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AP Physics C: Mechanics stands for Advanced Placement Physics C: Mechanics. It is a college-level course offered by the College Board for high school students keen on understanding the intricate workings of motion, forces, and energy. The course covers topics like kinematics, Newton’s laws, energy, and momentum.
The course is rigorous and heavily relies on calculus-based solutions and derivations. It challenges students with advanced problems and expects them to apply calculus concepts to solve physics-related challenges.
Course Contents
The course framework included in the course and exam description (CED) clearly details the course requirements necessary for student success. The framework also encourages instruction that prepares students to make connections across domains through a broader way of thinking about the physical world.
The AP Physics C: Mechanics course framework is organized into seven commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. As always, you’ll have the flexibility to organize the course content as you like.
| Unit | Details | Exam Weighting (Multiple-Choice Section) |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1: Kinematics | You’ll begin your study of motion and the quantities associated with the motion of an object: position, velocity, acceleration, and time | 10%–15% |
| Unit 2: Force and Translational Dynamics | You’ll investigate Newton’s laws of motion, which describe the relationship among moving objects and the forces acting on them | 20%–25% |
| Unit 3: Work, Energy, and Power | You’ll learn to define and calculate work, energy, and power and become familiar with the principle of conservation as a foundational model of physics | 15%–25% |
| Unit 4: Linear Momentum | You’ll be introduced to the concepts of impulse and momentum, and the conservation of linear momentum | 10%–20% |
| Unit 5: Torque and Rotational Dynamics | You’ll gain an in-depth comprehension of rotational motion by investigating torque and rotational statics, kinematics, and dynamics | 10%–15% |
| Unit 6: Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems | You’ll explore the energy and momentum of an object rotating around an axis and you’ll connect those concepts to their linear analogs | 10%–15% |
| Unit 7: Oscillations | You’ll use all the tools, techniques, and models you’ve learned in previous units to analyze a new kind of motion: simple harmonic motion | 10%–15% |
Resources
AP Physics C: Mechanics Exam Guide
AP Physics C: Mechanics Credit Policy
AP Physics C: Mechanics Practice Tests
Mar 27, 2025
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