Students TeachStudents
Try a lesson
SciencePhysics

AP Physics C: Mechanics

Use calculus, models, experiments, and conservation laws to analyze translational and rotational motion, forces, energy, momentum, and oscillations.

Start with the course map All AP courses

Course map

Open a section, then choose the exact idea.

1Kinematics5 topics

Use vectors, derivatives, integrals, graphs, and reference frames to represent motion in one, two, and three dimensions.

  1. 1.1Scalars and Vectors
  2. 1.2Displacement, Velocity, and Acceleration
  3. 1.3Representing Motion
  4. 1.4Reference Frames and Relative Motion
  5. 1.5Motion in Two or Three Dimensions

2Force and Translational Dynamics10 topics

Define systems and apply Newton’s laws to gravitational, contact, frictional, spring, resistive, and circular-motion forces.

  1. 2.1Systems and Center of Mass
  2. 2.2Forces and Free-Body Diagrams
  3. 2.3Newton’s Third Law
  4. 2.4Newton’s First Law
  5. 2.5Newton’s Second Law
  6. 2.6Gravitational Force
  7. 2.7Kinetic and Static Friction
  8. 2.8Spring Forces
  9. 2.9Resistive Forces
  10. 2.10Circular Motion

3Work, Energy, and Power5 topics

Use integrals, energy functions, conservation, and power to connect forces with changes in mechanical systems.

  1. 3.1Translational Kinetic Energy
  2. 3.2Work
  3. 3.3Potential Energy
  4. 3.4Conservation of Energy
  5. 3.5Power

4Linear Momentum4 topics

Analyze impulse, momentum change, center-of-mass motion, conservation, and elastic or inelastic collisions.

  1. 4.1Linear Momentum
  2. 4.2Change in Momentum and Impulse
  3. 4.3Conservation of Linear Momentum
  4. 4.4Elastic and Inelastic Collisions

5Torque and Rotational Dynamics6 topics

Connect angular kinematics, torque, rotational inertia, equilibrium, and Newton’s laws for rotating rigid bodies.

  1. 5.1Rotational Kinematics
  2. 5.2Connecting Linear and Rotational Motion
  3. 5.3Torque
  4. 5.4Rotational Inertia
  5. 5.5Rotational Equilibrium and Newton’s First Law in Rotational Form
  6. 5.6Newton’s Second Law in Rotational Form

6Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems6 topics

Apply work-energy and angular-momentum methods to rotation, rolling, impulse, conservation, and orbital motion.

  1. 6.1Rotational Kinetic Energy
  2. 6.2Torque and Work
  3. 6.3Angular Momentum and Angular Impulse
  4. 6.4Conservation of Angular Momentum
  5. 6.5Rolling
  6. 6.6Motion of Orbiting Satellites

7Oscillations5 topics

Model simple harmonic oscillators and pendulums through restoring forces, differential relationships, period, frequency, representations, and energy.

  1. 7.1Defining Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)
  2. 7.2Frequency and Period of SHM
  3. 7.3Representing and Analyzing SHM
  4. 7.4Energy of Simple Harmonic Oscillators
  5. 7.5Simple and Physical Pendulums