Physics Problem Solver — Free Step-by-Step Mechanics, Electricity & More
Mechanics, electricity, magnetism, thermodynamics, optics — paste your physics problem or photograph the textbook page and get a worked solution with each step explained.
How It Works
Enter or photograph the problem
Paste a physics problem in plain text, type equations, or upload a photo of the textbook page.
ScanSolve sets up the diagram
ScanSolve identifies the relevant principle (Newton’s laws, conservation of energy, Kirchhoff, etc.) and writes the setup equations.
Solve and interpret
Each step shows the equation, substitution, and unit. The final answer is interpreted in physical context, not just a number.
What Makes ScanSolve Different
Free-body diagrams in steps
ScanSolve walks you through which forces act, in which directions, and writes Newton’s second law for each axis. Most generic AI tools skip the diagram and go straight to numbers.
Unit tracking through the whole problem
Every step shows units, conversions are explicit, and the final answer arrives with the right units. Catches dimensional-analysis errors automatically.
All sub-fields covered
Mechanics, kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum, rotational motion, fluids, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, circuits, optics, modern physics — full curriculum.
AP Physics aligned
Solutions match AP Physics 1, 2, C: Mechanics, and C: E&M conventions, including FRQ-style step-by-step expectations.
Works on photo + text
Snap a photo of a problem with a circuit diagram, an inclined-plane sketch, or a wave graph. Vision models read it and solve.
What It Covers
- •AP Physics 1 & 2. Algebra-based mechanics, fluids, thermo, waves, optics, modern physics.
- •AP Physics C. Calculus-based mechanics + E&M with full integral/derivative reasoning.
- •College intro physics. Halliday/Resnick, Knight, Young & Freedman — typical textbook problem styles.
- •IB Physics. Curriculum-aligned with HL/SL marking schemes.
- •GCSE / IGCSE Physics. Step-by-step solutions to UK exam-board problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can ScanSolve draw free-body diagrams?+
ScanSolve describes the free-body diagram in the solution (which forces act, in which directions, and the magnitudes), and writes Newton’s laws for each axis. It currently doesn’t output rendered diagram images, but the description is explicit enough to draw it yourself.
Does it solve circuit problems?+
Yes — Kirchhoff’s laws, Thevenin/Norton equivalents, RC and RL transients, AC analysis. Photo a circuit and ScanSolve identifies components and solves.
How does ScanSolve compare to Symbolab for physics?+
Symbolab is math-only and can’t solve physics word problems. ScanSolve is built for science homework end-to-end — it handles the physics reasoning, not just the algebra.
Is the physics solver free?+
Yes. 5 free step-by-step solutions per day, no card required. Pro ($12.99/month or $89.99/year) unlocks unlimited solves.
Related Free Tools
More homework help from ScanSolve — same free tier, no sign-up.
Try ScanSolve Free
5 free step-by-step solutions per day across all subjects. No card required, no sign-up needed.