WELCOME TO AP PHYSICS!!!
School Year 2013-2014
My name is Mrs. Turner and I will be your AP Physics teacher next school year. As the school year comes to an end, I
wanted to supply you with information about class for next school year. AP Physics is a fun, interesting, and
challenging class and I am looking forward to sharing it with you. I have an assignment for you to complete over the
summer so that we can get a jump-start on the material. It includes watching several videos on the computer through
Khan Academy and Hypocampus, taking some notes, working a few problems, and creating a set of flash cards.
I am available by email if you have any questions on the assignments. You may also wish to meet with others that
have signed up for the class so you can work on the assignment together. There will be a quiz the first week of class
so please make sure you understand the material. The Summer Bridge Program is also available, where we will be
going over any questions you may have. If you are interested in attending this program, please contact the IB/AP
Office before the end of the school year to sign up.
AP PHYSICS SUMMER ASSIGNMENT
Please Note: This assignment is a requirement, and is NOT for extra credit!
1.
2.
First, View and Take Notes on the following set of video lessons:
a. www.khanacademy.org
 Click on “Browse Our Library”
 Under “Science & Economics”, click on “Physics”
 Click on “One-Dimensional Motion”
 View all individual sections in “Displacement, velocity and time” and “Acceleration”
o As you are viewing these sections, write down all the formulas and definitions you
encounter.
o If you do not understand, replay and watch again. You will be using this knowledge to
answer questions later in the assignment.
 Return to the Physics menu and click on “Two-Dimensional Motion”
 View only the first section “Visualizing Vectors in Two Dimensions”
o As you are viewing these sections, write down all the formulas and definitions you
encounter.
o If you do not understand, replay and watch again. You will be using this knowledge to
answer questions.
Next, View and Take Notes on the second set of video lessons:
a. www.hypocampus.org
 Under “Browse Subjects” click on “Physics”
 Under “NROC Collection” click on “Physics B for AP”
 View the first 5 sections under “Kinematics”. These will contain problems you need to answer to
progress through these videos. If you click on “Motion in One Dimension”, it will run you
through all 5 videos. Do not go on to “Motion in Two Dimensions”
3. Go to school website and printout the Equation Sheet (Or you can email me and I will send it to you.)
a. Make flashcards for each of the formulas listed under “NEWTONIAN MECHANICS”
Use 3x5 Index Cards
Cards should have the initial variable on the front and the remaining equation on the back… For
Example: v= (on the front); vo + at (on the back)
3.
Print out and complete the motion problems listed below.
Please feel free to stop in and see me before the end of the school year with any questions that you may have or email
me this summer if you would like to meet for some additional help. You can reach me at
jturner20@cherrycreekschools.org. Once you have opened and printed out the summer homework,
please email me. I would like to start an email list for all those who are registered for AP Physics.
AP PHYSICS – SUMMER ASSIGNMENT
Welcome to AP Physics. Many of you have a background in Physics through EPS or Honors
Physics. For others, this may be your first experience. AP Physics is different from other Physics
classes because it requires you to understand the concepts behind different topics, then use this
knowledge to solve problems which combine multiple topics.
Although equation sheets are available for Free Response problems on the AP Exam, you must
memorize the equations in order to be successful in the Multiple Choice Section. Below is the
first page of the AP Physics B equation sheet . Please use this to create flashcards for all the
equations under NEWTONIAN MECHANICS. (See instructions on the previous page.) You do
not need to create flashcards for the variable definitions (i.e. a = acceleration), only the equations
themselves. Where there are multiple equations for one variable (for example: J = FΔt = Δp),
create two cards: J = FΔt and J = Δp. There should be 23 in all.
Also attached is a sheet of practice motion problems. After you have reviewed the videos detailed
on the previous page and taken notes, please print out and complete these problems. Remember
to always show your work.
Both Problems and Flashcards will be checked on the first day of class. No late assignments will
be accepted and a quiz covering the material in the videos will be given the first week of class.
Once again, if you have any problems with this assignment, please email me and I can answer any
questions or meet with you to go over the problems. Do not wait until the day before school
starts to complete this assignment. The entire assignment, including flash cards, should take you
no longer than 3-3 ½ hours, but work on it a little at a time and it won’t seem so overwhelming.
AP Physics – Summer Assignment - Motion Problems:
1. A car moves 100 meters to the west, then 30 meters to the north, then 27 meters to the east,
and finally 15 meters to the south.
a. What distance did the car travel?
b. What is the car’s final displacement?
2. A ball is thrown straight up into the air at an initial velocity of 32 m/s. How long will it be
in the air before it returns to the spot it was thrown?
3. A car is traveling at 17 m/s. The driver hits the breaks and the car comes to a stop in 5.2
seconds.
a. What is the acceleration of the car (negative)?
b. How far does the car travel before it stops?
4. A rock is dropped from a 120 meter cliff.
a. How long before it reaches the bottom of the cliff?
b. How fast will it be traveling when it hits the bottom?
5. A car traveling at 25 m/s can come to a stop after traveling 342 m. If the car is traveling at
40 m/s, how far must it travel to stop, assuming the same acceleration? (hint: calculate the
acceleration for the first car, then use it to calculate distance for the second car).
6. An automobile moving along a straight road passes an observer who records a speed of 20
m/s. A second observer 100 m from the first records a speed of 30 m/s.
a. What is the acceleration of the car? (hint: use the equation without time)
b. How long did it take to travel from the first observer to the second observer?