AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based · 16 questions from 4 exams
Past free-response questions
Practice released AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based free-response questions from 2023 to 2026. Each one opens College Board's own question beside a space to write your answer, part by part, and then College Board's scoring guidelines so you can score it yourself.
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2026
This paper allotted 100 minutes to its four free-response questions. The current exam has 4 free-response questions in 95 minutes. The skills these questions practice still count.
- Question 1 · Mathematical Routines · 10 points Heating gas and a sphere Sketch a gas speed distribution, derive a sphere’s specific heat and compare temperature changes during thermal equilibrium. Unit 9
- Question 2 · Translation Between Representations · 12 points Atomic transitions and photon energy Draw emission transitions between atomic levels and relate photon energy to wavelength using a graph and energy states. Unit 15
- Question 3 · Experimental Design and Analysis · 10 points Measuring a magnetic field and particle mass Design charged particle measurements and graph experimental data to determine a magnetic field and particle mass. Unit 10, Unit 12
- Question 4 · Qualitative Quantitative Translation · 8 points Motion across equipotential lines Use equipotential lines and energy conservation to compare the speeds and kinetic energies of oppositely charged spheres. Unit 10
2025
This paper allotted 100 minutes to its four free-response questions. The current exam has 4 free-response questions in 95 minutes. The skills these questions practice still count.
- Question 1 · Mathematical Routines · 10 points Magnetic interactions among wires and a loop Represent magnetic forces between current carrying wires and analyze the induced current in a moving conducting loop. Unit 12
- Question 2 · Translation Between Representations · 12 points An ideal gas under a movable piston Draw forces on a piston, derive gas energy and represent pressure and volume during a thermal process. Unit 9
- Question 3 · Experimental Design and Analysis · 10 points Measuring resistance and capacitance Plan measurements for an RC time constant and graph charge and potential difference to determine capacitance. Unit 11, Unit 10
- Question 4 · Qualitative Quantitative Translation · 8 points Double slit interference with colored light Compare interference band positions for different wavelengths and derive the spacing between bands on a screen. Unit 14
2024
This paper allotted 90 minutes to four questions worth 10, 12, 12, and 10 points. The current exam has 4 free-response questions in 95 minutes. The skills these questions practice still count.
- Question 1 · Paragraph response · 10 points Photoelectric emission from two metals Compare photon frequencies and photoelectron energies for two metals using experimental observations and the photoelectric effect. Unit 15, Unit 14
- Question 2 · Experimental design · 12 points Heating gas in a sealed chamber Design an ideal gas experiment, graph thermodynamic processes and use measurements to determine the amount of gas. Unit 9
- Question 3 · Quantitative and qualitative translation · 12 points Currents and power in a resistor circuit Analyze a four resistor network, represent potential differences with bars and evaluate a proposed expression for power. Unit 11
- Question 4 · Short answer · 10 points Charged particles in electric and magnetic fields Compare forces and motion for two charged particles and sketch their trajectories in a magnetic field. Unit 10, Unit 12
2023
This paper allotted 90 minutes to four questions worth 10, 12, 12, and 10 points. The current exam has 4 free-response questions in 95 minutes. The skills these questions practice still count.
- Question 1 · Short answer · 10 points Light through water above a mirror Trace a light ray through water, analyze reflection and refraction, and compare the effects of changing the incidence angle. Unit 13
- Question 2 · Experimental design · 12 points Testing an unknown circuit component Design a circuit experiment to identify an unknown element and graph measurements to determine a battery’s emf. Unit 11, Unit 10
- Question 3 · Quantitative and qualitative translation · 12 points Water leaving differently shaped tanks Use fluid flow and conservation relationships to compare water speeds as tanks with different shapes drain.
- Question 4 · Short answer paragraph argument · 10 points Charged particles at triangle vertices Evaluate electric field and potential claims and complete energy bar charts for adding charges to a system. Unit 10
The questions, scoring guidelines and Chief Reader reports are College Board's. Recent years open from College Board's site and earlier years from the Internet Archive. The titles and summaries on this page are ours.