AP Physics C

Summer Packet

Dear future AP Physics Student:

Welcome to the wonderful world of real physics. In an effort to make the most of our limited time together next year is it essential that you come to class the first day of school ready to go with some basic skills in place. Things like scientific notation, graphing, graphical analysis, dimensional analysis and metric system conversions are just a handful of the things that you need to know going into this course. Since most of you are very well up on these topics you should have little problem with these exercises in this packet. There are also a few mechanics topics in here that are addressed at the PreAP level, things to get us going strongly into the first few weeks of the course like linear motion graphing and calculations, along with projectile problems and some other basic concepts and problems. You will likely recognize some of the problems from class this year.

The packet includes brief notes on most topics. I encourage you to use these notes, each other, your parents, textbooks and the internet as resources. Feel free to email me at and I will be happy to assist in any way that I can. Like you, however, I have some activities this summer that may keep me from being able to reply to you immediately, but I will get back to you.

If you are on top of things, I estimate that this packet will require between 5 - 10 hours of your time this summer. I would strongly recommend that you do this packet a week or two before you return next fall. It will not do you very much good to do it right now and then forget everything over the summer. That kind of misses the point of doing this. Do not wait until a day or two before school. Your classmates last year learned that the hard way.

If you lose this packet you can find all of the worksheets on my website under AP Physics / Summer Assignment or directly at

Details:

Due: 1st day of class.

Graded?: Yes, for accuracy and completion.

Counts as: A Test grade.

Show/explain your work unless the solution is intuitively obvious to the most casual observer.

Contents:

  1. Cover sheet (this page)
  2. Scientific notation and sig-figs
  3. Graphical analysis and the linearization of data
  4. Dimensional analysis and SI units
  5. Linear motion notes, graphing exercises, problems
  6. Motion graphing
  7. Projectile problems
  8. 2-D forces
  9. Uniform circular motion: Notes, practice
  10. Impulse/momentum and collisions
  11. Work, energy and conservation

Your diligent efforts on this material will go a long way to ensuring success in physics next year and on your AP exam.

We have had a great year! I look forward to another with you.

Sincerely,

Mr. Boehringer