| Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| \[E = \tfrac{1}{2}kA^{2}\] | Total mechanical energy of the mass–spring system depends only on the spring constant \(k\) and the amplitude \(A\). |
| \[U = \tfrac{1}{2}kx^{2}\] | Elastic potential energy when the block is at position \(x\). |
| \[E = U + K \quad\Rightarrow\quad \tfrac{1}{2}kA^{2} = \tfrac{1}{2}kx^{2} + \tfrac{1}{2}mv_{x}^{2}\] | Apply conservation of mechanical energy: total energy equals the sum of potential and kinetic energies at any point. |
| \[v_{x} = \sqrt{\frac{k\left(A^{2}-x^{2}\right)}{m}}\] | Solve the energy equation algebraically for the speed \(v_{x}\). |
| \[v_{x} = \sqrt{\frac{150\,\text{N/m}\left(0.10^{2}-0.09^{2}\right)\,\text{m}^{2}}{0.50\,\text{kg}}} = 0.75\,\text{m/s}\] | Substitute \(k = 150\,\text{N/m}\), \(A = 0.10\,\text{m}\), \(x = 0.09\,\text{m}\), and \(m = 0.50\,\text{kg}\) to compute the speed. |
| \[\boxed{v_{x}=0.75\,\text{m/s}}\] | Numerical answer boxed for clarity. |
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A ball is thrown straight up. At what point does the ball have the most energy?
A bullet moving with an initial speed of \( v_o \) strikes and embeds itself in a block of wood which is suspended by a string, causing the bullet and block to rise to a maximum height \( h \). Which of the following statements is true of the collision.

Students attach a thin strip of metal to a table so that the strip is horizontal in relation to the ground. A section of the strip hangs off the edge of the table. A mass is secured to the end of the hanging section of the strip and is then displaced so that the mass-strip system oscillates, as shown in the figure. Students make various measurements of the net force \( F \) exerted on the mass as a result of the force due to gravity and the normal force from the strip, the vertical position \( y \) of the mass above and below its equilibrium position \( y \), and the period of oscillation \( T’ \) when the mass is displaced by different amplitudes \( A \). Which of the following explanations is correct about the evidence required to conclude that the mass undergoes simple harmonic motion?
A block starts at rest on a frictionless inclined track which then turns into a circular loop of radius \( R \) and is vertical. In terms of \( R \) and constants, find the minimum height \( h \) above the bottom of the loop the block must start from so it makes it around the loop.
While traveling in its elliptical orbit around the Sun, Mars gains speed during the part of the orbit where it is getting closer to the Sun. Which of the following can be used to explain this gain in speed?
A pendulum has a period of \(2.0 \, \text{s}\) on Earth. What is its length?
A linear spring of force constant \( k \) is used in a physics lab experiment. A block of mass \( m \) is attached to the spring and the resulting frequency, \( f \), of the simple harmonic oscillations is measured. Blocks of various masses are used in different trials, and in each case, the corresponding frequency is measured and recorded. If \( f^{2} \) is plotted versus \( \frac{1}{m} \), the graph will be a straight line with slope
In which one of the following circumstances does the principle of conservation of mechanical energy apply, even though a nonconservative force acts on the moving object?
A typical \( 68 \text{-kg} \) person generates a steady mechanical power output of \( 120 \text{ W} \) at the pedals of a bicycle. Approximately how many Calories are “burned” (total metabolic energy expended) when the person rides a bicycle for \( 15 \text{ minutes} \)? A typical energy efficiency for the human body is \( 25\% \), which takes into account the release of thermal energy. Note (\( 1 \text{ Cal} = 4186 \text{ J} \)).
What is the defining characteristic of the restoring force that causes an object to undergo Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)?
\(0.75\,\text{m/s}\)
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| Kinematics | Forces |
|---|---|
| \(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\) | \(F = ma\) |
| \(v = v_i + at\) | \(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\) |
| \(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\) | \(f = \mu N\) |
| \(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\) | \(F_s =-kx\) |
| \(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) |
| Circular Motion | Energy |
|---|---|
| \(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\) | \(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\) |
| \(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\) | \(PE = mgh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\) | \(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\) |
| \(W = Fd \cos\theta\) |
| Momentum | Torque and Rotations |
|---|---|
| \(p = mv\) | \(\tau = r \cdot F \cdot \sin(\theta)\) |
| \(J = \Delta p\) | \(I = \sum mr^2\) |
| \(p_i = p_f\) | \(L = I \cdot \omega\) |
| Simple Harmonic Motion | Fluids |
|---|---|
| \(F = -kx\) | \(P = \frac{F}{A}\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\) | \(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\) | \(Q = Av\) |
| \(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\) | \(F_b = \rho V g\) |
| \(a = -\omega^2 x\) | \(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\) |
| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
| [katex]g[/katex] | Acceleration due to gravity, typically [katex]9.8 , \text{m/s}^2[/katex] on Earth’s surface |
| [katex]G[/katex] | Universal Gravitational Constant, [katex]6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2[/katex] |
| [katex]\mu_k[/katex] and [katex]\mu_s[/katex] | Coefficients of kinetic ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) and static ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) friction, dimensionless. Static friction ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) is usually greater than kinetic friction ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) as it resists the start of motion. |
| [katex]k[/katex] | Spring constant, in [katex]\text{N/m}[/katex] |
| [katex] M_E = 5.972 \times 10^{24} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Earth |
| [katex] M_M = 7.348 \times 10^{22} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Moon |
| [katex] M_M = 1.989 \times 10^{30} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Sun |
| Variable | SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]s[/katex] (Displacement) | [katex]\text{meters (m)}[/katex] |
| [katex]v[/katex] (Velocity) | [katex]\text{meters per second (m/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]a[/katex] (Acceleration) | [katex]\text{meters per second squared (m/s}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]t[/katex] (Time) | [katex]\text{seconds (s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]m[/katex] (Mass) | [katex]\text{kilograms (kg)}[/katex] |
| Variable | Derived SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]F[/katex] (Force) | [katex]\text{newtons (N)}[/katex] |
| [katex]E[/katex], [katex]PE[/katex], [katex]KE[/katex] (Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy) | [katex]\text{joules (J)}[/katex] |
| [katex]P[/katex] (Power) | [katex]\text{watts (W)}[/katex] |
| [katex]p[/katex] (Momentum) | [katex]\text{kilogram meters per second (kgm/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\omega[/katex] (Angular Velocity) | [katex]\text{radians per second (rad/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\tau[/katex] (Torque) | [katex]\text{newton meters (Nm)}[/katex] |
| [katex]I[/katex] (Moment of Inertia) | [katex]\text{kilogram meter squared (kgm}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]f[/katex] (Frequency) | [katex]\text{hertz (Hz)}[/katex] |
Metric Prefixes
Example of using unit analysis: Convert 5 kilometers to millimeters.
Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]
Use the conversion factors for kilometers to meters and meters to millimeters: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}}[/katex]
Perform the multiplication: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}} = 5 \times 10^3 \times 10^3 \, \text{mm}[/katex]
Simplify to get the final answer: [katex]\boxed{5 \times 10^6 \, \text{mm}}[/katex]
Prefix | Symbol | Power of Ten | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
Pico- | p | [katex]10^{-12}[/katex] | 0.000000000001 |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | 0.000000001 |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | 0.000001 |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | 0.001 |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | 0.01 |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | 0.1 |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | 1 |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | 10 |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | 100 |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | 1,000 |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | 1,000,000 |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000 |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000,000 |
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