Build a solid AP Physics 1 foundation with 1:1 lessons
One-on-one AP Physics 1 tutoring programme. In a free initial consultation we assess your level and agree the plan and the exact price together. Parents and students are both welcome to reach out.
What is the AP Physics 1 exam?
AP Physics 1 is a high-school course administered by the College Board, equivalent to an introductory algebra-based university physics course. It covers core topics such as Newtonian mechanics, energy, momentum, rotational motion, oscillations and fluids; algebra and basic trigonometry are enough mathematically, and no calculus is required.
The exam has multiple-choice and free-response sections and places strong emphasis on experimental design and conceptual reasoning. Students are expected not only to calculate but also to explain and justify physical situations. It is a solid starting course for students heading into science and engineering.
Why prepare for AP Physics 1 with Studrise?
Exam-focused expert tutors
Every lesson is taught by expert tutors who know the AP Physics 1 format inside out and focus on exam strategy.
A plan built around you
After your level assessment, we build a personal roadmap around your strengths and weak spots.
Flexible 1:1 schedule
Lessons run online and one-on-one on days and times that suit you — no clashes with school.
A clear start
It starts with a free initial consultation: level, plan and price are settled before the programme begins.
How it works
Free initial consultation
A short call and assessment to clarify your current level, your goal and your exam date.
Personal roadmap
We build a topic-by-topic weekly study plan and match you with the right tutor.
Reach your goal with 1:1 lessons
Start one-on-one lessons with your tutor and track progress with regular practice tests.
AP Physics 1 exam format
The AP Physics 1 exam has two sections and takes about 3 hours in total:
Section I: Multiple Choice
40 questions · 1 hour 20 minutes · 50% of the exam score
Section II: Free Response
4 questions (FRQ) · 1 hour 40 minutes · 50% of the exam score
Question types
Experimental design, quantitative-qualitative translation and justification questions
Calculator
A calculator and equation sheet may be used throughout the exam
Exam delivery (2025+)
Hybrid digital: multiple choice in the Bluebook app, free response on paper
AP Physics 1 topics
The topic areas on the exam and their weight. Lessons don't follow this order — we start from the area that will move your score the most.
Kinematics and dynamics (Units 1–2)
28–38%
- Motion in one and two dimensions, graphs, projectiles
- Free-body diagrams and Newton's three laws
- Friction, inclines, connected bodies
- Circular motion and centripetal force
- Gravitation and orbital basics
Energy and momentum (Units 3–4)
28–38%
- Work, kinetic and potential energy, power
- Conservation of energy and energy bar charts
- Impulse and momentum, conservation of momentum
- Elastic and inelastic collisions
- Centre-of-mass motion
Rotation (Units 5–6)
15–23%
- Torque, equilibrium and rotational kinematics
- Moment of inertia and Newton's second law for rotation
- Rotational kinetic energy and rolling
- Angular momentum and its conservation
- Energy and momentum of rotating systems together
Oscillations and fluids (Units 7–8)
15–23% · fluids added in 2025
- Simple harmonic motion: springs and pendulums, period, energy
- Density and pressure, Pascal's principle
- Buoyancy and Archimedes
- Continuity equation and Bernoulli
- The energy approach to fluid problems
AP Physics 1 question types and strategy
Each question type has its own approach. In lessons we work on these strategies alongside the content.
Multiple choice (40 questions, 80 min)
Half the exam. Single-answer items plus some multi-select questions with more than one correct option. A calculator and the equation sheet are allowed throughout.
Two minutes a question. Draw the physical situation first (free-body diagram, energy bar chart, field lines), then pick the equation. In multi-select items judge each option independently as true or false.
Free response (4 questions, 100 min)
Half the exam; four fixed question types: Mathematical Routines: setting up and deriving equations; Translation Between Representations: moving between graphs, diagrams and equations; Experimental Design and Analysis: designing an experiment and interpreting data; Qualitative/Quantitative Translation: linking verbal reasoning to mathematics. Points go to the reasoning shown.
Open every answer with a principle sentence ("Energy is conserved because…"). In experimental design name the independent and dependent variables, controls and instruments; in graph questions state the meaning of the axes and slope.
Scoring and target scores
The AP Physics 1 exam is graded on a 1–5 scale, and a score of 3 or above is generally considered passing. The multiple-choice and free-response sections carry equal weight in the raw score. Many universities grant introductory physics credit for a 3, while selective science and engineering programs ask for a 4 or 5. On free-response questions, clear physical justification is scored, not just the final answer.
AP Physics 1 suits high-school students with an algebra and basic trigonometry foundation who are interested in the sciences. AP exams are held every year in May, so preparation usually spans the school year. Because of the emphasis on conceptual reasoning, practising how to explain situations rather than memorising formulas, along with regular FRQ work, makes a real difference in the final months.
What we cover in AP Physics 1 lessons
Kinematics and Newton's laws of motion
Work, energy and momentum
Circular motion and gravitation
Torque and rotational motion
Simple harmonic motion and fluids
Experimental design and FRQ strategies
What sets the price of AP Physics 1 tutoring?
There is no single list price; the fee depends on the programme. You get a clear quote in the consultation — nothing is added later.
Lessons per week
One, two or three lessons a week — set by the time until the exam and the score gap.
Total duration and package
Lessons are priced as a package; longer programmes lower the per-lesson cost.
Scope
One section (say, Math only) or the whole exam? A narrower scope means a shorter programme.
Tutor and level
The tutor you're matched with and your starting level shape the plan, and therefore the fee.
Adding coaching?
Coaching and application counselling is an optional, separately priced programme.
Every lesson you pay for is 1:1
No crowded classroom, no idle hours. Keep that in mind when comparing with group-course prices.
In the free initial consultation we assess your level, draw up the plan and give you the exact price. No surprises.
The AP Physics 1 exam: format, scoring and the share of 5s
One of the most-taken APs and one with the lowest share of 5s; why, and how to beat it.
AP Physics 1 is equivalent to one semester of algebra-based college physics and, since 2025, includes fluids. The exam is 3 hours: Section I, 40 multiple choice (80 min, 50%), and Section II, 4 free-response questions (100 min, 50%). A calculator and the equation sheet are used throughout.
In recent years only 8–10% of candidates scored a 5 and about 45% a 3 or above. This is not because the content is heavy but because the questions rely on conceptual reasoning rather than plugging numbers into formulas: "which quantity stays constant, and why?" runs against the computation-heavy physics habit of the Turkish curriculum. Still, the students who score 5 every year share one trait: they have learned to open every answer with a principle sentence.
- Prerequisite: algebra, trigonometry and vectors; no calculus. End of grade 10 or grade 11 is ideal.
- Credit: most US universities grant algebra-based physics I credit for a 4–5; engineering schools usually do not, but it still strengthens the transcript.
- Who it is for: pre-med, dentistry, pharmacy, biology, architecture and social-science applicants who want a stronger quantitative profile.
For an engineering goal see AP Physics C: Mechanics; for the comparison see the AP Physics page.
AP Physics 1 study plan (September to May)
Three steps per unit: concept, quantitative solving, FRQ language. Full mocks in the last six weeks.
- September–October: Units 1–2. Kinematics graphs and free-body diagrams; every problem starts with a drawing. Two lessons a week plus three hours of homework.
- November–December: Units 3–4. Energy bar charts and momentum conservation; the idea of choosing the system. First Translation Between Representations FRQs.
- January–February: Units 5–6. Torque and rotation; angular momentum conservation and rolling, rarely seen in the Turkish syllabus. A weekly experimental-design question begins.
- March: Units 7–8. Simple harmonic motion and fluids (the new unit). The habit of using the equation sheet is settled here.
- April–May: mocks. Three full mocks (3 hours), all four FRQ types graded with the rubric, error log; strategy rehearsal for multi-select items.
A student taking physics at school may need one lesson a week plus FRQ practice; starting from scratch or from a weak base, two lessons a week over eight months is realistic.
Round out your AP Physics 1 prep with coaching
Tutoring teaches the material; coaching manages the process. Your Studrise coach brings your study routine, goals and application timeline into one plan alongside your AP Physics 1 lessons — so what you learn in class turns into results.
Weekly plan & check-ins
A study plan with regular progress check-ins.
Data-driven strategy
Targets and plans updated from practice-test results.
Motivation & test anxiety
Support with time management, motivation and exam nerves.
Aligned with applications
Planning built around your university and program goals.
ADD-ON PROGRAMME
How do I get started?
Coaching is a separately priced programme alongside your lessons. In the initial consultation we agree its scope and price and build a coaching plan that fits around your lesson schedule.
Initial consultation is free
Our tutors
SAT, IELTS, AP, IB and more — you'll work with experienced, exam-focused tutors in every subject.
Burçak Gökmen
Biology Teacher
20+ years of experience
Ela Pehlivanoğlu
Chemistry Teacher
10+ years of experience
Gözde Top
History Teacher
6+ years of experience
Lara Deniz Alper
Math & Economics Teacher
7+ years of experience
Şule Çağlın
Physics Teacher
7+ years of experience
Frequently asked questions
Start working toward your AP Physics 1 goal today
Fill in the form; in a free initial consultation we settle your level, programme and exact price together. No crowded classroom, no idle hours: every lesson you pay for is one-on-one.