AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based
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Learn all about the course and exam. Already enrolled? Join your class in My AP.
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Expand your understanding of physics as you explore topics such as fluids; thermodynamics; electric force, field, and potential; electric circuits; magnetism and electromagnetic induction; geometric and physical optics; and quantum, atomic, and nuclear physics. You’ll do hands-on and inquiry-based in-class activities and laboratory work to investigate phenomena.
Note: Save your lab notebooks and reports; colleges may ask to see them before granting you credit.
Interpreting and describing representations and models
Using mathematics to solve science problems
Formulating a scientific question or hypothesis
Designing an experiment to answer a scientific question or test a hypothesis
Analyzing data and evaluating evidence
Working with scientific explanations and theories
Making connections
A second-semester introductory college course in algebra-based physics.
You should have completed AP Physics 1 or a comparable introductory physics course and should have taken or be concurrently taking pre-calculus or an equivalent course.
Fri, May 12, 2023,
12 PM Local
This is the regularly scheduled date for the AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based Exam.
The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.
You’ll learn about the characteristics of fluids and how a fluid’s internal structure and interactions define these characteristics.
Topics may include:
10%–12% of exam score
You’ll study heat, temperature, and thermal energy in contexts such as heat engines, heat pumps, and refrigerators.
Topics may include:
12%–18% of exam score
You’ll begin your study of electromagnetism by getting familiar with fundamental concepts such as electric charge and electric forces.
Topics may include:
18%–22% of exam score
You’ll continue to examine the behavior of charged particles to learn about the components of a circuit, the path that an electric current travels on.
Topics may include:
10%–14% of exam score
You’ll build on your knowledge of electrostatic forces and fields to explore the relationships between moving electric charges—electric currents—and the magnetic forces and fields they generate.
Topics may include:
10%–12% of exam score
You’ll be introduced to the different ways of thinking about and modeling electromagnetic waves, or light.
Topics may include:
12%–14% of exam score
You’ll be introduced to the concepts of modern physics and learn how these new models can resolve the conflicts and questions that Newtonian physics could not answer.
Topics may include:
10%–12% of exam score
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AP Physics 2 Course and Exam Description
This is the core document for the course. It clearly lays out the course content and laboratory requirement and describes the exam and the AP Program in general.
AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based can lead to a wide range of careers and college majors