AP Physics C: Mechanics Qualitative/Quantitative FRQ Practice
50 Qualitative/Quantitative Translation questions written in the AP format. Pick one, read the full question, and write your response.
Your first scored response is included. A plan unlocks unlimited scoring.
New to the Qualitative/Quantitative FRQ? Read the exam guide
50 questions
sorted by unit
Projectile motion in different reference frames
Unit 1: Kinematics
A student stands on a platform that moves horizontally to the right with constant speed v_p = 3.0 m/s. The student throws a ball with an initial speed of v_0 = 5.0 m/s at an angle of 37° above the horizontal, as measured in the reference frame of the platform. The ball is released at a height h = 2.0 m above the ground, as shown in Figure 2. Neglect air resistance.
Figure 2. Side view of ball trajectory
The time the ball is in the air in Scenario 1 is t_1, and the time the ball is in the air in Scenario 2 is t_2, both as measured in the ground reference frame.
Indicate whether t_1 is greater than, less than, or equal to t_2 by writing one of the following.
- t_1 > t_2
- t_1 < t_2
- t_1 = t_2
Justify your answer using qualitative reasoning beyond referencing equations.
Figure 1. Top view of two scenarios
Derive an expression for the horizontal distance d_1 that the ball travels before landing, as measured in the ground reference frame, as shown in Figure 1. Express your answer in terms of v_p, v_0, θ, h, and physical constants, as appropriate. Begin your derivation by writing a fundamental physics principle or an equation from the reference information. Consider Scenario 1 only.
Indicate whether the magnitude |v_x1| is greater than, less than, or equal to the magnitude |v_x2|. An observer on the ground measures the horizontal component of the ball's velocity just before it lands in Scenario 1 to be v_x1, and in Scenario 2 to be v_x2.
Briefly justify your answer.
What the Qualitative/Quantitative FRQ asks
The Qualitative/Quantitative Translation (QQT) question is FRQ 4 on the AP Physics C: Mechanics exam. You compare two quantities and justify the comparison in words, derive an expression for one of them, then use that expression to reason about a new case.
- 15–20 min
- suggested on the exam
- 8 points
- across parts A to C
- 95 min
- for all four FRQs
Part A: Qualitative reasoning
Compare two quantities and justify the comparison in words
3 pts
Part B: Derivation
Derive an expression for one of the quantities
3 pts
Part C: Connection
Use your derivation to reason about or calculate a new case
2 pts
How Qualitative/Quantitative FRQ practice works
Each question follows the exam’s format, from the full prompt to a score on every part.
Read the full question
The scenarios, their figures, and parts A through C, laid out the way the exam shows them.
Write on an 18-minute timer
Inside the 15 to 20 minutes the exam suggests for this question. Pause it or turn it off, and your response saves as you go.
Submit for a score out of 8
Your response is scored against the scoring guidelines written for that question. Your first score is included.
Feedback on every part
A summary at the top tells you what to work on next. Below it, each part shows whether you earned the point and what the scoring guidelines were looking for.
Detailed Feedback
Part A: 1/1 point
Earned the point. You correctly indicated that f_S < f_H.
Part A: 1/1 point
Earned the point. You correctly compared the rotational inertias of the two spheres, noting that the hollow sphere has a greater rotational inertia because its mass is concentrated at the outer edge.
Part B: 0/1 point
Did not earn the point. In your translational Newton's second law equation (-Mgsinθ - f = -Ma), you gave the gravitational force component and the frictional force the same sign. When an object rolls up a ramp, friction must point up the ramp to provide the torque that slows its rotation, while gravity points down the ramp. Therefore, they should have opposite signs in your net force equation.
Questions about the Qualitative/Quantitative FRQ
How many responses can I get scored?
You can read every question without a plan. Your first scored response is included. A plan unlocks unlimited scoring.
What does qualitative/quantitative translation mean?
You reason about the physics in words, then with an equation, and connect the two. Part A asks for a justified comparison, part B for a derivation, and part C for a prediction that uses your derivation.
How is the QQT different from the Translation Between Representations (TBR) question?
The QQT is shorter, at 8 points and 15 to 20 minutes, and centers on comparisons you justify in words. The TBR is worth 12 points and also asks for a diagram and a graph.
Can I write my answer by hand?
Yes. Switch the editor to handwrite, write on paper, and add a photo of your page.
Are these real College Board questions?
No. We wrote them in the AP format, with the same three parts, and wrote scoring guidelines for each one.
More AP Physics C: Mechanics practice
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Mathematical Routines questions with the full scenario, figures, and both parts.
Representations FRQ practice
Translation Between Representations questions with the full scenario and all four parts.
Experimental Design FRQ practice
Experimental Design questions with the lab setup, the data table, and all four parts.
AP Physics C: Mechanics FRQs
Every FRQ type for AP Physics C: Mechanics, with practice for each.
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