AP Physics 2 

About the Course 

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. 

 
Skills You’ll Learn 

• 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 to test a hypothesis. 

• Analyzing data and evaluating evidence. 

• Working with scientific explanations and theories. 

• Making connections. 

Equivalency and Prerequisites 

College Course Equivalent 

A second-semester introductory college course in algebra-based physics. 

Recommended Prerequisites 

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. 

Course Content 

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. 

Unit 1: Fluids: Pressure and Forces 

You’ll learn about the characteristics of fluids and how a fluid’s internal structure and interactions define these characteristics. 

Unit 2: Thermodynamics 

You’ll study heat, temperature, and thermal energy in contexts such as heat engines, heat pumps, and refrigerators. 

Unit 3: Electric Force, Field, and Potential 

You’ll begin your study of electromagnetism by getting familiar with fundamental concepts such as electric charge and electric forces. 

Unit 4: Electric Circuits 

You’ll continue to examine the behavior of charged particles to learn about the components of a circuit, the path that an electric current travel on. 

Unit 5: Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction 

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. 

Unit 6: Geometric and Physical Optics 

You’ll be introduced to the different ways of thinking about and modeling electromagnetic waves, or light. 

Unit 7: Quantum, Atomic, and Nuclear Physics 

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.