Best AP Physics 1 Quizlet Decks by Unit

Unit 1: Kinematics (10%-16%) 

• Velocity: This is the displacement per elapsed time. Velocity is defined as a vector because it gives a numerical value and the direction of the motion. 
• Speed: Commonly confused with velocity, speed is simply how fast an object is traveling without a specified direction. This is a scalar quantity because only a number is associated with the measure. 
• Free Fall: An object is under the influence of the force of gravity only. Air resistance is considered to be negligible in this case.

Kinematics Equations to know! Source: Quora

Unit 2: Dynamics (12%-18%)

• Newton’s First Law: An object at rest will stay at rest unless acted upon by a net external force. Likewise, an object moving at a constant speed will continue moving unless acted upon by an external force. 
• Frictional Forces: This is the force exerted when an object moves across a surface (resists motion). Friction always resists motion in a parallel direction to the surface. 
• Air Resistance: A type of frictional force that acts upon objects as they travel through the air. Since the force due to gravity is always downwards, the object slows down if air resistance is in the upward direction.

Dynamics - Source: Weebly

Unit 3: Circular Motion & Gravitation (4%-6%)

• Uniform Circular Motion: An object travels along a circular path along an external axis, where the speed remains constant but the object can accelerate. The object can accelerate with constant speed because there is a change in direction.
• Gravitational Mass: It is the amount of matter that measures an object’s response to gravitational force whereas inertial mass measures an object’s resistance to any force.
• Frequency: The number of cycles a revolving object can complete within a certain amount of time. It is measured in Hertz per second and is the inverse of a period which is the amount of time it takes for an object to complete one full cycle. 

Circular Motion - Source: OnlineHomeworkHelp

Unit 4: Energy (16%-24%)

• Law of Conservation of Energy: Energy cannot be created nor destroyed but can be converted into different forms from one form. (i.e. potential and kinetic)
• Mechanical Energy: Energy possessed by an object based on its position or ability to do work. This type of energy can either be potential or kinetic energy. 
• Closed Energy System: This a system in which no energy can from external sources enter and no energy from the inside can escape outside. Internal forces don’t affect the conservation of energy. This system is the opposite of an open system.

Unit 5: Momentum (10%-16%)

• Angular Momentum: The amount of rotation an object undergoes which is a product of its moment of inertia and angular velocity. 
• Elastic Collision: This is a collision in which the total kinetic energy is conserved between two bodies. In a perfectly elastic collision, none of the heat is dissipated in any way (radiation or another form). 
• Impulse Momentum Theorem: the impulse is equal to the change in momentum where the impulse is a vector and the momentum is equal to the mass times the velocity of an object.

Unit 6: Simple Harmonic Motion (2%-4%)

• Spring Constant: This is the ratio of the force affecting the spring to the displacement caused by it. Ideal springs follow Hooke’s Law. 
• Elastic Energy: This occurs when an object, typically a spring, is stretched or compressed. Elasticity describes the mechanics of solid bodies and materials. 
• Amplitude: This is known as the maximum displacement traveled by a point on a vibrating body/wave that can be measured from the object’s equilibrium position.

Unit 7: Torque and Rotational Motion (10%-16%)

• Conservation of Angular Momentum: If no external torque acts on the rotating system, then the angular momentum of that system is constant. 
• Torque: the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis. It is the force that causes twisting.
• Angular Acceleration: This is the rate of change in angular velocity. Angular velocity for an object in a circular motion is the rate of change in angular displacement.

Unit 8: Electric Charge & Electric Force (4%-6%)

• Coulomb’s Law: the force of attraction or repulsion between two electric charges is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. 
• Current: Flow of electrical charge. Current flows through a circuit when a voltage is placed across two points of a conductor. 
• Electrical Field: This is a vector; since there are charges present, empty space is modified so the electrical force is able to act on particles without actually touching them. The field exists even when there is no force present.

Unit 9: DC Circuits (6%-8%)

• Kirchhoff's First Law: for any node in an electrical circuit, the sum of the currents flowing into that node is equal to the sum of the currents flowing out of the node. Conservation of charge. 
• Variable Potential Divider: A variable resistor or linked resistor in series connected to a source of voltage and used to get a specific amount of the total voltage. 
• Terminal Potential Difference: This is the difference in electrical charge between two points in a circuit which is expressed in volts.

Unit 10: Mechanical & Sound Waves (10%-16%)

• Diffraction: the spreading of waves around obstacles. It can occur with sound, electromagnetic radiation, and small particles that have wave-like properties. 
• Sound Intensity: the amount of energy flowing per unit of time through a unit area that is perpendicular to the direction in which the waves are moving. 
• Harmonic Frequency: resonance frequencies that are integer multiples of the fundamental frequency which is the lowest frequency.

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