ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS C EQUATIONS

MECHANICS ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM

Ãx Ãx 0  a x t a = acceleration G 1 q1q2 A = area
E= energy FE B = magnetic field
1 2 4pe0 r 2
x x0  Ãx 0 t  at F = force C = capacitance
2 x G
f = frequency G FE d = distance
Ãx2 Ãx 0  2 a x  x  x0 
2
E
h = height q E = electric field
G G I = rotational inertia e emf
=
G
a
ÇF Fnet
J = impulse G G Q F = force
m m
K = kinetic energy vÔ E < dA e0 I = current
G G k = spring constant J = current density
dp dV
F A = length Ex  L = inductance
dt dx
L = angular momentum A = length
G G G G G
J m= mass
Ô F dt Dp
P = power
DV  Ô E <dr n = number of loops of wire
per unit length
G G p = momentum N = number of charge carriers
p mv 1 q
G G
r = radius or distance V
4pe0 Ç rii P = power
per unit volume
T = period i
F f … m FN
t = time Q = charge
G G 1 q1q2
U= potential energy UE qV q = point charge
DE W Ô F <dr 4pe0 r R = resistance
v = velocity or speed
1 2 r = radius or distance
K mà W= work done on a system Q
2 x = position DV t = time
C
m = coefficient of friction U = potential or stored energy
dE k e0 A V = electric potential
P q = angle C
dt d
t = torque v = velocity or speed
G G r = resistivity
P F <v w = angular speed Cp
a = angular acceleration
Ç Ci F = flux
i
DUg mg Dh f = phase angle k = dielectric constant
G G 1 1 G G G
Fs k D x Cs
ÇC FM qv – B
Ã2 i i
ac w2r G G
r
G G G
Us
1
k  Dx 
2
I
dQ vÔ < d A m0 I
B
2 dt
t r –F G
x xmax cos( wt  f
G m0 I d A – r
G G 1
QDV
1
C  DV 2 dB
G Çt t net UC 4p r 2
a 2 2
I I 2p 1 G G G
T rA
w f R F Ô A–B
I d
2 2 A
I Ô r dm Ç mr
m G G Bs m0 nI
Ts 2p E rJ
k
Ç mi xi G G
x cm I Nevd A FB Ô B < dA
Ç mi Tp 2p
A
g G G
à rw DV d FB
G I e vÔ < d A
E 
G Gm1m2 R dt
G G G FG
L r – p Iw r2 Rs Ç Ri dI
e L
1 2 Gm1m2 i dt
K Iw UG 
2 r 1 1 1 2
ÇR UL LI
Rp i i 2
w w0  at

1 2 P I DV
q q0  w0 t  at
2


 ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS C EQUATIONS

GEOMETRY AND TRIGONOMETRY CALCULUS

Rectangle A = area df d f du
A bh C = circumference dx du dx
V = volume
Triangle d n
S = surface area
dx
x  nx n  1
1 b = base
A bh
2 d ax
h = height
dx
e  aeax
Circle A = length
pr2 w = width d 1
A
r = radius
ln ax 
dx x
C 2p r s = arc length d
s rq q = angle dx
>sin ax @ a cos  ax 
Rectangular Solid
d
V Awh dx
>cos ax @  a sin ax 
Cylinder s
r n 1 n 1
V 2
pr A q
Ôx dx
n 1
x , n › 1

2 ax 1 ax
S 2p r A  2p r Ôe dx e
a
Sphere
dx
V
4 3
pr
Ôxa ln x  a
3
1
S 4p r 2 Ô cos ax dx a
sin  ax 

1
Right Triangle Ô sin ax dx  cos  ax 
a
a 2  b2 c2
VECTOR PRODUCTS
sin q
a G G
c A< B AB cos q
c G G
b a A–B AB sin q
cos q
c q 90q
b
a
tan q
b


 2019 AP® PHYSICS C: MECHANICS FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS

PHYSICS C: MECHANICS
SECTION II
Time—45 minutes
3 Questions

Directions: Answer all three questions. The suggested time is about 15 minutes for answering each of the questions,
which are worth 15 points each. The parts within a question may not have equal weight. Show all your work in this
booklet in the spaces provided after each part.

1. Blocks of mass m and 2m are connected by a light string and placed on a frictionless inclined plane that makes
an angle q with the horizontal, as shown in Figure 1 above. Another light string connecting the block of mass m
to a hanging sphere of mass M passes over a pulley of negligible mass and negligible friction. The entire system
is initially at rest and in equilibrium.
(a) On the dots below that represent the block of mass m and the sphere of mass M, draw and label the forces
(not components) that act on each of the objects shown. Each force must be represented by a distinct arrow
starting on and pointing away from the dot.

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 2019 AP® PHYSICS C: MECHANICS FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS

(b) Derive expressions for the magnitude of each of the following. If you need to draw anything other than what
you have shown in part (a) to assist in your solution, use the space below. Do NOT add anything to the
figures in part (a).
i. The force T2 exerted on the block of mass m by the string. Express your answers in terms of m, θ , and
physical constants, as appropriate.
ii. The mass M for which the system can remain in equilibrium. Express your answers in terms of m, θ ,
and physical constants, as appropriate.
(c) Now suppose that mass M is large enough to descend and that the sphere reaches the floor before the blocks
reach the pulley. Answer the following for the moment immediately after the sphere reaches the floor.
i. Does the tension T1 increase, decrease to a nonzero value, decrease to zero, or stay the same?
____ Increase ____ Decrease to a nonzero value
____ Decrease to zero ____ Stay the same
ii. Is the velocity of the block of mass m up the ramp, down the ramp, or zero?
_____ Up the ramp _____ Down the ramp _____ Zero
iii. Is the acceleration of the block of mass m up the ramp, down the ramp, or zero?
_____ Up the ramp _____ Down the ramp _____ Zero
(d) Consider the initial setup in Figure 1. Now suppose the surface of the incline is rough and the coefficient
of static friction between the blocks and the inclined plane is μ s . Derive an expression for the minimum
possible value of M that will keep the blocks from moving down the incline. Express your answer in terms
of m, μ s , θ , and fundamental constants, as appropriate.
(e) The string connecting block m and the sphere of mass M then breaks, and the blocks begin to move from rest
down the incline. The lower block starts a distance d from the bottom of the incline, as shown in Figure 1.
The coefficient of kinetic friction between the blocks and the inclined plane is μ k . Derive an expression for
the speed of the blocks when the lower block reaches the bottom of the incline. Express your answer in
terms of m, d, μ k , θ , and fundamental constants, as appropriate.

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 2019 AP® PHYSICS C: MECHANICS FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS

2. A toy rocket of mass 0.50 kg starts from rest on the ground and is launched upward, experiencing a vertical net
force. The rocket’s upward acceleration a for the first 6 seconds is given by the equation a = K − Lt 2 , where
K 9.0 m s2 , L 0.25 m s 4 , and t is the time in seconds. At t = 6.0 s, the fuel is exhausted and the rocket is
under the influence of gravity alone. Assume air resistance and the rocket’s change in mass are negligible.
(a) Calculate the magnitude of the net impulse exerted on the rocket from t = 0 to t = 6.0 s.
(b) Calculate the speed of the rocket at t = 6.0 s.
(c)
i. Calculate the kinetic energy of the rocket at t = 6.0 s.
ii. Calculate the change in gravitational potential energy of the rocket-Earth system from t = 0 to t = 6.0 s.
(d) Calculate the maximum height reached by the rocket relative to its launching point.
(e) On the axes below, assuming the upward direction to be positive, sketch a graph of the velocity v of the
rocket as a function of time t from the time the rocket is launched to the time it returns to the ground.
Ttop represents the time the rocket reaches its maximum height. Explicitly label the maxima with numerical
values or algebraic expressions, as appropriate.

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