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AP Physics I – Newton’s Laws and Uniform Circular Motion Study Guide (Chapters 4,5, & 6)
1. Circle the vector quantities below and underline the scalar quantities below:

Force Acceleration Mass Weight Centripetal Force Centripetal Acceleration

2. Write the equation that defines each quantity, include units for all quantities.
Newton’s 2nd Law Kinetic Friction Force Static Friction Force Weight

∑ F=ma F fr =μ k F N F fr ≤ μ s F N F g=mg

Coefficient of Friction Period (as related to frequency) Centripetal Velocity

F 1 2 πr
μ= fr T= v=
FN f T

Centripetal Acceleration Centripetal Force Gravitational Force

v2 2 m1 +m 2
aR=
r
∑ F R =m a R=m vr F g=G
r2

Chapter 4:
3. Write a statement of Newton’s 1st law.
Every object continues in its state of rest, or of uniform velocity in a straight line, as long as not net force
acts on it.
4. Explain what net force is.
Net force is the vector sum of the forces acting on an object. If the net force is zero, motion of the
object will not change but if the net force is not zero, then the object will accelerate in the direction of
that force.
5. Describe inertia, including the name of the quantity that is a measure of inertia.
Inertia is an object’s resistance to change in motion. Mass is the measure of the inertia of an object.
6. Describe a normal force.
Normal force is a contact force (force between 2 objects in contact with each other) in which the force
acts perpendicular to the common surface.
7. Describe a tension force.

Tension ( F T ) occurs when a flexible cord pulls on an object. Flexible cords can only pull; they can’t push
because they bend.
8. Explain what a free body diagram is. Draw and label the free body diagram for a box being pulled across
the floor by a rope at an angle Ɵ with the horizontal.
A free-body diagram shows all the forces acting only on one object at a time.

FN T
Θ

Ffr

mg

9. Write a statement of Newton’s 3rd law. Give an example of an action-reaction pair.

Whenever one object exerts a force on a second object, the second exerts an equal force in the opposite
direction of the first.
Example: When kicking a soccer ball, the foot applies a force to the ball and the ball applies a force to
the foot. The forces are equal in size and opposite in direction. The ball accelerates because the ball has
a much smaller mass than the person.
10. Write a statement of Newton’s 2nd law using words not equations.
The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it, and is inversely
proportional to its mass. The direction of the acceleration is in the direction of the net force acting on
the object.
11. Briefly explain how the 2nd law is used to solve problems when forces act on an object in both the x and
y directions.
Find the sum of forces in the x-plane and the sum of forces in the y-plane. Then resolve the x and y into
a single vector in the direction of acceleration.

12. Draw the shape of each graph which are different expressions of Newton’s 2nd law.
Constant Mass Constant Force
Force Accel

Accel Mass
13. Show how a person’s weight is determined using Newton’s 2nd law when the person is in an elevator
that is being accelerated vertically.
The inertia of the person would prefer to stay at rest, so the elevator floor must push up on the person
to accelerate him upward along with the elevator. (The person doesn't sink into the floor when the
elevator accelerates up. The elevator and the person all move together.) The floor of the elevator must
push upward with extra force on the person to accelerate the person's mass upward. This results in a
greater contact force between the floor and the person which makes the Normal Force larger. If the
person was riding on a scale in the elevator the reading on the scale would be a number that is GREATER
than the true weight of the person.

∑ F y =ma=F N−mg
14. Draw and label the free body diagram for a box sliding down a rough inclined plane. Show clearly how the box’s
weight vector is resolved into x and y components.

FN
Fkf

F ax =mgsin θ
F ay =mgcos θ

mg
15. List 3 important facts essential to solving 2-body/pulley problems, either two masses hanging from strings or a
mass being pulled across a surface by a mass hanging from a string.
1. Draw the free body diagrams for each object. Note where the Tension in the string will be
equal for both objects.
2. Tension will NOT be equal to the weight of the hanging mass if the hanging mass is
accelerating downward!
3. Find the NET force by adding and subtracting forces that are on the same axis as the
acceleration.
16. Is the normal force of a table on a box always equal to the box’s weight? Yes No Explain your answer.

The normal force is only equal to the box’s weight if the table is flat. If the table is on an incline, Normal
force will decrease. Also, normal force will not be equal to the box’s weight if the box accelerates
upwards or downwards (i.e. the box is too heavy for the table to support).
17. For two boxes connected by a string and being pulled across a surface by another string (F a) is the tension in the
string between them equal to the tension in the pulling string? Explain your answer.

The tension in the connecting string is less than Fa. Both bodies have the same acceleration. The force Fa
accelerates a total mass, 2m. The force in the connecting string accelerates a mass, m, so it is half of F a.
 F T =( m2 ) a

F a=( m1 +m 2 ) a

Chapter 6:
1. Define Uniform Circular Motion.

2. Explain how an object moving at constant speed can be accelerating.

3. List the force(s) responsible for providing the net force causing centripetal acceleration of the object in
UCM
a. Ball at end of string in horizontal circle:

b. Ball at end of string in vertical circle:

c. Motorcycle on inside of vertical loop-the-loop track

d. Car rounding a horizontal circular turn

4. Draw the centripetal force, centripetal acceleration and velocity vectors for the ball moving clockwise in
the circle below.

5. Show the expression that results from applying Newton’s 2nd law to a ball at the end of a string in UCM
when it is at:
the top of a vertical circle the bottom of a vertical circle
6. Define the critical velocity of an object in UCM at the top of a vertical circle:

7. Write Newton’s law of universal gravitation using words.

8. For two uniform spheres what does the distance r represent?

9. Explain in detail the phenomenon of “apparent weightlessness” that astronauts experience in orbiting
space vehicles.

Practice Multiple Choice:

_______1. The planet Mars has mass = Mearth/10 and radius = Rearth/2. The acceleration of an object in
free-fall near the surface of Mars is most nearly:
A) zero B) 1.0 m/s2 C) 1.9 m/s2 D) 3.7 m/s2 E) 9.8 m/s2

_______2. An object has a weight W when it is on the surface of a planet of radius R. What will be the
gravitational force on the object after it has been moved to a distance of 4R from the center
of the planet?
A) 16W B) 4W C) W D) W/4 E) (1/16) W

_______3. An artificial satellite orbits Earth at a speed of 7800 m/s and a height of 200 km above Earth’s
surface. The satellite experiences an acceleration due to gravity of
A) 39 m/s2 D) less than 9.8 m/s2 but greater than zero
B) less than 39 m/s2 but greater than 9.8 m/s2 E) zero
C) 9.8 m/s2

_______4. An object weighing 4 newtons swings on the end of a string as a simple pendulum. At the
bottom of the swing, the tension in the string is 6 newtons. What is the magnitude of the
centripetal acceleration of the object at the bottom of the swing?
A) 0 B) 0.5 g C) g D) 1.5 g E) 2.5 g
_______5. The horizontal turntable shown above rotates at a constant rate. As viewed from above, a
coin on the turntable moves counterclockwise in a circle as shown. Which of the following
vectors best represents the direction of the frictional force exerted on the coin by the
turntable when the coin is in the position shown?
A) C)
B) D) E)

_______6. In which of the following situations would an object be accelerated?

I. It moves in a straight line at constant speed.
II. It moves with uniform circular motion.
III. It travels as a projectile in a gravitational field with negligible air resistance.
A) I only C) I and II only E) I, II, and III.
B) III only D) II and III only

_______7. An automobile moves at constant speed down one hill and up another hill along the smoothly
curved surface shown above. Which of the following diagrams best represents the directions
of the velocity and the acceleration of the automobile at the instant that it is at the lowest
position as shown?

E)

A) D)
B) C)

_______8. Three forces act on an object. If the object is in translational equilibrium, which of the
following must be true?
 I. The vector sum of the three forces must equal zero.
II. The magnitudes of the three forces must be equal.
III. All three forces must be parallel.

A) I only B) II only C) I and III only D) II and III only E) I, II, and III

_______9. A car initially travels north and then turns to the left along a circular curve. This causes a
package on the seat of the car to slide toward the right side of the car. Which of the following
is true of the net force on the package while it is sliding?
A) The force is directed away from the center of the circle.
B) The force is directed north.
C) There is not enough force directed north to keep the package from sliding.
D) There is not enough force tangential to the car's path to keep the package from sliding.
E) There is not enough force directed toward the center of the circle to keep the package from
sliding.

_______10. A rock attached to a string swings in a vertical circle, as shown above, with negligible air
resistance. Which of the following diagrams could correctly show all the forces on the rock
when the string is in the position above?

A)

C) E)

B) D)
 A plane 5 meters in length is inclined at an angle of 37°, as shown above. A block of weight 20
newtons is placed at the top of the plane and allowed to slide down.

_______11. The mass of the block is most nearly _____.

A) 1.0 kg B) 1.2 kg C) 1.6 kg D) 2.0 kg E) 2.5 kg

_______12. The magnitude of the normal force exerted on the block by the plane is most nearly _____.

A) 10 N B) 12 N C) 16 N D) 20 N E) 33 N

_______13. A block of mass 3m can move without friction on a horizontal table. This block is attached to
another block of mass m by a cord that passes over a frictionless pulley, as shown above. If
the masses of the cord and the pulley are negligible, what is the magnitude of the
acceleration of the descending block?

A) Zero B) g/4 C) g/3 D) 2g/3 E) g

ocks of wood, each of mass 2 kg, are suspended from the ceiling by strings of negligible mass, as shown. You may
assume gravity = 10 m/s/s for ease of calculation.

_______14. What is the tension in the upper string?

A) 10 N C) 40 N E) 60 N

B) 20 N D) 50 N

_______15. What is the force exerted on the upper block by the lower string?

A) Zero C) 10 N downward E) 20 N downward

B) 10 N upward D) 20 N upward

tice Free Response:

1. Blocks 1 and 2 of masses ml and m2, respectively, are connected by a light string, as shown above. These
blocks are further connected to a block of mass M by another light string that passes over a pulley of
negligible mass and friction. Blocks l and 2 move with a constant velocity v down the inclined plane,
which makes an angle θ with the horizontal. The kinetic frictional force on block 1 is f and that on block 2
is 2f.

a. On the figure below, draw and label all the forces on block ml.

Express your answers to each of the following in terms of ml, m2, g, θ, and f.
b. Determine the coefficient of kinetic friction between the inclined plane and block 1.
c. Determine the value of the suspended mass M that allows blocks 1 and 2 to move with constant
velocity down the plane.

d. The string between blocks 1 and 2 is now cut. Determine the acceleration of block 1 while it is on
the inclined plane.
2. Two small blocks, each of mass m, are connected by a string of constant length 4h and negligible mass.
Block A is placed on a smooth tabletop as shown above, and block B hangs over the edge of the table.
The tabletop is a distance 2h above the floor. Block A is then released from rest at a distance h above the
floor at time t = 0. Express all algebraic answers in terms of h, m, and g.
a. Determine the acceleration of block A as it descends.
b. Block B strikes the floor and does not bounce. Determine the time t = t1 at which block B strikes
the floor.
c. Describe the motion of block A from time t = 0 to the time when block B strikes the floor.

d. Describe the motion of block A from the time block B strikes the floor to the time block A leaves
the table.

e. Determine the distance between the landing points of the two blocks.
3. A small block of mass 0.15 kg is placed at point A at a height 2.0 m above the bottom of a track, as shown
in the figure above, and is released from rest. It slides with negligible friction down the track, around the
inside of the loop of radius 0.60 m, and leaves the track at point C at a height 0.50 m above the bottom of
the track.

a. On the figure below, draw and label the forces (not components) that act on the block when it is
at the top of the loop at point B.

b. Calculate the minimum speed the block can have at point B without losing contact with the track.