The document is the 2023 Scoring Guidelines for AP Physics C: Mechanics, published by the College Board. It provides detailed scoring criteria for free-response questions, including point allocations for specific responses. The guidelines cover various topics within mechanics, such as forces, energy conservation, and rotational dynamics. Each question is broken down into parts, with clear examples and scoring notes to assist educators in evaluating student responses accurately. This resource is essential for teachers preparing students for the AP Physics C exam, ensuring they understand the expectations and scoring rubrics. The document is structured to facilitate easy navigation through different questions and scoring criteria, making it a valuable tool for both instruction and assessment.
AP
®
Physics C:
Mechanics
Scoring Guidelines
Set 1
2023
© 2023 College Board. College Board, Advanced Placement, AP, AP Central, and the acorn logo are registered
trademarks of College Board. Visit College Board on the web: collegeboard.org.
AP Central is the official online home for the AP Program: apcentral.collegeboard.org.
AP® Physics C: Mechanics 2023 Scoring Guidelines
© 2023 College Board
Question 1: Free-Response Question 15 points
(a)
For correctly drawing and labeling the force of gravity and the normal force on both dots
1 point
For drawing and labeling the spring force to the left on both dots, where the force for
Spring Q (Trial 2) is twice as long as the force for Spring P (Trial 1)
1 point
Example Solution
Scoring Note:
Examples of appropriate labels for the force due to gravity include:
G
F
,
g
F
,
grav
F
,
W
,
mg
,
Mg
, “grav force”, “F Earth on block”, “F on block by Earth”,
Earth on block
F
,
E,Block
F
. The labels
G
and
g
are not appropriate labels for the force due to gravity.
n
F
,
N
F
,
N
, “normal force”, “ground force”, or similar labels may be used for the
normal force.
Scoring Note: A response that includes extraneous vectors can earn a maximum of 1 point.
Total for part (a)
2 points
(b)(i)
For a statement that the work is equal to the area under the curve
1 point
(b)(ii)
For stating the spring compression will be greater than
0.040 m
with an attempt at a relevant
justification
1 point
For a justification that indicates that the heights are equal when the area between each
function and the horizontal axis
are equal, which happens after x = 0.040 m
Scoring Note: While a mathematical solution is not required to earn credit for this point,
students may reference a mathematical solution.
1 point
Example Solution
The work don
e by each spring is equal to the area under their respective curves. This work is
converted to the change in potential energy and therefore relates to the maximum height
reached by the block. At
0.040 mx =
, the area under the curve for Spring Q is greater than
that of Spring P.
Therefore, it is not until a compression greater than
0.040 mx =
that the
areas under the two curves are
equal, have the same work, and convert to the same
maximum height.
AP® Physics C: Mechanics 2023 Scoring Guidelines
© 2023 College Board
(b)(iii)
For drawing smooth concave upward curves for both springs P and Q
1 point
For showing that the curves intersect after
0.05 mx =
, but before
0.10 mx =
1 point
For showing the curve for Spring P below Spring Q before an intersection and the curve for
Spring P above Spring Q after this intersection
1 point
Example Solution
Total for part (b)
6 points
End of Document
292
