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 fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, optics, and modern physics.[1] Along with AP Physics 1, the first AP Physics 2 exam was administered in 2015.

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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 Fluids, Thermodynamics, Optics, and Modern Physics.

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.[2] As of August 2013 AP summer institutes, the College Board professional development course for Advanced Placement and Pre-AP teachers,[3] dedicate 20% of the total to preparing AP Physics B educators for the new AP physics course. Face to face workshops sponsored by the College Board focused 20% of their content on the course in September 2013. In February 2014, the official course description and sample curriculum resources were posted to the College Board website, with two practice exams being posted the next month. As of September 2014, face to face workshops are dedicated solely to AP Physics 1 & AP Physics 2. The full course was first taught in 2014, with the exam given in 2015. In 2020, the examination was administered on computer from home because of COVID-19. College Board suspected that some students may be using unauthorized resources while taking the test. In order to ensure accurate results in the future, the course materials will be more difficult and in-depth.

In February of 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. [4] 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. Blackbody radiation and Compton scattering will be added to Modern Physics as well. Starting in the fall of 2024, all AP Physics 2 units will be numbered sequentially to those in AP Physics 1, starting with Thermodynamics as unit 9 and ending with Modern Physics as unit 16.

Curriculum

AP Physics 2 is an algebra-based, introductory college-level physics course in which students explore fluid statics and dynamics; 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.

The College Board has released a "Curriculum Framework" which includes the 7 principles on which the new AP Physics courses will be based as well as smaller "Enduring Understanding" concepts.[5].

Units[6] Exam Weighting
Fluids[lower-alpha 1] 10-12%
Thermodynamics 12-18%[lower-alpha 2]
Electric Force, Field, and Potential 18-22%[lower-alpha 3]
Electric Circuits 10-14%[lower-alpha 4]
Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction 10-12%[lower-alpha 5]
Geometric and Physical Optics[lower-alpha 6] 12-14%
Quantum, Atomic, and Nuclear Physics[lower-alpha 7] 10-12%

Exam

Both the multiple choice and free response sections of the exam are worth 50% of the score. Students are given 90 minutes to complete 50 multiple choice questions. The free response section includes an experimental design question, a qualitative/quantitative translation question, and two short answer questions that must be completed in 90 minutes.

Score Distributions
Score 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 (online) 2021 2022 2023
5 8.5% 9.5% 11.1% 11.2% 12.6% 14.0% 15.4% 15.1% 15%
4 13.7% 17.0% 15.6% 14.8% 19.8% 24.3% 17.9% 17.8% 17%
3 33.5% 34.9% 34.1% 34.9% 31.1% 35.0% 32.0% 35.8% 36%
2 34.8% 30.6% 29.7% 30.6% 27.8% 21.3% 27.0% 24.7% 26%
1 9.6% 8.1% 9.5% 8.5% 8.7% 5.4% 7.6% 6.6% 6%
% of scores 3 or higher 55.7% 61.4% 60.8% 60.9% 63.5% 73.3% 65.3% 68.7% 68%
Mean 2.77 2.90 2.89 2.90 3.00 3.20 3.06 3.10 3.09
Standard Deviation 1.07 1.08 1.12 1.11 1.15 1.09 1.17 1.13 1.12
Number of Students 20,533 26,385 24,985 25,741 23,802 21,835 18,736 17,842

See also

Notes
  1. Will no longer be covered on the exam with the start of the 2024-25 school year
  2. To be changed to 15-18% of the exam with the start of the 2024-25 school year
  3. To be changed to 15-18% of the exam with the start of the 2024-25 school year
  4. To be changed to 15-18% of the exam with the start of the 2024-25 school year
  5. To be changed to 12-15% of the exam with the start of the 2024-25 school year
  6. Optics will be separated into two units with the start of the 2024-25 school year. Unit 13, Geometric Optics, will take up 12-15% of exam weighting. Unit 14, which will be Waves, Sound, and Physical Optics, will also take up 12-15% of exam weighting.
  7. This unit will be renamed to "Modern Physics" and will be changed to 12-15% of the exam with the start of the 2024-25 school year

References
  1. Jacobs, Greg (25 July 2011). "Jacobs Physics: AP Physics 1 and 2 Redesign (as it stands now) and Honors Physics I". Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  2. "AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2 | Advances in AP". Archived from the original on 2014-10-18. Retrieved 2014-08-02.
  3. "AP Workshops – AP Central | College Board". apcentral.collegeboard.org. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  4. "AP Physics Revisions for 2024-25". Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  5. "AP Physics 2" (PDF). collegeboard.com. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  6. "AP Physics 1-2 course and exam description" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-01-03. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
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