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AP Physics 1

Algebra-based college-level physics covering mechanics, waves, and circuits. Aligned to the College Board AP Physics 1 Course and Exam Description. Emphasizes conceptual understanding and experimental design.

14 Units

45-60 minutes per unit

What You Will Learn

College Board Aligned

Covers all AP Physics 1 CED units — kinematics through DC circuits — with algebra-based rigor.

Conceptual Depth

AP Physics 1 emphasizes deep conceptual understanding over plug-and-chug computation.

College Credit Potential

A qualifying AP exam score can earn 3-4 college credits at most universities.

All Units

Kinematics: Describing Motion

Develop a rigorous language for describing motion using position, displacement, velocity, and acceleration — the foundation of all mechanics.

•Distinguish between scalar quantities (speed, distance) and vector quantities (velocity, displacement, acceleration)
•Interpret and construct position-time, velocity-time, and acceleration-time graphs
•Apply the four kinematic equations to solve one-dimensional constant-acceleration problems
+1 more objectives

Vectors and Projectile Motion

Extend one-dimensional kinematics into two dimensions using vector decomposition to analyze projectile motion and other 2D scenarios.

•Resolve vectors into perpendicular components using trigonometry
•Add and subtract vectors graphically and algebraically
•Apply the independence of horizontal and vertical motion to analyze projectile trajectories
+1 more objectives

Newton's Laws of Motion

Master the three laws that explain why objects move as they do — the causal engine behind all of classical mechanics.

•Identify and categorize all forces acting on an object and represent them in a free-body diagram
•Apply Newton's Second Law (ΣF = ma) to find unknown forces or accelerations in one and two dimensions
•Explain Newton's Third Law in terms of action-reaction force pairs and their properties
+1 more objectives

Friction, Inclines, and Pulleys

Apply Newton's laws to realistic scenarios involving friction, inclined planes, connected objects, and Atwood machines — building systematic problem-solving strategies.

•Apply the friction force model (f = μN) to static and kinetic friction situations
•Resolve forces on inclined planes using a tilted coordinate system
•Analyze connected objects (Atwood machines, pulley systems) using Newton's laws
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Circular Motion and Gravitation

Analyze objects moving in circular paths by applying Newton's Second Law to centripetal acceleration, and extend these ideas to planetary orbits and gravitational fields.

•Calculate centripetal acceleration and centripetal force for objects in uniform circular motion
•Identify which physical force(s) provide the centripetal force in specific scenarios
•Apply Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation to calculate gravitational forces between masses
+1 more objectives

Work, Energy, and Conservation

Introduce the concept of energy as a conserved quantity, and develop work, kinetic energy, and gravitational potential energy as tools for analyzing motion without tracking forces at every instant.

•Calculate the work done by constant and variable forces, including using force-displacement graphs
•Apply the work-energy theorem to relate net work to changes in kinetic energy
•Define gravitational potential energy and apply conservation of energy to systems without friction
+1 more objectives

Power and Energy in Systems

Extend energy analysis to systems of objects, introduce power as the rate of energy transfer, and apply the work-energy theorem rigorously to real-world energy transformations.

•Calculate power as the rate of work or energy transfer, using both P = W/t and P = Fv
•Apply the work-energy theorem to systems with multiple objects and energy storage mechanisms
•Trace energy flow through a system, identifying where energy enters, is stored, and is dissipated
+1 more objectives

Linear Momentum and Collisions

Develop momentum as a conserved vector quantity, apply the impulse-momentum theorem, and analyze elastic and inelastic collisions using conservation laws.

•Define momentum as a vector quantity and calculate it for moving objects
•Apply the impulse-momentum theorem to relate force, time, and change in momentum
•Distinguish between elastic, inelastic, and perfectly inelastic collisions
+1 more objectives

Torque, Rotational Inertia, and Rotational Kinematics

Develop the rotational analogues of force, mass, and kinematics — building the framework for analyzing spinning, rolling, and pivoting objects.

•Define torque and calculate it from force magnitude, moment arm, and angle
•Apply the rotational form of Newton's Second Law: τ_net = Iα
•Use rotational kinematic equations to relate angular displacement, velocity, and acceleration
+1 more objectives

Angular Momentum and Rotational Energy

Complete the rotational mechanics framework with angular momentum conservation, rotational kinetic energy, and rolling motion — unifying translational and rotational descriptions.

•Define angular momentum and apply its conservation to rotating systems with no external torque
•Calculate rotational kinetic energy and include it in total mechanical energy analysis
•Analyze rolling without slipping using the combined translational and rotational kinematic constraint
+1 more objectives

Simple Harmonic Motion

Analyze the periodic motion of spring-mass systems and pendulums, connecting force, energy, and kinematics in a unified framework for oscillation.

•Identify the conditions for simple harmonic motion (restoring force proportional to displacement)
•Calculate the period and frequency of spring-mass systems and simple pendulums
•Describe the energy transformations in an oscillating system throughout one complete cycle
+1 more objectives

Mechanical Waves and Sound

Explore the properties of mechanical waves — from basic wave anatomy to standing waves, sound, and the striking phenomena of interference and superposition.

•Describe wave properties (amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period, speed) and relate them mathematically
•Distinguish between transverse and longitudinal waves and give examples of each
•Apply the principle of superposition to analyze interference and standing waves
+1 more objectives

Electric Charge, Force, and Fields

Introduce electric charge as a fundamental property of matter, apply Coulomb's law to calculate electric forces, and develop the electric field as a description of how charge alters space.

•Explain conservation of charge and the properties of conductors vs. insulators
•Apply Coulomb's law to calculate the force between point charges
•Define electric field and calculate field strength from a point charge or uniform field
+1 more objectives

Develop the foundational principles of direct current circuits — current, voltage, resistance, and power — and apply them to series, parallel, and combined circuit configurations.

•Define current, voltage, and resistance and apply Ohm's law to circuit elements
•Apply Kirchhoff's laws to analyze multi-loop DC circuits
•Calculate equivalent resistance for series and parallel combinations of resistors
+1 more objectives

AP Physics 1. Algebra-based college-level physics aligned to College Board CED. Replaces standard Physics.