AP Physics 2

Advanced Placement (AP) Physics 2 is a year-long introductory physics course administered by the College Board as part of its Advanced Placement program. It is intended to proxy a second-semester algebra-based university course in thermodynamics, electromagnetism, optics, and modern physics. Along with AP Physics 1, the first AP Physics 2 exam was administered in 2015.

History The AP Physics 2 classes began in the fall of 2014, with the first AP exams administered in May 2015. The courses were formed through collaboration between current Advanced Placement teachers and The College Board, with the guidance from the National Research Council and the National Science Foundation. In 2013 the College Board released a "Curriculum Framework" which includes the 7 principles on which AP Physics 2 would be based on as well as smaller "Enduring Understanding" concepts.

In February 2024, College Board announced that there would be changes in curricula for their AP Physics classes for the 2025 exams. For AP Physics 2, this removed fluids (the first topic of the curriculum) from the exam. From the 2024-25 school year onward, this topic is covered as the last unit of AP Physics 1. With fluids no longer being on the curriculum, the optics unit was separated into two units which cover the subject with more depth. This added mechanical waves, standing waves, sound waves, and the Doppler effect which are covered in Waves, Sound, and Physical Optics. The unit covering electric circuits was changed to be more comprehensive, and Blackbody radiation and Compton scattering were added to Modern Physics as well. As of the fall of 2024, all AP Physics 2 units are numbered sequentially to those in AP Physics 1, starting with Thermodynamics as unit 9 and ending with Modern Physics as unit 15.

Curriculum AP Physics 2 is an algebra-based, introductory college-level physics course in which students explore thermodynamics with kinetic theory; PV diagrams and probability; electrostatics; electrical circuits with capacitors; magnetic fields; electromagnetism; physical and geometric optics; and quantum, atomic, and nuclear physics. Through inquiry-based learning, students develop scientific critical thinking and reasoning skills.

UnitsExam WeightingThermodynamics15-18%Electric Force, Field, and Potential15-18%Electric Circuits15-18%Magnetism and Electromagnetism12-15%Geometric Optics12-15%Waves, Sound and Physical Optics12-15%Modern Physics12-15%

The content of AP Physics 2 overlaps with that of AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, but Physics 2 is algebra-based, while Physics C is calculus-based. AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism also is focused entirely on Electricity and Magnetism while AP Physics 2 covers additional topics such as Thermodynamics, Waves, and Modern Physics.

Exam +SectionQuestionsTimeExam WeightingSection I: Multiple Choice42 MCQ1 hour 25 minutes50%Section II: Free Response4 FRQ1 hour 35 minutes50% Science Practices Assessed + Section 1: Multiple Choice Science Practice Exam Weighting2. Translation Between Representations55-75%3. Experimental Design and Analysis25-35%

+ Section 2: Free Response Science Practice Exam Weighting1. Mathematical Routines20-35%2. Translation Between Representations30-40%3. Experimental Design and Analysis35-45% Score Distributions The score distributions since 2015 were: Score2015"Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.2016"Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.2017"Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.2018"Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.2019"Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.2020 (online) "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.2021"Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.2022"Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.2023"Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2024.2024"2024 AP Score Distributions". Retrieved July 8, 2024.2025 "2026 AP Score Distributions". Retrieved June 26, 2026.58.5%9.5%12.9%13.1%14.2%14.0%15.4%16.3%16.5%15%21.8%413.7%17.0%16.7%15.6%21.0%24.3%17.9%18.1%18.5%18%28.8%333.5%34.9%34.0%34.4%30.2%35.0%32.0%35.3%34.9%35%22.0%234.8%30.6%27.6%29.2%26.2%21.3%27.0%24.1%23.8%25%20.2%19.6%8.1%8.9%7.7%8.4%5.4%7.6%6.3%6.4%7%7.2%% of scores 3 or higher55.6%61.3%63.5%63.1%65.4%73.3%65.3%69.7%69.8%68%72.6%Mean2.772.892.972.973.063.203.063.143.153.09Standard Deviation1.071.081.151.131.171.091.171.141.151.14Number of Students20,53326,38524,98525,74123,80221,83518,73617,84220,453 -

AP Physics 2

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