StickMan Guide to Physics

StickMan Physics helps students understand the amazing world around us with animated physics lessons.  Go to a unit below and start a lesson

🎶 Stickman Physics Music Page – Where Science Meets Sound!

Visit the Stickman Physics Music Page to explore songs inspired by physics concepts! Analyze the science behind the lyrics, evaluate accuracy, and experience physics in a whole new way through music.

🔗 Visit the Stickman Physics Music Page

StickMan Physics Articles

How China’s Three Gorges Dam Changes the Length of a Day

ByStickMan Physics Physics News January 14, 2025

Learn how China’s Three Gorges Dam Changes the Length of a Day. China’s Three Gorges…

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Physics of Roller Coasters: The Thrill of Force and Energy

ByStickMan Physics The Physics Of January 11, 2025

A Brief History of Roller Coasters Roller coasters are not just rides; instead, they’re a journey…

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Understanding Static Electricity: Everyday Shocks Explained

ByStickMan Physics The Physics Of January 10, 2025

Static electricity has a way of sneaking into our lives—whether it’s the sting of a doorknob shock…

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The Physics of Driving on Ice: A Slippery Situation

ByStickMan Physics The Physics Of January 10, 2025

Few things are as nerve-wracking—or entertaining to watch in fail videos—as driving on ice. The…

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The Physics of Video Games

ByStickMan Physics The Physics Of January 10, 2025

If you’ve ever sabotaged a reactor, fixed electrical wiring, or vented away from danger in Among Us…

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The Physics of Soccer: Unlocking the Science Behind the Game

ByStickMan Physics The Physics Of January 10, 2025

Soccer isn’t just about agility and skill; it’s a showcase of real-world physics in motion. From the…

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The Physics of Drones: Understanding How They Fly

ByStickMan Physics The Physics Of January 5, 2025

Drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), represent a remarkable blend of aerodynamics, physics…

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AI in Education: Empowering Students and Parents

ByStickMan Physics Student Support December 12, 2024

In today’s educational landscape, AI in education can be a powerful tool for empowering students and…

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How much physics do you know?

This quiz is generated from our entire StickMan Physics test bank.  Go to our practice page to get a quiz generated specific to a unit.

10 - Physics Questions

10 questions from our bank of first semester material

1 / 10

North is a

magnitude

direction

both magnitude and direction

A vector has a magnitude and a direction (15 meters north)

2 / 10

Joe is attempting to lift a 3000 N motorcycle into a trailer 1.5 meters off the ground using a pulley system.  If Joe applies 300 N of force, what is the ideal distance he would pull on his side of the rope?

0.0005 m

15 m

10 m

450

3 / 10

Sergio pushed a box with 50 Newtons of force forward.  When it did not move he pushed the box even harder with 100 Newtons of force but the box still did not move.  When did Sergio do more work?

When he pushed with a force of 50 N

When he pushed with a force of 100 N

Neither

W = Fd

If you do not move the object, you have done no work no matter how much force you apply

4 / 10

Which graph correctly shows how distance relates to force using the Law of Universal Gravitation?

A

B

C

D

Distance is in the denominator and squared in the universal gravitation equation below.  There is a inverse squared relation.  Force decreases not proportionately more early since the d is squared. If you double distance the force goes down to 1/4.

5 / 10

What is the spring constant of a spring displaced 0.1 meters when 400 N of force is applied?

40 N/m

4000 N/m

384 N/m

10 N/m

6 / 10

What is the tension in a rope suspending a 45 kg object? (use g = 9.8 m/s/s)

45 kg

441 N

0.218 N

221 N

Tension up would have the equal magnitude to the weight down

F_w = mg

F_w = (45)(9.8) = 441 N

7 / 10

Which of Newtons Laws are best represented by this scenario.

If you push on a wall with 50 N of force, the wall pushed on you with 50 N of force

Newton's First Law

Newton's Second Law

Newton's Third Law

Newtons First Law: Law of Inertia.  An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. (More mass more inertia or resistance to change)

Newtons Second Law: Force causes acceleration (F=ma)

Newtons Third Law: All forces are paired, equal and opposite.  When you push on an object with 15 Newtons of force it pushes back on you with 15 Newtons of force.

8 / 10

What is the acceleration of this object over the 30 second time period?

0.2 m/s/s

0.4 m/s/s

2.5 m/s/s

360 m/s/s

Slope of a velocity time graph is acceleration.  Either find the slope or turn it into an equations picking givens off the graph (either way you are doing the same thing)

9 / 10

What type of motion is seen in this graph?

constant forward velocity

constant backwards velocity

rest

acceleration

deceleration

On a V/T graphs the slope is acceleration.  The slope here is flat so no acceleration but it does have a constant velocity of 8 m/s the entire time.  Another way to think about it is by what is happening in the graph.  The object went 8 m/s and kept going 8 m/s for 30 seconds.  Therefore moves 8 meters more every second for 30 seconds.

10 / 10

What is your displacement after going 10 meters east followed by 20 meters west in 10 seconds?

0 meters

10 meters east

10 meters west

30 meters east

30 meters west

30 meters

What is your displacement after going 10 meters east followed by 20 meters west in 10 seconds?

Displacement is vector and a measure of how far you are from start to finish.  Take into account the direction.

10 m east becomes (+10)

20 m west becomes (-20)

add them together including the sign ((+10) + (-20))

(-10 meters) or 10 meters west

Your score is

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StickMan Physics Lessons

UNIT 1: One Dimensional Motion

This is our Introductory physics unit.  Start our intro with unit analysis, basic conversions, and scientific notation. Then learn the difference between scalars and vectors.  Next move on to how to pick a constant velocity or accelerated motion equation.  Afterwards this is followed by how to approach a problem when a an object is in the air or it’s based on a graph.

• One Dimensional Motion Assessment Page

UNIT 2: Two Dimensional Motion

Two dimensional motion involves vectors that include motion on the X and Y axis.  The first kind of physics problem, non-projectile, includes object that are turning but not in the air.  Because of this we will use our common SOH CAH TOA trigonometry functions.  Next we get into problems with projectiles that are being accelerated by gravity in the Y axis while having a constant X axis component.  We then teach you how to approach horizontal launch problems mathematically.

• Two Dimensional Motion Assessment Page

UNIT 3: Newton’s Laws and Forces

Learn Newton’s three laws of motion starting with inertia, then force causes acceleration, and lastly action reaction pairs.  In this section we will look at the difference between mass and weight.  Then look at additional forces like air resistance, friction, tension, spring force and ones created on an incline plane.

• Forces Assessment Page

Popular Physics Activities

• Practice projectile motion with angry birds and then play the game here.

Unit 3B: AP Physics 1 Dynamics Extensions

UNIT 4: Universal Gravitation and Circular Motion

Learn about Newtons Law of Universal Gravitation.  How all masses in the universe are attracted to all other masses. Then continue on to circular motion and see how centripetal force is necessary to create a circular path.  Inertia would cause an object to continue in a straight line and centripetal force creates the inward arc creating a circle.  Lastly see torque, an equivalent to a rotation acceleration created by a perpendicular force away from a rotational point.

• Universal Gravitation and Circular Motion Assessment Page

UNIT 5: Work, Power, Mechanical Energy, and Simple Machines

Work and power is the first section of this unit.  See how force must have a component in the direction of motion to do work or have power output.  Mechanical energy is composes of potential and kinetic energy.  See how to solve for either or the amount of one that is converted to another.  Simple machines can’t be used to create energy but can be used to multiply a force at the expense of distance.  Learn more about simple machines here.

• Work, Power, Mechanical Energy, and Simple Machines Assessment Page

UNIT 6: Momentum, Impulse, and Conservation of Momentum

Impulse changes momentum, or moving inertia.  This moving inertia remains conserved during collisions.  Momentum is conserved through inelastic and elastic collisions.  A ball thrown and pool balls colliding are example scenarios in this section.

• Momentum, Impulse, and Conservation of Momentum Assessment Page

Unit 7: Electrostatics

A charged object has an electrical field around it.  There is an interaction with other charged objects within this field.  We begin this unit by looking at lightning and the difference when charging by conduction, induction, and friction.

1. Charging by Conduction, Induction, and Friction
2. What is Lightning?
3. Coulomb’s Law: Calculating the Electrostatic Force
4. Electrical Fields
5. Potential Difference (Voltage)

Unit 8: Current and Circuits

1. Circuit Basics
2. Current and Power
3. Series Circuit
4. Parallel Circuit
5. Batteries and Lights
6. Complex Circuit

Unit 9: Magnetism

1. Intro to Magnetism
2. Magnetic Fields
3. Electromagnetism
4. The Solenoid and Electromagnet
5. Force on a Moving Charge
6. Magnetic Induction
7. Electric Motors and Generators

Unit 10: Waves

1. Intro to Waves
2. Waves Math
3. Wave Phenomena
4. Sound Waves
5. Doppler Effect

Unit 11: Electromagnetic Waves

1. Waves of the Electromagnetic Spectrum
2. The Colors of Light
3. Refraction and Snell’s Law
4. Other EM Wave Phenomena
5. Mirrors
6. Lenses and Lens Ray Diagrams
7. Lens Math and Equations

Unit 12: Nuclear Physics

1. The Atom and Periodic Table
2. Nuclear Decay
3. Half-Life
4. Fission and Fusion

Click Here for our Current AP Physics 1 Deeper Dive Pages

Resources

• Stickman Physics Table of Contents: Use the search bar or click here to easily find a unit or topic
• Physics Practice: Get more practice by using out randomly generated 10-20 question overall or unit based assessments.
• Physics Equation Sheet: commonly used equations, variables, and units
• Rule of Ones: analyzing equations to determine how other variables change
• Intro Physics Variables Description
• Elegoo Smart Car