The exam
The AP Physics C: Mechanics exam
AP Physics C: Mechanics Exam Monday, May 3, 2027
Format
| Section | Questions | Time | Share of score |
|---|---|---|---|
| I: Multiple Choice | 42 | 85 minutes | 50% |
| II: Free Response | 4 | 95 minutes | 50% |
A four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator is allowed on both sections of the exam. College Board provides a table of equations on exam day, in Bluebook and on paper.
The 4 free-response questions
- Question 1. Mathematical Routines. Use mathematics to analyze a scenario: derive relationships between variables symbolically, calculate values, and draw a representation, such as a free-body diagram or a velocity graph, that guides or fits the analysis.
- Question 2. Translation Between Representations. Connect representations of one scenario: draw a diagram, derive equations, draw graphs, and then explain whether two of your answers agree or use them to predict a change.
- Question 3. Experimental Design and Analysis. Design a procedure for a typical school lab that varies one quantity and measures its effect on another, then plot given data and use the graph's slope or intercept to answer a question.
- Question 4. Qualitative/Quantitative Translation. Make and justify a claim about a scenario, derive an equation for it, and then show that the two agree or use them to predict what would change.
The four questions appear in this order, one of each type.
Multiple-choice weighting by unit
| Unit | Approximate weighting |
|---|---|
| Unit 1: Kinematics | 10–15% |
| Unit 2: Force and Translational Dynamics | 20–25% |
| Unit 3: Work, Energy, and Power | 15–25% |
| Unit 4: Linear Momentum | 10–20% |
| Unit 5: Torque and Rotational Dynamics | 10–15% |
| Unit 6: Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems | 10–15% |
| Unit 7: Oscillations | 10–15% |
Ranges as printed in College Board's AP Physics C: Mechanics Course and Exam Description.
Past free-response questions
All 20 free-response questions College Board has released for this course from 2023 to 2026, each with a space to write your answer and the scoring guidelines to score it.