Kinematics
The study of describing motion without considering the forces that cause it.
MIT workbook: pages 9-17
Mechanics
Kinematics
Newton's Laws
Work, Energy, Power
Momentum & Impulse
Rotational Motion
Satellite Motion
Periodic Motion
Growth & Decay
Motion Concepts
Kinematic Equations & Calculus
Projectile Motion
Vectors
Relative Velocity
Newton's Laws & Force Analysis
Multiple-Body Systems & Pulleys
Elevator Problems
Circular Motion & Banked Turns
Dot Product & Work Basics
Work by Forces
Power & Efficiency
Conservative Forces & Energy
Linear Momentum & Collisions
2D Collisions & Ballistic Pendulum
Static Equilibrium
Rotational Kinetic Energy
Rotational Dynamics
Rotational Kinematics
Angular Momentum
Torque & Cross Product
Rotational Inertia
Gravitational Force & Energy
Gravitational Fields & Circular Orbits
Kepler's Laws
Elliptical Orbits & Conservation
Escape Velocity & Binary Systems
SHM Kinematics & Graphs
SHM Dynamics & Energy
Spring Systems
Pendulum Motion
Air Resistance & Falling Objects
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AP Physics C self-study roadmap
AP Physics C: Mechanics Roadmap
Free AP Physics C Mechanics lessons covering kinematics, Newton's laws, work and energy, momentum, rotational motion, satellite motion, and periodic motion. Follow the interactive roadmap to master each topic.
For self-study, complete this Mechanics roadmap before Electricity & Magnetism. It gives you the standard AP Physics C sequence from motion and force analysis through energy, momentum, rotation, gravitation, and simple harmonic motion.
What is included
- Topics
- 8
- Lessons
- 32
- Videos
- 107
Core topics
Newton's Laws
The three fundamental laws that describe the relationship between forces acting on a body and its motion.
MIT workbook: pages 23-47
Work, Energy, Power
The study of energy transfer, storage, and transformation in mechanical systems.
MIT workbook: pages 63-85
Momentum & Impulse
The study of momentum conservation and collision dynamics in mechanical systems.
MIT workbook: pages 101-121
Rotational Motion
The study of objects rotating about an axis, including torque, angular momentum, and rotational dynamics.
MIT workbook: pages 131-163
Satellite Motion
The study of gravitational forces and orbital mechanics for satellites and planetary motion.
MIT workbook: pages 181-195
Periodic Motion
The study of oscillatory motion including simple harmonic motion, springs, and pendulums.
MIT workbook: pages 205-219
Growth & Decay
The study of exponential processes in physics, particularly air resistance effects on falling objects.
no practice problems
Lesson index
These direct lesson links give students, search engines, and AI answer systems a clear path to the learning material behind the interactive roadmap.
- Motion Concepts
Fundamental concepts of motion description including vectors, displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
- Kinematic Equations & Calculus
Mathematical derivations of kinematic equations using graphical and calculus-based approaches.
- Projectile Motion
The motion of objects launched into the air under the influence of gravity alone.
- Vectors
Fundamental concepts of motion description including vectors, displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
- Relative Velocity
Understanding how velocities appear different from different reference frames.
- Newton's Laws & Force Analysis
Fundamental application of Newton's three laws to analyze forces and motion.
- Multiple-Body Systems & Pulleys
Analysis of systems with multiple connected objects and pulley systems.
- Elevator Problems
Application of Newton's laws to objects in accelerating reference frames like elevators.
- Circular Motion & Banked Turns
Analysis of objects moving in circular paths, including banked curves and friction considerations.
- Dot Product & Work Basics
Mathematical foundation of vector dot products and basic work concepts.
- Work by Forces
Calculation of work done by both constant and varying forces.
- Power & Efficiency
The rate of energy transfer and the efficiency of mechanical systems.
- Conservative Forces & Energy
Understanding path-independent forces and their relationship to potential energy.
- Linear Momentum & Collisions
Conservation of momentum in collision processes and momentum fundamentals.
- 2D Collisions & Ballistic Pendulum
Advanced collision analysis including two-dimensional collisions and ballistic pendulum systems.
- Static Equilibrium
Conditions for rotational and translational equilibrium in static systems.
- Rotational Kinetic Energy
Energy associated with rotational motion and its applications.
- Rotational Dynamics
Application of Newton's second law to rotational motion and torque analysis.
- Rotational Kinematics
Description of rotational motion using angular displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
- Angular Momentum
Conservation of angular momentum and its applications in rotational systems.
- Torque & Cross Product
Mathematical description of torque using vector cross products.
- Rotational Inertia
Resistance to rotational motion and methods for calculating moment of inertia.
- Gravitational Force & Energy
Newton's law of universal gravitation and gravitational potential energy.
- Gravitational Fields & Circular Orbits
Gravitational field concepts and analysis of circular orbital motion.
- Kepler's Laws
The three fundamental laws governing planetary and satellite motion.
- Elliptical Orbits & Conservation
Analysis of non-circular orbits using energy and angular momentum conservation.
- Escape Velocity & Binary Systems
Minimum speed needed to escape gravitational influence and multi-body orbital systems.
- SHM Kinematics & Graphs
Mathematical description of simple harmonic motion and its graphical representation.
- SHM Dynamics & Energy
Forces causing harmonic motion and energy transformations in oscillating systems.
- Spring Systems
Analysis of spring-mass systems including equivalent spring constants and complex configurations.
- Pendulum Motion
Oscillatory motion of pendulum systems and their period calculations.
- Air Resistance & Falling Objects
Analysis of motion when air resistance creates velocity-dependent forces.