In this short section we will a) define conservative forces and b) prove that such forces conserve a quantity we call energy for constant mass systems. A conservative force is defined as:

(1)  

Where is a function of the coordinates.Now we multiply both sides by $\vec{v} =…

The relationship between position, velocity, and acceleration are an integral part of understanding how to approach kinematics problems for AP Physics C. These relationships can help you read and understand a graph, and they can help you solve for variables when given an equation for one of these quantities.

Projectile motion is one of the keys concepts in physics and can be defined as 2-dimensional kinematic motion in which an object is launched at a certain angle giving the object motion in both the x and y directions. These problems are important to physics because they encapsulate concepts from kinematics and a key concept…

In the study of motion in physics, there are five kinematics equations that can be used to solve problems involving constant acceleration. They are: V = Vo + at d = 1/2*(Vo + V)*t d = Vo*t + 1/2*at^2 d = V*t – 1/2*at^2 V^2 = Vo^2 + 2ad Notice that each equation contains exactly…

In physics, a situation or formula can be evaluated by its dimensions (i.e. Length[L], Time[T], Mass[M], etc). Dimensional analysis, as it is called, checks to see if the dimensions of a formula are balanced on each side. This method of evaluation can be useful because it ensures both sides of an equation have matching units.…

Newton’s First Law of Motion reads “An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.” This is where we get the idea of inertia: an object’s tendency to keep on its current course…

Among their many applications, capacitors are often used as short-term energy storage elements in electronic systems. When a capacitor charges in a simple series RC (resistor-capacitor) circuit, the energy stored in the capacitor increases as it charges and the resistor dissipates energy as the capacitor charging current passes through it. Series resistance is present in…

In this problem, we will work on projectile motion. It is important in these types of problems to look at the given quantities and find the appropriate kinematic equation(s) to relate those to the quantity you are looking for. A diagram can help with this.

Waves have the unique property that they can simultaneously exist in the same place. When two waves occupy the same space, their functions are added together. When waves have opposite signed values when they pass through each other, they cancel out. This is known as destructive interference. When waves have same signed values when they…

Have you wondered why an apple hits the ground when it falls from a tree but why the moon does not hit the earth? In this tutorial, we will look at different types of motion under gravity.