AP PHYSICS I 

AP PHYSICS 1

AP Physics 1 is an algebra-based, introductory college-level physics course. Students cultivate their understanding of physics through inquiry-based investigations as they explore these topics: kinematics, dynamics, circular motion and gravitation, energy, momentum, simple harmonic motion, torque and rotational motion..

Laboratory Requirement

This course requires that 25% of instructional time be spent in handson laboratory work, with an emphasis on inquiry-based investigations that provide students with opportunities to demonstrate the foundational physics principles and apply the science practices. Colleges may require students to present their laboratory materials from AP science courses before granting college credit for laboratory work, so students are encouraged to retain their notebooks, reports, and other materials. 

Prerequisite

Students should have completed Geometry and be concurrently taking Algebra II or an equivalent course. Although the Physics 1 course includes basic use of trigonometric functions, this understanding can be gained either in the concurrent math course or in the AP Physics 1 course itself. 

 AP Physics 1 Course Content

The course content is organized into eight commonly taught units, which have been arranged in the following suggested, logical sequence: 

■Unit 1: Kinematics 

■ Unit 2: Force and Translational Dynamics 

■ Unit 3: Work, Energy, and Power 

■ Unit 4: Linear Momentum  

■ Unit 5: Torque and Rotational Dynamics 

■ Unit 6: Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems 

■ Unit 7: Oscillations 

■ Unit 8: Fluids Each unit is broken down into teachable segments called topics.  

Science Practices

The following science practices describe what skills students should develop during the course: 

■ Creating Representations: Create representations that depict physical phenomena.  

■ Mathematical Routines: Conduct analyses to derive, calculate, estimate, or predict.  

■ Scientific Questioning and Argumentation: Describe experimental procedures, analyze data, and support claims.  

Assessment Overview

The AP Physics 1 Exam assesses student application of the science practices and understanding of the learning objectives outlined in the course framework. The exam is 3 hours long and includes 40 multiplechoice questions and 4 free-response questions. The 4 free-response questions appear in the order listed in the table on the right. A four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator is allowed on both sections of the exam. 

Section I: Multiple-choice | 40 Questions | 80 Minutes |  50% of Exam Score 

Section II:  Free-response | 4 Questions | 100 Minutes |  50% of Exam Score 

■ Question 1: Mathematical Routines (10 points). 

■ Question 2: Translational Between Representations (12 points). 

■ Question 3: Experimental Design and Analysis (10 points). 

■ Question 4: Qualitative/Quantitative Translation (8 points each).