AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based
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About the Course
Exam Coverage Update
Note: Starting with the 2021 exam, Units 8–10 will no longer be tested in AP Physics 1. Units 1-7 will be represented on the AP Physics 1 exam in approximately similar proportion to their relative weights as indicated in the course and exam description.
Note: Starting with the 2021 exam, Units 8–10 will no longer be tested in AP Physics 1. Units 1-7 will be represented on the AP Physics 1 exam in approximately similar proportion to their relative weights as indicated in the course and exam description.
Learn about the foundational principles of physics as you explore Newtonian mechanics; work, energy, and power; mechanical waves and sound; and introductory, simple circuits. You’ll do hands-on laboratory work to investigate phenomena.
Note: Save your lab notebooks and reports; colleges may ask to see them before granting you credit.
Skills You'll Learn
Interpreting and describing representations and models
Using mathematics to solve science problems
Formulating a scientific question or hypothesis
Designing an experiment to answer a scientific question or to test a hypothesis
Analyzing data and evaluating evidence
Working with scientific explanations and theories
Making connections
Equivalency and Prerequisites
College Course Equivalent
A first-semester introductory college course in algebra-based physics
Recommended Prerequisites
You should have completed a geometry course and be concurrently taking Algebra II or an equivalent course.
Exam Dates
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Wed, May 5, 2021,
12 PM LocalPaper, In SchoolAP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Exam
This is the Administration 1 date for the AP Physics 1 Exam.
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Mon, May 24, 2021,
12 PM LocalPaper, In SchoolAP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Exam
This is the Administration 2 date for the AP Physics 1 Exam.
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Wed, Jun 9, 2021,
4 PM EDTDigital, In School and At HomeAP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Exam
This is the Administration 3 date for the AP Physics 1 Exam.
About the Units
The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.
Course Content
Unit 1: Kinematics
You’ll be introduced to the study of motion.
Topics may include:
- Position, velocity, and acceleration
- Representations of motion
On The Exam
10%–16% of exam score
Unit 2: Dynamics
You’ll revisit the concepts you worked with in Unit 1 to explore force, which is the interaction of an object with another object.
Topics may include:
- Systems
- The gravitational field
- Contact forces
- Newton’s First Law
- Newton’s Third Law and free-body diagrams
- Newton’s Second Law
- Applications of Newton’s Second Law
On The Exam
12%–18% of exam score
Unit 3: Circular Motion and Gravitation
You’ll build on your understanding of motion and force as you study more complex models of motion, such as the circular path of a satellite orbiting a planet.
Topics may include:
- Vector fields
- Fundamental forces
- Gravitational and electric forces
- Gravitational field/acceleration due to gravity on different planets
- Inertial vs. gravitational mass
- Centripetal acceleration vs. centripetal force
- Free-body diagrams for objects in uniform circular motion
On The Exam
4%–6% of exam score
Unit 4: Energy
You’ll learn the definitions of and relationships between energy, work, and power.
Topics may include:
- Open and closed systems: Energy
- Work and mechanical energy
- Conservation of energy, the work–energy principle, and power
On The Exam
16%–24% of exam score
Unit 5: Momentum
You’ll explore the relationship between force, time, and momentum and learn to use the law of conservation of momentum to analyze physical situations.
Topics may include:
- Momentum and impulse
- Representations of changes in momentum
- Open and closed systems: momentum
- Conservation of linear momentum
On The Exam
10%–16% of exam score
Unit 6: Simple Harmonic Motion
You’ll use the tools, techniques, and models you’ve learned in previous units to analyze a new type of motion: simple harmonic motion.
Topics may include:
- Period of simple harmonic oscillators
- Energy of a simple harmonic oscillator
On The Exam
2%–4% of exam score
Unit 7: Torque and Rotational Motion
You’ll explore the motion of an object rotating around an axis and you’ll study torque, the measure of a force that can cause rotational motion.
Topics may include:
- Rotational kinematics
- Torque and angular acceleration
- Angular momentum and torque
- Conservation of angular momentum
On The Exam
10%–16% of exam score
Unit 8: Electric Charge and Electric Force
You’ll begin your exploration of electricity by learning about the electric force and the properties and interactions of electric charges.
Topics may include:
- Conservation of charge
- Electric charge
- Electric force
On The Exam
4%–6% of exam score
Unit 9: DC Circuits
You’ll continue your study of electricity by examining electric circuits and the interactions between current, resistance, and voltage.
Topics may include:
- Definition of a circuit
- Resistivity
- Ohm’s law, Kirchhoff’s loop rule (resistors in series and parallel)
- Kirchhoff’s junction rule, Ohm’s law (resistors in series and parallel)
On The Exam
6%–8% of exam score
Unit 10: Mechanical Waves and Sound
You’ll get introduced to the properties and behavior of waves that travel through a medium such as air or water.
Topics may include:
- Properties of waves
- Periodic waves
- Interference and superposition (waves in tubes and on strings)
On The Exam
12%–16% of exam score
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Course Resources
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AP Classroom Resources
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AP Physics 1 Course and Exam Description
This is the core document for the course. It clearly lays out the course content and laboratory requirement and describes the exam and the AP Program in general.
See Where AP Can Take You
AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based can lead to a wide range of careers and college majors
Career Areas
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Majors
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