The APsolute RecAP: Physics 1 Edition

You will have 25 minutes to answer a single experimental design question worth 12 points in the FRQ portion of the AP Physics 1 exam. Read the question to determine the relationship being posed, list…

You will have 90 minutes to answer 5 free-response questions. Easiest strategy to implement is to grab the low hanging fruit (0:56). The FRQ questions come in a few varieties: experimental design, qu…

On average, you will have 1.8 minutes for each multiple choice question. Episode 31 outlines the best strategies for finding the right answer! Rule out incorrect choices with signage (1:32), know you…

One of the best strategies for preparing for the Physics 1 exam is knowing what you do not need to memorize. Episode 30 recAPs each unit, with test taking tips, graph reminders and calculator recomme…

Join Ryan on a daredevil stunt with a bike, go-cart, and skateboard in Episode 29. Objects can be evaluated individually or as part of a larger object we call a “system.” (1:45) Sketch the force diag…

Newton’s 3rd Law is easy to say, but tough to apply. The problem is usually that many people know the catchy phrase, but don’t actually know the meaning of the words in the phrase. (1:23) We explore …

Angular momentum is conserved for systems of objects that are rotating. This is true for figure skaters and students on wheel chairs. (1:02) We agree that when determining rotational directions, we u…

Episode 26 focuses on the energy associated with rotating objects. It's important to distinguish between translational motion and rotational motion (1:06). An object that is rotating faster will not …

What makes an object easy or difficult to rotate? Rotational inertia is a quantity that describes an object’s tendency to maintain its rotational motion about an axis. (1:02) Torque is equal to momen…

In Episode 24 we are headed to a carnival to hop on rides that will have your head spinning and your stomach doing flips. (1:01) Each rotational quantity has an analogous linear quantity that we enco…

It's time to practice that golf swing in Episode 23! In order to keep track of objects as they rotate, physicists and mathematicians have created a unit known as a radian. (1:52) Do you know how a go…

How do astronauts weigh themselves in space? The answer to that question and more are in Episode 22. Because masses on springs oscillate, we start by relating the period of a spring to the factors af…

The conical pendulum can be a tough topic. Mainly because it relies heavily on numerous past topics. In this episode we start by looking at the forces acting on the pendulum (1:10). Once you apply wh…

In Episode 20, we are hanging around with a simple pendulum, and discussing just what makes a clock tick (0:36). While introducing the simple pendulum (1:04), we look at an experiment you can easily …

Episode 19 explores the concept of center of mass, and specifically how the momentum of the center of mass is affected during collisions of the objects in the system. We start by observing a child an…

Episode 18 focuses on how to utilize graphs associated with momentum and impulse through three examples. Two railway cars collide in a velocity time graph. A fancy electric car accelerates (3:59) and…

Ahoy! In this episode we take a look at the change in momentum for a vehicle made by a crazy physics teacher. (0:42) We quickly shift gears to look at a graph of your physics teacher’s vehicle. (4:06…

BLUE 42! HUT! HIKE! Football players know a lot about momentum, and so do students of physics. We look at the momentum of a linebacker and a quarterback throughout a play. (0:41) Different collision …

Enjoy your roller coaster ride in Episode 15! Roller coasters are excellent examples of the law of conservation of energy in action. (1:17). Visualize the change in mechanical energy type using a bar…

We hope you don’t recoil when listening to Episode 14. It begins with discussing the common spring scale (1:08) before diving into Hook’s law (1:40). Don’t forget that you can use springs vertically …