AP Physics 1 mentoring

Students taking their first physics course, comfortable with algebra and basic trigonometry.

Every student starts with the free diagnostic, so mentoring begins at the right concept rather than at chapter one. Your mentor then works through the units below in the order your learning path recommends, with practice between classes targeting the exact concepts and errors that need work.

1. Unit 1Kinematics5 topics+

   • 1.1Scalars and vectors in one dimension

     • Position and displacement
     • Vector components and addition

   • 1.2Displacement, velocity and acceleration

     • Velocity and speed
     • Acceleration
     • Constant-acceleration equations
     • Free fall

   • 1.3Representing motion

     • Motion graphs
     • Slopes and areas of graphs

   • 1.4Reference frames and relative motion

     • Reference frames and relative motion

   • 1.5Vectors and motion in two dimensions

     • Projectile motion
     • Vector components and addition
2. Unit 2Force and Translational Dynamics9 topics+

   • 2.1Systems and center of mass

     • Systems and center of mass

   • 2.2Forces and free-body diagrams

     • Forces and free-body diagrams

   • 2.3Newton's third law

     • Newton's third law

   • 2.4Newton's first law

     • Newton's first law

   • 2.5Newton's second law

     • Newton's second law
     • Normal force and tension
     • Connected objects and pulleys

   • 2.6Gravitational force

     • Gravitational force near a surface
     • Universal gravitation

   • 2.7Kinetic and static friction

     • Static and kinetic friction

   • 2.8Spring forces

     • Spring forces

   • 2.9Circular motion

     • Uniform circular motion
3. Unit 3Work, Energy, and Power5 topics+

   • 3.1Translational kinetic energy

     • Translational kinetic energy

   • 3.2Work

     • Work
     • Work-energy theorem

   • 3.3Potential energy

     • Gravitational potential energy
     • Elastic potential energy
     • Gravitational energy at large distances

   • 3.4Conservation of energy

     • Conservation of energy
     • Work by nonconservative forces

   • 3.5Power

     • Power
4. Unit 4Linear Momentum4 topics+

   • 4.1Linear momentum

     • Linear momentum

   • 4.2Change in momentum and impulse

     • Impulse and change in momentum

   • 4.3Conservation of linear momentum

     • Conservation of linear momentum
     • Motion of the center of mass

   • 4.4Elastic and inelastic collisions

     • Elastic and inelastic collisions
5. Unit 5Torque and Rotational Dynamics6 topics+

   • 5.1Rotational kinematics

     • Rotational kinematics

   • 5.2Connecting linear and rotational motion

     • Linking linear and rotational motion

   • 5.3Torque

     • Torque

   • 5.4Rotational inertia

     • Rotational inertia

   • 5.5Rotational equilibrium

     • Rotational equilibrium

   • 5.6Newton's second law in rotational form

     • Newton's second law for rotation
6. Unit 6Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems6 topics+

   • 6.1Rotational kinetic energy

     • Rotational kinetic energy

   • 6.2Torque and work

     • Work done by torque

   • 6.3Angular momentum and angular impulse

     • Angular momentum
     • Angular impulse

   • 6.4Conservation of angular momentum

     • Conservation of angular momentum

   • 6.5Rolling

     • Rolling without slipping

   • 6.6Motion of orbiting satellites

     • Orbiting satellites
7. Unit 7Oscillations4 topics+

   • 7.1Defining simple harmonic motion

     • Simple harmonic motion

   • 7.2Frequency and period of simple harmonic motion

     • Period of a mass-spring system
     • Simple pendulum

   • 7.3Representing and analysing simple harmonic motion

     • Representing simple harmonic motion

   • 7.4Energy of simple harmonic oscillators

     • Energy in simple harmonic motion
8. Unit 8Fluids4 topics+

   • 8.1Internal structure and density

     • Density

   • 8.2Pressure

     • Pressure and depth
     • Pascal's principle

   • 8.3Fluids and Newton's laws

     • Buoyancy

   • 8.4Fluids and conservation laws

     • Flow rate and continuity
     • Bernoulli's equation

• AP Physics 27 units · algebra-based
• AP Physics C: Mechanics7 units · calculus-based
• AP Physics C: E&M6 units · calculus-based