AP Physics Fall Final Exam Review

Front

What is tension in a system of connected masses?

Back

Tension is the force transmitted through a string, rope, or cable when it is pulled tight by forces acting from opposite ends.

Front

What does it mean for a system to be accelerating?

Back

A system is accelerating when its velocity is changing over time, which can be due to a net force acting on it.

Front

What is the normal force?

Back

The normal force is the force exerted by a surface to support the weight of an object resting on it, acting perpendicular to the surface.

Front

Under what conditions can the normal force equal the gravitational force?

Back

The normal force can equal the gravitational force when the surface is horizontal and there are no other vertical forces acting on the object.

Front

What happens to an object at the peak of its projectile motion?

Back

At the peak, the vertical component of the object's velocity is zero, but it still has horizontal velocity.

Front

What is the relationship between mass and acceleration in Newton's second law?

Back

According to Newton's second law, the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass (F=ma).

Front

What is the difference between speed and velocity?

Back

Speed is a scalar quantity that refers to how fast an object is moving, while velocity is a vector quantity that includes both speed and direction.

Front

What is projectile motion?

Back

Projectile motion is the motion of an object that is thrown or projected into the air, subject to the force of gravity and air resistance.

Front

What is the significance of the horizontal component of velocity in projectile motion?

Back

The horizontal component of velocity remains constant throughout the motion, as there are no horizontal forces acting on the projectile (ignoring air resistance).

Front

What does it mean for an object to change direction?

Back

Changing direction means that the object's velocity vector is altering its direction, which can occur even if the speed remains constant.