If you need to know it, it’s in this book! Cracking the AP Physics C Exam, 2012 Edition, includes:

A thorough review of mechanics, electricity, and magnetism.

Detailed explanations for sample multiple-choice and free-response questions.

2 full-length practice tests with detailed explanations.

Updated strategies that reflect the AP test scoring change.

Introduction xi

1 VECTORS 1

 Introduction 1

 Definition 1

 Vector Addition (Geometric) 2

 Scalar Multiplication 3

 Vector Subtraction (Geometric) 3

 Standard Basis Vectors 4

 Vector Operations Using Components 5

 Magnitude of a Vector 6

 Direction of a Vector 6

 The Dot Product 7

 The Cross Product 9

2 KINEMATICS 13

 Introduction 13

 Position, Distance, and Displacement 13

 Speed and Velocity 15

 Acceleration 17

 Uniformly-Accelerated Motion and the Big Five 20

 Kinematics with Graphs 22

 Free Fall 28

 Projectile Motion 30

 Chapter 2 Review Questions 33

 Kinematics Summary 36

3 NEWTON'S LAWS 39

 Introduction 39

 The First Law 40

 The Second Law 40

 The Third Law 40

 Weight 41

 The Normal Force 43

 Friction 44

 Pulleys 46

 Inclined Planes 49

 Uniform Circular Motion 50

 Chapter 3 Review Questions 55

 Newton's Laws Summary 61

4 WORK, ENERGY, AND POWER 63

 Introduction 63

 Work 64

 Kinetic Energy 67

 The Work-Energy Theorem 68

 Potential Energy 69

 Conservation of Mechanical Energy 70

 Potential Energy Curves 73

 Power 77

 Chapter 4 Review Questions 79

 Work, Energy, and Power Summary 84

5 LINEAR MOMENTUM 85

 Introduction 85

 Impulse 86

 Conservation of Linear Momentum 88

 Collisions 89

 Center of Mass 93

 Chapter 5 Review Questions 99

 Linear Momentum Summary 103

6 ROTATIONAL MOTION 105

 Introduction 105

 Rotational Kinematics 106

 The Big Five for Rotational Motion 109

 Rotational Dynamics 111

 Torque 111

 Rotational Inertia 115

 Kinetic Energy of Rotation 121

 Work and Power 125

 Angular Momentum 127

 Conservation of Angular Momentum 129

 Equilibrium 130

 Chapter 6 Review Questions 133

 Rotational Motion Summary 138

7 LAWS OF GRAVITATION 141

 Kepler's Laws 141

 Newton's Law of Gravitation 142

 The Gravitational Attraction Due to an Extended Body 144

 Gravitational Potential Energy 150

 A Proof of Equation (*) 151

 Orbits of the Planets 155

 Chapter 7 Review Questions 158

 Laws of Gravitation Summary 161

8 OSCILLATIONS 163.

 Introduction 163

 Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM): The Spring-Block Oscillator 163

 The Kinematics of SHM 169

 The Spring-Block Oscillator: Vertical Motion 173

 The Sinusoidal Description of SHM 176

 Pendula 179

 Chapter 8 Review Questions 182

 Oscillations Summary 187

9 ELECTRIC FORCES AND FIELDS 189

 Electric Charge 189

 Coulomb's Law 190

 The Electric Field 194

 Conductors and Insulators 201

 Gauss's Law 202

 Chapter 9 Review Questions 211

 Electric Forces and Fields Summary 217

10 ELECTRIC POTENTIAL AND CAPACITANCE 219

 Introduction 219

 Electrical Potential Energy 220

 The Potential of a Sphere 229

 The Potential of a Cylinder 233

 Chapter 10 Review Questions 244

 Electric Potential and Capacitance Summary 250

11 DIRECT CURRENT CIRCUITS 251

 Introduction 251

 Electric Current 252

 Electric Circuits 254

 Resistance-Capacitance (RC) Circuits 268

 Chapter 11 Review Questions 273

 Direct Current Circuits Summary 277

12 MAGNETIC FORCES AND FIELDS 279

 Introduction 279

 The Magnetic Force on a Moving Charge 280

 The Magnetic Force on a Current-Carrying Wire 283

 Magnetic Fields Created by Current-Carrying Wires 287

 The Biot-Savart Law 290

 Ampere's Law 292

 Chapter 12 Review Questions 298

 Magnetic Forces and Fields Summary 303

13 ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION 305

 .Introduction 305

 Motional EMF 306

 Faraday's Law of Electromagnetic Induction 308

 Inductance 319

 Max'well's Equations 324

 Chapter 13 Review Questions 326

 Electromagnetic Induction Summary 333

14 SOLUTIONS TO THE CHAPTER REVIEW QUESTIONS 335

15 THE PRINCETON REVIEW AP PHYSICS C PRACTICE EXAM 1 421

16 AP PHYSICS C PRACTICE EXAM 1 : ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS 457

17 THE PRINCETON REVIEW AP PHYSICS C PRACTICE EXAM 2 485

18 AP PHYSICS C PRACTICE EXAM 2: ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS 521

About the Authors 549

Index 551