AP Physics 2 1-Month Study Plan

title: "AP Physics 2 1-Month Study Plan" description: "Four-week AP Physics 2 prep: comprehensive unit-by-unit breakdown, weekly milestones, cumulative practice sets, and month-end mock exam diagnostics." date: "2026-01-15" examDate: "May AP Exam" topics:

• Fluids
• Thermodynamics
• Electric Force & Fields
• Circuits
• Magnetism
• Optics
• Modern Physics

You have four weeks until exam day. This plan builds a solid foundation in all 7 units with weekly problem sets, mini-diagnostics, and real FRQ practice. Target 5–6 hours per week of focused study.

Month-at-a-glance

| Week | Focus | Units | Cumulative practice | |---|---|---|---| | Week 1 | Foundations | Fluids, Thermodynamics | 25 MCQs, 2 FRQs | | Week 2 | E&M Core | E-fields, Circuits | 30 MCQs, 3 FRQs | | Week 3 | Wave & Magnetic | Magnetism, Optics | 30 MCQs, 3 FRQs | | Week 4 | Modern + diagnostics | Modern physics, full mocks | 50 MCQs (full), 6 FRQs (full) |

Week 1: Fluids & Thermodynamics (5 hrs)

Monday–Tuesday: Fluids (2 hrs)

• Hydrostatic pressure: $P = \rho gh$, gauge pressure.
• Buoyancy equilibrium: $F_b = \rho_{\text{fluid}} V_{\text{displaced}} g$, floats when $F_b = F_g$.
• Continuity: $A_1 v_1 = A_2 v_2$.
• Practice: 8 MCQs + 1 worked example (float equilibrium).

Wednesday: Thermodynamics Part 1 (1.5 hrs)

• Ideal gas law: $PV = nRT$.
• State variables: $P$, $V$, $T$, $n$.
• Processes: isobaric, isochoric, isothermal. Work only in isobaric: $W = P\Delta V$.
• Practice: 8 MCQs, sketch PV diagram.

Thursday–Friday: Thermodynamics Part 2 & First Law (1.5 hrs)

• First Law: $\Delta U = Q + W$ ($W$ = work on gas).
• Internal energy: $\Delta U = nC_V \Delta T$.
• Heat engines: $\eta = 1 - \frac{Q_c}{Q_h}$.
• Practice: 9 MCQs + 1 FRQ (identify processes, find $W$, $Q$, $\Delta U$).

Week 1 Quiz (1 hr)

• 25 MCQs (fluids & thermo mixed, 12 min per topic).
• 2 FRQs: one buoyancy, one PV diagram.
• Target: ≥ 16/25 MCQs (64%), both FRQs ≥ 2/3 points.

💡 Checkpoint: If you score <14 on MCQs, rewatch buoyancy and ideal gas law videos before Week 2.

Week 2: Electric Fields & Circuits (5 hrs)

Monday: Coulomb & Electric Fields (1 hr)

• Coulomb: $F = k\frac{q_1 q_2}{r^2}$ ($k = 9 \times 10^9$).
• Field: $E = k\frac{Q}{r^2}$.
• Field lines & superposition.
• Practice: 8 MCQs, sketch field lines.

Tuesday: Electric Potential (1 hr)

• Potential: $V = k\frac{Q}{r}$.
• Equipotentials ⊥ to field.
• Work: $W = q\Delta V$.
• Practice: 8 MCQs + 1 worked example.

Wednesday–Thursday: Circuits Part 1 (1.5 hrs)

• Ohm's Law: $V = IR$.
• Series: $R_{\text{tot}} = \Sigma R$, voltage divides.
• Parallel: $\frac{1}{R_{\text{tot}}} = \Sigma \frac{1}{R}$, current divides.
• Power: $P = I^2 R = \frac{V^2}{R} = IV$.
• Practice: 14 MCQs, sketch equivalent resistances.

Friday: Circuits Part 2 & Kirchhoff (1.5 hrs)

• KCL: $\Sigma I_{\text{in}} = \Sigma I_{\text{out}}$.
• KVL: $\Sigma V = 0$ around loop.
• Multi-loop: apply both laws simultaneously.
• Practice: 1 multi-loop FRQ + 1 power FRQ.

Week 2 Quiz (1 hr)

• 30 MCQs (E-fields, potential, circuits).
• 3 FRQs: Coulomb/field, series/parallel, multi-loop Kirchhoff.
• Target: ≥ 19/30, ≥ 6/9 FRQ points.

⚠️ Trap: Kirchhoff looks complicated but is systematic. Write every loop and node equation. Most students skip and guess—don't.

Week 3: Magnetism & Optics (5 hrs)

Monday–Tuesday: Magnetic Force & Flux (1.5 hrs)

• Lorentz force: $F = qvB\sin\theta$, right-hand rule.
• Wire force: $F = BIL\sin\theta$.
• Flux: $\Phi_B = BA\cos\theta$.
• Practice: 10 MCQs + 1 worked example.

Wednesday: Faraday & Lenz (1 hr)

• Faraday: $\mathcal{E} = -\frac{d\Phi_B}{dt}$.
• Lenz: induced current opposes change in flux.
• Practice: 8 MCQs + 1 FRQ.

Thursday–Friday: Optics (1.5 hrs)

• Snell: $n_1 \sin\theta_1 = n_2 \sin\theta_2$.
• Lens/mirror: $\frac{1}{f} = \frac{1}{d_o} + \frac{1}{d_i}$, $m = -\frac{d_i}{d_o}$.
• Ray diagrams: 3-ray method.
• Wave optics: double-slit $\Delta = m\lambda$, thin-film $2nt = m\lambda$, polarization.
• Practice: 12 MCQs + 1 lens FRQ.

Week 3 Quiz (1 hr)

• 30 MCQs (magnetism, induction, optics).
• 3 FRQs: Faraday, lens/mirror, wave.
• Target: ≥ 19/30, ≥ 6/9 FRQ points.

Week 4: Modern Physics & Full Diagnostics (6 hrs)

Monday–Tuesday: Modern Physics (1.5 hrs)

• Photoelectric: $hf = KE_{\text{max}} + \phi$.
• Atomic: energy levels, transitions.
• Mass-energy: $E = mc^2$.
• Nuclear: $N(t) = N_0 (1/2)^{t/t_{1/2}}$.
• Practice: 10 MCQs + 1 FRQ.

Wednesday: Cumulative Review (1.5 hrs)

• Skim last-minute review.
• Revisit one weak unit.
• 1 review FRQ.

Thursday–Friday: Full Diagnostics (3 hrs)

• Mock Exam 1 (90 min): full 50-MCQ, strict timing.
• Mock Exam 2 (90 min): 6 real past FRQs, timed.
• Grade & identify weak spots.

Week 4 Targets

• Mock MCQ: ≥ 65% (32/50).
• Mock FRQ: average ≥ 60%.
• Overall: trending ≥ 70% (solid 5 trajectory).

By end of Week 4

• ≥ 65%: Solid foundation. Next week: weak units only.
• 55–64%: Focus on high-yield topics (circuits, optics, thermo).
• < 55%: Request tutoring. Gaps too large to close solo.

Suggested daily rhythm

| Time | Activity | Duration | |---|---|---| | 7–8 am | Review + 1 worked problem | 1 hr | | 2–3 pm | 12 MCQs (timed) | 1 hr | | 7–9 pm | 1 FRQ + solutions review | 2 hrs | | Total | | 4 hrs/week typical |

Consistency beats cramming. Four hours per week for 4 weeks outperforms 16 hours the night before.

Browse the AP Physics 2 topic library → for worked examples and deeper dives into any unit above.