AP®︎ Physics 1: Topic 2.1 Practice Test

Prepare for your quiz, test, or the AP exam with focused practice questions on Topic 2.1 of AP Physics 1 – Systems and Center of Mass.

Questions List

Topic 2.1

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Q2
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Q10
Q11
Q12
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Q14

Question 1 Easy

Figure
A book rests on a table that stands on the floor, as shown. The system is the book.

Which of the following lists all the interactions that are external to the system?
AThe gravitational interaction between Earth and the book; the interaction between the table and the book; the gravitational interaction between Earth and the table; the interaction between the floor and the table.
BThe interaction between the table and the book.
CThe interaction between the table and the book; the interaction between the floor and the table.
DThe gravitational interaction between Earth and the book; the interaction between the table and the book.

What You’re Being Tested On:

Explore the learning objectives taken directly from the College Board’s AP® Physics 1 Curriculum. Ensure you’re prepared for the exact topics covered on the AP® exam, in-class tests, and quizzes, and gain confidence in your mastery of the material.

Topic 2.1: Systems and Center of Mass

Boundary Statements official exam scope notes

  • AP Physics 1 only expects students to calculate the center of mass for systems of five or fewer particles arranged in a two-dimensional configuration or for systems that are highly symmetrical.

Learning Objective: 2.1.A

Describe the properties and interactions of a system.

Essential Knowledge: 2.1.A.1

System properties are determined by the interactions between objects within the system.

Essential Knowledge: 2.1.A.2

If the properties or interactions of the constituent objects within a system are not important in modeling the behavior of the macroscopic system, the system can itself be treated as a single object.

Essential Knowledge: 2.1.A.3

Systems may allow interactions between constituent parts of the system and the environment, which may result in the transfer of energy or mass.

Essential Knowledge: 2.1.A.4

Individual objects within a chosen system may behave differently from each other as well as from the system as a whole.

Essential Knowledge: 2.1.A.5

The internal structure of a system affects the analysis of that system.

Essential Knowledge: 2.1.A.6

As variables external to a system are changed, the system’s substructure may change.

Learning Objective: 2.1.B

Describe the location of a system’s center of mass with respect to the system’s constituent parts.

Essential Knowledge: 2.1.B.1

For systems with symmetrical mass distributions, the center of mass is located on lines of symmetry.

Essential Knowledge: 2.1.B.2

The location of a system’s center of mass along a given axis can be calculated using the equation x⃗cm=∑mix⃗i∑mi\vec{x}_{cm} = \frac{\sum m_i\vec{x}_i}{\sum m_i}

Essential Knowledge: 2.1.B.3

A system can be modeled as a singular object that is located at the system’s center of mass.

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