Free Classical Mechanics Resources for Students and Instructors

This guide is for serious introductory mechanics students, self-learners, TAs, and instructors who want a strong public resource stack for problem solving, not just more lecture-style explanation. It is curated by Vegard Gjerde, founder of Unisium, who has taught classical mechanics at the University of Bergen, published research on learning strategies in introductory physics, and received the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences’ 2024 Teaching Award for his work in PHYS111.

Start with the resource table, then jump to the section that matches what you need: problem sets when you need volume, the Classical Mechanics principle map when you need the structure of the course, simulations or Tracker when the physical system is hard to see, and the instructor section when you need reusable teaching material.

On this page

• Best free classical mechanics resources by purpose
• Which type of mechanics course are you in?
• Problem sets and solution archives
• Principle map, downloadable sheets, and application guides
• Simulations, lectures, and textbooks
• Labs, experiments, and teaching resources
• Active practice with Anki
• Classical mechanics topic map used in this guide
• For self-learners: a strong study loop
• What math do you need for mechanics?
• For instructors and TAs
• FAQ
• How this fits in Unisium

Best free classical mechanics resources by purpose

On mobile, swipe horizontally to see the full table.

Resource	Use it when	What it gives you
MIT 8.01SC assignments	You want the strongest general public mechanics problem bank	12 open sets across kinematics, forces, energy, momentum, rotation, and rolling, plus a reliable standard of problem difficulty
MIT 8.012 exams	You want real exam-style mechanics practice with public solutions	One of the few strong public mechanics exam archives, with in-class exams and a final
Classical Mechanics principle map	You need the overall structure of the subject before you do more problems	A clean mechanics route with algebra and calculus layers separated instead of mixed too early
Mechanics principle guides	You keep mixing up when a principle applies, what a formula means, or how nearby principles differ	Short, condition-focused explanations for core mechanics principles and their common decision boundaries
Principle Structures	You want a principle-sheet or retrieval-sheet format for warm-ups and revision	The sheet format, downloadable principle and retrieval sheets, and the logic for turning a mechanics map into a fast recall tool
PhET simulations	You need to see motion, forces, collisions, or energy change more clearly	Interactive systems that work well for prediction, discussion, and intuition repair
Tracker and Tracker Online	You want to compare a real video with a mechanics model	Motion tracking, measured data, and model comparison from actual recorded motion
OpenStax University Physics Volume 1	You want a free textbook spine and a large chapter problem bank	Full mechanics coverage, worked examples, and a stable open reference
MIT OpenCourseWare 8.01SC	You want a full open course backbone, not just a set of links	Lectures, text, assignments, and a recognizable course structure
PhysPort	You want research-based teaching resources, diagnostics, tutorials, or lab support	PER-oriented materials for instructors and TAs, including diagnostics and teaching methods
Mechanics Anki deck path	You already use Anki and want active recall between full problem sessions	Public mechanics decks that follow the same principle structure as the map and guides

Which type of mechanics course are you in?

Not every mechanics course means the same thing. The fastest way to use this page well is to sort your course by the kind of mechanics it expects, not by whether a textbook title sounds familiar.

• Algebra-based introductory mechanics. This is the lane for school physics, algebra-based college physics, or early engineering prep where the core is kinematics, forces, energy, momentum, and basic rotation. Start with the Classical Mechanics principle map, PhET, and carefully chosen problems from MIT 8.01SC assignments or OpenStax University Physics Volume 1 once the setup is legible.
• Calculus-based introductory mechanics. This is the standard first-year physics or engineering lane. Start with MIT 8.01SC assignments, OpenStax University Physics Volume 1, the Classical Mechanics principle map, and MIT 8.012 exams when you want timed practice.
• Intermediate analytical mechanics. If the course has moved beyond standard introductory mechanics into oscillations, central forces, non-inertial frames, generalized coordinates, or Lagrangian mechanics, use MIT 8.223 Classical Mechanics II as your main public source. That is beyond the main focus of this guide, so use the introductory resources here mainly to patch foundations and review.
• Advanced analytical mechanics. If the course is already doing Hamiltonian mechanics, advanced rigid body dynamics, canonical methods, or similarly abstract work, you are outside the main scope of this guide. Use MIT 8.09 Classical Mechanics III and MIT 8.223 as better public starting points than the introductory resources collected here.

If you are unsure, sort by the problems, not by the book title. If most problems are still free-body diagrams, work-energy, collisions, and basic rotation, stay in an introductory lane. If the course regularly asks for generalized coordinates, Lagrangians, or central-force analysis, use the more advanced sources above.

Problem sets and solution archives

For most serious students, this is still the first section to inspect. A better mechanics problem loop usually fixes more than another lecture source.

• Best starting point: MIT 8.01SC assignments. This is the strongest general-purpose open practice resource in the guide: 12 topic-based problem sets with example problems across kinematics, Newton’s laws, momentum, work-energy, collisions, rotation, and rolling.
• Best public exam archive: MIT 8.012 Physics I: Classical Mechanics Exams. This is the strongest true public mechanics exam archive I found: three in-class exams and a final, with public solutions on the course page.
• Best free textbook problem bank: OpenStax University Physics Volume 1. Use it when you want chapter structure, worked examples, and a large bank of end-of-chapter practice in one place.
• Best advanced problem sets with full solutions: MIT 8.223 Classical Mechanics II. This is the best next step when the course has clearly moved into oscillations, central forces, non-inertial frames, or Lagrangian mechanics.
• Best advanced next step beyond the introductory course: MIT 8.09 Classical Mechanics III. Use it only if the course is already in advanced analytical mechanics. It is not the right first stop for a standard introductory mechanics student.

Public mechanics exam archives with worked solutions are thinner than problem-set archives, but MIT 8.012 is a strong exception. If you want exam conditions and only have assignment banks, create them yourself: solve one set or one chapter section cold under a timer, then review it with Self-Explanation and the Five-Step Strategy.

Principle map, downloadable sheets, and application guides

If you can often understand the solution after you see it but would not have chosen the model yourself, move this section ahead of more lecture time.

• Classical Mechanics: The Principle Map gives you the whole terrain of the course: the major principle families, the order they usually appear in mechanics, and the split between algebra-first and later calculus layers.
• Principle Structures is the main page for the downloadable completed principle sheet and retrieval sheets. The public mechanics sheet goes beyond the narrow introductory sequence on this page and also includes later topics such as fluid mechanics and elasticity/equilibrium. The retrieval sheets work well printed or on a tablet with a stylus.
• Individual mechanics principle guides explain a specific principle in usable terms: what it means, when it applies, common misuses, and how it becomes usable in problems. Good starting points are Kinematics 1, Kinematics 2, Newton’s Second Law, Work-Energy Theorem, Mechanical Energy Conservation, Conservation of Linear Momentum, and Torque (Definition).
• Retrieval Practice shows how to use the sheet layer before lectures, before problem sets, and during exam revision.

×

These resources help when you need the structure of the subject, the conditions for using a principle, or a specific explanation of a principle before you solve problems. Start with the map for the whole terrain, the sheet when you want a compact recall layer, and the individual guides when one principle keeps breaking your setup.

Simulations, lectures, and textbooks

If you need to see the motion, force interaction, or energy change

Use simulations to make the system visible, then go back to principles and problems.

• Forces and Motion: Basics
• Projectile Motion
• Collision Lab
• Energy Skate Park
• Hooke’s Law
• Pendulum Lab
• Balancing Act

PhET is also useful in lectures and tutorials. A strong pattern is: predict first, run the simulation, then explain the result using the mechanics map or a short principle guide.

If you want a full open course or textbook

• OpenStax University Physics Volume 1 is the best open textbook on this page for standard introductory mechanics coverage with worked examples and chapter problems.
• MIT OpenCourseWare 8.01SC is the strongest full free course here because it combines lecture videos, a full online textbook, and assignment sets.
• Open Yale Courses: Fundamentals of Physics I is a strong lecture series when you want serious conceptual framing and a traditional classroom flow.
• Khan Academy physics is useful when you want shorter, more visual refreshers on motion, forces, and energy.

Labs, experiments, and teaching resources

This is the part many mechanics resource lists miss. Students often need a way to compare motion data with a model, and instructors often need diagnostics, tutorials, or lab support rather than another lecture playlist.

For self-learners who want experiments

• Tracker and Tracker Online are the strongest home-lab bridge in this guide. They let you record or load a video, track motion, generate position/velocity/acceleration data, and compare a model with the real system. Good starting uses are projectile motion, falling objects, pendulums, carts, rolling motion, and collisions.
• PhET simulations also belong here, not just in the lecture lane. They work well as virtual experiments when you predict first, run the sim, and then explain what changed using a principle guide or the mechanics map.

If you want a practical self-study experiment loop, the best version on this page is: phone video or Tracker Online, extract motion data, compare against a mechanics model, then return to a written problem set.

For instructors and TAs

• PhysPort should be framed mainly as an instructor and TA resource. It is excellent for conceptual diagnostics, research-based tutorials, active-learning methods, lab-skill assessments, and teaching materials. Many pages are public to browse, but some downloads and assessments require an account, instructor verification, or faculty status. For example, PhysPort’s Force Concept Inventory page restricts downloads to high school and college faculty, and its Tutorials in Introductory Physics materials are built for recitation or TA-led use.
• Physics Classroom Laboratory is more school-style than PhysPort, but still practical and useful. It provides teacher guides, rubrics, auxiliary items, and downloadable materials across kinematics, Newton’s laws, momentum, energy, and circular motion. It is a good secondary source when you want ready-to-run lab structures rather than a PER-centered resource hub.

Active practice with Anki

If you already use Anki, these public mechanics decks are a good way to keep names, forms, conditions, and a small amount of worked-pattern structure active between full problem sessions.

Use them for active practice of principles, not as a replacement for real problem sets.

• Kinematics Anki Deck
• Forces & Newton’s Laws Anki Deck
• Work & Energy Anki Deck
• Momentum Anki Deck
• Rotational Kinematics Anki Deck
• Rotational Mechanics: Forces & Energy Anki Deck
• Rotational Mechanics: Angular Momentum Anki Deck

For the surrounding study method, read How to Use Anki for Physics and Math Without Memorizing Trivia. This guide recommends the verified mechanics deck path above instead of a random public deck dump, because the deck sequence matches a clear mechanics structure.

Classical mechanics topic map used in this guide

This page follows the same topic structure as the Classical Mechanics principle map. Use the table below as a practical map of where to start in each cluster.

On mobile, swipe horizontally to see the full table.

Topic	Good first links	Good practice or visualization support	Anki support
Kinematics	Kinematics 1 and Kinematics 2	Projectile Motion and MIT 8.01SC assignments (Problem Set 1)	Kinematics Anki Deck
Newton’s laws and forces	Newton’s Second Law and the Classical Mechanics principle map	Forces and Motion: Basics and MIT 8.01SC assignments (Problem Sets 2-4)	Forces & Newton’s Laws Anki Deck
Work and energy	Work-Energy Theorem and Mechanical Energy Conservation	Energy Skate Park, MIT 8.01SC assignments (Problem Sets 7-8), and OpenStax University Physics Volume 1	Work & Energy Anki Deck
Momentum and collisions	Conservation of Linear Momentum and Linear Momentum	Collision Lab and MIT 8.01SC assignments (Problem Sets 5 and 9)	Momentum Anki Deck
Rotational kinematics	Rotational Kinematics 2 and the Classical Mechanics principle map	Pendulum Lab and MIT 8.01SC assignments (Problem Set 10)	Rotational Kinematics Anki Deck
Rotational force and energy	Torque (Definition) and Rotational Kinetic Energy	Balancing Act and MIT 8.01SC assignments (Problem Set 10)	Rotational Mechanics: Forces & Energy Anki Deck
Angular momentum	Conservation of Angular Momentum	MIT 8.01SC assignments (Problem Set 11) and Open Yale Courses: Fundamentals of Physics I	Rotational Mechanics: Angular Momentum Anki Deck

For self-learners: a strong study loop

If you are learning on your own, do not build your week around watching mechanics. Build it around a problem, worked solution, self-explanation, and repair loop.

1. Pick one main source of problems. Start with MIT 8.01SC assignments, MIT 8.012 exams, or OpenStax University Physics Volume 1.
2. Attempt real problems early and expect partial failure. Do not wait until you feel fully ready. A serious attempt tells you whether the breakdown is in decoding, diagramming, principle choice, setup, or the math.
3. When you get stuck, inspect a worked solution or generate one if no public solution exists. The goal is to get a clean artifact you can study, not a wall of explanation that does the meaning-making for you.
4. Self-explain the worked solution. Explain which principles are in the model, which conditions must be true, how the model is set up in this situation, what each major mathematical step is doing, and what the final result means physically.
5. Patch the exact gap. Use the Classical Mechanics principle map when you need the terrain of the course, individual principle guides when one condition or principle keeps failing, PhET or Tracker when the system is hard to see, focused math repair when the algebra or calculus breaks, and Principle Structures when you need a compact recall layer.
6. Return after a delay and solve the same problem again or solve a close neighbor. This is where you find out whether the repair transferred.
7. Keep the relevant principles accessible between sessions. Use Retrieval Practice, the downloadable principle sheets, or the mechanics Anki decks to keep names, forms, and conditions available.

That loop matters more than finding the perfect course. If you want the broader weekly structure around it, read How to Self-Study Math and Physics Effectively.

If a problem has no public solution

Attempt the problem first. If there is no public solution, use AI in two stages: first to generate a clean five-step worked solution you can study, then to tutor your self-explanation of that worked solution. The point is to create an artifact you can explain, not to let the model do all the meaning-making for you.

Pair this with How to Study Physics and Math with AI, Hint and Try, and the Five-Step Strategy.

Prompt 1: Generate a five-step worked solution

I am studying classical mechanics. I will give you a problem with no public solution.
Generate a clean worked-solution artifact that I can self-explain afterward.
Do not act like a tutor and do not turn this into a long lesson.

Use this exact structure:
1. Verbal decoding
- State the goal quantity or quantities.
- List the given quantities or symbols and any unavoidable implied information.
- If one minimal assumption is needed, state it briefly.

2. Visual decoding
- Tell me what to draw: axes, free-body diagram, before/after picture, energy states, vector picture, geometry, or other useful representation.
- Keep it compact and specific.

3. Physics model
- Write the governing principle equations in LaTeX before doing algebra.
- Keep this section compact.
- Do not over-explain the principles.
- Do not define every symbol unless ambiguity would block the solution.

4. Mathematical procedures
- Solve symbolically before substituting numbers when practical.
- Show the main algebra or calculus steps clearly enough that I can audit and self-explain them.
- Put displayed equations in LaTeX using $$...$$ and inline symbols using $...$.
- Do not skip straight to the final answer.

5. Reflection
- Include dimensional analysis.
- Include a size or plausibility check.
- Include one short physical interpretation of the final expression or final answer.

Rules:
- Keep the output concise and structured.
- Do not add extra tutoring commentary, study advice, or common-mistake lists.
- Do not invent data.
- If more than one model is plausible, choose the most reasonable one and note that choice briefly.
- If you are uncertain anywhere, mark the uncertainty instead of guessing.

Example of the desired output style only. Do not solve this exact example every time; use it as the format to imitate for the problem I give you.

Problem:
On an air-hockey table, a 50 g puck starts from rest. You apply an impulse of $(0.50\hat{\imath}+0.030\hat{\jmath})\,\mathrm{kg\,m/s}$. Your opponent then applies an impulse of $(-0.70\hat{\imath}-0.080\hat{\jmath})\,\mathrm{kg\,m/s}$. What is the puck's final speed?

Desired output style:
1. Verbal decoding
Goal: $|\vec v|$
Given: $m, \vec v_0, \vec J_1, \vec J_2$

2. Visual decoding
Draw $x$- and $y$-axes. Add the impulse vectors head-to-tail to get $\vec J_{\mathrm{tot}}$.

3. Physics model
$$
\vec J_{\mathrm{tot}} = \Delta \vec p = m\vec v - m\vec v_0
$$
$$
|\vec v| = \sqrt{v_x^2 + v_y^2}
$$

4. Mathematical procedures
$$
\vec v_0 = 0 \Rightarrow \vec v = \frac{\vec J_1 + \vec J_2}{m}
$$
$$
\vec J_1 + \vec J_2 = (0.50 - 0.70)\hat{\imath} + (0.030 - 0.080)\hat{\jmath}
$$
$$
\vec J_{\mathrm{tot}} = (-0.20\hat{\imath} - 0.050\hat{\jmath})\,\mathrm{kg\,m/s}
$$
$$
m = 0.050\,\mathrm{kg} \Rightarrow \vec v = (-4.0\hat{\imath} - 1.0\hat{\jmath})\,\mathrm{m/s}
$$
$$
|\vec v| = \sqrt{(-4.0)^2 + (-1.0)^2} = \sqrt{17} \approx 4.1\,\mathrm{m/s}
$$

5. Reflection
Dimensional analysis:
$$
\vec v = \frac{\vec J}{m}, \quad [\mathrm{m/s}] = \frac{[\mathrm{kg\,m/s}]}{[\mathrm{kg}]}
$$

Size assessment:
A net impulse of about $0.20\,\mathrm{kg\,m/s}$ on a $0.050\,\mathrm{kg}$ puck suggests speeds of a few $\mathrm{m/s}$, so about $4\,\mathrm{m/s}$ is reasonable.

Interpretation:
Impulses add as vectors. The negative components mean the final velocity points opposite the positive axes. The speed is the magnitude, so it ignores direction.

Match this level of compactness and structure for the actual problem I give you.

Prompt 2: Tutor my self-explanation

I will give you a classical mechanics problem and a generated worked solution.
I want to self-explain that worked solution as the artifact I am studying, out loud or in writing.
Your job is to tutor my self-explanation, not replace it.

Use this workflow:
- Ask me to explain the solution one section at a time: verbal decoding, visual decoding, physics model, mathematical procedures, and reflection.
- After each explanation, judge whether I explained the physics and math instead of only paraphrasing the text.
- Push especially on these questions:
- Which principles are part of the model?
- Which conditions must be true for those principles to apply?
- How are the principles set up in this situation, and why this way?
- Why is this model sufficient to reach the goal?
- What is each mathematical transformation doing?
- What is the goal of each transformation?
- What does the final symbolic or numeric result mean physically?
- Do the dimensional analysis, size assessment, and interpretation make sense?

Rules:
- Do not give me the whole explanation up front.
- Ask one focused question at a time.
- If my explanation is vague, incomplete, or wrong, say exactly what is missing and ask me to try again.
- Give hints only when needed.
- Do not move on until my explanation of the current part is good enough.
- If the worked solution itself may be wrong, flag that separately instead of teaching from it as if it were certainly correct.

What math do you need for mechanics?

This is a secondary question, but it matters. In mechanics, the main bottleneck is usually not abstract math by itself. It is turning the physical setup into a stable model and then carrying the algebra or calculus without losing the physics.

• For algebra-based introductory mechanics, you usually need algebra, trigonometry, vectors, and to be comfortable turning word problems into diagrams and equations.
• For calculus-based introductory mechanics, add basic derivatives and integrals, time derivatives, and enough symbolic fluency that the setup does not collapse when the physics is already demanding.
• For intermediate analytical mechanics, you usually need strong single-variable calculus, differential equations, coordinate changes, and symbolic manipulation that survives multi-step derivations.
• For advanced analytical mechanics, you usually need multivariable calculus, ordinary differential equations, linear algebra, and the ability to follow longer symbolic arguments without losing the physical meaning.

Do not wait until every prerequisite feels complete before doing mechanics. Many math gaps are repaired fastest in context: if vector components, trigonometry, or time derivatives repeatedly break your setup, patch that exact skill, then return to the mechanics problem that exposed it.

For instructors and TAs

Most instructors and TAs will get the best result from small, student-facing combinations: one principle support, one real problem source, and one visualization or lab tool. The blocks below are written so they can be pasted directly into course pages or LMS modules.

Copy-paste block: before the topic starts

Suggested links:

• Classical Mechanics: The Principle Map
• One short guide such as Newton’s Second Law or Work-Energy Theorem
• Projectile Motion or Forces and Motion: Basics

Suggested LMS text:

Before class, review the mechanics map and one short guide for this topic, then spend a few minutes with the linked simulation. The goal is to arrive already knowing the main principle name, the condition that makes it valid, and what the diagram or motion is supposed to show.

Copy-paste block: problem set or recitation support

Suggested links:

• Classical Mechanics: The Principle Map
• MIT 8.01SC assignments
• Physics Problem Solving Strategy: The Five-Step Strategy
• Self-Explanation in Math and Physics

Suggested LMS text:

Start the set by identifying the target, drawing the system, and naming the governing principle before calculating. If you get stuck, use the five-step guide and self-explanation prompts to learn from the solution instead of copying it.

Copy-paste block: exam practice

Suggested links:

• MIT 8.012 Physics I: Classical Mechanics Exams
• Classical Mechanics: The Principle Map
• Principle Structures
• Retrieval Practice

Suggested LMS text:

For exam practice, begin with a brief closed-book recall of the core mechanics principles, then solve one old exam problem or one assignment problem under time pressure. After checking the solution, write which principle was used, what condition made it valid, and where your setup first went off track.

FAQ

What are the best free classical mechanics resources overall?

For most serious learners, the strongest stack is one real problem source, one principle-level explanation source, and one visualization or lecture support. In practice that usually means MIT 8.01SC assignments or OpenStax for problems, the Classical Mechanics principle map and short guides for principle choice, and PhET or a lecture source when the physical system is still unclear.

Is this page for instructors or for students?

Both, but not every resource here serves both audiences equally. Tracker and PhET are useful to self-learners. PhysPort is mainly an instructor or TA resource, and some of its materials require an account or instructor verification. Instructors and TAs can also reuse the smaller blocks in this guide directly in course materials.

Where are the old exams?

Stable public mechanics exam archives with strong solutions are harder to find than problem-set archives, but MIT 8.012 Physics I: Classical Mechanics Exams is a real exception. If you want exam conditions, start there, then use MIT’s assignment bank or textbook chapter sets under a timer and review them like an exam afterward.

Why do lectures make sense but homework still feel impossible?

Because lectures usually let you recognize a principle after someone else has already chosen it, while homework forces you to choose the model yourself. In lecture, the setup is curated, the diagram is already implicit, and the algebra usually flows in one clean direction. In homework, you have to decode the words, decide what matters, choose the principle, set up the equations, and survive the algebra without knowing in advance that you are on the right track.

That is why more lecture time often does not fix the problem. A better repair loop is: retrieve the relevant principles first, attempt a real problem, then study one worked solution with Self-Explanation if you get stuck, and return later to solve again. Use PhET or Tracker when the physical system itself is still blurry.

How should I use simulations?

Use them in a short predict-run-explain loop. Predict what should happen, run the sim, then explain the result with a principle guide or the mechanics map. Simulations are most useful when they clarify the physical system so your later paper solution is better, not when they replace the paper solution.

Are the Unisium guides enough on their own?

The free guides are strong when you need structure: what a principle means, when it applies, how nearby principles differ, and how to learn from worked solutions. They are not meant to replace the problem volume of a course or textbook. The strongest free setup is guide plus real problem source. The product version of Unisium is the integrated version of that workflow.

Should I use AI when a problem has no solution?

Yes, but carefully. Use AI first to generate a clean worked-solution artifact in a five-step structure, then self-explain that artifact and let the AI critique your explanation. Verify the principle choice, conditions, algebra, units, and final answer yourself. If the AI is doing all the meaning-making and you are only reading the output, it is no longer helping.

How This Fits in Unisium

This page is the manual version of a strong mechanics study system: one problem source, one principle map, one recall layer, one self-explanation method, and one visualization or lab support when the physics is hard to see. The Unisium Study System integrates that workflow with elaborative encoding, retrieval practice, self-explanation, and problem work.

It does not stop at showing a formula or scheduling a flashcard. It is built around whether you can recall a principle, explain when it applies, recognize it in a problem, and use it in a solution. If you want to stay fully on free resources, this guide gives you a strong public stack. If you want the integrated version of the same workflow, start with What Is Unisium?, Problem Solving in Math and Physics, and the Classical Mechanics principle map.