AP Physics Cheat Sheet

KINEMATICS

Are there only kinematic variables given/asked for?

FORCES

Are there forces, masses or accelerations given/asked for?

ENERGY

Are you relating a fall or rise to a speed? Are there springs involved? Is there an elastic collision? Is a potential energy graph given? Is force given as a function of x?

MOMENTUM

Is there a collision? Is force given as a function of time?

SIMPLE HARMONIC MOTION

Is there a spring or pendulum? Is force proportional to x?

ROTATIONAL KINEMATICS

Are there rotational kinematic variables given/asked for? Are RPMs given?

TORQUES

Are there forces, masses or accelerations given/asked for with rotations or pivots?



ROTATIONAL ENERGY

Are you relating a fall or rise to a speed with something rolling or spinning?

ANGULAR MOMENTUM

Is there a collision with something rotating before or after? Is there a collision with a pivot?

UNIVERSAL GRAVITATION

Are there planets, suns, asteriods, comets, or orbits?