2021

AP Physics C:
®

Mechanics
Free-Response Questions
Set 2

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 ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS C TABLE OF INFORMATION
CONSTANTS AND CONVERSION FACTORS
Proton mass, m p 1.67 – 10 27 kg Electron charge magnitude, e 1.60 – 10 19 C
Neutron mass, mn 1.67 – 10 27 kg 1 electron volt, 1 eV 1.60 – 10 19 J
Electron mass, me 9.11 – 10 31 kg Speed of light, c 3.00 – 108 m s
Universal gravitational
Avogadro’s number, N 0 6.02 – 10 23 mol 1
constant,
G 
6.67 – 10 11 N<m 2  kg 2
Acceleration due to gravity
Universal gas constant, R 8.31 J (mol <K)
at Earth’s surface, g 9.8 m s2
Boltzmann’s constant, k B 1.38 – 10 23 J K
1 unified atomic mass unit, 1u 1.66 – 10 27 kg 931 MeV c 2
Planck’s constant, h 6.63 – 10 34 J <s 4.14 – 10 15 eV <s
hc 1.99 – 10 25 J <m 1.24 – 103 eV < nm
Vacuum permittivity, e0 
8.85 – 10 12 C2 N < m 2 
Coulomb’s law constant, k 1  4 pe0  
9.0 – 109 N< m 2  C2
Vacuum permeability, m0 4 p – 10 7 (T <m) A
Magnetic constant, k „ m0  4 p  1 – 10 7 (T< m) A
1 atmosphere pressure, 1 atm 1.0 – 105 N m 2 1.0 – 105 Pa

meter, m mole, mol watt, W farad, F

kilogram, kg hertz, Hz coulomb, C tesla, T
UNIT second, s newton, N volt, V degree Celsius, ’C
SYMBOLS
ampere, A pascal, Pa ohm, W electron volt, eV
kelvin, K joule, J henry, H

PREFIXES VALUES OF TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS FOR COMMON ANGLES

D
Factor Prefix Symbol q 0 30D 37D 45D 53D 60D 90D
109 giga G sin q 0 12 35 2 2 45 3 2 1
106 mega M cos q 1 3 2 45 2 2 35 12 0
103 kilo k tan q 0 3 3 34 1 43 3 ‡
10 2 centi c
10 3 milli m The following assumptions are used in this exam.
10 6 micro m I. The frame of reference of any problem is inertial unless otherwise
stated.
10 9 nano n II. The direction of current is the direction in which positive charges
10 12 pico p would drift.
III. The electric potential is zero at an infinite distance from an isolated
point charge.
IV. All batteries and meters are ideal unless otherwise stated.
V. Edge effects for the electric field of a parallel plate capacitor are
negligible unless otherwise stated.
 ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS C EQUATIONS

MECHANICS ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM

Ãx Ãx 0  a x t a = acceleration G 1 q1q2 A = area
E= energy FE B = magnetic field
1 2 4pe0 r 2
x x0  Ãx 0 t  at F = force C = capacitance
2 x G
f = frequency G FE d = distance
Ãx2 Ãx 0  2 a x  x  x0 
2
E
h = height q E = electric field
G G I = rotational inertia e emf
=
G
a
ÇF Fnet
J = impulse G G Q F = force
m m
K = kinetic energy vÔ E < dA e0 I = current
G G k = spring constant J = current density
dp dV
F A = length Ex  L = inductance
dt dx
L = angular momentum A = length
G G G G G
J m= mass n
Ô F dt Dp
P = power
DV  Ô E <dr = number of loops of wire
per unit length
G G p = momentum N = number of charge carriers
p mv 1 q
G G
r = radius or distance V
4pe0 Ç rii P = power
per unit volume
T = i
F f … m FN period
t = time Q = charge
G G 1 q1q2
U= potential energy UE qV q = point charge
DE W Ô F <dr 4pe0 r R = resistance
v = velocity or speed
1 2 r = radius or distance
K mà W= work done on a system Q
2 x = DV t = time
position C
m = coefficient of friction U = potential or stored energy
dE k e0 A V = electric potential
P q = angle C
dt d
t = torque v = velocity or speed
G G r = resistivity
P F <v w = angular speed Cp
a = angular acceleration
Ç Ci F = flux
i
DUg mg Dh f = phase angle k = dielectric constant
G G 1 1 G G G
Fs k D x Cs
ÇC FM qv – B
Ã2 i i
ac w2r G G
r
G G G
Us
1
k  Dx 
2
I
dQ vÔ < d A m0 I
B
2 dt
t r –F G
x xmax cos( wt  f
G m0 I d A – r
G G 1
QDV
1
C  DV 2 dB
G Çt t net UC 4p r 2
a 2 2
I I 2p 1 G G G
T rA
w f R F Ô A–B
I d
2 2 A
I Ô r dm Ç mr
m G G Bs m0 nI
Ts 2p E rJ
k
Ç mi xi G G
x cm I Nevd A FB Ô B < dA
Ç mi Tp 2p
A
g G G
à rw DV d FB
G I e vÔ < d A
E 
G Gm1m2 R dt
G G G FG
L r – p Iw r2 Rs Ç Ri dI
e L
1 2 Gm1m2 i dt
K Iw UG 
2 r 1 1 1 2
ÇR UL LI
Rp i i 2
w w0  at

1 2 P I DV
q q0  w0 t  at
2
 ADVANCED PLACEMENT PHYSICS C EQUATIONS

GEOMETRY AND TRIGONOMETRY CALCULUS

Rectangle A = area df d f du
A bh C = circumference dx du dx
V = volume
Triangle d n
S = surface area x  nx n  1
1 dx
A bh b = base
2 d ax
h = height e  aeax
Circle  = length dx

A pr2 w = width d 1
ln ax 
r = radius dx x
C 2p r s = arc length d
s rq q = angle dx
>sin ax @ a cos ax 
Rectangular Solid
d
V wh dx
>cos ax @  a sin ax 
Cylinder s
r n 1 n 1
V pr 
2
q
Ôx dx
n 1
x , n › 1

ax 1 ax
S 2p r   2p r 2
Ôe dx e
a
Sphere
dx
4 3 Ôxa ln x  a
V pr
3
1
S 4p r 2 Ô cos ax dx a
sin ax 

1
Right Triangle Ô sin ax dx  cos  ax 
a
a 2  b2 c2
VECTOR PRODUCTS
a  
sin q
c A B AB cos q
c  
b a A–B AB sin q
cos q
c q 90°
b
a
tan q
b
 AP® Physics C: Mechanics 2021 Free-Response Questions

Begin your response to QUESTION 1 on this page.

PHYSICS C: MECHANICS
SECTION II
Time—45 minutes
3 Questions

Directions: Answer all three questions. The suggested time is about 15 minutes for answering each of the questions,
which are worth 15 points each. The parts within a question may not have equal weight. Show all your work in this
booklet in the spaces provided after each part.

1. Students design an experiment using blocks of adjustable mass to investigate friction using the setup shown. Block 1 of
initial mass 0.44 kg is placed on a rough horizontal surface and connected by a string to block 2 of initial mass 0.20 kg.
The string extends over a pulley that has negligible mass and friction.
(a) Calculate the minimum value of the coefficient of static friction ms that would keep the two-block system at
rest.

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 AP® Physics C: Mechanics 2021 Free-Response Questions

Continue your response to QUESTION 1 on this page.

The coefficient of friction is such that when block 2 is released from rest, block 1 travels across the surface.
The acceleration a of each block is recorded with motion detectors 1 and 2, as shown in the figure. The data
for the motion detectors as functions of time t are shown on the graphs. For each motion detector, the positive
direction is away from the detector.

(b) On the dots below, which represent the blocks, draw and label the forces (not components) that act on each
block. Each force must be represented by a distinct arrow starting on, and pointing away from, the dot.

(c) Calculate the coefficient of kinetic friction mk between block 1 and the table.

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mk
 AP® Physics C: Mechanics 2021 Free-Response Questions

Continue your response to QUESTION 1 on this page.

(d) Careful measurements determine that the coefficient of kinetic friction is larger than the value calculated in
part (c). Does the following explanation sufficiently account for the observed discrepancy?

“The horizontal table was not perfectly level before the experiment was conducted. The observed difference in
the angle accounts for the difference in the expected and calculated values of mk .”

_____Yes _____ No

Justify your answer.

The experiment is moved to a surface with negligible friction and run for eight trials. In each trial, the students
vary the masses m1 and m 2 of blocks 1 and 2, respectively, while keeping the total mass (m1 + m 2) = 0.64 kg
constant. The data for the acceleration a of block 1 as a function of m 2 are shown on the graph below.

(e)

i. Draw a best-fit line for the data points.

ii. Using the straight line, calculate an experimental value for the acceleration due to gravity g .

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(
AP® Physics C: Mechanics 2021 Free-Response Questions

Continue your response to QUESTION 1 on this page.

(f) The students lift the left end of the surface so that the surface is inclined at an angle to the horizontal, and
the experiment for m 2 = 0.20 kg is repeated. Would the acceleration of the system be greater than, less
than, or equal to the acceleration of the system in the original experiment?
_____ Greater than _____ Less than _____ Equal to

Justify your claim.

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 AP® Physics C: Mechanics 2021 Free-Response Questions

Begin your response to QUESTION 2 on this page.

2. Object A is a long, thin, uniform rod of mass M and length 2L that is free to rotate about a pivot of negligible
friction at its left end, as shown above.

(a) Using integral calculus, derive an expression to show that the rotational inertia IA of object A about the
4
pivot is given by ML 2 .
3

Object B of total mass M is formed by attaching two thin, uniform, identical rods of length L at a right angle
to each other. Object B is held in place, as shown above. Express your answers in part (b) in terms of L .

(b) Determine the following for the given coordinate system shown in the figure.

i. The x -coordinate of the center of mass of object B

ii. The y -coordinate of the center of mass of object B

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AP® Physics C: Mechanics 2021 Free-Response Questions

Continue your response to QUESTION 2 on this page.

Object B has a rotational inertia of IB about its pivot.

(c) Is the value of IB greater than, less than, or equal to IA ?

_____ Greater than _____ Less than _____ Equal to

Justify your answer.

Object B is released from rest and begins to rotate about its pivot.

(d) On the axes below, sketch graphs of the magnitude of the angular acceleration a and the angular speed w
of object B as functions of time t from the time it is released to the time its center of mass reaches its lowest
point.

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AP® Physics C: Mechanics 2021 Free-Response Questions

Continue your response to QUESTION 2 on this page.

(e) While object B rotates from the horizontal position down through the angle q shown above, is the
magnitude of its angular acceleration increasing, decreasing, or not changing?
_____ Increasing _____ Decreasing _____ Not changing

Justify your answer.

Object B rotates through the position shown above.

(f) Derive an expression for the angular speed of object B when it is in the position shown above. Express your
answer in terms of M , L , IB , and physical constants, as appropriate.

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 AP® Physics C: Mechanics 2021 Free-Response Questions

Begin your response to QUESTION 3 on this page.

3. A block of mass m is placed on top of an ideal spring of spring constant k . The block is pushed against the spring,
compressing the spring a distance ∆x . The block is released from rest, leaves the spring at the position shown in the
figure, travels upward, and enters a track with a constant radius of curvature R that has negligible friction. The block
enters the track at point A, maintains contact with the track, and exits horizontally at point B, a distance 3R above the
point the block was released. The block then falls to the ground and lands a horizontal distance D from the end of the
track. Express all algebraic answers in terms of m, k , ∆x , R, and physical constants, as appropriate. The size of the
block is much smaller than the radius of curvature of the track.
(a) On the dot below, which represents the block, draw and label the forces (not components) that act on the
block while still in contact with the track at point B. Each force must be represented by a distinct arrow
starting on, and pointing away from, the dot.

Justify your choice of vectors.

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A
B
AP® Physics C: Mechanics 2021 Free-Response Questions

Continue your response to QUESTION 3 on this page.

(b)

i. Derive an expression for the speed v of the block at point B.

ii. Derive an expression for the magnitude of the net force F on the block at point B.

(c) Derive an expression for the minimum value of Δx min required in order for the block to maintain contact
with the track through point B.

The procedure is repeated several times with the distance Δx > Δx min .

(d) Calculate the distance D that the block travels.

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AP® Physics C: Mechanics 2021 Free-Response Questions

Continue your response to QUESTION 3 on this page.

(e) The graph below shows the best-fit line drawn by the students through their data of D as a function of Δx .

i. Explain why there are no data for section I of the graph.

ii. Explain the reason for the shape and minimum value of section II on the graph.

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AP® Physics C: Mechanics 2021 Free-Response Questions

STOP

END OF EXAM

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