ScienceOne semester of calculus-based college physics

AP Physics C: Mechanics

Calculus-based mechanics covering kinematics, Newton's laws, work and energy, momentum, rotation, and oscillations.

AP Physics C: Mechanics is equivalent to a one-semester, calculus-based, college-level physics course, especially appropriate for students planning to specialize or major in physical science or engineering. The course explores topics such as kinematics, Newton's laws of motion, work, energy, power, linear momentum, circular motion, rotation, oscillations, and gravitation. Calculus is used throughout the course.

$65
Single 90-minute lesson
$49.50
Lowest rate per lesson
50 lessons
Full syllabus, 75 hours
Prices and optionsRequest a tutor
Course Introduction

Why AP Physics C: Mechanics Matters

A qualifying score on the AP Physics C: Mechanics Exam can earn college credit or placement. Each college sets its own policy, so check the score your colleges ask for.

Required for engineering and physics majors
Most rigorous high school physics course
Demonstrates readiness for college-level STEM
Direct preparation for university physics sequences
College Equivalent

University Physics I (Mechanics) - Calculus-Based

Required/Recommended for Majors
PhysicsEngineering (all disciplines)AerospaceMechanical EngineeringCivil EngineeringApplied PhysicsAstrophysics
Exam Format

The AP Physics C: Mechanics course and exam were revised recently. Check the current sections, timing and weighting on College Board's AP course pages.

Scored 1–5. Hybrid digital: multiple-choice in Bluebook, free responses handwritten in a paper booklet.

AP Physics C: Mechanics course units

The units of the College Board course. Lessons follow them in the order your class takes them.

Unit 1
Kinematics
Motion in one and two dimensionsCalculus-based description of motionProjectile motion
Unit 2
Force and Translational Dynamics
Newton's lawsFree-body diagramsResistive forcesCircular motion and gravitation
Unit 3
Work, Energy, and Power
Work as an integralConservative forces and potential energyConservation of energyPower
Unit 4
Linear Momentum
ImpulseCenter of massConservation of momentumCollisions
Unit 5
Torque and Rotational Dynamics
Rotational kinematicsTorqueRotational inertiaRotational equilibrium
Unit 6
Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems
Rotational kinetic energyAngular momentum and its conservationRolling
Unit 7
Oscillations
Simple harmonic motionSprings and pendulumsEnergy in oscillating systems

How lessons approach Physics C: Mech

Understanding the concepts, and answering the exam's questions the way they are scored.

Conceptual Understanding
Building deep knowledge that lasts
  • Connect physical intuition with mathematical formalism
  • Understand when to use calculus vs. algebra approaches
  • Visualize motion before writing equations
  • Practice setting up integrals for moment of inertia
Exam-Specific Strategies
Techniques that maximize your score
  • Master quick derivative and integral calculations
  • Practice all 4 FRQs within the 1 hour 35 minute section
  • Know common moment of inertia derivations
  • Learn to check answers using dimensional analysis

Past papers and practice exams

Practice exams in the current exam format are reviewed afterwards, and the errors set the work for the next lessons.

Past papers

Released AP Physics C: Mechanics free-response.

  • Full-length practice exams in the current exam format
  • Emphasis on calculus-based derivations in FRQs
  • Detailed analysis of mathematical approach

How a practice exam is used

  1. 1
    Sit a full practice exam
    Timed, section by section
  2. 2
    Review the errors
    With your tutor, by unit and question type
  3. 3
    Targeted practice
    On the units and question types that cost points
  4. 4
    Repeat
    Before the exam

AP Physics C: Mechanics: lessons, prices and how to start

One-to-one lessons are 90 minutes, live online. Prices are set per program, so they are the same for every AP subject.

AP Physics C: Mechanics one-to-one tutoring packages
Single lesson$65Per lesson: $65Buy a lesson
10 lessons$630Per lesson: $63Buy package
20 lessons$1,200Per lesson: $60Buy package
Full syllabus · 50 lessonsLowest rate75 hours · or 2 payments of $1,350 ($2,700 in all)$2,475Per lesson: $49.50Buy packageor pay in 2

Group options

All 2026–27 AP groups are full; 2027–28 places are on sale. The AP Physics C: Mechanics group course is $1,755 or 3 payments of $585, 75 hours of teaching in 50 lessons, in classes of at most 6. Three or more of you can buy places in a private group at the same price.

Enroll in the AP Physics C: Mechanics group Buy a place in a private AP Physics C: Mechanics group

How do you start?

Request a free intro call: it is a conversation about your goals and timeline, not a lesson or a test. There is no separate diagnostic test for AP, because no single test stands in for a school syllabus. The first lesson does the assessment: your tutor works through your recent marked work and past-paper questions from your own specification, and reads where you stand. It is a normal paid lesson, not a free trial, and it teaches as it assesses.

Request a free intro call

Refunds

Not satisfied after your first private lesson? Full (100%) refund. Not satisfied after the first week of your group course? Full (100%) refund. No score is guaranteed. Full terms.

Every AP priceAll AP subjects

AP Physics C: Mechanics — Frequently Asked Questions

What college credit does AP Physics C: Mechanics carry?
One semester of calculus-based college physics. Credit policies are set by each university rather than by the College Board, so confirm the score your target schools require before choosing which exams to sit.
What does AP Physics C: Mechanics cover?
The course is organized into 7 units: Kinematics, Force and Translational Dynamics, Work, Energy, and Power, Linear Momentum, Torque and Rotational Dynamics and 2 more. Our tutoring follows the same order, so what you cover with a tutor lines up with what your class is doing.
What college course is AP Physics C: Mechanics equivalent to?
University Physics I (Mechanics) - Calculus-Based. That is the level the exam is written to, which is why a strong AP score is treated as evidence you can handle first-year university work in the subject.
Which majors is AP Physics C: Mechanics useful for?
It is most relevant to Physics, Engineering (all disciplines), Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering and 3 more. It is worth taking if it is either required for your intended major or the strongest subject you can show, since a high score in a demanding subject carries more weight than a safe pass in an easy one.