On average, you will have 1.8 minutes for each multiple choice question. Episode 31 outlines the best strategies for finding the right answer!
On average, you will have 1.8 minutes for each multiple choice question. Episode 31 outlines the best strategies for finding the right answer! Rule out incorrect choices with signage (1:32), know your key words (1:50), know your graphing shortcuts (3:36), and identify the system (4:42).
Question of the Day (6:03) You flip the page and see a graph of force vs time. What should your first thought be?
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Hi and welcome to the APsolute RecAP: Physics 1 Edition. Today’s episode will focus on test taking tips and strategies. Specifically, responding to multiple choice style questions.
Let’s Zoom out:
Unit – Testing Tips
Topic - 1.1 - 7.4
Big Idea – All
Den nah nah naaaaaaah Den nah nuh nuhhhhhh (humming The Final Countdown) “It’s the final countdown!”. Listening to this podcast by no means will substitute reviewing content and doing practice problems. My goal is simply to offer some strategies and tips to reduce stress by maximizing test taking efficiency.
Let’s Zoom in:
The AP Physics 1 exam is 3 hours long. The first hour and a half is for you to complete 50 multiple choice questions. The last five of those will require you to select two correct answer choices from the available four. The other 45 questions have one correct answer choice and three incorrect choices.
Like all multiple choice tests, ruling out choices is as important as coming up with the correct choice. Noticing when two options are negative and the others are positive, or when two increase while the other choices decrease are good ways to help you narrow the options.
You want to quickly determine the content you are being asked to apply so that you can get to work solving. The best way to get good at this is a thorough knowledge of the content, but knowing key words can also be very helpful. For example, if you recognize there is a collision that occurs, you will want to use momentum and impulse. Objects moving in circles will also be easy to identify and you should immediately be thinking about centripetal force. If an object changes its height, or speed, or if a spring is involved, these could be tips that you should be thinking about work and energy. For any oscillating objects, you should be thinking simple harmonic motion.
The next tip I have for you is to KNOW YOUR GRAPHS!!! Pay attention to the axes on any graphs presented, and you can bet there will be a few. When you read the axes, your rolodex of physics concepts should be flipping through each topic that could be useful. For example graphs of position, velocity, or acceleration vs time could tip you off to use kinematics, but they could also be asking about momentum or simple harmonic motion. Read the question, and determine which is appropriate. THE most important graphs to be comfortable with are the kinematic graphs just mentioned, force vs. time, and force vs. position. Knowing what those graphs can tell you will be the BIGGEST time saver you can utilize. If you see Force vs Time, you should be finding the area bound and setting it equal to the momentum change. If you see force vs position then you can set the area bound equal to the energy change. That is HUGE when being asked to find how fast an object is now going after being subjected to a force.
Another useful bit of info is to pay attention to the system identified in the question. If the earth is not a part of the system, then there cannot be gravitational potential between the earth and the other object. Also, KNOW YOUR CONSERVATION LAWS. Energy is conserved unless work is done on the system. Energy at the start plus work done on the system equals the energy at the end. For momentum, any momentum change is due to an impulse or an external force times the time.
The final tip I can offer you is that you need to know what your weaknesses are. Some of my students hate the “derive an equation” type questions because they suck up a ton of their time. If that’s the case, then skip those type of questions and come back if you have additional time at the end. Why waste your valuable time on questions you already don’t feel confident on? Play to your strengths. You don’t need to earn every point available to do well.
To Recap…
On average you will have 1.8 minutes for each multiple choice question. You want to stay focused and work quickly and with purpose. And, for gosh sakes, KNOW YOUR GRAPHS!
Coming up next on the APsolute RecAP Physics 1 Edition, we continue preparing for the exam and discuss the Free Response Questions section.
Today’s Question of the Day focuses on a test taking tip outlined in this week’s episode.
Question:
You flip the page and see a graph of force vs time. What should your first thought be?