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AP Physics

Unit 1 - Vectors and Kinematics

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Step Derivation/Formula Reasoning
1 Calculate the car’s speed after acceleration:

Initial speed: \( u_0 = 0 \, \text{m/s} \)
Acceleration: \( a_1 = 3.5 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)
Time: \( t_1 = 10 \, \text{s} \)

\( v_1 = u_0 + a_1 t_1 \)
\( v_1 = 0 + (3.5)(10) = 35 \, \text{m/s} \)

Determined the speed after accelerating for 10 seconds.
2 Calculate distance during acceleration:

\( s_1 = u_0 t_1 + \tfrac{1}{2} a_1 t_1^2 \)
\( s_1 = 0 + \tfrac{1}{2} (3.5)(10)^2 = 175 \, \text{m} \)

Found distance covered during acceleration phase.
3 Determine distance during reaction time:

Reaction time: \( t_r = 0.6 \, \text{s} \)
\( s_{\text{react}} = v_1 t_r \)
\( s_{\text{react}} = (35)(0.6) = 21 \, \text{m} \)

Calculated distance traveled during driver’s reaction time.
4 Calculate remaining distance to the ramp:

Distance ahead when noticing ramp: \( 50 \, \text{m} \)
Remaining distance after reaction: \( d_{\text{remain}} = 50 – 21 = 29 \, \text{m} \)

Determined how much distance is left to brake.
5 Compute stopping distance required:

Braking acceleration: \( a_2 = -7.2 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)
\( v^2 = u^2 + 2 a s \)
\( 0 = (35)^2 + 2(-7.2) s_{\text{brake}} \)
\( s_{\text{brake}} = \dfrac{(35)^2}{2 \times 7.2} \approx 85.07 \, \text{m} \)

Calculated distance needed to stop completely.
6 Find speed at the ramp:

\( v^2 = u^2 + 2 a s \)
\( v^2 = (35)^2 + 2(-7.2)(29) \)
\( v^2 = 1225 – 417.6 = 807.4 \)
\( v = \sqrt{807.4} \approx 28.43 \, \text{m/s} \)

Determined the car’s speed upon reaching the ramp.
7 Resolve velocity into components at the ramp:

Ramp angle: \( \theta = 27^\circ \)
\( v_x = v \cos \theta = (28.43) \cos 27^\circ \approx 25.34 \, \text{m/s} \)
\( v_y = v \sin \theta = (28.43) \sin 27^\circ \approx 12.91 \, \text{m/s} \)

Found horizontal and vertical components of velocity.
8 (a) Calculate time of flight after ramp:

Vertical motion equation:
\( y = v_y t – \tfrac{1}{2} g t^2 \)
Height difference: \( y = -3 \, \text{m} \)
\( -3 = (12.91) t – 4.9 t^2 \)
Rearranged to quadratic: \( 4.9 t^2 – 12.91 t – 3 = 0 \)
Solved for \( t \):
\( t = \dfrac{12.91 \pm \sqrt{12.91^2 – 4 \times 4.9 \times (-3)}}{2 \times 4.9} \)
\( t \approx 2.85 \, \text{s} \)

Calculated time the car is airborne after the ramp.
9 Compute horizontal distance traveled:

\( \Delta x = v_x t \)
\( \Delta x = (25.34)(2.85) \approx 72.22 \, \text{m} \)

Found horizontal distance after going off the ramp.
10 (b) Determine final vertical velocity:

\( v_{y_{\text{final}}} = v_y – g t \)
\( v_{y_{\text{final}}} = 12.91 – (9.8)(2.85) \approx -15.02 \, \text{m/s} \)

Calculated vertical component of velocity upon landing.
11 Calculate final speed and direction:

\( v_{\text{final}} = \sqrt{v_x^2 + v_{y_{\text{final}}}^2} \)
\( v_{\text{final}} = \sqrt{(25.34)^2 + (-15.02)^2} \approx 29.46 \, \text{m/s} \)

Direction angle:
\( \theta_{\text{final}} = \arctan\left( \dfrac{|v_{y_{\text{final}}}|}{v_x} \right) \)
\( \theta_{\text{final}} = \arctan\left( \dfrac{15.02}{25.34} \right) \approx 30.7^\circ \) below horizontal

Found the magnitude and angle of the car’s velocity upon impact.

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(a) The horizontal distance the car travels after going off the ramp is approximately \( 72.2 \, \text{m} \).

(b) The car’s final velocity upon reaching the ground is approximately \( 29.5 \, \text{m/s} \) at an angle of \( 30.7^\circ \) below the horizontal.

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KinematicsForces
\(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\)\(F = ma\)
\(v = v_i + at\)\(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\)
\(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\)\(f = \mu N\)
\(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\)\(F_s =-kx\)
\(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) 
Circular MotionEnergy
\(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\)\(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\)
\(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\)\(PE = mgh\)
\(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\)\(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\)
 \(W = Fd \cos\theta\)
MomentumTorque 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 MotionFluids
\(F = -kx\)\(P = \frac{F}{A}\)
\(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\)\(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\)
\(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\)\(Q = Av\)
\(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\)\(F_b = \rho V g\)
\(a = -\omega^2 x\)\(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\)
ConstantDescription
[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
VariableSI 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]
VariableDerived 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. 

  1. Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]

  2. 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]

  3. 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]

  4. 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]

Nano-

n

[katex]10^{-9}[/katex]

Micro-

µ

[katex]10^{-6}[/katex]

Milli-

m

[katex]10^{-3}[/katex]

Centi-

c

[katex]10^{-2}[/katex]

Deci-

d

[katex]10^{-1}[/katex]

(Base unit)

[katex]10^{0}[/katex]

Deca- or Deka-

da

[katex]10^{1}[/katex]

Hecto-

h

[katex]10^{2}[/katex]

Kilo-

k

[katex]10^{3}[/katex]

Mega-

M

[katex]10^{6}[/katex]

Giga-

G

[katex]10^{9}[/katex]

Tera-

T

[katex]10^{12}[/katex]

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