AP Physics 1 Curriculum Map
Table of Information and Equations
Kinematics
Forces and Translational Dynamics
Work, Energy, Power
Linear Momentum
Torque, Rotational Dynamics and Kinematics
Energy and Momentum in Rotating Systems
Oscillations, SHM
Fluids
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AP Physics 2 Curriculum Map
Table of Information and Equations
Fluids: Statics and Dynamics
Thermal Physics
Ideal Gases
Thermodynamics
Electric Force, Electric Field, Potential
Capacitors
DC Circuits: Resistors and Capacitors (steady-state only)
Magnetism and induction
Geometric Optics
Physical Optics
Quantum, Atomic, and Nuclear physics
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Science practices describe the knowledge and skills that students
should learn and demonstrate to reach a goal or complete a learning activity. This information is found on page 13 of the pdf entitled AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Course and Exam Description located on the Collegeboard website.
- Practice #1: Creating Representations - create representations that depict physical phenomena
A. Create diagrams, tables, charts, or schematics to represent physical situations.
B. Create quantitative graphswith appropriate scales and units, including plotting data.
C. Create qualitative sketches of graphs that represent features of a model or the behavior of a physical system.
- Practice #2: Mathematical Routines - conduct analyses to derive, calculate, estimate, or predict.
A. Derive a symbolic expression from known quantities by selecting and following a logical mathematical pathway.
B. Calculate or estimate an unknown quantity with units from known quantities, by selecting and following a logical computational pathway.
C. Compare physical quantities between two or more scenarios or at different times and locations in a single scenario.
D. Predict new values or factors of change of hysical quantities using functional dependence between variables.
- Practice #3: Scientific Questioning and Augumentation
A. Create experimental procedures that are appropriate for a given scientific question.
B. Apply an appropriate law,definition, theoretical relationship, or model to make a claim.
C. Justify or support a claim using evidence from experimental data, physical representations, or physical principles or laws.
The exam's free response questions consist of these four types which are listed below. This descriptive information can be found on page 180 of the pdf entitled AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based Course and Exam Description located on the Collegeboard website. If you want to see examples of these four types of FRQ reference pages 193-198.
- The Mathematical Routines (MR) question assesses students’ ability to use mathematics to analyze a scenario and make predictions about that scenario. Students will be expected to symbolically derive relationships between variables, as well as calculate numerical values. Students will be expected to create and use representations that describe the scenario, either to help guide the mathematical analysis(such as drawing a free-body diagram) or that are applicable to the scenario (such as sketching velocity as a function of time).
For AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2, the MR question will ask students to make a claim or prediction about the scenario and use appropriate physics concepts and principles to support and justify that claim.The justification is expected to be a logical and sequential application of physics concepts that demonstrates a student’s ability to connect multiple concepts to each other.
- The Translation Between Representations (TBR) question assesses students’ ability to connect different representations of a scenario. Students will be expected to create a visual representation that describes a given scenario. Students will derive equations that are mathematically relevant to the scenario. Students will draw graphs that relate quantities within the scenario. Finally, students will be asked to do any one of the following:
- Justify why their answers to any two of the previous parts do/do not agree with each other.
- Use their representations, mathematical analysis, or graph to make a prediction about another situation and justify their prediction using that reasoning or analysis.
- Use their representations, mathematical analysis, or graph to make a prediction about how those representations would change if properties of the scenario were altered and justify that claim using consistent reasoning or analysis.
- The Qualitative/Quantitative Translation (QQT) question assesses students’ ability to connect the nature of the scenario, the physical laws that govern the scenario, and mathematical representations of that scenario to each other. Students will be asked to make and justify a claim about a given scenario, as well as derive an equation related to that scenario. Finally, students will be asked to do any one of the following:
- Justify why their answers to any of the previous parts do/do not agree with each other.
- Use their representations or mathematical analysis to make a prediction about another situation and justify their prediction using that reasoning or analysis.
- Use their representations and mathematical analysis to make a prediction about how those representations would change if properties of the scenario were altered and justify that claim using consistent reasoning or analysis.
While students may not be directly assessed on their ability to create diagrams or other representations of the system to answer the QQT, those skills may still help students to answer the QQT. For instance, some students may find that drawing a free-body diagram is useful when determining the acceleration of a system. However, the student will earn points for the explanation and conclusions that diagram indicates (or perhaps the derivation that results from the diagram), rather than for creating the diagram itself.
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