

Sample Questions for the

AP Physics 1 Exam
Multiple-Choice Questions
NOTE: To simplify calculations, you may use g = 10 m/s2 in all problems.

Directions: Each of the questions or incomplete statements below is followed by four suggested
answers or completions. Select the one that is best in each case and then fill in the corresponding
circle on the answer sheet.

Sample Questions
1. An object is moving in the positive x-direction while a net force directed along the
x-axis is exerted on the object. The figure above shows the force as a function of position.
What is the net work done on the object over the distance shown?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

Enduring Understanding Learning Objective Science Practices

5.B: The energy of a 5.B.5.3: The student is able 1.4: The student can use
system is conserved. to predict and calculate from representations and models
graphical data the energy transfer to analyze situations or
to or work done on an object or solve problems qualitatively
system from information about and quantitatively.
a force exerted on the object or
system through a distance. 2.2: The student can apply
mathematical routines to quantities
that describe natural phenomena.

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 Multiple-Choice Questions

2. The diagram above shows a top view of a child of mass M on a circular platform of
mass 2M that is rotating counterclockwise. Assume the platform rotates without
friction. Which of the following describes an action by the child that will increase the
angular speed of the platform-child system and gives the correct reason why?
(A) The child moves toward the center of the platform, increasing the total angular
momentum of the system.
(B) The child moves toward the center of the platform, decreasing the rotational inertia
of the system.
Sample Questions

(C) The child moves away from the center of the platform, increasing the total angular
momentum of the system.
(D) The child moves away from the center of the platform, decreasing the rotational
inertia of the system.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objective Science Practice

5.E: The angular momentum of a 5.E.1.1: The student is able to 6.4: The student can make claims
system is conserved. make qualitative predictions and predictions about natural
about the angular momentum of phenomena based on scientific
a system for a situation in which theories and models.
there is no net external torque.

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   Multiple-Choice Questions

3. The figure above shows the forces exerted on a block that is sliding on a horizontal
surface: the gravitational force of 40 N, the 40 N normal force exerted by the surface, and
a frictional force exerted to the left. The coefficient of friction between the block and
the surface is 0.20. The acceleration of the block is most nearly
(A)
(B)

Sample Questions
(C)
(D)

Enduring Understandings Learning Objectives Science Practices

2.B: A gravitational field is 2.B.1.1:! The! student is able to 1.4: The student can use
caused by an object with mass. apply F = mg to calculate the representations and models
gravitational force on an object to analyze situations or
3.A: All forces share certain
with mass m in a gravitational solve problems qualitatively
common characteristics when
field of strength g in the context and quantitatively.
considered by observers in
of the effects of a net force
inertial reference frames. 1.5: The student can reexpress
on objects and systems.
key elements of natural
3.B: Classically, the acceleration
3.A.1.1: The student is able to phenomena across multiple
of an object interacting with
express the motion of an object representations in the domain.
other objects can be predicted
using narrative, mathematical,
2.2: The student c an apply
by using . and graphical representations.
mathematical routines to
3.B.1.3: The student is able to quantities that describe
reexpress a free-body diagram natural phenomena.
representation into a mathematical
7.2: The student can connect
representation and solve the
concepts in and across domain(s)
mathematical representation for
to generalize or extrapolate
the acceleration of the object.
in and/or across enduring
3.B.2.1: The student is able to understandings and/or big ideas.
create and use free-body diagrams
to analyze physical situations
to solve problems with motion
qualitatively and quantitatively.

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 Multiple-Choice Questions   
Sample Questions

4. A student on another planet has two identical spheres, each of mass 0.6 kg, attached to the
ends of a rod of negligible mass. The student gives the assembly a rotation in the vertical
plane and then releases it so it falls, as shown in the top figure above. Sensors record the
vertical velocity of the two spheres, and the data is shown in the graph of velocity v as a
function of time t. Another student wants to calculate the assembly’s angular speed and
the change in the linear momentum of the center of mass of the assembly between 0 s and
0.3 s. Which of these quantities can be determined using the graph?
(A) Angular speed only
(B) Change in linear momentum only
(C) Angular speed and change in linear momentum
(D) Neither of these quantities can be determined using the graph.

Enduring Understandings Learning Objectives Science Practice

3.F: A force exerted on an object 3.F.2.2: The student is able to 5.1: The student can
can cause a torque on that object. plan data collection and analysis analyze data to identify
strategies designed to test the patterns or relationships.
4.B: Interactions with other objects
relationship between a torque
or systems can change the total
exerted on an object and the
linear momentum of a system.
change in angular velocity of
that object about an axis.
4.B.1.2: The student is able to
analyze data to find the change in
linear momentum for a constant-
mass system using the product
of the mass and the change in
velocity of the center of mass.

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   Multiple-Choice Questions

5. A block of known mass hanging from an ideal spring of known spring constant is
oscillating vertically. A motion detector records the position, velocity, and acceleration of
the block as a function of time. Which of the following indicates the measured quantities
that are sufficient to determine whether the net force exerted on the block equals the
vector sum of the individual forces?
(A) Acceleration only
(B) Acceleration and position only

Sample Questions
(C) Acceleration and velocity only
(D) Acceleration, position, and velocity

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Science Practice

3.B: Classically, the acceleration 3.B.1.2: The student is able 5.1: The student can
of an object interacting with to design a plan to collect and analyze data to identify
other objects can be predicted analyze data for motion (static, patterns or relationships.
constant, or accelerating) from
by using . force measurements and carry
out an analysis to determine
the relationship between the
net force and the vector sum
of the individual forces.

3.B.3.3: The student can analyze

data to identify qualitative or
quantitative relationships between
given values and variables (i.e.,
force, displacement, acceleration,
velocity, period of motion,
frequency, spring constant, string
length, mass) associated with
objects in oscillatory motion
to use that data to determine
the value of an unknown.

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 Multiple-Choice Questions   

6. Block A hangs from a light string that passes over a light pulley and is attached to
block B, which is on a level horizontal frictionless table, as shown above. Students are
to determine the mass of block B from the motion of the two-block system after it is
released from rest. They plan to measure the time block A takes to reach the floor. The
students must also take which of the following measurements to determine the mass of
block B?
Sample Questions

(A) Only the mass of block A

(B) Only the distance block A falls to reach the floor
(C) Only the mass of block A and the distance block A falls to reach the floor
(D) The mass of block A, the distance block A falls to reach the floor, and the radius of
the pulley

Enduring Understandings Learning Objectives Science Practices

3.A: All forces share certain 3.A.1.2: The student is able 4.2: The student can design
common characteristics when to design an experimental a plan for collecting data
considered by observers in investigation of the to answer a particular
inertial reference frames. motion of an object. scientific question.

4.A: The acceleration of the 4.A.2.1: The student is able 6.4: The student can make
center of mass of a system is to make predictions about the claims and predictions about
related to the net force exerted motion of a system based on the natural phenomena based on
fact that acceleration is equal to scientific theories and models.
on the system, where . the change in velocity per unit
time, and velocity is equal to the
change in position per unit time.

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   Multiple-Choice Questions

7. Two objects are released from rest at the top of ramps with the same dimensions, as
shown in the figure above. The sphere rolls down one ramp without slipping. The small
block slides down the other ramp without friction. Which object reaches the bottom of
its ramp first, and why?
(A) The sphere, because it gains rotational kinetic energy, but the block does not
(B) The sphere, because it gains mechanical energy due to the torque exerted on it, but
the block does not
(C) The block, because it does not lose mechanical energy due to friction, but the sphere

Sample Questions
does
(D) The block, because it does not gain rotational kinetic energy, but the sphere does

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Science Practices

5.B: The energy of a 5.B.4.2: The student is able to 1.4: The student can use
system is conserved. calculate changes in kinetic representations and models
energy and potential energy of a to analyze situations or
system using information from solve problems qualitatively
representations of that system. and quantitatively.

5.B.5.4: The student is able 6.4: The student can make

to make claims about the claims and predictions about
interaction between a system natural phenomena based on
and its environment in which scientific theories and models.
the environment exerts a force
on the system, thus doing work
on the system and changing the
energy of the system (kinetic
energy plus potential energy).

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 Multiple-Choice Questions   
Sample Questions

8. Two blocks, of mass m and 2m, are initially at rest on a horizontal frictionless surface.
A force F is exerted individually on each block, as shown above. The graph shows how F
varies with time t. Which block has the greatest average power provided to it between
and ?
(A) The block of mass m
(B) The block of mass 2m
(C) Both blocks have the same power provided to them.
(D) It cannot be determined without knowing the ratio of the maximum force to the
mass m.

Enduring Understandings Learning Objectives Science Practices

3.A: All forces share certain 3.A.1.1: The student is able to 1.4: The student can use
common characteristics when express the motion of an object representations and models
considered by observers in using narrative, mathematical, to analyze situations or
inertial reference frames. and graphical representations. solve problems qualitatively
and quantitatively.
3.E: A force exerted on an object 3.E.1.4: The student is able to
can change the kinetic energy of apply mathematical routines to 1.5: The student can reexpress
the object. determine the change in kinetic key elements of natural phenomena
energy of an object given the across multiple representations in
forces on the object and the the domain.
displacement of the object.

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   Multiple-Choice Questions

Enduring Understandings Learning Objectives Science Practices

5.B: The energy of a 5.B.5.3: The student is able 2.2: The student can apply
system is conserved. to predict and calculate from mathematical routines to
graphical data the energy transfer quantities that describe natural
to or work done on an object or phenomena.
system from information about
6.4: The student can make
a force exerted on the object or
claims and predictions about
system through a distance.
natural phenomena based on
5.B.5.5: The student is able scientific theories and models.
to predict and calculate the
energy transfer to (i.e., the
work done on) an object or
system from information about
a force exerted on the object or
system through a distance.

Sample Questions

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 Multiple-Choice Questions   

9. A moon is in an elliptical orbit about a planet as shown above. At point A the moon
has speed and is at distance from the planet. At point B the moon has speed .
Which of the following explains a correct method for determining the distance of the
moon from the planet at point B in terms of the given quantities?
(A) Conservation of angular momentum, because the gravitational force exerted by the
moon on the planet is the same as that exerted by the planet on the moon
(B) Conservation of angular momentum, because the gravitational force exerted on the
moon is always directed toward the planet
(C) Conservation of energy, because the gravitational force exerted on the moon is
Sample Questions

always directed toward the planet

(D) Conservation of energy, because the gravitational force exerted by the moon on the planet
is the same as that exerted by the planet on the moon

Enduring Understandings Learning Objectives Science Practices

5.B: The energy of a 5.B.5.4: The student is able 6.4: The student can make
system is conserved. to make claims about the claims and predictions about
interaction between a system natural phenomena based on
5.E: The angular momentum
and its environment in which scientific theories and models.
of a system is conserved.
the environment exerts a force
7.2: The student can connect
on the system, thus doing work
concepts in and across
on the system and changing the
domain(s) to generalize or
energy of the system (kinetic
extrapolate in and/or across
energy plus potential energy).
enduring understandings
5.E.1.1: The student is able to and/or big ideas.
make qualitative predictions
about the angular momentum of
a system for a situation in which
there is no net external torque.

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   Multiple-Choice Questions

Questions 10 –12 refer to the following material.

Block 1 of mass and block 2 of mass are sliding along the same line on a horizontal
frictionless surface when they collide at time . The graph above shows the velocities of the
blocks as a function of time.

10. Which block has the greater mass, and what information indicates this?
(A) Block 1, because it had a greater speed before the collision.

Sample Questions
(B) Block 1, because the velocity after the collision is in the same direction as its velocity
before the collision.
(C) Block 2, because it had a smaller speed before the collision.
(D) Block 2, because the final velocity is closer to the initial velocity of block 2 than it is to
the initial velocity of block 1.

Enduring Understandings Learning Objectives Science Practices

4.A: The acceleration of the 4.A.2.3: The student is able to 1.4: The student can use
center of mass of a system is create mathematical models and representations and models
related to the net force exerted analyze graphical relationships to analyze situations or
for acceleration, velocity, and solve problems qualitatively
on the system, where . position of the center of mass of a and quantitatively.
system and use them to calculate
2.2: The student can apply
5.D: The linear momentum properties of the motion of the
mathematical routines to
of a system is conserved. center of mass of a system.
quantities that describe
5.D.2.5: The student is able to natural phenomena.
classify a given collision situation
as elastic or inelastic, justify
the selection of conservation
of linear momentum as the
appropriate solution method for
an inelastic collision, recognize
that there is a common final
velocity for the colliding objects
in the totally inelastic case,
solve for missing variables,
and calculate their values.

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 Multiple-Choice Questions   

11. How does the kinetic energy of the two-block system after the collision compare with its
kinetic energy before the collision, and why?
(A) It is less, because the blocks have the same velocity after the collision, so some of their
kinetic energy was transformed into internal energy.
(B) It is less, because the blocks have velocities in opposite directions before the collision,
so some of their kinetic energy cancels.
(C) It is the same, because the collision was instantaneous, so the effect of external forces
during the collision is negligible.
(D) It is the same, because the blocks have the same velocity after the collision, and there
is no friction acting on them.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objective Science Practices

5.D: The linear momentum 5.D.2.3: The student is able 6.4: The student can make
of a system is conserved. to apply the conservation of claims and predictions about
linear momentum to a closed natural phenomena based on
system of objects involved in scientific theories and models.
an inelastic collision to predict
the change in kinetic energy. 7.2: The student can connect
Sample Questions

concepts in and across domain(s)

to generalize or extrapolate
in and/or across enduring
understandings and/or big ideas.

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   Multiple-Choice Questions

12. Which of the following is true of the motion of the center of mass of the two-block
system during the time shown?
(A) The center of mass does not move because the blocks are moving in opposite
directions before the collision.
(B) The center of mass moves at a constant velocity of because there is no
friction acting on the system.
(C) The center-of-mass velocity starts out greater than but decreases to
during the collision because the collision is inelastic.
(D) The center-of-mass velocity increases as the blocks get closer together, and then
becomes constant after the collision.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objective Science Practices

4.A: The acceleration of the 4.A.2.3: The student is able to 1.4: The student can use
center of mass of a system is create mathematical models and representations and models
related to the net force exerted analyze graphical relationships to analyze situations or
for acceleration, velocity, and solve problems qualitatively
on the system, where . position of the center of mass of a and quantitatively.
system and use them to calculate

Sample Questions
properties of the motion of the 2.2: The student can apply
center of mass of a system. mathematical routines to quantities
that describe natural phenomena.

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 Multiple-Choice Questions   

Questions 13 –15 refer to the following information.

Sample Questions

A cart is constrained to move along a straight line. A varying net force along the
direction of motion is exerted on the cart. The cart’s velocity v as a function of time t is
shown in the graph above. The five labeled points divide the graph into four sections.

13. Which of the following correctly ranks the magnitude of the average acceleration of the
cart during the four sections of the graph?
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Science Practices

3.A: All forces share certain 3.A.1.1: The student is able to 1.5: The student can reexpress
common characteristics when express the motion of an object key elements of natural
considered by observers in using narrative, mathematical, phenomena across multiple
inertial reference frames. and graphical representations. representations in the domain.

3.A.1.3: The student is able 2.2: The student can apply

to analyze experimental data mathematical routines to
describing the motion of an quantities that describe
object and is able to express natural phenomena.
the results of the analysis using
narrative, mathematical, and
graphical representations.

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86 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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   Multiple-Choice Questions

14. For which segment does the cart move the greatest distance?
(A) AB
(B) BC
(C) CD
(D) DE

Enduring Understanding Learning Objective Science Practices

3.A: All forces share certain 3.A.1.1: The student is able to 1.5: The student can reexpress
common characteristics when express the motion of an object key elements of natural phenomena
considered by observers in using narrative, mathematical, across multiple representations in
inertial reference frames. and graphical representations. the domain.

2.2: The student can apply

mathematical routines to
quantities that describe
natural phenomena.

Sample Questions

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 87
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 Multiple-Choice Questions   

15. During some part of the motion, the work done on the cart is negative. What feature of
the motion indicates this?
(A) The speed is increasing.
(B) The speed is decreasing.
(C) The acceleration is positive.
(D) The acceleration is negative.

Enduring Understandings Learning Objectives Science Practices

3.E: A force exerted on an 3.E.1.3: The student is able to 1.4: The student can use
object can change the kinetic use force and velocity vectors representations and models
energy of the object. to determine qualitatively or to analyze situations or
quantitatively the net force exerted solve problems qualitatively
5.B: The energy of a
on an object and qualitatively and quantitatively.
system is conserved.
whether kinetic energy of that
2.2: The student can apply
object would increase, decrease,
mathematical routines to
or remain unchanged.
quantities that describe
5.B.5.4: The student is able natural phenomena.
to make claims about the
Sample Questions

6.4: The student can make

interaction between a system
claims and predictions about
and its environment in which
natural phenomena based on
the environment exerts a force
scientific theories and models.
on the system, thus doing work
on the system and changing the 7.2: The student can connect
energy of the system (kinetic concepts in and across domain(s)
energy plus potential energy). to generalize or extrapolate
in and/or across enduring
understandings and/or big ideas.

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88 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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   Multiple-Choice Questions

16. The figure above shows a block on a horizontal surface attached to two springs whose
other ends are fixed to walls. A light string attached to one side of the block initially lies
straight across the surface, as shown. The other end of the string is free to move. There
is significant friction between the block and the surface but negligible friction between
the string and the surface. The block is displaced a distance d and released from rest.
Which of the following best represents the shape of the string a short time later?

Sample Questions

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 89
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 Multiple-Choice Questions   

Enduring Understandings Learning Objectives Science Practices

3.B: Classically, the acceleration 3.B.3.1: The student is able 1.4: The student can use
of an object interacting with to predict which properties representations and models
other objects can be predicted determine the motion of a to analyze situations or
simple harmonic oscillator and solve problems qualitatively
by using . what the dependence of the and quantitatively.
motion is on those properties.
6.4: The student can make
4.C: Interactions with other
4.C.2.1: The student is able claims and predictions about
objects or systems can change
to make predictions about the natural phenomena based on
the total energy of a system.
changes in the mechanical scientific theories and models.
6.A: A wave is a traveling energy of a system when a
7.2: The student can connect
disturbance that transfers component of an external force
concepts in and across domain(s)
energy and momentum. acts parallel or antiparallel to
to generalize or extrapolate
the direction of the displacement
in and/or across enduring
of the center of mass.
understandings and/or big ideas.
6.A.3.1: The student is able to
use graphical representation
of a periodic mechanical
wave to determine the
amplitude of the wave.
Sample Questions

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90 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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   Multiple-Choice Questions

17. Two massive, positively charged particles are initially held a fixed distance apart. When
they are moved farther apart, the magnitude of their mutual gravitational force changes
by a factor of n. Which of the following indicates the factor by which the magnitude of
their mutual electrostatic force changes?
(A)
(B)
(C) n
(D)

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Science Practices

3.C: At the macroscopic level, 3.C.2.1: The student is able to 6.4: The student can make
forces can be categorized as use Coulomb’s law qualitatively claims and predictions about
either long-range (action-at-a- and quantitatively to make natural phenomena based on
distance) forces or contact forces. predictions about the interaction scientific theories and models.
between two electric point
7.2: The student can connect
charges (interactions between
concepts in and across domain(s)
collections of electric point
to generalize or extrapolate
charges are not covered in

Sample Questions
in and/or across enduring
Physics 1 and instead are
understandings and/or big ideas.
restricted to Physics 2).
3.C.2.2: The student is able
to connect the concepts of
gravitational force and electric
force to compare similarities and
differences between the forces.

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 Multiple-Choice Questions   

18. The circuit shown above contains two resistors of resistance R and 2R. The graph shows
the total energy E dissipated by the smaller resistance as a function of time. Which
of the following shows the corresponding graph for the larger resistance?
Sample Questions

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92 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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   Multiple-Choice Questions

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Science Practices

5.B: The energy of a 5.B.9.1: The student is able to 1.1: The student can create
system is conserved. construct or interpret a graph representations and models of
of the energy changes within natural or man-made phenomena
an electrical circuit with only a and systems in the domain.
single battery and resistors in
1.4: The student can use
series and/or in, at most, one
representations and models
parallel branch as an application
to analyze situations or
of the conservation of energy
solve problems qualitatively
(Kirchhoff’s loop rule).
and quantitatively.
5.B.9.3: The student is able to
6.4: The student can make
apply conservation of energy
claims and predictions about
(Kirchhoff’s loop rule) in
natural phenomena based on
calculations involving the total
scientific theories and models.
electric potential difference
for complete circuit loops 7.2: The student can connect
with only a single battery and concepts in and across domain(s)
resistors in series and/or in, to generalize or extrapolate
at most, one parallel branch. in and/or across enduring
understandings and/or big ideas.

Sample Questions

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 Multiple-Choice Questions   

19. A student connects one end of a string with negligible mass to an oscillator. The other
end of the string is passed over a pulley and attached to a suspended weight, as shown
above. The student finds that a standing wave with one antinode is formed on the string
when the frequency of the oscillator is f0 . The student then moves the oscillator to
shorten the horizontal segment of string to half its original length. At what frequency
will a standing wave with one antinode now be formed on the string?
(A)
(B) f0
(C)
Sample Questions

(D) There is no frequency at which a standing wave will be formed.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objective Science Practice

6.D: Interference and 6.D.4.2: The student is able 2.2: The student can apply
superposition lead to to calculate wavelengths and mathematical routines to
standing waves and beats. frequencies (if given wave speed) quantities that describe
of standing waves based on natural phenomena.
boundary conditions and length
of region within which the
wave is confined, and calculate
numerical values of wavelengths
and frequencies. Examples
include musical instruments.

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   Multiple-Choice Questions

20. The figure above shows a portion of a periodic wave on a string at a particular moment
in time. The vertical arrows indicate the direction of the velocity of some points on the
string. Is the wave moving to the right or to the left?
(A) To the right
(B) To the left
(C) Neither direction; the wave is a standing wave, so it is not moving.
(D) Either direction; the figure is consistent with wave motion to the right or to the left.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objective Science Practice

Sample Questions
6.A: A wave is a traveling 6.A.1.2: The student is able 1.2: The student can describe
disturbance that transfers to describe representations representations and models of
energy and momentum. of transverse and natural or man-made phenomena
longitudinal waves. and systems in the domain.

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 Multiple-Choice Questions   

21. A radio speaker produces sound when a membrane called a diaphragm vibrates, as
shown above. A person turns up the volume on the radio. Which of the following
aspects of the motion of a point on the diaphragm must increase?
(A) The maximum displacement only
Sample Questions

(B) The average speed only

(C) Both the maximum displacement and the average speed
(D) Neither the maximum displacement nor the average speed

Enduring Understandings Learning Objectives Science Practices

3.A: All forces share certain 3.A.1.1: The student is able to 1.5: The student can reexpress
common characteristics when express the motion of an object key elements of natural
considered by observers in using narrative, mathematical, phenomena across multiple
inertial reference frames. and graphical representations. representations in the domain.
6.A: A wave is a traveling 6.A.2.1: The student is able 6.4: The student can make
disturbance that transfers energy to describe sound in terms claims and predictions about
and momentum. of transfer of energy and natural phenomena based on
momentum in a medium and scientific theories and models.
relate the concepts to everyday
7.2: The student can connect
examples.
concepts in and across domain(s)
to generalize or extrapolate
in and/or across enduring
understandings and/or big ideas.

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96 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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   Multiple-Choice Questions

Directions: For each of questions 22–25 below, two of the suggested answers will be
correct. Select the two answers that are best in each case, and then fill in both of the
corresponding circles on the answer sheet.

22. A block is given a short push and then slides with constant friction across a horizontal
floor. The graph above shows the kinetic energy of the block after the push ends as a
function of an unidentified quantity. The quantity could be which of the following? Select
two answers.
(A) Time elapsed since the push

Sample Questions
(B) Distance traveled by the block
(C) Speed of the block
(D) Magnitude of the net work done on the block

Enduring Understandings Learning Objectives Science Practices

3.A: All forces share certain 3.A.1.1: The student is able to 1.5: The student can reexpress
common characteristics when express the motion of an object key elements of natural phenomena
considered by observers in using narrative, mathematical, across multiple representations in
inertial reference frames. and graphical representations. the domain.
3.E: A force exerted on an 3.E.1.1: The student is able 2.2: The student can apply
object can change the kinetic to make predictions about the mathematical routines to
energy of the object. changes in kinetic energy of an quantities that describe natural
object based on considerations of phenomena.
the direction of the net force on
6.4: The student can make claims
the object as the object moves.
and predictions about natural
phenomena based on scientific
theories and models.
7.2: The student can connect
concepts in and across domain(s)
to generalize or extrapolate
in and/or across enduring
understandings and/or big ideas.

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 Multiple-Choice Questions   

23. A musician stands outside in a field and plucks a string on an acoustic guitar. Standing
waves will most likely occur in which of the following media? Select two answers.
(A) The guitar string
(B) The air inside the guitar
(C) The air surrounding the guitar
(D) The ground beneath the musician

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Science Practices

6.D: Interference and 6.D.3.2: The student is able to 1.2: The student can describe
superposition lead to predict properties of standing representations and models of
standing waves and beats. waves that result from the addition natural or man-made phenomena
of incident and reflected waves and systems in the domain.
that are confined to a region and
6.4: The student can make
have nodes and antinodes.
claims and predictions about
6.D.3.4: The student is able to natural phenomena based on
describe representations and scientific theories and models.
models of situations in which
standing waves result from the
Sample Questions

addition of incident and reflected

waves confined to a region.

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98 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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   Multiple-Choice Questions

24. A 0.2 kg rock is dropped into a lake from a few meters above the surface of the water. The
rock reaches terminal velocity in the lake after 5 s in the water. During the final 3 s of
its descent to the lake bottom, the rock moves at a constant speed of 4 m/s. Which of
the following can be determined from the information given? Select two answers.
(A) The speed of the rock as it enters the lake
(B) The distance the rock travels in the first 5 s of its descent in the water
(C) The acceleration of the rock 2 s before it reaches the lake bottom
(D) The change in potential energy of the rock-Earth-water system during the final 3 s of
the rock’ s descent

Enduring Understandings Learning Objectives Science Practices

3.A: All forces share certain 3.A.1.1: The student is able to 1.5: The student can reexpress
common characteristics when express the motion of an object key elements of natural
considered by observers in using narrative, mathematical, phenomena across multiple
inertial reference frames. and graphical representations. representations in the domain.
4.C: Interactions with other 4.C.1.2: The student is able 6.4: The student can make
objects or systems can change to predict changes in the claims and predictions about

Sample Questions
the total energy of a system. total energy of a system due natural phenomena based on
to changes in position and scientific theories and models.
speed of objects or frictional
interactions within the system.

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 Multiple-Choice Questions   

25. In an experiment, three microscopic latex spheres are sprayed into a chamber and
become charged with +3e, +5e, and −3e, respectively. Later, all three spheres collide
simultaneously and then separate. Which of the following are possible values for the
final charges on the spheres? Select two answers.

X Y Z
(A) +4e −4e +5e
(B) +4e +4.5e +4.5e
(C) +5e −8e +7e
(D) +6e +6e −7e

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Science Practices

1.B: Electric charge is a property 1.B.1.2: The student is able to 6.4: The student can make
of an object or system that affects make predictions, using the claims and predictions about
its interactions with other objects conservation of electric charge, natural phenomena based on
or systems containing charge. about the sign and relative scientific theories and models.
Sample Questions

quantity of net charge of objects

7.2: The student can connect
or systems after various charging
concepts in and across domain(s)
processes, including conservation
to generalize or extrapolate
of charge in simple circuits.
in and/or across enduring
1.B.3.1: The student is able to understandings and/or big ideas.
challenge the claim that an electric
charge smaller than the elementary
charge has been isolated.

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   Answers to Multiple-Choice Questions

Answers to Multiple-Choice Questions

1. A 14. A

2. B 15. B

3. D 16. C

4. C 17. C

5. B 18. C

6. C 19. C

7. D 20. B

8. A 21. C

9. B 22. B, D

10. D 23. A, B

Sample Questions
11. A 24. C, D

12. B 25. A, D

13. D

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Course and Exam Description  AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Table of Contents 101
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 Free-Response Questions   

Free-Response Questions
Directions: Question 1 is a short free-response question that requires about 12 minutes to
answer and is worth 7 points. Questions 2 and 3 are long free-response questions that require
about 25 minutes each to answer and are worth 12 points each. Show your work for each part
in the space provided after that part.

1. The figure above shows two tubes that are identical except for their slightly different
lengths. Both tubes have one open end and one closed end. A speaker connected to a
variable frequency generator is placed in front of the tubes, as shown. The speaker is
set to produce a note of very low frequency and then turned on. The frequency is then
slowly increased to produce resonances in the tubes. Students observe that at first only
one of the tubes resonates at a time. Later, as the frequency gets very high, there are
times when both tubes resonate.
Sample Questions

In a clear, coherent, paragraph-length answer, explain why there are some high
frequencies, but no low frequencies, at which both tubes resonate. You may include
diagrams and/or equations as part of your explanation.

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Science Practices

6.D: Interference and 6.D.3.2: The student is able to 1.2: The student can describe
superposition lead to predict properties of standing representations and models of
standing waves and beats. waves that result from the addition natural or man–made phenomena
of incident and reflected waves and systems in the domain.
that are confined to a region and
6.1: The student can justify
have nodes and antinodes.
claims with evidence.
6.D.3.4: The student is able to
6.4: The student can make
describe representations and
claims and predictions about
models of situations in which
natural phenomena based on
standing waves result from the
scientific theories and models.
addition of incident and reflected
waves confined to a region.
6.D.4.1: The student is able to
challenge with evidence the
claim that the wavelengths of
standing waves are determined
by the frequency of the source
regardless of the size of the region.

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   Free-Response Questions

2. A group of students has two carts, A and B, with wheels that turn with negligible
friction. The carts can travel along a straight horizontal track. Cart A has known
mass . The students are asked to use a one-dimensional collision between the carts
to determine the mass of cart B. Before the collision, cart A travels to the right and
cart B is initially at rest, as shown above. After the collision, the carts stick together.
(a) Describe an experimental procedure to determine the velocities of the carts before
and after a collision, including all the additional equipment you would need. You
may include a labeled diagram of your setup to help in your description. Indicate
what measurements you would take and how you would take them. Include enough
detail so that another student could carry out your procedure.
(b) There will be sources of error in the measurements taken in the experiment, both
before and after the collision. For your experimental procedure, will the uncertainty
in the calculated value of the mass of cart B be affected more by the error in the
measurements taken before the collision or by those taken after the collision, or
will it be equally affected by both sets of measurements? Justify your answer.

Sample Questions
A group of students took measurements for one collision. A graph of the students’
data is shown below.

(c) Given , use the graph to calculate the mass of cart B. Explicitly indicate
the principles used in your calculations.

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 Free-Response Questions   

(d) The students are now asked to consider the kinetic energy changes in an inelastic
collision, specifically whether the initial values of one of the physical quantities
affect the fraction of mechanical energy dissipated in the collision. How could you
modify the experiment to investigate this question? Be sure to explicitly describe the
calculations you would make, specifying all equations you would use (but do not
actually do any algebra or arithmetic).

Enduring Understandings Learning Objectives Science Practices

3.A: All forces share certain 3.A.1.2: The student is able 4.2: The student can design a
common characteristics when to design an experimental plan for collecting data to answer
considered by observers in investigation of the a particular scientific question.
inertial reference frames. motion of an object.
5.1: The student can
5.D: The linear momentum 5.D.1.4: The student is able to analyze data to identify
of a system is conserved. design an experimental test of patterns or relationships.
an application of the principle
5.3: The student can evaluate
of the conservation of linear
the evidence provided by data
momentum, predict an outcome of
sets in relation to a particular
the experiment using the principle,
scientific question.
analyze data generated by that
experiment whose uncertainties
Sample Questions

are expressed numerically, and

evaluate the match between the
prediction and the outcome.
5.D.2.2: The student is able to plan
data collection strategies to test the
law of conservation of momentum
in a two-object collision that is
elastic or inelastic and analyze
the resulting data graphically.

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   Free-Response Questions

3. The figure above represents a racetrack with semicircular sections connected by

straight sections. Each section has length d, and markers along the track are
spaced  apart. Two people drive cars counterclockwise around the track, as shown.
Car X goes around the curves at constant speed , increases speed at constant
acceleration for half of each straight section to reach a maximum speed of , then
brakes at constant acceleration for the other half of each straight section to return
to speed . Car Y also goes around the curves at constant speed , increases speed
at constant acceleration for one-fourth of each straight section to reach the same
maximum speed , stays at that speed for half of each straight section, then

Sample Questions
brakes at constant acceleration for the remaining fourth of each straight section
to return to speed .
(a) On the figures below, draw an arrow showing the direction of the net force on each
of the cars at the positions noted by the dots. If the net force is zero at any position,
label the dot with 0.

(b) i. Indicate which car, if either, completes one trip around the track in less time,
and justify your answer qualitatively without using equations.
ii. Justify your answer about which car, if either, completes one trip around the
track in less time quantitatively with appropriate equations.
(c) Explain how your equations in part (b) ii reexpress your reasoning in part (b) i. Do
not simply refer to any final results of your calculations, but instead indicate how
terms in your equations correspond to concepts in your qualitative explanation.

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 Free-Response Questions   

Enduring Understanding Learning Objectives Science Practices

3.A: All forces share certain 3.A.1.1: The student is able to 1.1: The student can create
common characteristics when express the motion of an object representations and models of
considered by observers in using narrative, mathematical, natural or man-made phenomena
inertial reference frames. and graphical representations. and systems in the domain.

3.A.2.1: The student is able to 1.5: The student can reexpress

represent forces in diagrams key elements of natural
or mathematically using phenomena across multiple
appropriately labeled vectors with representations in the domain.
magnitude, direction, and units
during the analysis of a situation. 2.2: The student can apply
mathematical routines to
quantities that describe
natural phenomena.
Sample Questions

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   Scoring Guidelines

Scoring Guidelines
Scoring Guidelines for Free-Response Question 1 (7 points)
Explanations can include figures to support or clarify the meaning of prose, but figures
alone are not sufficient.
For explaining the condition for resonance in a tube closed at one end 2 points
For comparing wavelengths at low frequency to the tube lengths 1 point
For linking the above two ideas (conditions of resonance and comparing  1 point
wavelengths at low frequency) to explain why only one resonance
occurs at a time
For indicating that as frequency goes up, wavelength goes down 1 point
For indicating how smaller wavelengths relate to differences in tube  2 points
length, explaining how both tubes can now meet boundary conditions
Example:
In order to resonate, the length of a tube must be an odd multiple of a quarter
wavelength of the sound, as shown below.

Sample Questions
For resonance at low frequencies, the wavelength of the sound is of the order of the
length of the tubes. So the match can occur for only one tube at a time — the
difference in tube lengths is much smaller than a half wavelength. As the frequency
increases, the wavelength decreases and many more wavelengths fit inside a tube.
When half the wavelength becomes of the order of the difference in tube lengths,
the tubes can contain an odd multiple of quarter wavelengths for the same
wavelength at the same time — for instance, one tube might contain 17 quarter
wavelengths while the other contains 19 quarter wavelengths.

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 Scoring Guidelines   

Scoring Guidelines for Free-Response Question 2 (12 points)

(a) (3 points)
For a reasonable setup that would allow useful measurements 1 point
For indicating all the measurements needed to determine the velocities 1 point
For having no obviously extraneous equipment or measurements 1 point
Examples:
n 
Use tape to mark off two distances on the track — one for cart A before the collision
and one for the combined carts after the collision. Push cart A to give it an initial
speed. Use a stopwatch to measure the time it takes for the cart(s) to cross the
marked distances. The speeds are the distances divided by the times.
n 
Place a motion detector at the left end of the track. Push cart A to give it an initial
speed. Record position as a function of time, first for cart A and then for the
combined carts A and B.
(b) (2 points)
For indicating a reasonable assumption about the relative size  1 point
of the measurement errors before and after the collision
Sample Questions

For correctly using the assumption in comparing the effect on the  1 point
calculated value of the mass of cart B
Example:
If the measurement errors are of the same magnitude, they will have a greater effect
after the collision. The speed of the combined carts will be less than the initial speed of
cart A, so errors of the same magnitude will be a greater percentage of the actual value
after the collision. So the values after the collision will have a greater effect on the value
of the mass of cart B.
A response could also argue any of the following:
n Measurement error could be greater before the collision (it could be harder to
measure with the same accuracy at the greater speed). So percent error could be the
same or greater.
n 
Measurement error could be greater before the collision (it could be harder to
measure with the same accuracy at the greater speed). So the magnitude of the
reported uncertainty could be the same.
n 
Measurement error could be the same before and after the collision if the same
motion detector is used throughout.

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108 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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   Scoring Guidelines

(c) (4 points)

Sample Questions
For providing sufficient description of the principles used in  1 point
the calculation (in either a single explanation or dispersed
throughout the calculations)
Conservation of momentum can be used to determine the mass of cart B:

For correctly recognizing the two regions on the graph  1 point

corresponding to before and after the collision
For using data from the graph to attempt calculation of speed 1 point
from slope
For indicating use of the slope of one or two drawn lines to determine 1 point
one or more speeds (This point cannot be earned if calculations use
data points not on the line[s].)
The speed before the collision is the slope of the best-fit line for the data from 0 to 1 s.
The speed after the collision is the slope of the best-fit line for the data from 1 s to 2 s.
Using the example lines drawn above:

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 Scoring Guidelines   

Applying conservation of momentum:

(d) (3 points)
For an answer consistent with previous responses that indicates a  1 point
modification of the procedure to accomplish varying the initial speed
of cart A or one of the cart masses OR that indicates that the previously
described procedure would provide appropriate data, so it does not
Sample Questions

need modification
For indicating that the data can be used to calculate the kinetic energy K 1 point
before and after the collision
For indicating that the fraction of K lost in the various collisions 1 point
should be compared
Example:

You could vary the initial speed of cart A. From the data, calculate values of kinetic
energy before and after the collision using . Then analyze
to see if the changes in initial speed give different values.
Scoring Guidelines for Free-Response Question 3 (12 points)
(a) (3 points)
Car X Car Y

For correct directions of the net forces at all the locations on the  1 point
semicircular sections (i.e., all directed generally toward the center of the circle)
For correct directions of the net forces at all the locations on  1 point
the bottom straightaways (i.e., directed toward the center of the segment)
For correct directions of the net forces at all locations on the top 1 point
straightaway (i.e., both rightmost arrows directed toward the left,
the left one for car X directed toward the right, and the left one for
car Y equal to zero)

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   Scoring Guidelines

(b) (7 points total)

i) (2 points)
For realizing that the difference in time is only on the straightaways 1 point
For correct reasoning leading to Car Y taking a shorter time on the 1 point
straightaways
Example:
Car X takes longer to accelerate and does not spend any time traveling at top speed.
Car Y accelerates over a shorter time and spends time going at top speed. So car
Y must cover the straightaways in a shorter time. Curves take the same time, so car
Y must overall take a shorter time.
ii) (5 points)
The time to travel each curve is . Answers can be expressed in terms
of or or some other defined unit of time. The calculations below
will use .
For stating that the time to travel each curve is  1 point
For correct kinematics expressions that allow determination of the 1 point

Sample Questions
time it takes for one segment of acceleration on the straightaways
Example: ,

For work that shows an understanding of how to determine the  1 point

time that car X and car Y each spend accelerating
For work that shows an understanding of how to determine the 1 point
time that car Y spends at constant speed
For correctly determining the total straightaway times for each car 1 point
Calculating the time for car X to travel one straightaway:

Calculating the time for car Y to travel one straightaway:

Doing the calculation shown above using the distance of acceleration gives the
result that one section of acceleration takes a time .
The time for car Y to travel one constant speed section on the straightaway is
.
Adding three segments to get the total time for one straightaway gives .
The calculations show that car Y takes less time on a straightaway, and both
cars take the same time on the curves, so car Y overall takes less time.

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 Scoring Guidelines   

(c) (2 points)
For linking math to one aspect of qualitative reasoning that explains  1 point
the difference in times
For linking math to all other qualitative reasoning that explains  1 point
the difference in times
Examples:
The only difference in the calculations for the time of one segment of linear acceleration
is the difference in distances. That shows that car X takes longer to accelerate. The
equation corresponds to car Y traveling for a time at top speed.
Substituting into the displacement equation in part (b) ii gives .
This shows that a car takes less time to reach its maximum speed when it accelerates
over a shorter distance. This means car Y reaches its maximum speed more quickly
and therefore spends more time at its maximum speed than car X does, as argued in
part (b) i.
Sample Questions

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112 AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based  Course and Exam Description Table of Contents
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Appendix A: The Big Ideas
in AP Physics 1
Big Idea 1: Objects and systems have properties such as mass
and charge. Systems may have internal structure.
Enduring Understanding 1.A: The Essential Knowledge 1.A.1: A system is an object or a
internal structure of a system determines collection of objects. Objects are treated as having no internal
many properties of the system. structure.
Essential Knowledge 1.A.5: Systems have properties
determined by the properties and interactions of their
constituent atomic and molecular substructures. In AP
Physics, when the properties of the constituent parts are
not important in modeling the behavior of the macroscopic
system, the system itself may be referred to as an object.

Enduring Understanding 1.B: Electric Essential Knowledge 1.B.1: Electric charge is conserved.
charge is a property of an object or The net charge of a system is equal to the sum of the charges
system that affects its interactions with of all the objects in the system.
other objects or systems containing
Essential Knowledge 1.B.2: There are only two kinds of
charge.
electric charge. Neutral objects or systems contain equal
quantities of positive and negative charge, with the exception
of some fundamental particles that have no electric charge.
Essential Knowledge 1.B.3: The smallest observed unit of
charge that can be isolated is the electron charge, also known
as the elementary charge.

Enduring Understanding 1.C: Objects Essential Knowledge 1.C.1: Inertial mass is the property of
and systems have properties of inertial an object or a system that determines how its motion changes
mass and gravitational mass that are when it interacts with other objects or systems.
experimentally verified to be the same
Essential Knowledge 1.C.2: Gravitational mass is the
and that satisfy conservation principles.
property of an object or a system that determines the strength
of the gravitational interaction with other objects, systems, or
gravitational fields.
Essential Knowledge 1.C.3: Objects and systems have
properties of inertial mass and gravitational mass that are
experimentally verified to be the same and that satisfy
conservation principles.

Enduring Understanding 1.E: Materials Essential Knowledge 1.E.2: Matter has a property called

Appendixes
have many macroscopic properties resistivity.
that result from the arrangement and
interactions of the atoms and molecules
that make up the material.

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 Appendix A: The Big Ideas in AP Physics 1   

Big Idea 2: Fields existing in space can be used to explain

interactions.
Enduring Understanding 2.A: A field Essential Knowledge 2.A.1: A vector field gives, as a
associates a value of some physical function of position (and perhaps time), the value of a
quantity with every point in space. physical quantity that is described by a vector.
Field models are useful for describing
interactions that occur at a distance
(long-range forces) as well as a variety
of other physical phenomena.
→
Enduring Understanding 2.B: A Essential Knowledge 2.B.1: A gravitational field g at the
gravitational field is caused by an object location of an object with mass m causes a gravitational force
with mass. of magnitude mg to be exerted on the object in the direction
of the field.
Essential Knowledge 2.B.2: The gravitational field caused
by a spherically symmetric object with mass is radial and,
outside the object, varies as the inverse square of the radial
distance from the center of that object.

Big Idea 3: The interactions of an object with other objects can

be described by forces.
Enduring Understanding 3.A: Essential Knowledge 3.A.1: An observer in a particular
All forces share certain common reference frame can describe the motion of an object using
characteristics when considered by such quantities as position, displacement, distance, velocity,
observers in inertial reference frames. speed, and acceleration.
Essential Knowledge 3.A.2: Forces are described by vectors.
Essential Knowledge 3.A.3: A force exerted on an object
is always due to the interaction of that object with another
object.
Essential Knowledge 3.A.4: If one object exerts a force on
a second object, the second object always exerts a force of
equal magnitude on the first object in the opposite direction.

Enduring Understanding 3.B: Essential Knowledge 3.B.1: If an object of interest interacts

Classically, the acceleration of an object with several other objects, the net force is the vector sum of
interacting with other objects can be the individual forces.
predicted by using . Essential Knowledge 3.B.2: Free-body diagrams are useful
Appendixes

tools for visualizing forces being exerted on a single object

and writing the equations that represent a physical situation.
Essential Knowledge 3.B.3: Restoring forces can result in
oscillatory motion. When a linear restoring force is exerted on
an object displaced from an equilibrium position, the object
will undergo a special type of motion called simple harmonic
motion. Examples include gravitational force exerted by the
Earth on a simple pendulum and mass-spring oscillator.

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   Appendix A: The Big Ideas in AP Physics 1

Enduring Understanding 3.C: At Essential Knowledge 3.C.1: Gravitational force describes the
the macroscopic level, forces can be interaction of one object that has mass with another object
categorized as either long-range (action- that has mass.
at-a-distance) forces or contact forces.
Essential Knowledge 3.C.2: Electric force results from
theinteraction of one object that has an electric charge with
another object that has an electric charge.
Essential Knowledge 3.C.4: Contact forces result from the
interaction of one object touching another object, and they
arise from interatomic electric forces. These forces include
tension, friction, normal, spring (Physics 1), and buoyant
(Physics 2).

Enduring Understanding 3.D: A force Essential Knowledge 3.D.1: The change in momentum of an
exerted on an object can change the object is a vector in the direction of the net force exerted on
momentum of the object. the object.
Essential Knowledge 3.D.2: The change in momentum of an
object occurs over a time interval.

Enduring Understanding 3.E: A force Essential Knowledge 3.E.1: The change in the kinetic energy
exerted on an object can change the of an object depends on the force exerted on the object and
kinetic energy of the object. on the displacement of the object during the time interval that
the force is exerted.

Enduring Understanding 3.F: A force Essential Knowledge 3.F.1: Only the force component
exerted on an object can cause a torque perpendicular to the line connecting the axis of rotation and
on that object. the point of application of the force results in a torque about
that axis.
Essential Knowledge 3.F.2: The presence of a net torque
along any axis will cause a rigid system to change its
rotational motion or an object to change its rotational motion
about that axis.
Essential Knowledge 3.F.3: A torque exerted on an object
can change the angular momentum of an object.

Enduring Understanding 3.G: Essential Knowledge 3.G.1: Gravitational forces are exerted
Certain types of forces are considered at all scales and dominate at the largest distance and mass
fundamental. scales.

Big Idea 4: Interactions between systems can result in changes

in those systems.

Appendixes
Enduring Understanding 4.A: The Essential Knowledge 4.A.1: The linear motion of a
acceleration of the center of mass of a system can be described by the displacement, velocity, and
system is related to the net force exerted acceleration of its center of mass.

on the system, where . Essential Knowledge 4.A.2: Acceleration is equal to the rate
of change of velocity with time, and velocity is equal to the
rate of change of position with time.
Essential Knowledge 4.A.3: Forces that systems exert on
each other are due to interactions between objects in the
systems. If the interacting objects are parts of the same
system, there will be no change in the center-of-mass velocity
of that system.

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 Appendix A: The Big Ideas in AP Physics 1   

Enduring Understanding 4.B: Essential Knowledge 4.B.1: The change in linear momentum
Interactions with other objects or for a constant-mass system is the product of the mass of the
systems can change the total linear system and the change in velocity of the center of mass.
momentum of a system.
Essential Knowledge 4.B.2: The change in linear momentum
of the system is given by the product of the average force on that
system and the time interval during which the force is exerted.

Enduring Understanding 4.C: Essential Knowledge 4.C.1: The energy of a system includes
Interactions with other objects or its kinetic energy, potential energy, and microscopic internal
systems can change the total energy of energy. Examples include gravitational potential energy,
a system. elastic potential energy, and kinetic energy.
Essential Knowledge 4.C.2: Mechanical energy (the sum
of kinetic and potential energy) is transferred into or out of a
system when an external force is exerted on a system such that
a component of the force is parallel to its displacement. The
process through which the energy is transferred is called work.

Enduring Understanding 4.D: A net Essential Knowledge 4.D.1: Torque, angular velocity,
torque exerted on a system by other angular acceleration, and angular momentum are vectors and
objects or systems will change the can be characterized as positive or negative depending upon
angular momentum of the system. whether they give rise to or correspond to counterclockwise
or clockwise rotation with respect to an axis.
Essential Knowledge 4.D.2: The angular momentum of a
system may change due to interactions with other objects or
systems.
Essential Knowledge 4.D.3: The change in angular
momentum is given by the product of the average torque and
the time interval during which the torque is exerted.

Big Idea 5: Changes that occur as a result of interactions are

constrained by conservation laws.
Enduring Understanding 5.A: Certain Essential Knowledge 5.A.1: A system is an object or a
quantities are conserved, in the sense collection of objects. The objects are treated as having no
that the changes of those quantities in internal structure.
a given system are always equal to the
Essential Knowledge 5.A.2: For all systems under all
transfer of that quantity to or from the
circumstances, energy, charge, linear momentum, and
system by all possible interactions with
angular momentum are conserved. For an isolated or a
other systems.
closed system, conserved quantities are constant. An open
Appendixes

system is one that exchanges any conserved quantity with its

surroundings.
Essential Knowledge 5.A.3: An interaction can be either a
force exerted by objects outside the system or the transfer of
some quantity with objects outside the system.
Essential Knowledge 5.A.4: The boundary between a
system and its environment is a decision made by the person
considering the situation in order to simplify or otherwise
assist in analysis.

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   Appendix A: The Big Ideas in AP Physics 1

Enduring Understanding 5.B: The Essential Knowledge 5.B.1: Classically, an object can
energy of a system is conserved. only have kinetic energy since potential energy requires an
interaction between two or more objects.
Essential Knowledge 5.B.2: A system with internal structure
can have internal energy, and changes in a system’s internal
structure can result in changes in internal energy. [Physics 1:
includes mass-spring oscillators and simple pendulums.
Physics 2: includes charged object in electric fields and
examining changes in internal energy with changes in
configuration.]
Essential Knowledge 5.B.3: A system with internal structure
can have potential energy. Potential energy exists within
a system if the objects within that system interact with
conservative forces.
Essential Knowledge 5.B.4: The internal energy of a system
includes the kinetic energy of the objects that make up the
system and the potential energy of the configuration of the
objects that make up the system.
Essential Knowledge 5.B.5: Energy can be transferred by an
external force exerted on an object or system that moves the
object or system through a distance; this energy transfer is
called work. Energy transfer in mechanical or electrical systems
may occur at different rates. Power is defined as the rate of
energy transfer into, out of, or within a system. [A piston filled
with gas getting compressed or expanded is treated in Physics 2
as a part of thermodynamics.]
Essential Knowledge 5.B.9: Kirchhoff’s loop rule describes
conservation of energy in electrical circuits. [The application
of Kirchhoff’s laws to circuits is introduced in Physics 1 and
further developed in Physics 2 in the context of more complex
circuits, including those with capacitors.]

Enduring Understanding 5.C: The Essential Knowledge 5.C.3: Kirchhoff’s junction rule
electric charge of a system is conserved. describes the conservation of electric charge in electrical
circuits. Since charge is conserved, current must be conserved
at each junction in the circuit. Examples include circuits that
combine resistors in series and parallel. [Physics 1: covers
circuits with resistors in series, with at most one parallel
branch, one battery only. Physics 2: includes capacitors in
steady-state situations. For circuits with capacitors, situations
should be limited to open circuit, just after circuit is closed,
and a long time after the circuit is closed.]

Appendixes

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 Appendix A: The Big Ideas in AP Physics 1   

Enduring Understanding 5.D: The Essential Knowledge 5.D.1: In a collision between objects,
linear momentum of a system is linear momentum is conserved. In an elastic collision, kinetic
conserved. energy is the same before and after.
Essential Knowledge 5.D.2: In a collision between objects,
linear momentum is conserved. In an inelastic collision,
kinetic energy is not the same before and after the collision.
Essential Knowledge 5.D.3: The velocity of the center of
mass of the system cannot be changed by an interaction
within the system. [Physics 1: includes no calculations of
centers of mass; the equation is not provided until Physics
2. However, without doing calculations, Physics 1 students
are expected to be able to locate the center of mass of highly
symmetric mass distributions, such as a uniform rod or cube
of uniform density, or two spheres of equal mass.]

Enduring Understanding 5.E: The Essential Knowledge 5.E.1: If the net external torque exerted
angular momentum of a system is on the system is zero, the angular momentum of the system
conserved. does not change.
Essential Knowledge 5.E.2: The angular momentum of
a system is determined by the locations and velocities of
the objects that make up the system. The rotational inertia
of an object or system depends upon the distribution of
mass within the object or system. Changes in the radius of
a system or in the distribution of mass within the system
result in changes in the system’s rotational inertia, and hence
in its angular velocity and linear speed for a given angular
momentum. Examples include elliptical orbits in an Earth-
satellite system. Mathematical expressions for the moments of
inertia should be provided where needed. Students will not be
expected to know the parallel axis theorem.

Big Idea 6: Waves can transfer energy and momentum from one
location to another without the permanent transfer
of mass and serve as a mathematical model for the
description of other phenomena.
Enduring Understanding 6.A: A wave Essential Knowledge 6.A.1: A vector field gives, as a
is a traveling disturbance that transfers function of position (and perhaps time), the value of a
energy and momentum. physical quantity that is described by a vector.
Appendixes

Essential Knowledge 6.A.2: For propagation, mechanical

waves require a medium, while electromagnetic waves do not
require a physical medium. Examples include light traveling
through a vacuum and sound not traveling through a vacuum.
Essential Knowledge 6.A.3: The amplitude is the maximum
displacement of a wave from its equilibrium value.
Essential Knowledge 6.A.4: Classically, the energy carried by
a wave depends upon and increases with amplitude. Examples
include sound waves.

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   Appendix A: The Big Ideas in AP Physics 1

Enduring Understanding 6.B: A Essential Knowledge 6.B.1: For a periodic wave, the period
periodic wave is one that repeats as is the repeat time of the wave. The frequency is the number of
a function of both time and position repetitions of the wave per unit time.
and can be described by its amplitude,
Essential Knowledge 6.B.2: For a periodic wave, the
frequency, wavelength, speed, and
wavelength is the repeat distance of the wave.
energy.
Essential Knowledge 6.B.4: For a periodic wave, wavelength
is the ratio of speed over frequency.
Essential Knowledge 6.B.5: The observed frequency of a
wave depends on the relative motion of source and observer.
This is a qualitative treatment only.

Enduring Understanding 6.D: Essential Knowledge 6.D.1: Two or more wave pulses can
Interference and superposition lead to interact in such a way as to produce amplitude variations
standing waves and beats. in the resultant wave. When two pulses cross, they travel
through each other; they do not bounce off each other.
Where the pulses overlap, the resulting displacement can be
determined by adding the displacements of the two pulses.
This is called superposition.
Essential Knowledge 6.D.2: Two or more traveling waves
can interact in such a way as to produce amplitude variations
in the resultant wave.
Essential Knowledge 6.D.3: Standing waves are the result of
the addition of incident and reflected waves that are confined
to a region and have nodes and antinodes. Examples include
waves on a fixed length of string and sound waves in both
closed and open tubes.
Essential Knowledge 6.D.4: The possible wavelengths of
a standing wave are determined by the size of the region to
which it is confined.
Essential Knowledge 6.D.5: Beats arise from the addition of
waves of slightly different frequency.

Appendixes

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 Appendix B: Developing Big Ideas from Foundational Physics Principles   

Appendix B: Developing
Big Ideas from Foundational
Physics Principles

The table below helps illustrate how to make connections across the course framework
by developing big ideas from the foundational physics principles.

Physics 1 Principles Big Ideas

Kinematics (1D and 2D) 3

Dynamics: Newton’s Laws 1, 2, 3, 4

Circular Motion and Universal Law of Gravitation 1, 2, 3, 4

Simple Harmonic Motion: Simple Pendulum and 3, 5

Mass-Spring Systems

Impulse, Linear Momentum, and Conservation of 3, 4, 5

Linear Momentum: Collisions

Work, Energy, and Conservation of Energy 3, 4, 5

Rotational Motion: Torque, Rotational Kinematics and 3, 4, 5

Energy, Rotational Dynamics, and Conservation of
Angular Momentum

Electrostatics: Electric Charge and Electric Force 1, 3, 5

DC Circuits: Resistors Only 1, 5

Mechanical Waves and Sound 6

Appendixes

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Appendix C: AP Physics 1
Equations and Constants

Table of Information and Equation Tables for the AP Physics 1 Exam

The accompanying table of information and equation tables will be provided to students
when they take the AP Physics 1 Exam. Therefore, students may NOT bring their own copies
of these tables to the exam room, although they may use them throughout the year in their
classes in order to become familiar with their content. The headings list the effective date
of the tables. That date will only be changed when there is a revision to any of the tables.
Check the Physics course home pages on AP Central for the latest versions of these
tables (apcentral.collegeboard.org).
The table of information and the equation tables are printed near the front cover of both the
multiple-choice section and the free-response section. The table of information is identical for
both exams except for some of the conventions.
The equations in the tables express the relationships that are encountered most frequently
in the AP Physics 1 course and exam. However, the tables do not include all equations that
might possibly be used. For example, they do not include many equations that can be derived
by combining other equations in the tables. Nor do they include equations that are simply
special cases of any that are in the tables. Students are responsible for understanding the
physical principles that underlie each equation and for knowing the conditions for which each
equation is applicable.
The equation tables are grouped in sections according to the major content category in which
they appear. Within each section, the symbols used for the variables in that section are
defined. However, in some cases the same symbol is used to represent different quantities
in different tables. It should be noted that there is no uniform convention among textbooks
for the symbols used in writing equations. The equation tables follow many common
conventions, but in some cases consistency was sacrificed for the sake of clarity.

Some explanations about notation used in the equation tables:

1. The symbols used for physical constants are the same as those in the Table of
Information and are defined in the table of information rather than in the right-
hand columns of the equation tables.

Appendixes
2. Symbols with arrows above them represent vector quantities.
3. Subscripts on symbols in the equations are used to represent special cases of the
variables defined in the right-hand columns.
4. The symbol D before a variable in an equation specifically indicates a change in
the variable (e.g., final value minus initial value).
5. Several different symbols (e.g., d, r, s, h, l) are used for linear dimensions such as
length. The particular symbol used in an equation is one that is commonly used
for that equation in textbooks.

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 Appendix C: AP Physics 1 Equations and Constants   
Appendixes

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   Appendix C: AP Physics 1 Equations and Constants

Appendixes

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