AP Physics

1. AP Physics Overview

2. Quick overview • Physics concepts relate to matter and energy • Motion, forces, energy, sound, light, electricity, magnetism, etc. • Mathematics is an essential part of the class • AP Physics B is non-Calculus • Mathematics include algebra, basic geometry, and some trigonometry • AP Physics C is Calculus-based • Calculus is used along with the math used in AP Physics B

3. Breakdown of the Test • The AP Physics B test is broken down as follows: • Newtonian Mechanics 35% • Fluid mechanics and thermal physics 15% • Electricity and magnetism 25% • Waves and optics 15% • Atomic and nuclear physics 10%.

4. Breakdown of the Test • AP Physics C has two parts, each lasting a ½ of a year and has its own tests: Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism • The Mechanics test is broken down as follows: • Newtonian Mechanics 100% • All Newtonian mechanics covered in AP Physics B are covered here along with additional material • The Electricity and Magnetism test is broken down as follows: • Electricity and magnetism 100% • All E&M topics covered in AP Physics B are covered along with additional material

5. AP Physics B Test • Divided into two 90 minute sessions • Each session is equally weighted • Multiple choice • Approximately 70 questions • No calculator or formula sheet allowed • Free Response • A combination of 10 and 15-point questions • Questions are graded by rubric • The correct answer is a small percentage of these points • Calculators and formula sheets are allowed

6. AP Physics C Test • Divided into two 45 minute sessions • Each session is equally weighted • Multiple choice • Approximately 35questions • No calculator or formula sheet allowed • Free Response • Generally three 15-point questions • Questions are graded by rubric • The correct answer is a small percentage of these points • Calculators and formula sheets are allowed

7. Labs • Labs will help in understanding concepts covered in class • The College Board requires all AP Physics students to maintain a lab notebook • Labs will hold a proportionate of the average for the class • Additionally, some free-response questions are a type in which you must right up a lab

8. “More than one way to skin a cat” • In many cases, there will be more than one way to solve the same problem • Example: one student may use a kinematics equation to solve a problem and another may use an energy equation • BEWARE – the sooner that you use insert numbers into a problem, the more likely to get significant rounding errors causing an answer to be wrong

9. Alphabet soup • There will be many different letters used to for units and for variable • Some letters may stand for more than one thing • Various problems will only use letters (no numbers) • Understanding the letters is a key part to solving problems

10. “It’s all Greek to me” • Among the letters you will learn will be included multiple letters from the Greek alphabet • Examples include: Σ, Ω, α, β, ω, θ, μ, etc, etc. • Like the regular letters, there may be one or more Greek letters that will be used for more than one thing

11. Equations • Like letters, there will be lots and lots of formulas/equations • Learning how to manipulate formulas is a key skill in solving problems • Some free-response questions ask you to take basic formulas and to derive a different formula to use

12. Not an Army unit • Use of correct units is an important component of problem solving • Knowing what each unit is and what variable it is used for will be of great help in solving problems • Though most problems use SI units (ie metric), some problems do use imperial units • There may be conversion between the two

13. Sleight of hand • One ½ of the AP test does not allow a calculator and • The other ½ gives points based on the work shown • So, showing all of your work is important • Circle or box all answers • Cross out any work or answers that you don’t want included • Anything erased must be completely erased

14. Graphs • Creation and analysis of graphs is another component of the class • Some questions on the test will be graph-based • Graphs done in labs will be scatter plots with best-fit lines • Lines will be used to make an equation in order to make predictions • Tips • Label axis • Include units • Use good scaling • Use large enough graph area

15. AP testing conventions • Include units with every step • Make sure to include the formula(s) that you are using • Scientific notation not normally used for numbers under 100 • No penalty for guessing

16. AP testing conventions • If it can’t be read, it won’t be graded • Even writing some parts of an answer can earn points • Trend is to have problems with no numbers so that the answers use variables only

17. Helpful hints • Don’t plug in numbers until you have to • Don’t round until the end of the problem • Use drawings to help understand what is going on

18. Secrets of Success • Come to class • Ask questions if you don’t understand • Take responsibility for yourself • Take advantages of opportunities to improve • Keep a positive attitude • Work outside of class time

19. Staying positive • Physics is a hard class but… • That makes you the bravest and the brightest students in the school • “It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great.” – Tom Hanks, A League of Their Own • So, keep your head up. Everything will be ok and you will set yourself up for greatness.