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Omniguides by NOX
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Force and Translational Dynamics

Find these readings by topic

This earlier reading list remains available with its complete tasks. The current book places these resources in the following topic chapters:

  • Forces and interactions →

    Choose a system, identify its interactions, and use force diagrams to explain equilibrium or acceleration.

  • Circular motion and gravitation →

    Explain curved motion using real radial forces and connect gravitational fields with circular orbits.

  • Oscillations →

    Explain restoring-force motion, connect its graphs and energy, and use measurements to test an oscillator model.

Choose systems and use interaction forces to explain changes in translational motion.

Use the sections below to build the models in this unit. The AP course lessons provide topic-specific instruction and practice; companion readings offer additional explanations and original interactive quizzes.

  1. 2.1 Systems and Center of Mass ↗

    Choose what belongs inside your model, then locate the mass-weighted position of the system.

  2. 2.2 Forces and Free-Body Diagrams ↗

    Draw only the real interactions on your selected object, then use components in the equations.

  3. 2.3 Newton’s Third Law ↗

    Match force pairs to two objects, understand internal cancellation, and distinguish ideal from massive ropes.

  4. 2.4 Newton’s First Law ↗

    Recognize translational equilibrium in resting and moving systems, and test forces component by component.

  5. 2.5 Newton’s Second Law ↗

    Connect a system’s external force sum to center-of-mass acceleration and test the dependence on mass.

  6. 2.6 Gravitational Force ↗

    Connect universal gravitation, local field strength, real weight, apparent weight, and two meanings of mass.

  7. 2.7 Kinetic and Static Friction ↗

    Choose the friction model from relative surface motion, not from whether the whole object is moving.

  8. 2.8 Spring Forces ↗

    Measure the relaxed length, interpret a restoring-force graph, and distinguish spring force from total force.

  9. 2.9 Circular Motion ↗

    Resolve radial and tangential acceleration, identify the real inward forces, and connect circular orbits to Kepler’s third law.

Put the unit together

The unit practice ends with 14 additional problems. Build the diagrams and explain the model before checking the separate reasoning and scoring criteria.

Try the added unit problems → · Worked solutions and rubrics →

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