Physics - Rotational Motion 1 - Kinematics - College and AP

This course is one of several Mousseau Physics courses designed for students in AP Physics, introductory college physics, and advanced high school physics. In this course we focus on rotational kinematics, which describes rotational motion without yet focusing on the causes of that motion. Students will study angular position, angular displacement, angular velocity, angular acceleration, rotational motion graphs, and the connections between linear and angular quantities.

The videos and resources include clear lectures, diagrams, and worked out example problems. Students will practice translating between rotational and linear descriptions, choosing the correct kinematics equation, keeping track of radians, and interpreting what angular quantities mean physically. The course is designed to help students see that rotational motion is not a completely new subject, but a parallel structure that connects closely to linear kinematics.

This course is a strong fit for AP Physics 1 students, AP Physics C Mechanics students who want algebra based review, and introductory college physics students. It does not require calculus. Students who have already studied linear kinematics will be able to use those ideas as a bridge into angular motion.

By the end of the course, students should be more confident describing rotational motion, solving angular kinematics problems, interpreting rotational graphs, and preparing for later rotational topics such as torque, rotational dynamics, rotational energy, and angular momentum.

Students can work straight through the course as a full unit or use individual lessons as targeted support alongside a class. The videos are built to be paused, rewound, and practiced with pencil and paper, so the course works well for homework help, test review, exam preparation, or rebuilding a topic that did not fully click the first time.