| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[N = mg = (1.5\ \text{kg})(9.8\ \text{m/s}^2) = 14.7\ \text{N}\] | Compute the normal force; on a horizontal surface it equals the block’s weight. |
| 2 | \[F_{\text{app}} = \mu_s N = 0.400(14.7\ \text{N}) = 5.88\ \text{N}\] | “Just enough” push equals the maximum static friction force. |
| 3 | \[F_k = \mu_k N = 0.300(14.7\ \text{N}) = 4.41\ \text{N}\] | Kinetic friction acts once the block begins sliding. |
| 4 | \[a_1 = \frac{F_{\text{app}} – F_k}{m} = \frac{5.88 – 4.41}{1.5} = 0.98\ \text{m/s}^2\] | Net force while pushing gives the rightward acceleration. |
| 5 | \[v_x = v_i + a_1 t_1 = 0 + (0.98)(5\ \text{s}) = 4.9\ \text{m/s}\] | Find the speed after \(t_1 = 5\ \text{s}\) of applied force. |
| 6 | \[a_2 = \frac{F_k}{m} = \frac{4.41}{1.5} = 2.94\ \text{m/s}^2\] | Once the push stops, only kinetic friction decelerates the block. |
| 7 | \[t_2 = \frac{v_x}{a_2} = \frac{4.9}{2.94} = 1.67\ \text{s}\] | Use \(v_x = a_2 t_2\) to determine the stopping time. |
| 8 | \[\boxed{t_{\text{total}} = t_1 + t_2 = 5\ \text{s} + 1.67\ \text{s} = 6.67\ \text{s}}\] | Sum the push duration and the deceleration duration. |
A Major Upgrade To Phy Is Coming Soon — Stay Tuned
We'll help clarify entire units in one hour or less — guaranteed.
A self paced course with videos, problems sets, and everything you need to get a 5. Trusted by over 15k students and over 200 schools.
A blue ball is thrown upward with a velocity of \( 9 \) \( \text{m/s} \) upward from the top of a high cliff. At the same time, a red ball is dropped from the same spot. The red ball is observed to hit the ground below exactly \( 1 \) \( \text{s} \) before the blue ball. How high is the cliff?

The graph shows the acceleration as a function of time for an object that is at rest at time \( t = 0 \) \( \text{s} \). The distance traveled by the object between \( 0 \) and \( 2 \) \( \text{s} \) is most nearly
In which of the following is the particle’s acceleration constant?
An elastic cord is \( 80\) \( \text{cm} \) long when it is supporting a mass of \( 10. \) \( \text{kg} \) hanging from it at rest. When an additional \( 4.0 \) \( \text{kg} \) is added, the cord is \( 82.5 \) \( \text{cm} \) long.
An object is moving at constant velocity. Which of the following could be the free-body diagram representing the forces acting on the object?
The figure shows the velocity-versus-time graph for a basketball player traveling up and down the court in a straight-line path. Find the displacement of the player…

Runner A begins a \( 100 \)-meter race at time \( t = 0 \) and runs at a constant speed of \( 6.0 \) \( \text{m/s} \). Runner B starts the same race \( 3 \) seconds later but runs at \( 9.0 \) \( \text{m/s} \).

The figure above shows a cart of mass \( M \) accelerating to the right with acceleration \( a \). A block of mass \( m \) is pressed against the cart’s front vertical surface and is held there only by friction. The coefficient of friction between the block and the cart is \( \mu \). What is the minimum acceleration \( a \) of the cart such that the block will not fall?

A \( 4700 \, \text{kg} \) truck carrying a \( 900 \, \text{kg} \) crate is traveling at \( 25 \, \text{m/s} \) to the right along a straight, level highway, as shown above. The truck driver then applies the brakes, and as it slows down, the truck travels \( 55 \, \text{m} \) in the next \( 3.0 \, \text{s} \). The crate does not slide on the back of the truck.
Which car controls directly allow the driver to cause acceleration?
\(6.67\ \text{s}\)
By continuing you (1) agree to our Terms of Use and Terms of Sale and (2) consent to sharing your IP and browser information used by this site’s security protocols as outlined in our Privacy Policy.
| 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 |
One price to unlock most advanced version of Phy across all our tools.
per month
Billed Monthly. Cancel Anytime.
Try our free calculator to see what you need to get a 5 on the 2026 AP Physics 1 exam.
A quick explanation
Credits are used to grade your FRQs and GQs. Pro users get unlimited credits.
Submitting counts as 1 attempt.
Viewing answers or explanations count as a failed attempts.
Phy gives partial credit if needed
MCQs and GQs are are 1 point each. FRQs will state points for each part.
Phy customizes problem explanations based on what you struggle with. Just hit the explanation button to see.
Understand you mistakes quicker.
Phy automatically provides feedback so you can improve your responses.
10 Free Credits To Get You Started
By continuing you agree to nerd-notes.com Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and our usage of user data.
Feeling uneasy about your next physics test? We'll boost your grade in 3 lessons or less—guaranteed
NEW! PHY AI accurately solves all questions
🔥 Get up to 30% off Elite Physics Tutoring
🧠 NEW! Learn Physics From Scratch Self Paced Course
🎯 Need exam style practice questions?