First Principles
Physics.
A complete AP Physics 1 course for the student who wants to actually understand the material — not just memorize equations and hope for the best on exam day.
Start with Unit 1 → or see the full curriculumBuilt on why, not
just what.
Most physics courses teach you the equations and hope the intuition comes later. First Principles Physics flips that order. Every concept is built from the ground up — so by the time you're plugging numbers into \(v^2 = v_0^2 + 2a\Delta x\), you know exactly why that equation exists, where it came from, and what it will and won't tell you.
Derivations, not memorization
Every equation shows its work. You'll see where each formula comes from — not to torture you with extra math, but so the formula sheet on exam day feels like old friends, not a wall of symbols.
Real problems, explained honestly
25 problems per unit at three difficulty levels, all with complete worked solutions. No skipping the "left as an exercise" steps. Every mistake the solution makes gets flagged, not hidden.
Aligned to the 2024 CED
Content maps directly to the College Board's AP Physics 1 framework, including the new 2024 topics on fluids. Free-response problems are written in the exact format of the released exam.
Every topic on the
AP Physics 1 exam.
Click any unit below to open the full lesson, formula reference, study guide, three worksheets, complete solutions, common mistakes guide, and tutor's corner.
Kinematics
Vectors, displacement, velocity, acceleration, kinematic equations, free fall, projectile motion, reference frames.
Forces & Translational Dynamics
Newton's three laws, free-body diagrams, friction, tension, normal forces, inclined planes, Atwood machines.
Work, Energy & Power
Work-energy theorem, kinetic and potential energy, conservation of energy, springs, power, energy bar charts.
Linear Momentum
Impulse, conservation of momentum, elastic and inelastic collisions, center of mass, explosion problems.
Torque & Rotational Dynamics
Angular kinematics, torque, moment of inertia, rotational Newton's second law, rolling motion, static equilibrium.
Energy & Momentum of Rotating Systems
Rotational kinetic energy, angular momentum, conservation of angular momentum, rotational collisions.
Oscillations
Simple harmonic motion, springs, pendulums, period and frequency, energy in oscillations, sinusoidal functions.
Fluids
Density, pressure, buoyancy, Archimedes' principle, continuity, Bernoulli's equation (new for 2024).
Nine sections.
Nothing missing.
Each of the eight units follows the same comprehensive format. Whether you're cramming the night before a test or building understanding over a semester, you know exactly where to find what you need.
The Lesson
A 2500+ word deep-dive explanation with worked examples, starting from an intuitive hook and building to full mastery.
Formula Reference
Every equation with variables defined, units labeled, and a plain-English note on when to use it and when not to.
Study Guide
A one-page printable that fits on your desk. Five key concepts, key equations, top traps, problem-solving checklist.
Worksheet A · Foundation
Ten scaffolded problems that build from basic concept checks to moderate application. Start here.
Worksheet B · AP Style
Ten problems in the exact format of the real AP exam: multiple choice, short free response, and extended FRQs.
Worksheet C · Challenge
Five olympiad-level problems for students aiming at a 5, or who just enjoy the harder stuff.
Complete Solutions
All 25 problems solved in full, with reasoning shown, key insights flagged, and common errors called out explicitly.
Common Mistakes
Eight specific errors students make on this unit — wrong approach, correct approach, why it happens, practice problem.
Tutor's Corner
The pedagogical perspective: what separates a 4 from a 5, the question that reveals true understanding, exam-day strategy.
Three ways
to use this.
Preparing for the AP exam
Work through units in order throughout the year, or jump to the unit you're currently studying in school. The study guide and practice problems double as review the night before a test.
Learning physics outside a classroom
No teacher required. Each unit is self-contained and reads like a book. Worked examples replace classroom lectures; common mistakes replace the trial-and-error of a pop quiz.
Supplementing your course
Use the worksheets as homework, the study guides as review sheets, and the tutor's corners to seed class discussions. Problems are aligned to the 2024 CED and map cleanly onto a one-year syllabus.
Ready to start?
Begin with kinematics.
Unit 1 lays the foundation for every problem you'll meet for the rest of the course. Open the first page, read the bullet-paradox hook, and discover why falling objects don't care how fast they're moving sideways.
Open Unit 1 →