5 Steps to a 5 AP Physics B & C, 2008-2009 Edition (5 Steps to a 5 on the Advanced Placement Examinations Series)

Contents......Page 5
Acknowledgments......Page 11
About the Authors......Page 12
Introduction: The Five-Step Program......Page 13
Step 1 Set Up Your Study Program......Page 17
1 How to Approach Your Physics Course......Page 19
Work with Other People......Page 20
Never Forget, Physics Is “Phun”......Page 21
Background Information......Page 23
Some Frequently Asked Questions About the AP Physics B&C Exams......Page 24
Specific Advice for Physics B Students......Page 31
Important Advicer for Physics C Students......Page 33
Calender for each Plan......Page 36
Step 2 Determine Your Test Readiness......Page 39
Mechanics Quiz......Page 41
Thermodynamic Physics and Fluid Mechanics Quiz......Page 42
Electricity and Magnetism Quiz......Page 43
Waves, Optics, Atomic, and Nuclear Physics Quiz......Page 44
Answers......Page 45
What Do I Know, and What Don’t I Know?......Page 50
5 Take a Diagnostic Test......Page 51
Diagnostic Test......Page 52
Answers and Explanations......Page 57
Interpretation: How Ready Are You?......Page 60
Step 3 Develop Strategies For Success......Page 61
6 Memorizing Equations in the Shower......Page 63
7 How to Approach Each Question Type......Page 69
Multiple-Choice Questions......Page 70
The Free-Response Section......Page 77
Lab Questions......Page 81
8 Extra Drill on Difficult but Frequently Tested Topics......Page 85
Step 4 Review the Knowledge You Need to Score High......Page 103
Scalars......Page 105
Graphic Representation of Vectors......Page 106
Adding and Subtracting Vectors......Page 107
Practice Problems......Page 109
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 110
10 Free-Body Diagrams and Equilibrium......Page 111
What Is a Free-Body Diagram?......Page 112
Equilibrium......Page 113
Normal Force......Page 114
Tension......Page 115
Friction......Page 117
Inclined Planes......Page 120
Torque......Page 121
Of Special Interest to Physics C Students......Page 122
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 124
Rapid Review......Page 126
11 Kinematics......Page 127
Velocity, Acceleration, and Displacement......Page 128
Kinematics Problem Solving......Page 129
Freefall......Page 131
Projectile Motion......Page 133
Motion Graphs......Page 134
Of Special Interest to Physics C Students......Page 136
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 138
Rapid Review......Page 139
12 Newton’s Second Law, F[sub(net)] = ma......Page 140
Only Net Force Equals ma......Page 141
F[sub(net)] on Inclines......Page 142
F[sub(net)] for a Pulley......Page 144
Solution to Example Problem......Page 146
Of Special Interest to Physics C Students......Page 147
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 149
Rapid Review......Page 150
13 Momentum......Page 151
Momentum and Impulse......Page 152
Conservation of Momentum......Page 153
Two-Dimensional Collisions......Page 154
Of Special Interest to Physics C Students......Page 155
Rapid Review......Page 158
14 Energy Conservation......Page 159
Kinetic Energy and the Work–Energy Theorem......Page 160
Conservation of Energy: Problem-Solving Approach......Page 162
Springs......Page 164
Of Special Interest to Physics C Students......Page 165
Practice Problems......Page 167
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 168
Rapid Review......Page 169
15 Gravitation and Circular Motion......Page 170
Centripetal Acceleration......Page 171
Mass on a String......Page 172
Car on a Curve......Page 174
Newton’s Law of Gravitation......Page 175
Of Special Interest to Physics C Students......Page 176
Practice Problems......Page 178
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 179
Rapid Review......Page 180
16 Rotational Motion (for Physics C Students Only)......Page 181
Rotational Kinematics......Page 182
Moment of Inertia......Page 184
Newton’s Second Law for Rotation......Page 185
Rotational Kinetic Energy......Page 186
Angular Momentum and Its Conservation......Page 187
Practice Problems......Page 189
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 190
Rapid Review......Page 192
17 Simple Harmonic Motion......Page 193
Amplitude, Period, and Frequency......Page 194
Vibrating Mass on a Spring......Page 195
Simple Pendulums......Page 196
Of Special Interest to Physics C Students......Page 198
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 199
Rapid Review......Page 200
18 Thermodynamics (for Physics B Students Only)......Page 201
Heat, Temperature, and Power......Page 202
Thermal Expansion......Page 204
Ideal Gas Law......Page 205
Kinetic Theory of Gases......Page 206
PV Diagrams......Page 207
Heat Engines and the Second Law of Thermodynamics......Page 212
Entropy......Page 213
Practice Problems......Page 214
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 215
Rapid Review......Page 216
19 Fluid Mechanics (for Physics B Students Only)......Page 217
Pressure and Density......Page 218
Pressure in a Static Fluid Column......Page 219
Buoyancy and Archimedes’ Principle......Page 221
Pascal’s Principle......Page 222
Flowing Fluids......Page 223
Practice Problems......Page 226
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 227
Rapid Review......Page 228
20 Electrostatics......Page 229
Electric Charge......Page 230
Electric Fields......Page 231
Force of an Electric Field......Page 232
Electric Potential......Page 233
Special Geometries for Electrostatics......Page 236
Of Special Interest to Physics C Students......Page 240
Practice Problems......Page 242
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 243
Rapid Review......Page 244
21 Circuits......Page 245
Resistance and Ohm’s Law......Page 246
Resistors in Series and in Parallel......Page 248
The V-I-R Chart......Page 250
Kirchoff’s Laws......Page 252
Circuits from an Experimental Point of View......Page 255
RC Circuits: Steady-State Behavior......Page 257
Of Special Interest to Physics C Students......Page 258
Practice Problems......Page 260
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 261
Rapid Review......Page 262
22 Magnetism......Page 264
Magnetic Fields......Page 265
Long, Straight Current-Carrying Wires......Page 267
Moving Charged Particles......Page 268
Mass Spectrometry......Page 271
Induced EMF......Page 273
Of Special Interest to Physics C Students......Page 278
Practice Problems......Page 280
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 281
Rapid Review......Page 282
23 Waves......Page 284
Transverse and Longitudinal Waves......Page 285
Interference......Page 287
Standing Waves......Page 289
Doppler Effect......Page 291
Electromagnetic Waves......Page 292
Single and Double Slits......Page 294
Index of Refraction......Page 295
Of Special Interest to Physics C Students......Page 297
Practice Problems......Page 298
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 299
Rapid Review......Page 300
24 Optics (for Physics B Students Only)......Page 302
Snell’s Law......Page 303
Mirrors......Page 304
Lenses......Page 307
Practice Problems......Page 310
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 312
Rapid Review......Page 313
25 Atomic and Nuclear Physics (for Physics B Students Only)......Page 314
Subatomic Particles......Page 315
Energy Levels in an Atom......Page 316
de Broglie Wavelength......Page 319
Three Types of Nuclear Decay Processes......Page 320
Practice Problems......Page 322
Solutions to Practice Problems......Page 323
Rapid Review......Page 324
Step 5 Build Your Test-Taking Confidence......Page 325
Physics B Multiple-Choice Questions......Page 327
Physics B Free-Response Questions......Page 342
Physics B Multiple-Choice Solutions......Page 347
Physics B Free-Response Solutions......Page 353
Physics C Mechanics Multiple-Choice Questions......Page 359
Physics C Mechanics Free-Response Questions......Page 369
Physics C Electricity and Magnetism Multiple-Choice Questions......Page 375
Physics C Electricity and Magnetism Free-Response Questions......Page 383
Physics C Mechanics Multiple-Choice Solutions......Page 386
Physics C Electricity and Magnetism Multiple-Choice Solutions......Page 390
Physics C Mechanics Free-Response Solutions......Page 396
Physics C Electricity and Magnetism Free-Response Solutions......Page 399
Appendixes......Page 401
Constants......Page 403
Physics B Equations......Page 404
Physics C Equations......Page 407
Four-Minute Drill Prompts......Page 409
Web Sites......Page 412
D......Page 413
K......Page 414
S......Page 415
W......Page 416
Bibliography......Page 417