AP Physics 1 FRQ Atlas 2015–2026 by Topic
Use released questions as evidence of how AP Physics combines topics and representations. The atlas indexes every historical AP Physics 1 question number from 2015–2019 and 2021–2026 plus the two official 2020-format sample questions. It provides original summaries and topic tags only; it does not reproduce protected question text.
What is the AP Physics 1 FRQ Atlas?
The FRQ Atlas indexes 55 public AP Physics 1 year/question records from 2015–2026 and maps them to the current 43-topic course, while flagging historical material that no longer aligns with current AP Physics 1.
- 55 historical year/question records.
- Current-vs-legacy alignment is explicit.
- No official question text is reproduced.
College Board notes that older released questions do not completely align with the revised course/exam. Questions whose historical content later moved to AP Physics 2 are retained in the year inventory but explicitly marked out of current scope and are not mapped to current-topic practice. The two 2020 records are official format samples, not ordinary released administration questions.
Fountain jet, projectile/flow representations
Connects projectile motion with fluid-flow reasoning and graphical/quantitative translation.
Mathematical RoutinesColliding disks, momentum vectors and center of mass
Links system center of mass, vector momentum and graphical representation.
Translation Between RepresentationsKinetic-friction investigation and linearization
Emphasizes experimental variables, friction modeling, graph construction and slope interpretation.
Experimental Design & AnalysisSpinning tops, rotational inertia and rotational energy
Combines rotational inertia, work-energy and qualitative/quantitative comparison.
Qualitative / Quantitative TranslationMoving cart, dropped block and collision energy
Combines momentum/collision reasoning with translational kinetic-energy accounting.
Mathematical RoutinesRamp, spring compression and energy representations
Connects force/spring behavior, energy conservation and representation translation.
Translation Between RepresentationsMeterstick balance and torque experiment
Applies torque, equilibrium, measurement design and uncertainty.
Experimental Design & AnalysisSubmerged block, buoyancy and fluid density
Connects density, buoyancy, Newton’s laws and qualitative/quantitative reasoning.
Qualitative / Quantitative TranslationLooped track, energy and circular-motion forces
Connects conservation of energy with radial force reasoning and representations.
Translation Between RepresentationsOscillating cart, spring experiment and force/velocity graphs
Strong connection among spring force, SHM, experimental design and graphs.
Experimental Design & AnalysisHinged beam, support force and rotational motion
Combines torque, equilibrium and rotational kinematics.
Qualitative / Quantitative TranslationPendulum comparison, work and elastic restoring behavior
Connects gravitational context, work/energy and oscillator period reasoning.
Qualitative / Quantitative TranslationElastic collision, center of mass and position graph
Links collisions, momentum, center-of-mass motion and graphical reasoning.
Mathematical RoutinesSpring-cart oscillation and energy graphs
Useful for SHM representations and oscillator-energy transfer.
Translation Between RepresentationsCart on incline and gravitational-acceleration experiment
Links kinematics, dynamics and experimental determination of gravitational acceleration.
Experimental Design & AnalysisBlock-spring system rotating about an axle
Connects circular motion, centripetal-force reasoning, spring force and free-body diagrams.
Legacy released FRQFalling block, pulley and angular acceleration
Connects linear acceleration, torque and rotational Newton’s second law.
Mathematical RoutinesRod-sphere rotating system and kinetic energy
Links rotational kinematics, inertia and energy.
Translation Between RepresentationsTwo-block pulley system with a spring
Cross-unit practice involving kinematics, forces, spring behavior, work and energy.
Legacy released FRQPlanet-moon gravitational-force comparison
Connects universal gravitation, force vectors and free-body diagrams.
Legacy released FRQRotational-inertia experiment with falling mass
Strong experimental connection to rotational inertia and torque.
Experimental Design & AnalysisCollision comparisons and momentum vectors
Useful for vectors, momentum, collisions and representation translation.
Translation Between RepresentationsSpring-mass oscillation and position-time graph
Connects SHM period, spring constant and graphical analysis.
Mathematical RoutinesRamp launch, projectile distance and velocity graph
Links kinematics equations, projectile motion and graph interpretation.
Mathematical RoutinesPlastic-rod stretching investigation
Legacy experimental-design question useful for procedure, variables, data and evidence reasoning; some material is outside the current AP Physics 1 topic map.
Experimental Design & AnalysisDisk-block collision, impulse and momentum conservation
Connects impulse, momentum and collision reasoning.
Qualitative / Quantitative TranslationRolling cylinder compared with a sliding block
Connects rotational/translational energy, rolling motion and work-energy reasoning.
Legacy released FRQTwo blocks connected to rotating pulleys
Connects tension, torque, angular acceleration and rotational dynamics.
Legacy released FRQConical pendulum, circular motion and pendulum representations
Official College Board 2020-format sample spanning force components, circular motion, pendulum graphs and torque. It is a sample question, not presented here as a normal released administration FRQ.
Official 2020 sampleVertical spring, system energy and oscillation graph
Official College Board 2020-format sample connecting system choice, mechanical energy, spring force and oscillation representations.
Official 2020 sampleCollision, center of mass and angular-momentum change
Cross-unit connection among momentum, center of mass and rotational quantities.
Translation Between RepresentationsAtwood-style dynamics and force analysis
Strong Newton’s-second-law and free-body-diagram connection.
Mathematical RoutinesSpring launcher and projectile experiment
Connects spring behavior, projectile motion and experimental design.
Experimental Design & AnalysisHistorical AP Physics 1 Question 4 — content later moved to AP Physics 2
Kept in the complete historical inventory, but do not use it as current AP Physics 1 topic practice.
Legacy / now out of current scopeHistorical AP Physics 1 Question 5 — content later moved to AP Physics 2
Kept for completeness; its tested content is not part of the current AP Physics 1 course.
Legacy / now out of current scopeOrbiting spacecraft and circular-motion derivation
Direct connection to gravitation, circular motion and orbital period.
Mathematical RoutinesHistorical AP Physics 1 Question 2 — content later moved to AP Physics 2
Retained in the year inventory but excluded from current-topic recommendations.
Legacy / now out of current scopeDisk spinning about an axle
Connects rotational motion, torque and angular-acceleration reasoning.
Legacy released FRQHistorical AP Physics 1 Question 4 — content later moved to AP Physics 2
Retained for historical completeness; not current AP Physics 1 topic practice.
Legacy / now out of current scopeCollision with spring and oscillation-period comparison
Cross-unit momentum, spring and SHM connection.
Mathematical RoutinesHistorical AP Physics 1 Question 1 — content later moved to AP Physics 2
Included in the complete historical inventory but not mapped to a current AP Physics 1 lesson.
Legacy / now out of current scopeStatic-friction coefficient experiment
Direct experimental connection to static friction and graph/data analysis.
Experimental Design & AnalysisDisk-rod collision and angular momentum
Direct connection to angular momentum and rotational collision reasoning.
Qualitative / Quantitative TranslationEnergy comparison and projectile transfer
Cross-unit work-energy and projectile-motion connection.
Qualitative / Quantitative TranslationHistorical AP Physics 1 Question 5 — content later moved to AP Physics 2
Included for year-by-year completeness, not as current AP Physics 1 practice.
Legacy / now out of current scopeRolling wheel, ramp and rotational dynamics
Direct connection to rolling, torque and linear-angular relationships.
Mathematical RoutinesCollision-testing experiment for a ball
Legacy experimental-design practice connecting collision measurements, energy and evidence quality.
Experimental Design & AnalysisCart track and velocity-graph translation
Strong motion-representation and graph interpretation connection.
Translation Between RepresentationsHistorical AP Physics 1 Question 4 — content later moved to AP Physics 2
Retained for historical inventory completeness only.
Legacy / now out of current scopeHistorical AP Physics 1 Question 5 — content later moved to AP Physics 2
Retained for historical inventory completeness only.
Legacy / now out of current scopeAtwood system, free-body diagrams and acceleration
Direct dynamics, system and force-diagram connection.
Mathematical RoutinesHistorical AP Physics 1 Question 2 — content later moved to AP Physics 2
Included in the complete year inventory but not recommended for current AP Physics 1 topic practice.
Legacy / now out of current scopeSpring compression, rough track and energy graph
Connects spring force/energy, friction and energy representations.
Qualitative / Quantitative TranslationDropped versus horizontally launched projectile
Direct projectile-motion and representation connection.
Translation Between RepresentationsHistorical AP Physics 1 Question 5 — content later moved to AP Physics 2
Included for historical completeness and explicitly excluded from the current topic map.
Legacy / now out of current scopeReleased FRQ connections by current topic
Each row links back to the current lesson so released practice strengthens topical authority rather than becoming an isolated archive.