AP Physics 2, from thermodynamics to photons.
AP Physics 2 covers more different kinds of physics than almost any other course. Each unit feels like starting over. A tutor helps you see what carries over, so you are never truly starting from zero.
- Course
- AP Physics 2
- Usually
- Grades 11 to 12
- Before it
- AP Physics 1 or an equivalent first year of physics
- Exam
- May, hybrid digital
What AP Physics 2 tutoring looks like with us
AP Physics 2 was revised alongside Physics 1 starting in 2024 to 2025, and fluids moved out of Physics 2 and into Physics 1. The course now runs from thermodynamics through modern physics in seven units, numbered 9 to 15 to continue from Physics 1.
Your tutor follows your class and keeps returning to the big ideas that link the units: fields, energy, and conservation. Students who see those links find the second half of the year much easier.
The 7 units of AP Physics 2
| Unit | Topics | Exam weight |
|---|---|---|
| 09 | ThermodynamicsIdeal gases, kinetic theory, heat transfer, first law, PV diagrams, entropy | 15 to 18% |
| 10 | Electric Force, Field, and PotentialCoulomb's law, electric fields, potential, equipotential lines, capacitors | 15 to 18% |
| 11 | Electric CircuitsResistance, Ohm's law, series and parallel circuits, Kirchhoff's rules, RC circuits | 15 to 18% |
| 12 | Magnetism and ElectromagnetismMagnetic fields and forces, currents in fields, induction, Faraday's and Lenz's laws | 12 to 15% |
| 13 | Geometric OpticsReflection, refraction, Snell's law, mirrors, lenses, ray diagrams | 12 to 15% |
| 14 | Waves, Sound, and Physical OpticsWave properties, interference, diffraction, double slit, thin films | 12 to 15% |
| 15 | Modern PhysicsPhotons, photoelectric effect, energy levels, nuclear physics, wave particle duality | 12 to 15% |
Unit names and exam weights from the current College Board Course and Exam Description.
How the AP Physics 2 exam is built
| Section | Questions | Time | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section I | 40 multiple choice | 80 min | 50% |
| Section II | 4 free response | 100 min | 50% |
Same structure as AP Physics 1, with the same four free response types. Hybrid digital, with free response handwritten. Calculator and equation sheet allowed.
Where students lose points in AP Physics 2
Field vs potential
Field is a vector, potential is a number, and students swap them constantly. We make the difference visual and concrete.
Circuit reasoning
Exams ask what happens to brightness or current when something changes. We teach students to reason about circuits, not just plug numbers into Ohm's law.
Lenz's law
The direction of induced current trips up nearly everyone. A simple, consistent method fixes it.
Ray diagrams
Optics questions reward a clean diagram. We practice drawing them quickly and accurately.
What a typical session looks like
- First 5 min
Check in on class: what was taught this week, what is due, and when the next test is.
- Main block
Work through the topic that matters most right now, using your actual homework or class problems.
- Practice
Exam style questions on the same topic, scored the way AP readers score them.
- Last 5 min
A short plan for the week, and the topic for this week's worksheet.
- After
Our support team sends the worksheet, marks it, and returns a written score report and a retest on the weak spots. Parents get a copy.
AP Physics 2 tutoring FAQ
Can I take AP Physics 2 without AP Physics 1?
Is fluids still part of AP Physics 2?
Do you help with AP Physics 2 lab work?
How much does AP Physics 2 tutoring cost?
Get help with AP Physics 2 this week.
Tell us where things stand in AP Physics 2: current grade, next test, anything your teacher has said. We pair you with a tutor who knows this course and set up a free 30 minute trial session.
- A tutor who knows your exact course
- Sessions follow your teacher's syllabus and test dates
- Online, so any time zone in the US works
- Weekly worksheets, written score reports, and retests, all included
- A support team tracking progress and keeping parents updated