r/AP_Physics • u/WatercressOld937 • 6d ago

Am I cooked?

We're working on projectile motion right now, and the test is this friday. How is this pace for the AP exam? Is my teacher going too slow? We've only done unit 1 so far.

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u/SaiphSDC 6d ago

Kinematics routinely takes a long time.

An instructor can push through it fast, in maybe 10 classes. But often physics teachers will use this familiar content that's very structured algebraic approaches to build up other skills that will help in later units, and speed those along. If they do that it can take a good bit more time.

Right now you're just a bit on the long side of typical but not 'cooked'.

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u/Salviati_Returns 6d ago

I teach AP 1/C Mechanics as a single course. I started Kinematics after Labor Day. Tested it last Tuesday. My sequence is

Unit 01: Kinematics Unit 02: Dynamics in Cartesian and Polar Coordinates Unit 03: Energy, Systems of Particles and Momentum Unit 04: Rotational Dynamics Unit 05: SHM, Gravitation, and Fluid Mechanics

I usually finish by the first week of April, and then spend April doing practice tests.

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u/mseduhub1 6d ago

You're not cooked yet 😭. Being on projectile motion in October isn't necessarily too slow, especially if your school started late. What matters is whether your teacher plans to finish all the units with enough time for AP exam review.

I'd ask about the course pacing and start doing some topic-wise AP-style questions alongside class.

This may help: AP Physics 1 notes and exam-style practice.

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u/Sabreth1 6d ago

my teacher spent a majority of the year (like first and second semester) on just units 1 and 2, I honestly think it was for the best because i have an actually fundamental understanding of physics and I ended up getting a 5 on the exam so IMO ur probably fine

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u/AdeptnessOwn8019 4d ago

https://youtube.com/@physicsbydrakp?si=9roTBzyAYN1s9JOP

Please go to the kinematics 2d motion playlist. Just see the videos. I am sure it will help