AP Physics C: Mechanics mentoring

Students who are taking or have completed calculus, often heading toward physics, engineering or another STEM degree.

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

     • Vector components and addition
     • Position and displacement

   • 1.2Displacement, velocity and acceleration

     • Kinematics with calculus
     • Velocity and speed
     • Acceleration

   • 1.3Representing motion

     • Motion graphs
     • Constant-acceleration equations

   • 1.4Reference frames and relative motion

     • Reference frames and relative motion

   • 1.5Motion in two or three dimensions

     • Projectile motion
2. Unit 2Force and Translational Dynamics10 topics+

   • 2.1Center of mass

     • Systems and center of mass
     • Impulse and center of mass with calculus

   • 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
     • Connected objects and pulleys

   • 2.6Gravitational force

     • Universal gravitation
     • Gravitational force near a surface

   • 2.7Kinetic and static friction

     • Static and kinetic friction

   • 2.8Spring forces

     • Spring forces

   • 2.9Resistive forces

     • Velocity-dependent resistive forces

   • 2.10Circular motion

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

   • 3.1Translational kinetic energy

     • Translational kinetic energy

   • 3.2Work done by variable forces

     • Work
     • Work-energy theorem
     • Integrals as accumulation

   • 3.3Potential energy and conservative forces

     • Conservative forces and potential energy curves
     • 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

   • 4.2Impulse from time-varying forces

     • Impulse and change in momentum
     • Impulse and center of mass with calculus

   • 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 Dynamics5 topics+

   • 5.1Rotational kinematics

     • Rotational kinematics
     • Linking linear and rotational motion

   • 5.2Torque as a cross product

     • Torque
     • Dot and cross products

   • 5.3Rotational inertia and the parallel-axis theorem

     • Rotational inertia by integration
     • Rotational inertia

   • 5.4Rotational equilibrium

     • Rotational equilibrium

   • 5.5Newton'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

   • 6.6Orbits

     • Orbiting satellites
     • Gravitational energy at large distances
7. Unit 7Oscillations5 topics+

   • 7.1Defining simple harmonic motion

     • Simple harmonic motion
     • The simple harmonic oscillator equation

   • 7.2Frequency and period

     • 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

   • 7.5Physical pendulums

     • The simple harmonic oscillator equation
     • Newton's second law for rotation

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