AP Physics 1 Practice Questions

5 free AP Physics 1 practice questions with worked answers. Tap an option to check your answer and read the explanation — then get a personalized study plan.

Question 1Pressure

A tube contains a volume of water and a volume of mercury as shown in the figure above. Both ends of the tube are open. Points A and B are at the same level and points C and D are at the same level. The distance between points A and B and the surface of the liquids are shown. Which of the following correctly relates the gauge pressures at the points shown? The density of the water is 1,000 kg/m³ and the density of the mercury is 13,600 kg/m³.

A U-shaped tube with water on the left side and mercury on the right side. Points A and B are at the same level in the water, and points C and D are at the same level in the mercury. The height difference between the water and mercury levels is 0.15 m for water and 0.01 m for mercury.

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Question 2Motion of Orbiting Satellites

A satellite is in a circular orbit around the earth and moves at a constant speed. If the height of the orbit above the surface of the earth increased (and the orbit remained circular) the kinetic energy of the satellite would

A diagram showing a satellite in a circular orbit around the Earth with a labeled height $h_0$ above the Earth's surface.

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Question 3Newton's Second Law

A person is standing in an elevator which is accelerating upwards. Which of the following is true of the person’s apparent weight?

A diagram of a person standing in an elevator with an arrow pointing upwards labeled with acceleration $a$.

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A different way to practise

This short set is scored adaptively and keeps its own count. It's separate from the 5 free AP Physics 1 questions on this page, which carry on below.

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Question 4Displacement, Velocity, and Acceleration

A block is sliding on an incline with negligible friction as shown in the figure above. At time $t = 0$ s the block is moving up the incline with a speed of 1.5 m/s. The magnitude of the acceleration of the block is a constant 1.0 m/s² down the incline. At $t = 3$ s, what is the direction of the block’s motion and is the speed increasing or decreasing?

A block on an inclined plane with an initial velocity of 1.5 m/s up the incline and an acceleration of 1.0 m/s² down the incline.

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Question 5Circular Motion

A rock is attached to a 0.4 m long string and is swung through the air so that the path of the rock follows a horizontal circle as shown in the top view figure above. The string makes a 30° angle with the vertical as shown in the side view figure. The rock completes one revolution per second. The speed of the rock is most nearly

Side view: A pendulum with a 0.4 m string making a 30° angle with the vertical. Top view: A rock moving in a horizontal circle.

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