2023 AP Daily: Practice Sessions
AP Physics C: Mechanics
Session 1 – MCQ
1. A ball initially moves horizontally with velocity 𝑣𝑖 , as shown above. It is then struck by
a stick. After leaving the stick, the ball moves vertically with a velocity 𝑣𝑓 , which is
smaller in magnitude than 𝑣𝑖 .
Which of the following vectors best represents the direction of the average force that
the stick exerts on the ball?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
#4 from the 1993 AP Physics C Mechanics exam, multiple choice section
2. An object having an initial momentum that may be represented by the vector above
strikes an object that is initially at rest. Which of the following sets of vectors may
represent the momenta of the two objects after the collision?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
3. An object moving on a horizontal, frictionless surface makes a glancing collision with
another object initially at rest on the surface. In this case which of the following is true
about momentum and kinetic energy?
A. Momentum is always conserved, and kinetic energy may be conserved.
B. Kinetic energy is always conserved, and momentum may be conserved.
C. Momentum is always conserved, and kinetic energy is never conserved.
D. Both momentum and kinetic energy are always conserved.
E. Neither momentum nor kinetic energy is conserved.
QUESTION 2: #31 from the 1998 AP Physics C Mechanics exam, multiple choice section
QUESTION 3: #9 from the 2012 AP Physics C Mechanics exam, multiple choice section
4. An object of mass m is moving with speed vo to the right on a horizontal frictionless
surface, as shown above, when it explodes into two pieces. Subsequently, one piece
of mass (2/5)m moves with a speed vo/2 to the left. The speed of the other piece of
the object is
A. vo/2
B. vo/3
C. 7vo/5
D. 3vo/2
E. 2vo
Refer to the following for questions 5 and 6.
Two pucks moving on a frictionless air table are about to collide, as shown below. The 1.5
kg puck is moving directly east at 2.0 m/s. The 4.0 kg puck is moving directly north at
1.0 m/s.
5. What is the total kinetic energy of the two-puck system before the collision?
A. √13 J
B. 5.0 J
C. 7.0 J
D. 10 J
E. 11 J
6. What is the magnitude of the total momentum of the two-puck system after the
collision?
A. 1.0 kg*m/s
B. 3.5 kg*m/s
C. 5.0 kg*m/s
D. 7.0 kg*m/s
E. 5.5√5 kg*m/s
QUESTION 4: #21 from the 1993 AP Physics C Mechanics exam, multiple choice section
QUESTION 5: #22 and 23 from the 2004 AP Physics C Mechanics exam, multiple choice section
QUESTION 6: #22 and 23 from the 2004 AP Physics C Mechanics exam, multiple choice section
7. If one knows only the constant resultant force acting on an object and the time during
which this force acts, one can determine the
A. change in momentum of the object
B. change of velocity of the object
C. change of kinetic energy of the object
D. mass of the object
E. acceleration
8. A 5 kg object is propelled from rest at time 𝑡 = 0 by a net force F that always acts in
the same direction. The magnitude of F in newtons is given as a function of 𝑡 in
seconds by 𝐹 = 0.5𝑡. What is the speed of the object at 𝑡 = 4𝑠?
A. 0.5 m/s
B. 0.8 m/s
C. 2.0 m/s
D. 4.0 m/s
E. 8.0 m/s
9. A person holds a portable fire extinguisher the ejects 1.0 kg of water per second
horizontally at a speed of 6.0 m/s. What horizontal force in newtons must the person
exert on the extinguisher in order to prevent it from accelerating?
A. 0 N
B. 6 N
C. 10 N
D. 18 N
E. 36 N
QUESTION 7: #17 from the 1993 AP Physics C Mechanics exam, multiple choice section
QUESTION 8: #27 from the 2009 AP Physics C Mechanics exam, multiple choice section
QUESTION 9: #7 from the 2009 AP Physics C Mechanics exam, multiple choice section
10. The graph above shows the force on an object of mass M as a function of time. For
the time interval 0 to 4 s, the total change in the momentum of the object is
A. 40 kg*m/s
B. 20 kg*m/s
C. 0 kg*m/s
D. -20 kg*m/s
E. indeterminable unless the mass M of the object is known
#12 from the 1998 AP Physics C Mechanics exam, multiple choice section