What is Ap physics: Definition and 348 Discussions

In the United States, Advanced Placement (AP) Physics collectively refers to the College Board Advanced Placement Program courses and exams covering various areas of physics. These are intended to be equivalent to university courses that use best practices of physics teaching pedagogy.
Each AP Physics course culminates in an optional exam for which high-performing students may receive some credit towards their college coursework, depending on which college or university they attend.

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  1. G

    Question About AP Physics B Scoring

    Homework Statement I was doing d and had a question because I believe my response is perfectly acceptable but yet it does not reflect the scoring guidelines at all. By the way I believe this is free response #2 on the 2006 Form B AP Physics B test...
  2. G

    What topics are necessary for the AP Physics B exam?

    Homework Statement Hi, I am confused with what exactly I need to know and what I do not need to know for this class. Our textbook were using at my school is, Physics for Scientists & Engineers with Modern Physics Third Edition Douglas C. Giancoli this book covers a lot of...
  3. D

    What is the power dissipated in the 5 ohm resistor in this complex circuit?

    ok there is a picture that goes along with it, i will try and draw it in as best i can. We've got a 12 volt battery. a 4 ohm resistor is in series with this big thing I am going to describe next. A two ohm and 1 ohm resistor that are in series are in parallel with a 5 ohm and 1 ohm resistor...
  4. M

    Building a car in AP Physics, Need Suggestions

    Building a car in AP Physics, Need Suggestions! Homework Statement Hello, I am in need of suggestions on a project that was recently assigned to my AP Physics class. The challenge was to make a "Tank" (any vehicle) that will go down a ramp, shoot a projectile over a 1.5ft wall, and go back up...
  5. jacksonpeeble

    Schools Is the College Board AP Physics exam worth stressing over?

    Has anyone here taken the College Board AP Physics exam? I'm currently taking AP Physics online and hate it (more because it's online than the difficulty of the content, though, I think). I'd like the college credit, but it can hurt if I do poorly, too, and I'm not sure how well I'll be...
  6. K

    Need Help with 2004 AP Physics C Mechanics Section Answers?

    Hi i have the 2004 ap physics c multiple choice exam but I do not have the answers for the mechanics section. I would be willing to trade a lot of exams just for the answers to the mechanics section. thank you
  7. G

    2008 AP Physics B Free Response MISTAKE?

    2008 AP Physics B Free Response MISTAKE? Homework Statement Question number two can be found here... http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap08_physics_b_frq.pdf Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution Ok I was working out question number two and was...
  8. S

    AP Physics Multiple Choice Concept Question

    A standing wave pattern is created on a guitar string as a person tunes the guitar by changing the tension in the string. Which of the following properties of the waves on the string will change as a result of adjusting only the tension in the string? 1) Speed of the traveling wave that...
  9. C

    Outcome of highschool AP physics class a good indicator of future?

    After excelling at honors physics 1 at my high school my 10th grade year i was recommended for the AP physics class which was just introduced to school aimed at seniors. I love science, mathematics and how the world and things work which is why i signed on, however the class is very demanding...
  10. F

    Are AP Physics B Exam Projectile Problems More Complex Than Honors Physics?

    Hello guys. I remember some basic projectiles problems from Honors Physics last year, but I have a feeling they don't involve some of the same complicated concepts of projectiles problems that appear on the AP exam. This Friday my teacher is going to give the class a single question from I...
  11. S

    AP Physics B free response practice questions

    Homework Statement two 10-kilogram boxes are connected by a massless string that passes over a massless frictionless pulley. The boxes remain at rest with the one on the right hanging vertically and the one on the left 2.0 meters from the bottom of an inclined plane that makes an angle of 60°...
  12. D

    AP Physics C rotational Energy

    1. A uniform solid sphere of radius r starts from rest at a height h and rolls without slipping along the loop-the-loop track of radius R as shown. a) What is the smallest value of h for which the sphere will not leave the track at the top of the loop? Attempt: Homework Equations...
  13. S

    Solving AP Physics Problem: Vector Addition/Subtraction

    As you all have seen, I am completely lost, but within the last two hours of being a member, I now know how to add and subtract vectors. Anyway! I made the image, because there is a diagram, and I have some clue as in what to do. My head is still spinning from the 40 vector addition/subtraction...
  14. E

    Need help deciding to use AP Physics B/C credit

    I'm currently a senior in HS, and I've gotten a 5 on the Physics B AP exam and hope to get a 5 on the Physics C AP exam (mech and electro). I asked my teacher what I should do (I'm going to University of Texas at Austin; ME major) about the credits. Some posters here at this forum have...
  15. S

    AP Physics C: Solving Energy Homework Equation

    Homework Statement First, this is not an assignment, per se, it is for my own help, and If someone could help me work it through that would be much appreciated. An object of mass 1 Kg is launched at an angle of 42° from the horizontal at 180 m/s. A force of drag acts on it that is dependant...
  16. Robert100

    Testing How to get old AP Physics C exams?

    Where can I find some old (2000 - 2008 ) AP Physics C Mechanics exams, preferably with solutions? I'm looking for both multiple choice and free response. Any help would be much appreciated, Robert
  17. J

    AP Physics: Horse Pulls Cart - Is My Thought Process Right?

    Alright so I just wrote an AP physics test and one of the true or false questions was: A horse pulls a cart and the cart pulls back on the horse with the same force. Does the cart move? (the cart starts at rest) I said false because in order for an object to move it needs a net force but...
  18. L

    Work in Heat Engines and Refrigerators: Positive or Negative?

    In a heat engine is the net work negative or positive? Also, What about a refrigerator?
  19. S

    AP Physics C Mechanics: Conservation of Energy Problem

    Homework Statement A block of mass m hangs on the end of a cord and is connected to a block of mass M by a pulley arrangement. (m hangs freely, M is attached to the string, and is on a table top. (So m is attached to a string which goes therough a pulley changing the strings direction 90...
  20. E

    How can I succeed in AP Physics C?

    we are only doing mechanics the whole year, and my teacher sucks. He doesn't teach us, I have the book University Physics 9th Edition. The book is literally horrible. we started class a week ago and I'm trying so hard with no results. We are on vectors which I find very complicated. How can I...
  21. X

    How Is Velocity Calculated in Physics Problems?

    Hi everybody, I had 2 HW questions that I didn't get for my physics class, and I would really appreciated if you could explain them to me. They're pretty simple, I think, but the way they're worded makes it difficult to picture. 1) Two trains, each having a speed of 30 km/hr, are headed...
  22. logickills

    AP Physics B Test: Self-Studying and Exam Prep

    Currently I am enrolled in a regular physics class because their was only one AP Physics B class period and it affected my Latin II course. So I took Physics at a votech where I am also taking an engineering class. My question to all you physics pros is do you think I could self study and...
  23. C

    Basic Kinematics HW questions for AP Physics

    Homework Statement A soccer player kicks a ball at an angle of 42 degrees to the horizontal. The ball leaves his foot with a velocity of 18m/s. The player that receives this ball is standing 46m from the kicker. How fast does the reciever need to receive the ball befor eit hit's the ground...
  24. Robert100

    Need AP Physics C textbook reccomendation

    I just discovered that this year I am going to be teaching AP Physics C (the one with calculus) - just the mechanics curriculum. And the school does NOT have any textbooks for the students yet. So I was just asked to make a textbook recommendation. In the past I have taught AP Physics B...
  25. H

    AP Physics B or C: Pros and Cons for Aspiring Physicists/Engineers

    Hi! I believe that I have asked a question to this similar before but I was unable to find it. I am going into my senior year of high school and I have the choice to take AP Physics B or C. I am currently signed up to take AP C, but I have been wondering lately if that's the best choice since...
  26. K

    AP Physics or AP Psychology: Which One Should You Take for College Credit?

    Hello all, I'm a high school student in transition from junior year to senior year. And I was wondering if anyone thinks that it would be a good idead to take AP Physics as opposed to AP Psychology? When I go to college I plan to major in a science, but I'm not sure which course will make...
  27. S

    Supplement Options for AP Physics Textbook: Fluid Dynamics and Beyond?

    I hope I posted this in the right place... Anyways, I have just about finished my junior year of high school, and I have been looking forward to taking another physics course in my senior year. Because the sequence of science textbooks continues with this...
  28. K

    Who took the AP Physics C exam today?

    Sorry I didn't know where else to post this. But I thought that test was way harder than any of the practice tests I've taken. The free response, at least.
  29. B

    AP Physics Free Response: Friction between two blocks

    Homework Statement Block A of mass 2M hangs from a cord that passes over a pulley and is connected to block B of mass 3M that is free to move on a frictionless horizontal surface. The pulley is a disk with frictionless bearings, having a radius R and moment of inertia 3MR^2. Block C if mass...
  30. W

    AP Physics Help (Ski-er on Slope)

    1. http://sites.google.com/site/startngovr/ 2. \SigmaF = \Sigmam*a F_{k}=\mu*N X_{f} = 1/2 at^{2} V_{f} = at For problem 1 we think the answers are as followed: \mu_{s} does not = 0.2 a = 5.32m/s^{2} For problem 2 we have no idea what to do. We have too many...
  31. R

    Testing Preparing for the AP Physics B Exam: Tips and Recommended Study Materials

    Hey, I just joined the forum since I have a few troubles studying for the AP Physics B exam. My school teaches only Physics I, which hardly goes into any detail of the topics covered in AP Phys B exam. To make it worse, they hardly touch fluid/thermodynamics and not much detail into...
  32. S

    HELP, 2 AP physics 1994 problems. Magnetic fields

    ok guys so i have two questions, i need help on two questions on the following site "[URL /AP%20Physics%20Daily%20Problems/AP%20Daily%20Prob%20131-140.pdf"]http://staff.hartdistrict.org/glyle/ap_physics/Homework /AP%20Physics%20Daily%20Problems/AP%20Daily%20Prob%20131-140.pdf[/URL] they...
  33. D

    1995 Free Response AP Physics Mechanics

    Hey does anyone understand how to do the 1995 Free Response AP Physics Mechanics question?? Specifically, the question about Potential Energy? I understand that F=-dU/dr but that is about it!
  34. E

    Studying Books for self-study AP Physics C : Mech & Electromag

    Hai guys iam kinda new here, this is actually my first post. So after i chose to independently self-study the whole of AP Physics C, i ended up compiling a list of books i needed. They are: Main: -Halliday, David, Robert Resnick, and Jearl Walke. 2008. Fundamentals of Physics, 8th ed...
  35. D

    How Do You Effectively Apply Free Body Diagrams in AP Physics Problems?

    Hey everyone hows it going? I am not sure if this is the right place to be posting this question, but hopefully it is. My names Shawn and I am a senior in high school. I currently have AP calculus and gen physics, and I plan on taking the AP calculus test (ab) and hopefully the physics AP test...
  36. K

    Is Cracking the AP Physics B Exam, 2009 Edition Effective for High Scores?

    What's a good study guide for scoring a high mark on the exam? Is "Cracking the AP Physics B Exam, 2009 Edition (College Test Prep)" by Princeton Review good? It seems popular.
  37. B

    Exploring Electromagnetism: An AP Physics Project for 9th Grade

    I am not exactly sure if this topic if relevant to this thread, so sorry in advance if it is not. I am currently in the 9th Grade, my AP Physics class is doing a individual project and I have absolutely no ideas. I am thinking about a Gauss Cannon or something. Maybe a levitating device such as...
  38. H

    Pendulum Problem: AP Physics 1985B1

    A 2-kilogram block initially hangs at rest at the end of two 1-meter strings of negligible mass as shown on the diagram above (I'll explain this later). A 0.003-kilogram bullet, moving horizontally with a speed of 1000 meters per second, strikes the block and becomese embedded in it. After the...
  39. T

    The Bug and the Rod: AP Physics Mechanics Section II Mechanics 2

    1992 Physics-C Section 2 Mechanics 2 See the attached Word document, which preserves the original formatting of the question (to visualize the diagrams, see below) and my work and answers. The diagrams are as follows: There is a horizontal rod of length 2l with its axis at its midpoint...
  40. F

    Schools Should I Use My AP Physics Credits to Skip Introductory Classes in College?

    AP Physics and college major... Hi, I need to know something about college... Assume I score 5s on both the AP Physics B and C test, and in college I want to major in Physics and go on to grad school for some area in Physics. I plan to take Honors Physics BTW. Is it recommended that I use...
  41. S

    How to study for the AP physics test without taking the class?

    Is it even possible? I have a Princeton AP Physics book that is supposed to prepare you for the test, but is that enough? It's almost impossible for me to take this class, but I feel I could do well on the test. Would Barron's or Princeton cover everything I need to know for the test?
  42. J

    Virtual AP Physics Class (Advice Needed)

    Hello, I've lurked anonymously for quite a bit on these forums, and until now had no reason to register and ask a question. Background: high school senior with (otherwise) high GPA(3.9) and fairly good ACT score (31) seeking advice and consulting from experienced PF member. Now that...
  43. D

    Solving AP Physics: Spring Compression Problem

    Homework Statement A 20 kg mass released from rest slides down a frictionless plane inclined at an angle of 30 deg with the horizontal and strikes a spring of spring constant K=200 Newtons/meter. Assume that the spring is ideal, that the mass of the spring is negligible, and that mechanical...
  44. O

    Schools AP Physics v. University Physics

    Okay so I'm taking AP Physics B at my high school this year (i'm a senior) and I really enjoy it and I do well on all of the tests so far (I do usually get 1 or 2 problems wrong tho...my average is between 80 and 90 percent on tests). I really like Physics and all of the theories and stuff but...
  45. M

    Schools Help me out *About AP Physics in High School*

    Okay so I really, really liked Physics pre-ap last year. We had a great teacher, and I understood everything. Fast forward a year later, and that teacher left, and the new AP teacher is okay. He's a great guy, but I can't really grasp the way he teaches. Last year I was in AP Chem, and hated...
  46. T

    Take Home Test (Solved, but Checking Answers) From AP Physics B (Dynamics)

    I got a take home test for AP Physics B and I've completed it. I just wanted to check with some people to see if they agree with some of the questions I had some difficulty with. I'll list the questions & how I thought they are solved. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated- thanks for...
  47. B

    AP Physics: Vectos and their properties

    5. A plane flies from base camp to Lake A, a distance of 280 km at a direction of 20.0 degrees north of east. After dropping off supplies, the plane flies to lake B, which is 190 km and 30.0 degrees west of north from Lake A. I'm not even going to write the actual question part, since...
  48. B

    AP Physics - Freely Falling Objects

    I. A model rocket is launched straight upwards with an initial speed of 50.0 m/s. It accelerates with a constant upward acceleration of 2.00 m/s2 until it's engines stop at an altitude of 150 m. I found a thread with an extremely similar question, but the only reply that showed up was a...
  49. D

    AP Physics 2-D Motion cramming and could use much much help please

    Homework Statement A rocket is intially at rest on the ground when its engines are fired the rocket flies off in a straight line at an angle of 53.1 degrees abovie the horizontal with a constant acceleration of magnitute g, the engines stop at time T after launch after which the rocket is a...
  50. I

    AP Physics Summer work problems

    Homework Statement Assuming you have a bow that behaves like a spring with a spring constant of 168 N/m and you pull it to a draw of 54 cm, to the nearest joule how much work do you perform? Homework Equations The force of a constant spring is f=-k(x) where x is the displacement and k...
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