2022 AP Physics C: Mechanics Exam Guide

6 min read•december 6, 2021

AP Physics C: Mechanics ⚙️

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Your guide to the 2022 AP Physics C: Mechanics exam

We know that studying for your AP exams can be stressful, but Fiveable has your back! We have created a study plan that will help you crush your Physics C Mechanics exam. We will continue to update this guide with more information about the 2022 exams, as well as helpful resources to help you score that 5. Create a Fiveable account and join Hours 🤝 to stay involved in all things AP exams! 😁

Format of the 2022 AP Physics C: Mechanics exam

Section 1: Multiple Choice (50% of score)

35 questions to complete in 45 minutes

Section 2: Free Response (50% of score)

3 questions to complete in 45 minutes

When is the 2022 AP Physics C Mechanics exam and how do I take it?

The exam date is Tuesday, May 10, 2021, at 12 pm, your local time—this will be a paper test at your school.

How should I prepare for the exam?

First, download the AP Physics C: Mechanics Cram Chart PDF - a single sheet that covers everything you need to know at a high level. Take note of your strengths and weaknesses!
Review every unit and question type, and focus on the areas that need the most improvement and practice. We’ve put together this plan to help you study between now and May. This will cover all of the units and essay types to prepare you for your exam
Join Hours 🤝to talk to real students just like you studying for this exam!

Pre-work: set up your study environment

Before we begin, take some time to get organized. Remote learning can be great, but it also means you’ll need to hold yourself accountable more than usual.

🖥 Create a study space.

Make sure you have a designated place at home to study. Somewhere you can keep all of your materials, where you can focus on learning, and where you are comfortable. Spend some time prepping the space with everything you need and you can even let others in the family know that this is your study space.

📚 Organize your study materials.

Get your notebook, textbook, prep books, or whatever other physical materials you have. Also, create a space for you to keep track of review. Start a new section in your notebook to take notes or start a Google Doc to keep track of your notes. Get yourself set up!

📅 Plan designated times for studying.

The hardest part about studying from home is sticking to a routine. Decide on one hour every day that you can dedicate to studying. This can be any time of the day, whatever works best for you. Set a timer on your phone for that time and really try to stick to it. The routine will help you stay on track.

🏆 Decide on an accountability plan.

How will you hold yourself accountable to this study plan? You may or may not have a teacher or rules set up to help you stay on track, so you need to set some for yourself. First set your goal. This could be studying for x number of hours or getting through a unit. Then, create a reward for yourself. If you reach your goal, then x. This will help stay focused!

🤝 Get support from your peers.

There are thousands of students all over the world who are preparing for their AP exams just like you! Join Hours 🤝 to chat, ask questions, and meet other students who are also studying for the spring exams. You can even build study groups and review material together!

AP Physics C: Mechanics 2022 Study Plan

🚗 Unit 1: Kinematics

Everybody can see motion! However, motion is more than just moving. Motion is made up of a few different parts. For example, how can you describe the position of your body in relation to time? How can you tell that an object is faster than another? These are some of the questions physicists ask when studying kinematics. This is a major part of the course as the rest of AP Physics C: Mechanics has some sort of foundation within this unit.

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🚀 Unit 2: Newton's Laws of Motion

Now that you understand motion, you ask yourself: what causes these things to move in the first place? A certain guy named Isaac Newton developed many theorems and laws that help explain how certain things move and stop. In this unit especially, you will need to learn how his three laws describe the relationship between an object's motion and the forces it interacts with. Plus, in this unit, you will get to know about how circular motion plays a role in movement. You will need a good understanding of this unit to successfully learn other units in this course.

📖Read these Fiveable study guides