There are two sections on the AP Physics C: Mechanics Exam. Section 1 is the multiple choice section while section 2 is the free response section.
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Section 1: Multiple Choice Section
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35 MCQ in 45 minutes
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Section 2: Free Response Section
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3 FRQ in 45 minutes
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Timing is the main conflict when it comes to the AP Physics C: Mechanics exam. You must be extremely fluent with the topics and have practiced through dozens of problems to successfully complete the course. On AP Physics 1, students not only have much more time for the free-response section, but the length of the questions is much less in comparison. On the other hand, in AP Physics C: Mechanics, each FRQ will be lengthy with many parts.
Some resources can help you prepare faster than others since they come straight to the point and are designed to maximize your chance of getting a 5 on the AP exam. The book on the right was made by Ritvik Rustagi, founder of TMAS Academy.
It contains over 200 pages and hundreds of free response questions to help you prepare for the AP exam. All problems also have detailed solutions and are organized by the unit.
Guide to Preparing for the AP Exam
AP Physics C: Mechanics is a 7 unit course that involves more problem-solving compared to other courses. Please use the 10-90 rule. The 10-90 rule is something that TMAS Academy believes in for courses that involve problem-solving. You should allocate 10% of your time learning the theory properly, and the remaining 90% practicing. At the end of the day, physics comes down to the amount of time you dedicate to trying different, challenging problems.
For students taking this course in a proper classroom setting, make sure to listen to the teacher and follow along the course as your teacher covers the material. Taking this course in a classroom setting already puts you above students that are self studying. Some popular books used in a classroom setting include the following books below. I highly recommend students that are self-studying the course to choose from one of the books below.
For students self-studying, choose a textbook from the slideshow above. It's different from the review textbooks in terms of gaining depth for the content. Some students are able to prepare for the exam solely through the review textbooks, but others need to use in-depth textbooks to gain a rich understanding of the topic. After you have chosen a book, make sure to pace yourself so you can finish the course on time. Try to allocate time properly for each of the 7 units so you have enough time to not only learn the theory but practice. Make sure to practice official free-response questions as you use that book. You can find many free response questions in TMAS Academy's AP Physics C: Mechanics book.
Unit # | Topics | Weightage on Exam |
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Sequences | ||
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Unit 10: Infinite | ||
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Unit 1: Limits and
Continuity |
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Unit 2: Differentiation:
Definition and
Fundamental
Properties | ||
Unit 3: Differentiation: Composite, Implicit, and Inverse Functions | ||
Unit 4: Contextual
Applications of
Differentiation | ||
Unit 5: Analytical
Applications of
Differentiation | ||
Unit 6: Integration and
Accumulation
of Change | ||
"Unit 7: Differential
Equations" | ||
Unit 8: Applications
of Integration | ||
Unit 9: Parametric
Equations, Polar
Coordinates, and
Vector-Valued
Functions | ||
Unit 10: Infinite
Sequences
and Series |
Unit 1: Kinematics
Unit 2: Newton’s Laws of Motion
Unit 3: Work, Energy, and Power
Unit 4: Systems of Particles and Linear Momentum
Unit 5: Rotation
Unit 6: Oscillations
Unit 7: Gravitation
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Vectors vs. scalars
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Distance vs. displacement
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Speed vs. velocity
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Position, velocity, acceleration
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Graphs (Ex: Position vs. time, velocity vs. time, etc)
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Differentiating position and velocity
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Integrating acceleration and velocity
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Kinematics Equations
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Projectile Motion
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Systems
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Contact vs field forces
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Gravitational field
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Newton's 3 Laws
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Free-Body Diagrams
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Applying Newton's second law to free-body diagrams
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Uniform Circular Motion
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Centripetal Force
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Centripetal Acceleration
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Velocity-dependent forces
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Drag Forces
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Internal and external forces
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Work and Power
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Kinetic and Potential Energy
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Gravitational potential energy
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Spring potential energy
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Mechanical Energy
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Conservative vs. nonconservative forces
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Conservation of energy
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Non-linear springs
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Potential energy graphs
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Center of mass
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Momentum
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Momentum-impulse theorem
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Collisions
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Elastic vs. inellastic
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Conservation of linear momentum
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Systems of particles
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Rotational Kinematics
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Torque
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Newton's Second Law of Rotation
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Angular Acceleration
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Rotational Inertia
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Extended bodies
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Parallel Axis Theorem
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Angular Momentum
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Rotational Kinetic Energy
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Rolling without slipping
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Period of a pendulum and spring oscillator
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Finding the amplitude
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Energy graphs
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Harmonic oscillator equations using trigonometry
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Frequency
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Universal Law of Gravitation
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Deriving gravitational field/acceleration at another planet
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Gravitational potential energy
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Orbits of a planet
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Keplers Three Laws
14-20% Exam Weightage
Receiving a free response question that only contains topics from this unit is rare. However, you can expect to use kinematics for some parts of multiple free-response questions.
Make sure to pay attention to graphing all the kinematics curves. That is extremely popular on the AP Physics C: Mechanics exam.
On the multiple-choice section, kinematics is a significantly popular topic. You will be given a word problem, and your goal will be to write an equation to represent the problem.
17-23% Exam Weightage
This unit has a high yield since it's linked to every single unit. You will always need to make a free-body diagram for multiple problems and write equations using Newton's Second Law. Mastering this unit is crucial to understanding the remaining units.
Expect to see one free-response question that involves dynamics. There will be at least 6 multiple choice questions that will involve unit 2. As you can tell, this unit has a very high yield.
14-17% Exam Weightage
It's common to see a free-response question that combines units 3 and 4. You will encounter
6-9 multiple choice questions that involve this topic. There are many different types of problems for this unit, so make sure to check out the TMAS Academy AP Physics C: Mechanics book to learn them.
14-17% Exam Weightage
This unit is heavily dependent on your problem-solving skills. There aren't that many new topics to learn, but the main challenge is applying those topics to problems. Make sure to know the difference between your elastic and inelastic collisions.
Expect to see at least 5 multiple-choice questions for this unit.
6-14% Exam Weightage
This topic has a low yield compared to the other ones. There's a very low chance of encountering a free-response question for this unit.
Expect to encounter 4-6 multiple choice questions from this unit. Make sure to know all your formulas properly and how to derive them. It's important to somewhat know how the equations such as the ones for the period are derived. Make sure to check out TMAS Academy's AP Physics C: Mechanics book to get an idea regarding how to do that.
14-20% Exam Weightage
This is the topic that most people struggle with. The reason is that you will repeat all the units from one to four but with rotational concepts. The best way to master this is to designate most time for this unit due to the length, and make sure to practice many free response questions.
Expect to see one free response question for this unit. There will also be 6-9 multiple choice questions for this unit, so make sure to master the topics properly.
6-14% Exam Weightage
Just like the oscillations unit, this topic has a low yield. There's a low chance of seeing a free response question regarding this unit. However, expect to see 4-6 multiple-choice questions. Make sure to practice and learn the theory from TMAS Academy's book since it is important to differentiate a circular orbit from an elliptical orbit. You must practice to improve your problem-solving skills!