AP Physics Rotational Motion Test

Here are the topics covered for the test:

7.4 centripetal acceleration
7.5 Newtonian Gravitation
7.6 Kepler's Laws
8.1 Torque
8.2 Torque and equilibrium
13.4  Position, velocity, acceleration (Mass Spring stuff)
13.5  motion of a pendulum

Numbered Heads Force Review

Numbered Heads Instructions

1. Form into the designated groups

2. Take out one full sheet of paper per group and list the name of the group at the top. Then list the names of the group members and place numbers next to each name (1, 2, 3…..If four members then write 4 also). It doesn’t matter who gets what number.

3. Hand the paper to the instructor. It will be used for assessment and graded.

4. Begin reviewing/ learning the listed concepts. Make up sample questions related to the concept. Try and figure out what question the teacher will ask. Time is limited; so don’t waste it!

5. Once you understand the concepts make sure each group members also understand by assessing them. Do not ask yes or no assessment questions.

Good Assessment. “Sam, could you show me how to do number three on the list?”

Poor Assessment. “Do you guys all know it?”

6. When the instructor calls a number randomly (ex. = 3) the three will go to a designated area alone and respond to a similar question. Make sure they have something to write with and a calculator. After they leave begin studying the next set of concepts for the next round.

7. After a short amount of time the person will then return to the group and their answer will be graded by the teacher and given to the entire group as a communal score.

8. The returning group member may be called again so they should receive extra instruction to help get caught up.

9. The scores are added at the end to determine winners. The top three groups receive extra points on the test.




1.  Things that influence or cause acceleration.

2.  description of force

3.  Why do objects change direction

4.  derive a Newton from units of mass and acceleration

5.  understanding  that force is vector

6.  drawing free body diagrams and resolving into a single overall force

7.  inertia

8.  first law, second law, third law definitions

9.  breaking resultant down into perpendicular components

10.  forces required to produce equilibrium

11.  finding a given mass and acceleration

12.  finding 'a" using kinematics and then applying to get net force on an object

13.  definition of action and reCTION PAIRS

14.  DEFINITIONS OF WEIGHT AND MASS

15.  sleds on slopes , solve for perpendicular or parallel force

16.  coefficient of friction units

17.  solve for frictional force given mu and weights on a flat surface and on a ramp.

Introduction to Forces Video Links

For those of you who would like some additional instruction on from forces here is:

Link to understanding how to draw free body diagrams

Free body diagram video





Link to understanding Newton's First Law of Motion
First Law of Motion Video

Numbered Heads Review 2D Motion and Vectors

Numbered Heads Instructions

1. Form into the designated groups

2. Take out one full sheet of paper per group and list the name of the group at the top. Then list the names of the group members and place numbers next to each name (1, 2, 3…..If four members then write 4 also). It doesn’t matter who gets what number.

3. Hand the paper to the instructor. It will be used for assessment and graded.

4. Begin reviewing/ learning the listed concepts. Make up sample questions related to the concept. Try and figure out what question the teacher will ask. Time is limited; so don’t waste it!

5. Once you understand the concepts make sure each group members also understand by assessing them. Do not ask yes or no assessment questions.

Good Assessment. “Sam, could you show me how to do number three on the list?”

Poor Assessment. “Do you guys all know it?”

6. When the instructor calls a number randomly (ex. = 3) the three will go to a designated area alone and respond to a similar question. Make sure they have something to write with and a calculator. After they leave begin studying the next set of concepts for the next round.

7. After a short amount of time the person will then return to the group and their answer will be graded by the teacher and given to the entire group as a communal score.

8. The returning group member may be called again so they should receive extra instruction to help get caught up.

9. The scores are added at the end to determine winners. The top three groups receive extra points on the test.

2 D motion and Vectors Review Concepts

1.  definitions of vector and scalar

2.  define each as vector or scalar---mass, time , distance, displacement, speed, velocity, volume, acceleration, temperature---Know why each is what it is.

3.  diven size and direction of vector A and vector B be able to draw and identify 
A + B            A-B              B-A               -B  - A

4.  Given two perpendicular velocities , find the resultant velocity

5.  Given three displacements, one east, one west and one south find the resultant

6.  Be able to explain in words how to use sine and cosine and tangent to find sides of a right triangle using terms like x component and y component and resultant and theta.

7.  Given a boat load of vectors on an x and y coordinate system all originating from the origin, be able to identify the ones that have horizontal components, vertical components or both 

8.  Find the resultant of two nonperpendicular vectors, both size and direction from a reference line


9.  Identify common examples of parabolic motion

10.  Identify the following in a parabolic graph of a ball shot off a desk:

Where the vertical component of velocity is zero, where the size of the velocity is least  and greatest, where two speeds are equal

11.  Find time in the air, max height  and maximum horizontal distance for a jump given initial speed and angle

12.  identify what someone would see from different frames of reference like their perspective or relative to the earth

13.  Identify the relative to the earth velocity of two vectors not perpendicular to each other.  

Google Drive Lab Format

Here is the format for submitting a google docs based lab

Natural Pussy Cat Defenestration Podcast

Directions:  Listen to the Podcast about falling cats (It's  NPR radio) and be able to discuss the survivability of cats falling out of various heights.  Here is the link to the falling kitty podcast assessment  which you must take and do well on after the podcast to justify a passing score.

Final Exam List of Topics

Here are the chapters covered on the final exam

1.  Chap 8 Fluids
2.  Chap 9 heat
3.  Chap 10 thermodynamics
4.  Chap 11 waves
5.  Chap 13 Light and Reflection (optics)
6.  Chap 14 Refraction (also optics)
7.  Chap 16 Electric Forces and Fields (electrostatics)
8.  Chap 17 Electric Energy and Current (up to page 610)



Here are the study guides for each:

Fluids Test Concepts

1.  What defines a fluid?

2.  difference between liquid and gas

3.  calculate buoyant force  given density and volume

4.  True things about floating objects 

5.  True things about submerged objects

6.  units of pressure (4)

7.  Pascal's Principle

8.  P = F/A all relationships

9.  calculate pressure (Pa)  given force and dimensions of area (cm squared or m squared)

10.  calculate force given pressure and area

11.  gauge pressure v absolute pressure

12.  pressure v (depth, density) relationship

13.  calculate gauge pressure given absolute pressure and atmospheric

14.  calculate absolute pressure given gauge and atmospheric

15.  A1 V1 = A2V2 calculate one variable given other 3

16 calculate new speed of fluid given change in pipe diameter as a ratio

17.  in pipes where diameter changes know what happens to pressure 

18.  hydraulic lift calculate maximum mass to be raised given two areas and an input mass

19.  calculate absolute pressure at a depth in meters below water given atmospheric pressure and density of the water

Heat Test Concepts

1. Molecular reason for temperature increase
2. Internal energy definition and understanding of what is happening
3. Kinetic energy of molecules temperature relationship
4. General temperature volume relationship for liquids and known exceptions (water 0 degress C to 2 degrees C)
5. Final Temperature calculation when mixing equal masses of same substance with known temperature of each
6. Familiarity with widely used Temperature scales temperature
7. Temperature increases in Celsius changed into Farenheit increases
8. Common point between C and F scales and MP BP of water for each
9. Heat definition
10. Three heat transfer methods
11. how house insulation works
12. PE KE U relationship
13. Find delta T if Q, M, C are known
14. Description of Temperature during a phase change vs during a phase
15. Interpret heating of water diagram all three phases including calculating M, C, Q or delta T
16. Calculate C to F C to K
17. Calorimetry calculation between hot metal and water Solve for C of metal
18 Calorimetry calculation between hot metal and water Solve for T final of metal and water

Thermodynamics

1.  1.  calculate work given P and delta V in a gas
2.  Know isothermal, isovolumetric and isobaric, and adiabatic terms
3.  sign conventions for Q and W on pg 343 table 1
4.  first law of thermodynamics
5.  efficiency  equations (3)


Waves and Vibrations

1.  Definition of Simple harmonic Motion and Energy conversion in SHM

2.  What happens to acceleration  in  SHM (Simple Harmonic Motion) when displacement is increased or decreased by a factor ?

3.  In a mass spring system or pendulum at maximum displacement things that are true.

4.  In a mass spring system or pendulum at minimum  displacement things that are true.

5.  amplitude calculation in a pendulum given total angle of swing

6.  relationship between frequency and period .

7.  relationship between frequency and cycles per second or hertz?

8.  What happens to the period in a pendulum if the frequency changes from 30 hz to 90 hz?

9.  What happens to the period in a pendulum if the length changes from 10 m to 90 m?

10.  By what factor should the length of a pendulum change in order to have 5 X the period?

11.  By what factor should the length of a pendulum change in order to have 5 X the frequency?

12.  What changes if the pendulum's length is changed?

13.  Calculate the "a" due to gravity using a pendulum.   You also have to know by what factor it would change.  Ex if period is 2X normal this would happen if gravity were 1/4 of normal.   Know your formulas.

14.  Calculate a spring constant

15.  Calculate period given frequency

16.  Calculate period of a pendulum

17.  Calculate frequency of a wave  given wavelength and speed.

18  Calculate period of a wave given wavelength and speed

Refraction Test Review concepts

1.   Memorize three formulas:  index of refraction,  snell's law and critical angle
2.  calculate angle of refraction using snell's two indices of refraction, and an incident angle
3.  calculate an index of refraction using the speed in the material
4.  Describe and calculate refraction bending in terms of the normal  when given different indices for two mediums
5.  calculate the critical angle
6.  Solve for object distance given q and f  for either diverging or converging lens
7.  Solve for object distance given f and the height of image and object.  Substitution required
8.  Solve for magnification given p and q
9.  Know the sign conventions for diverging and converging lenses
10.  Draw an image formed by converging lens when object is in various positions
11.  Draw an image formed by diverging lens

Electrostatics Test Review Concepts

1.  Be able to write out the Coulomb's Law Formula, E field Formulas (there are two)

2.  Explain how to get an induced charge and relate it to lightning 

3.  Find the size and direction of a force given two charges, a distance and K

4.  Know your prefixes, nano, centi, milli, micro, kilo

5.  Find the size and direction of the resultant force when three charges form two forces that are perpendicular

6.  Find the size and direction of the resultant force when three charges form two forces that are nonperpendicular

7. Calculate the resulting E field on a point charge when the vectors are linear.

8  Calculate the resulting E field on a point charge when the vectors are perpendicular

9.  Calculate the resulting E field on a point charge when the vectors are  non perpendicular