Format of Standards

After three different versions, Ive settled on a format for my standards

that uses the following model:
Learning Objective

Proficiency Indicator #1 (could be written as I can

statement)
Proficiency Indicator #2 (could be written as I can
statement)
Proficiency Indicator #3 (could be written as I can
statement)

Students receive feedback on proficiency indicators and are expected

to be able to demonstrate competency on all of them. A score on the
learning objective is based on how well students do on the proficiency
indicators. I do not track how they do on each proficiency indicator.
Instead, the learning objectives act as bins, grouping together similar
indicators.
For example, to show proficiency or mastery of Conservation of
Momentum, students must be able to show proficiency on any of the
following:
Conservation of Momentum and Collisions

Recognize systems in which momentum is conserved.

Identify types of collisions (elastic, inelastic, explosions, etc.)

based on information given.

Identify states of the system to compare.

Setup and solve conservation of momentum problems.

Discuss the consequences of conservation of momentum on the

behavior of a system.

Generalize conservation of momentum to more than one

dimension.

The class structure incorporates more difficult proficiency indicators as

students learn, so scores on a particular learning objective will
fluctuate during the course. By the end of the course, students will
have had numerous opportunities to demonstrate proficiency or
mastery of the learning objective.

If you have any feedback or questions about the contents of this

document, feel free to get in contact with me.
physics.carp@gmail.com
@physicscarp
Brian Carpenter

AP Physics C: Mechanics Standards (2013 14 School Year)

Lab Standards
Experimental Procedure

Make predictions based on theoretical knowledge

Design the experiment to investigate effect of independent
variable on dependent variable
Identify and minimize sources of uncertainty in experimental
design

Experimental Analysis

Produce informative and clear graphs

Linearize data as needed
Identify type of mathematical model
Write specific form of mathematical model
Interpret and discuss the physical meaning of the mathematical
model

Momentum Unit
Note: I am likely going to incorporate Momentum Bar Charts and Vector
Diagrams into Conservation of Momentum.
Momentum and Impulse

Calculate momentum and impulse

Relate the change in momentum to the impulse applied
Discuss the consequences of a delivered impulse to the
subsequent motion of an object.
Relate the impulse delivered to the area under an F vs. t graph.

Conservation of Momentum and Collisions

Recognize systems in which momentum is conserved.

Identify types of collisions (elastic, inelastic, explosions, etc.)
based on information given.
Identify states of the system to compare.
Setup and solve conservation of momentum problems.
Discuss the consequences of conservation of momentum on the
behavior of a system.
Generalize conservation of momentum to more than one
dimension.

Momentum Bar Charts and Vector Diagrams

Draw and interpret momentum bar charts to track the

momentum changes of a system.
Draw and interpret momentum vector diagrams to track the
momentum changes of a system.

Energy Unit
Energy

Identify the ways in which energy is stored in a system

Calculate the amount of energy in each storage mode or
properties of the system when given the amount of energy
Discuss how changes in the amount of energy stored in each
mode manifest as changes in the behavior/properties of the
system

Work

Solve problems involving the work done on a system by both

constant and variable forces
Identify the direction of the energy transferred via work.
Explain under what conditions the work done on a system is zero.

Conservative Forces

Identify whether a force is conservative or not

Relate the force law for a conservative force to its potential
energy function
Sketch and interpret the potential energy diagram of a
conservative force

Conservation of Energy

Identify whether or not energy is conserved for a system

Identify states of a system in order to relate their energy content
to one another
Solve conservation of energy problems
Discuss how energy conservation plays a role in determining the
behavior/properties of the system
Use energy bar charts as a representation of conservation of
energy

Power

Solve problems involving the power output of a system

Relate the power output to the integral of a force vs. time graph

Kinematics and Forces Unit

Accelerated Motion

Draw and interpret graphs of kinematic quantities (position,

velocity and acceleration vs. time)
Solve problems involving constant acceleration
Relate the kinematic quantities to one another through calculus
Treat kinematic quantities as vectors accordingly

Newtons Laws of Motion

Draw and interpret free-body diagrams.

Solve both static and dynamic force problems
Use Newtons Laws of Motion to describe qualitatively the motion
of an object
Identify and relate pairs of forces that arise from Newtons 3rd
Law
Using known force laws (gravity, friction, etc.), calculate the
magnitude of those forces.

Circular Motion

Identify the centripetal force acting on an object.

Qualitatively discuss the effects of changing the mass, radius or
velocity of an object moving in UCM
Analyze and solve problems involving uniform circular motion

Projectile Motion

Model the horizontal and vertical motion of a projectile using

constant velocity and constant acceleration models
Analyze and solve projectile motion problems
Qualitatively discuss the properties of an projectiles motion

Rotational Motion Unit

Rotational kinematics

Identify rotational quantities (displacement, velocity,

acceleration) and their sign

Solve problems involving constant rotational acceleration

Relate the rotational quantities to one another via calculus

Center of Mass

Determine the center of mass of a system of discrete particles

Determine the center of mass of a system for a continuous
distribution of mass
Relate the movement of the particles within a system to the
behavior of the center of mass of the system

Rotational Inertia

Determine the moment of inertia for a system of discrete

particles
Determine the moment of inertia for a continuous distribution of
mass
Discuss how the moment of inertia is related to the distribution
of mass in a system

Torque

Discuss how the torque is related to r, F and the angle between

them and how changes in any of these affect the torque
Calculate the torque acting on an object
Determine the direction of the torque using the right-hand rule

Static Equilibrium

Identify the conditions for static equilibrium.

Solve problems involving systems that are in translational and
rotational equilibrium.

Rotational Dynamics

Recognize systems that are rotationally dynamic.

Apply Newtons 2nd Law to solve problems of rotational dynamics.

Angular Momentum

Calculate the magnitude and direction of angular momentum for

systems of particles and rigid rotating objects
Apply conservation of angular momentum to systems of particles
and rigid rotating objects

Gravitation Unit

Gravitation

Calculate properties of a system using Newtons Law of Universal

Gravitation
Explain how gravitational effects scale with changes in mass,
radius, etc.
Determine the effective weight of an object

Orbital Mechanics

Analyze systems of orbiting objects in the context of the laws of

physics in order to determine properties of the system and/or
explain the behavior of the system.

Oscillation Unit
Differential Equations

Identify an equation as a differential equation.

Write a differential equation for a physical system.
Solve a differential equation by separation of variables.

Springs & Pendulums

Identify a spring/pendulum system as undergoing simple

harmonic motion.
Analyze the behavior of a spring/pendulum system and calculate
properties of the system.
Model a physical system correctly as a mass-spring oscillator or
pendulum.
Identify properties of an oscillating system from a graph of its
position, velocity or acceleration versus time.