
For more information, please see full course syllabus of AP Physics C: Mechanics
AP Physics C: Mechanics Conservation of Energy
As we learned before, the calculation of how much force exerted to move an object a certain distance is measured in energy. Energy has a law that it must follow, and it’s a law that is rather tricky to recognize. Energy is always conserved no matter what the situation. Analogous to chemistry when dealing with chemical equations, whatever you put in must also come out energy-wise. If you slide a box along a table, you have potential energy in you that is being converted into kinetic energy from the box. An essential thing to remember with this concept is that some energy will be lost to physical elements such as heat. We call these elements work that is not conserved when writing out our work summation equations. And with that, we have completed another major category in mechanics, and can move on to the next one—power.
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1 answer
Mon Oct 29, 2018 10:38 AM
Post by Magic Fu on October 29, 2018
For example 11, the integral of 1/(2+x) should be ln(2+x).
1 answer
Sat Dec 19, 2015 7:40 AM
Post by Jim Tang on December 18, 2015
for example 13 part D, shouldn't it be 1/2 mvT^2 - mgy?
2 answers
Last reply by: Jim Tang
Sat Dec 19, 2015 8:31 PM
Post by Jim Tang on December 18, 2015
on example 9, why did you choose that point for Kf and Uf? doesn't it still have some distance to the right to finish? was it just how the diagram was set up?
1 answer
Sat Dec 19, 2015 7:34 AM
Post by Jim Tang on December 18, 2015
on example 8, doesn't andy still have some gravitational potential energy after he slides down the mudslide? how do you know all of it is transferred to kinetic?
2 answers
Last reply by: Micheal Bingham
Tue Mar 17, 2015 8:50 PM
Post by Micheal Bingham on March 13, 2015
Hi for example XI AP Free Response 2003, I looked at the scoring guidelines, why is it not acceptable to place 2 photogates at x = 0 and x= 2 meters for the experiment? Why must 2 photogates be placed at x =2 ?
2 answers
Sun Jan 11, 2015 3:28 PM
Post by Carolyn Diamond on January 11, 2015
For example 11, why/how is kinetic energy being converted into spring potential energy? Also, is there spring potential energy at the beginning of the experiment, the end of the experiment, or both?
2 answers
Sun Dec 7, 2014 4:10 PM
Post by Thadeus McNamara on December 7, 2014
40:10 explain how the height is h + xsintheta.
I thought the height would just be h
1 answer
Fri Nov 21, 2014 6:29 AM
Post by Zhengpei Luo on November 20, 2014
In the example of bungee jump, before certain point in the air, the rope is not taut at all I think.
But there is no way to calculate that point here in this problem.
1 answer
Fri Nov 21, 2014 6:28 AM
Post by Zhengpei Luo on November 20, 2014
on Ap physics C, should we still use mgh to represent potential energy? Or we use the other one