AP Physics 2 Resources- Complete Study Materials
What You Actually Need for AP Physics 2
AP Physics 2 covers thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, electricity and magnetism, optics, and modern physics. It's a second-year course, which means you already survived AP Physics 1 — or you're about to.
The problem isn't finding resources. It's separating the garbage from the stuff that actually helps. I've put together a list of what's worth your time and money.
Official College Board Materials
Start here. Always. College Board runs the exam, so their materials show you exactly what they're testing.
- AP Classroom — Free account required. You get practice FRQs, topic questions, and the official progress checks. The question bank is solid for understanding how the exam frames problems.
- Sample AP Exams — Released free-response questions from past years. These are gold. Do them under timed conditions.
- Course and Exam Description (CED) — The official 300+ page document. It lists every topic, learning objectives, and sample questions. Download the PDF. Reference it when you're confused about what's actually in scope.
Textbooks Worth Using
Most schools assign a textbook. If yours is unreadable, these alternatives actually teach:
Free Options
- OpenStax College Physics for AP Courses — Completely free online. Covers the material, includes practice problems. The explanations are decent, though the formatting gets dry.
- Physics by Halliday, Resnick, and Walker — The classic. Many libraries have copies. More rigorous than most AP courses, which works in your favor.
Paid Options
- Knight's Physics for Scientists and Engineers — Strong conceptual explanations. The "Test Your Understanding" checkpoints throughout each chapter are useful for self-checking.
- Giancoli's Physics: Principles with Applications — Good diagrams, clear examples. Slightly less math-heavy than Knight, which some students prefer.
Review Books That Don't Suck
Most review books are garbage written by people who've never taught the course. These are the exceptions:
| Book | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Princeton Review AP Physics 2 (2024 Edition) | Clean explanations, decent practice tests | Some topics undersell the difficulty |
| Barron's AP Physics 2 | Harder practice problems, good for top scorers | Can be overwhelming if you're struggling |
| 5 Steps to a 5 | Organized review, some good strategy tips | Multiple choice practice is hit-or-miss |
Buy the most recent edition. Physics content doesn't change much, but question formats and weighting do.
YouTube Channels That Actually Teach
Free video lectures are hit or miss. Here's what works:
- Flipping Physics — Jonathan Thomas-Palmer runs this. Organized by topic, clear explanations, includes worked examples. Best for learning new content.
- AP Physics 2 by Derek Owens — Full course lectures. Slow pace, which is good if you're following along and taking notes.
- Michel van Biezen — Thousands of physics problems solved. Search for specific topics when you're stuck on a problem type.
- Veritasium / Minutephysics — Not AP-focused, but great for conceptual understanding. Watch these when you need a mental break but don't want to waste time.
Practice Exams and Question Banks
You need to practice with real exam conditions. Here's where to get that:
- College Board Released FRQs — Free. Every FRQ from 2014-2024 is available on their website. Do these under timed conditions.
- Past AP Physics 2 Exams — The 2014 and 2015 exams are fully available. Later years have partial releases. College Board charges for full exams, but your school likely has a subscription.
- UWorld — Paid ($20-40/month). Excellent question bank with detailed explanations. Best used 2-3 months before the exam. The interface mimics the actual test.
- Albert.io — Paid. Good multiple-choice practice. Explanations vary in quality.
Do at least 3 full practice exams before test day. More if you're aiming for 5.
Apps and Tools
- Desmos — Free graphing calculator. Use this instead of a physical calculator. The exam allows calculators, and Desmos is faster for most problems.
- Khan Academy — Free. The AP Physics 2 course is well-organized. Not comprehensive enough alone, but good for filling gaps.
- Chegg / Bartleby — Paid. Step-by-step solutions to textbook problems. Useful when you're stuck, but don't rely on it — try problems yourself first.
- Anki — Free flashcard app. Make cards for formulas, unit conversions, and conceptual definitions. Spaced repetition actually works.
How to Actually Use These Resources
Phase 1: Learning the Content (September-December)
- Watch video lectures for topics you don't understand in class
- Read the textbook chapter before your teacher covers it
- Do every problem in your textbook, not just assigned homework
- Use OpenStax or Khan Academy to fill in weak spots
Phase 2: Building Skills (January-March)
- Work through review book chapters
- Start doing released FRQs by topic
- Build your formula sheet — write down every equation you use more than twice
- Practice unit conversions until they're automatic
Phase 3: Exam Prep (April-May)
- Take full practice exams every weekend
- Review every mistake — understand why you got it wrong
- Focus on FRQ practice — 50% of your score
- Use UWorld or Albert.io for targeted multiple-choice drilling
What to Skip
Don't waste time on:
- Reddit threads asking "is AP Physics 2 hard" — it's as hard as you make it
- Premium tutoring before you've exhausted free resources
- Study guides from 2015 or earlier — the course changed significantly
- Any resource that promises you can skip studying if you just "understand concepts" — you need both
The Bottom Line
You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars. College Board's free materials, a solid textbook, YouTube for gaps in understanding, and practice exams will get you a 5 if you actually use them.
The resource quality matters less than your consistency. One hour every day for 8 months beats 12-hour cramming sessions every weekend.