AP Physics 2

Browse readings and complete checks by topic.

• Kinetic Theory of Temperature and PressureReading · Thermal physics and gases

  Connect microscopic momentum changes with pressure, temperature, and a distribution of speeds.

• The Ideal Gas LawReading · Thermal physics and gases

  Use a stated ideal-gas model and controlled variables to relate pressure, volume, amount, and temperature.

• Thermal Energy Transfer and EquilibriumReading · Thermal physics and gases

  Distinguish thermal-transfer mechanisms and explain statistical approach to equilibrium.

• Specific Heat and Thermal ConductivityReading · Thermal physics and gases

  Separate specific heat from sample heat capacity and thermal conductivity from energy storage.

• The First Law of ThermodynamicsReading · Thermal physics and gases

  Track heat and work in the first law and interpret complete pressure-volume paths.

• Entropy and the Second Law of ThermodynamicsReading · Thermal physics and gases

  Apply qualitative entropy reasoning to the isolated whole while allowing subsystem entropy changes.

• Electric Charge and Electric ForceReading · Charge and electric fields

  Connect elementary charge, point-charge forces, and material polarization with stated model assumptions.

• Conservation of Electric Charge and the Process of ChargingReading · Charge and electric fields

  Use system boundaries to distinguish transferred net charge from redistributed charge.

• Electric FieldsReading · Charge and electric fields

  Construct source-field and net-field representations and explain electrostatic conductor equilibrium.

• Electric Potential EnergyReading · Electric energy, potential, and capacitors

  Choose a reference and count interaction pairs once when finding electric potential energy.

• Electric PotentialReading · Electric energy, potential, and capacitors

  Add source potentials as scalars and connect labeled equipotentials to field direction and strength.

• Conservation of Electric EnergyReading · Electric energy, potential, and capacitors

  Track qΔV, kinetic-energy change, and external work with the correct charge sign.

• CapacitorsReading · Electric energy, potential, and capacitors

  Connect capacitor geometry, plate charge, field, dielectric response, and stored energy under an explicit constraint.

• Electric CurrentReading · Current, resistance, and circuits

  Distinguish conventional current from carrier drift and use current-time area and charge-time slope.

• Simple CircuitsReading · Current, resistance, and circuits

  Translate physical connections into schematics, nodes, branches, and actual loops.

• Resistance, Resistivity, and Ohm’s LawReading · Current, resistance, and circuits

  Separate object resistance from material resistivity and test a controlled-temperature ohmic model.

• Electric PowerReading · Current, resistance, and circuits

  Connect current and voltage with power under a specified fixed-current or fixed-voltage constraint.

• Compound Direct Current (DC) CircuitsReading · Current, resistance, and circuits

  Identify genuine series and parallel groups and place meters where their quantities are measured.

• Kirchhoff’s Junction RuleReading · Current, resistance, and circuits

  Track signed branch currents with a steady-junction charge account.

• Kirchhoff’s Loop RuleReading · Current, resistance, and circuits

  Write independent signed voltage ledgers around physical loops and check potential graphs.

• Resistor-Capacitor (RC) CircuitsReading · Current, resistance, and circuits

  Solve initial and long-time RC states, compare time constants, and explain qualitative charging and discharge curves.

• Magnetic FieldsReading · Magnetism and induction

  Read magnetic maps and connect material magnetism with dipoles, domains, and response to an external field.

• Magnetism and Moving ChargesReading · Magnetism and induction

  Keep a moving charge’s source field separate from its force in an external field.

• Magnetism and Current-Carrying WiresReading · Magnetism and induction

  Map fields from currents and distinguish segment forces from a loop’s net force and torque.

• Electromagnetic Induction and Faraday’s LawReading · Magnetism and induction

  Choose an area normal, track changing flux, and connect induced current with external mechanical energy.

• Properties of Wave Pulses and WavesReading · Waves and sound

  Distinguish disturbance from energy transport and connect wave speed with the medium.

• Periodic WavesReading · Waves and sound

  Relate period, frequency, wavelength, speed, and intensity with correctly labeled representations.

• Boundary Behavior of Waves and PolarizationReading · Waves and sound

  Explain reflected and transmitted boundary behavior and distinguish transverse polarization from longitudinal sound.

• The Doppler EffectReading · Waves and sound

  Use emitted wavefronts and encounter rates to explain qualitative Doppler shifts.

• Wave Interference and Standing WavesReading · Waves and sound

  Add signed disturbances and fit standing-wave nodes and antinodes to the actual boundaries.

• ReflectionReading · Light rays and images

  Distinguish rays from wavefronts and apply reflection angles to the local normal.

• RefractionReading · Light rays and images

  Connect refraction with index, unchanged frequency, and the conditions for total internal reflection.

• Images Formed by MirrorsReading · Light rays and images

  Construct mirror images while keeping real paths, extensions, and signed focal lengths distinct.

• Images Formed by LensesReading · Light rays and images

  Use near and far focal points to construct lens images and interpret their distances and magnification.

• Electromagnetic WavesReading · Light as a wave

  Connect electromagnetic field directions, vacuum propagation, and spectrum ordering.

• DiffractionReading · Light as a wave

  Connect opening size and path cancellation with single-slit diffraction patterns.

• Double-Slit Interference and Diffraction GratingsReading · Light as a wave

  Distinguish fine double-slit or grating directions from a finite-slit diffraction envelope.

• Thin-Film InterferenceReading · Light as a wave

  Combine optical path and reflection phase, then state the amplitude condition needed for complete cancellation.

• Quantum Theory and Wave-Particle DualityReading · Quantum, atomic, and nuclear models

  Connect localized detections and interference with photon and matter-wave models and supplied boundary conditions.

• The Bohr Model of Atomic StructureReading · Quantum, atomic, and nuclear models

  Distinguish element, isotope, and ion, then use the limited single-electron Bohr model for energy states.

• Emission and Absorption SpectraReading · Quantum, atomic, and nuclear models

  Read occupied energy levels, match photon transitions, and distinguish electron from nuclear binding energy.

• Blackbody RadiationReading · Quantum, atomic, and nuclear models

  Separate a thermal spectrum’s peak from its complete area and total emitted power.

• The Photoelectric EffectReading · Quantum, atomic, and nuclear models

  Distinguish intensity from frequency and use a photoelectric threshold and stopping voltage.

• Compton ScatteringReading · Quantum, atomic, and nuclear models

  Use energy and vector momentum for Compton scattering from an initially stationary free electron.

• Fission, Fusion, and Nuclear DecayReading · Quantum, atomic, and nuclear models

  Account for mass-energy, nuclear binding, fission and fusion, and statistical radioactive decay.

• Types of Radioactive DecayReading · Quantum, atomic, and nuclear models

  Write supplied decay modes with the particles required by charge, nucleon, and lepton bookkeeping.

• Test gas-law graphsCheck understanding · Thermal physics and gases

  Construct and extrapolate a gas-thermometer graph, then choose controlled-variable plots for compression.

  The zero-pressure intercept is an ideal-model extrapolation, not a procedure for cooling a real gas to zero pressure.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Plan and analyze calorimetryCheck understanding · Thermal physics and gases

  Design measurements for an unknown specific heat, use supplied data, examine uncertainty and cup heat capacity, and explain equilibration.

  This task checks planning and supplied-data reasoning; it does not certify completion of a classroom experiment.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Design and explain charging by inductionCheck understanding · Charge and electric fields

  Show distributions and transfer steps for grounded induction, then account for charge in a symmetric contact experiment.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Construct and compare electric fieldsCheck understanding · Charge and electric fields

  Draw separate source-field arrows, calculate both source-sign configurations, and compare forces on positive and negative test charges.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Draw an electric energy accountCheck understanding · Electric energy, potential, and capacitors

  Calculate a proton’s energy and speed from potential difference, draw energy bars, and compare with slow external transport.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Explain capacitor energy and battery workCheck understanding · Electric energy, potential, and capacitors

  Calculate plate and field quantities, construct a voltage-charge graph, and distinguish stored energy from constant-voltage battery work.

  The capacitor model neglects edge effects and uses a uniform dielectric with a stated ideal battery.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Check physical circuit pathsCheck understanding · Current, resistance, and circuits

  Correct an invalid loop, draw branch currents, solve independent conservation equations, and construct a potential walk.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Explain an RC circuit over timeCheck understanding · Current, resistance, and circuits

  Calculate initial and final quantities and time constant, then sketch charging and discharge curves and explain energy transfer.

  Transient curves are qualitative; this task does not require exponential or logarithmic transient formulas.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Predict charged-particle directions and motionCheck understanding · Magnetism and induction

  Derive the magnetic radius, draw force directions, and determine an electric field that balances the magnetic force.

  Quantitative magnetic cases use perpendicular motion; oblique-angle comparisons remain qualitative and the motion model is nonrelativistic.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Account for energy in a moving-rod circuitCheck understanding · Magnetism and induction

  Derive emf from area change and independently compare external mechanical power with resistor heating.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Draw boundary-compatible standing wavesCheck understanding · Waves and sound

  Compare string and pipe modes, calculate allowed wavelengths and frequencies, and explain beats from relative phase.

  Pipe end corrections are omitted and the task distinguishes displacement from pressure boundary conditions.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Test standing-wave and string-speed modelsCheck understanding · Waves and sound

  Construct a quantitative transformed graph, compare its slope with the prediction, and explain resonance, uncertainty, and boundary checks.

  The task uses supplied measurements and asks how to improve a model test; it does not verify a completed practical investigation.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Construct a lens imageCheck understanding · Light rays and images

  Calculate the image and signed magnification, then draw all three principal rays and identify the two focal points.

  The task uses a thin converging lens in air and the stated sign convention.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Plan and graph a refraction measurementCheck understanding · Light rays and images

  Control unwanted curved-face refraction, measure angles from the normal, and use a quantitative sine graph to infer index.

  This is procedure design and supplied-data analysis, rather than evidence of completed hands-on measurement.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Explain both scales in a double-slit patternCheck understanding · Light as a wave

  Calculate fringe and envelope spacing, identify missing orders, sketch the pattern, and derive the small-angle bright-order relation.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Justify an antireflection coatingCheck understanding · Light as a wave

  Find a design thickness and justify both phase and amplitude conditions for ideal cancellation.

  Quantitative thin-film reasoning is at normal incidence; changed-angle reasoning is qualitative.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Test a photoelectric stopping-voltage modelCheck understanding · Quantum, atomic, and nuclear models

  Derive and construct a quantitative graph, infer its physical parameters, and describe controlled stopping-voltage measurements.

  The line applies above the ordinary single-photon threshold; an extrapolated negative intercept is not an emitted negative kinetic energy.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →
• Check complete beta-decay bookkeepingCheck understanding · Quantum, atomic, and nuclear models

  Write both supplied beta modes with neutrino partners, check conservation, and explain the particle properties and detection limit.

  Neutrino treatment is the stated qualitative bookkeeping scope, without flavors or detailed weak-force mechanisms.

  Separate worked reasoning and criteria →