AP Physics C: Mechanics

Course Overview

AP Physics C: Mechanics is a calculus-based introductory college physics course. Students develop their understanding of physics by building models of physical phenomena through inquiry-based investigations. As they explore and solve problems in the following topics, they establish a solid comprehension of physical models:

1. Kinematics
2. Newton’s Laws of Motion
3. Work, Energy, and Power
4. Linear Momentum
5. Torque and Rotational Motion
6. Energy and Momentum in Rotational Systems
7. Oscillations

College Course Equivalent

AP Physics C: Mechanics is equivalent to the first course in a calculus-based college physics introductory sequence.

Prerequisites

Students should have either taken or be concurrently enrolled in calculus.

Course Content

The AP Physics C: Mechanics course framework provides a clear and detailed description of the requirements necessary for student success. It outlines what students must know, be able to do, and understand, with a focus on covering the essential principles, theories, and processes of physics. The framework also encourages teaching approaches that help students think more broadly about the physical world, thereby preparing them to make interdisciplinary connections.

Units

The course content is organized into commonly taught instructional units. These units are arranged in a logical sequence, which is typical in many college courses and textbooks. The seven units in AP Physics C: Mechanics, along with their corresponding weight in the multiple-choice section of the AP exam, are listed on the following page. The suggested pacing on the Course at a Glance page provides guidance on how to cover the required course content and conduct progress checks. The recommended number of class periods is based on a schedule of five 45-minute classes per week or one semester with daily 90-minute classes. While these suggestions are made to assist in planning, teachers have the flexibility to adjust the pacing of the course based on the needs of their students, alternative schedules (such as block scheduling), or the school’s academic calendar.

Unit	Description	Topics May Include	On The Exam
Unit 1: Kinematics	You’ll begin your study of motion and the quantities associated with the motion of an object: position, velocity, acceleration, and time.	– Kinematics in one dimension – Kinematics in two dimensions	10%–15% of multiple-choice score
Unit 2: Force and Translational Dynamics	You’ll investigate Newton’s laws of motion, which describe the relationship among moving objects and the forces acting on them.	– Center of mass – Systems – Newton’s laws of motion: first and second law – Circular motion – Newton’s laws of motion: third law – Gravitation	20%–25% of multiple-choice score
Unit 3: Work, Energy, and Power	You’ll learn to define and calculate work, energy, and power and become familiar with the principle of conservation as a foundational model of physics.	– Work–energy theorem – Forces and potential energy – Conservation of energy – Power	15%–25% of multiple-choice score
Unit 4: Linear Momentum	You’ll be introduced to the concepts of impulse and momentum, and the conservation of linear momentum.	– Impulse and momentum – Conservation of linear momentum, collisions	10%–20% of multiple-choice score
Unit 5: Torque and Rotational Dynamics	You’ll gain an in-depth comprehension of rotational motion by investigating torque and rotational statics, kinematics, and dynamics.	– Torque and rotational statics – Rotational kinematics – Rotational dynamics and energy and Newton’s second law in rotational form	10%–15% of multiple-choice score
Unit 6: Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems	You’ll explore the energy and momentum of an object rotating around an axis and you’ll connect those concepts to their linear analogs.	– Rotational kinetic energy – Angular momentum – Rolling – Orbits	10%–15% of multiple-choice score
Unit 7: Oscillations	You’ll use all the tools, techniques, and models you’ve learned in previous units to analyze a new kind of motion: simple harmonic motion.	– Periodic motion – Pendulums – Physical Pendulums	10%–15% of multiple-choice score

Science Practices

The below lists the scientific practices that students should develop in the AP Physics C: Mechanics course. These practices form the basis for many of the tasks on the AP Physics C: Mechanics exam. The unit guides that follow embed these practices throughout the course, providing teachers with a way to integrate the practices into the course content with enough repetition that students are prepared to apply these scientific practices when they take the AP Physics C: Mechanics.

Practice 1

Creating representations 1
Create representations that describe physical phenomena.

Skills:

1.A Create graphs, tables, charts, or diagrams to represent physical situations.

1.B Create quantitative graphs with appropriate scale and units, including plotting data.

1.C Create qualitative diagram sketches that represent the characteristics of a model or the behavior of a physical system.

Practice 2

Mathematical routines 2

Perform analysis to derive, calculate, estimate, or predict.

Skills:
2.A Derive symbolic expressions from known quantities by selecting and following logical mathematical paths.

2.B Calculate or estimate unknown quantities with units of known quantities by selecting and following logical computational paths.

2.C  Compare physical quantities between two or more scenarios or at different times and places within a single scenario.

2.D Use functional dependencies between variables to predict new values ​​or factors of change in physical quantities.

Practice 3

Scientific questioning and argumentation 3
Describe experimental procedures, analyze data, and support claims.

Skills:

3.A  Create experimental procedures appropriate to a given scientific question.

3.B  Apply appropriate laws, definitions, theoretical relationships, or models to make claims.

3.C Justify or support claims using evidence from experimental data, physical representations, or physical principles or laws.

Laboratory Requirement and Lab Notebooks

Laboratory Requirement ：This course requires 25% of instructional time to be spent in hands-on laboratory work with an emphasis on inquiry-based investigations that provide students with opportunities to demonstrate fundamental physical principles and apply scientific practices. Inquiry-based laboratory experiences support the AP Physics C: Mechanics course and AP Course Review course requirements by providing students with opportunities to engage in scientific practices as they design experimental plans, make predictions, collect and analyze data, apply mathematical routines, develop explanations, and communicate their work. Colleges may require students to present laboratory materials from AP science courses before awarding college credit for laboratory work, so students should be encouraged to keep their lab notebooks, reports, and other materials.

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