College Physics for AP® Courses

Book Preface

Welcome to College Physics for AP® Courses, an OpenStax resource. This textbook was written to increase student access to high-quality learning materials, maintaining highest standards of academic rigor at little to no cost.

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About College Physics for AP® Courses
College Physics for AP® Courses is designed to engage students in their exploration of physics and help them apply these
concepts to the Advanced Placement® test. Because physics is integral to modern technology and other sciences, the book also
includes content that goes beyond the scope of the AP® course to further student understanding. The AP® Connection in each
chapter directs students to the material they should focus on for the AP® exam, and what content — although interesting — is
not necessarily part of the AP® curriculum. This book is Learning List-approved for AP® Physics courses.
Coverage, Scope, and Alignment to the AP® Curriculum
The current AP® Physics curriculum framework outlines the two full-year physics courses AP® Physics 1: Algebra-Based and
AP® Physics 2: Algebra-Based. These two courses replaced the one-year AP® Physics B course, which over the years had become a fast-paced survey of physics facts and formulas that did not provide in-depth conceptual understanding of major
physics ideas and the connections between them.
AP® Physics 1 and 2 courses focus on the big ideas typically included in the first and second semesters of an algebra-based, introductory college-level physics course, providing students with the essential knowledge and skills required to support future
advanced course work in physics. The AP® Physics 1 curriculum includes mechanics, mechanical waves, sound, and
electrostatics. The AP® Physics 2 curriculum focuses on thermodynamics, fluid statics, dynamics, electromagnetism, geometric and physical optics, quantum physics, atomic physics, and nuclear physics. Seven unifying themes of physics called the Big Ideas each include three to seven enduring understandings (EU), which are themselves composed of essential knowledge (EK) that provides details and context for students as they explore physics.
AP® science practices emphasize inquiry-based learning and development of critical thinking and reasoning skills. Inquiry usually uses a series of steps to gain new knowledge, beginning with an observation and following with a hypothesis to explain the
observation; then experiments are conducted to test the hypothesis, gather results, and draw conclusions from data. The AP® framework has identified seven major science practices, which can be described by short phrases: using representations and models to communicate information and solve problems; using mathematics appropriately; engaging in questioning; planning and implementing data collection strategies; analyzing and evaluating data; justifying scientific explanations; and connecting concepts. The framework’s Learning Objectives merge content (EU and EK) with one or more of the seven science practices that
students should develop as they prepare for the AP® Physics exam.
College Physics for AP® Courses is based on the OpenStax College Physics text, adapted to focus on the AP curriculum’s
concepts and practices. Each chapter of OpenStax College Physics for AP® Courses begins with a Connection for AP® Courses introduction that explains how the content in the chapter sections align to the Big Ideas, enduring understandings, and essential
knowledge in the AP® framework. This textbook contains a wealth of information, and the Connection for AP® Courses sections
will help you distill the required AP® content from material that, although interesting, exceeds the scope of an introductory-level course.

Each section opens with the program’s learning objectives as well as the AP® learning objectives and science practices addressed. We have also developed Real World Connections features and Applying the Science Practices features that highlight concepts, examples, and practices in the framework.

• 1 Introduction: The Nature of Science and Physics
• 2 Kinematics
• 3 Two-Dimensional Kinematics
• 4 Dynamics: Force and Newton’s Laws of Motion
• 5 Further Applications of Newton’s Laws: Friction, Drag, and Elasticity
• 6 Gravitation and Uniform Circular Motion
• 7 Work, Energy, and Energy Resources
• 8 Linear Momentum and Collisions
• 9 Statics and Torque
• 10 Rotational Motion and Angular Momentum
• 11 Fluid Statics
• 12 Fluid Dynamics and Its Biological and Medical Applications
• 13 Temperature, Kinetic Theory, and the Gas Laws
• 14 Heat and Heat Transfer Methods
• 15 Thermodynamics
• 16 Oscillatory Motion and Waves
• 17 Physics of Hearing
• 18 Electric Charge and Electric Field
• 19 Electric Potential and Electric Field
• 20 Electric Current, Resistance, and Ohm’s Law
• 21 Circuits, Bioelectricity, and DC Instruments
• 22 Magnetism
• 23 Electromagnetic Induction, AC Circuits, and Electrical Technologies
• 24 Electromagnetic Waves
• 25 Geometric Optics
• 26 Vision and Optical Instruments
• 27 Wave Optics
• 28 Special Relativity
• 29 Introduction to Quantum Physics
• 30 Atomic Physics
• 31 Radioactivity and Nuclear Physics
• 32 Medical Applications of Nuclear Physics
• 33 Particle Physics
• 34 Frontiers of Physics
• Appendix A: Atomic Masses
• Appendix B: Selected Radioactive Isotopes
• Appendix C: Useful Information
• Appendix D: Glossary of Key Symbols and Notation

Pedagogical Foundation and Features
College Physics for AP® Courses is organized so that topics are introduced conceptually with a steady progression to precise definitions and analytical applications. The analytical, problem-solving aspect is tied back to the conceptual before moving on to another topic. Each introductory chapter, for example, opens with an engaging photograph relevant to the subject of the chapter and interesting applications that are easy for most students to visualize.

• Connections for AP® Courses introduce each chapter and explain how its content addresses the AP® curriculum.
• Worked Examples Examples start with problems based on real-life situations, then describe a strategy for solving the problem that emphasizes key concepts. The subsequent detailed mathematical solution also includes a follow-up discussion.

• Problem-solving Strategies are presented independently and subsequently appear at crucial points in the text where students can benefit most from them.
• Misconception Alerts address common misconceptions that students may bring to class.
• Take-Home Investigations provide the opportunity for students to apply or explore what they have learned with a hands-on activity.
• Real World Connections highlight important concepts and examples in the AP® framework.
• Applying the Science Practices includes activities and challenging questions that engage students while they apply the AP® science practices.
• Things Great and Small explains macroscopic phenomena (such as air pressure) with submicroscopic phenomena (such as atoms bouncing off of walls).
• PhET Explorations link students to interactive PHeT physics simulations, developed by the University of Colorado, to help them further explore the physics concepts they have learned about in their book module.

Assessment
College Physics for AP® Courses offers a wealth of assessment options, including the following end-of-module problems:

• Integrated Concept Problems challenge students to apply both conceptual knowledge and skills to solve a problem.
• Unreasonable Results encourage students to solve a problem and then evaluate why the premise or answer to the problem are unrealistic.
• Construct Your Own Problem requires students to construct how to solve a particular problem, justify their starting assumptions, show their steps to find the solution to the problem, and finally discuss the meaning of the result.
• Test Prep for AP® Courses includes assessment items with the format and rigor found in the AP® exam to help prepare students for the exam.

AP Physics Collection
College Physics for AP® Courses is a part of the AP Physics Collection. The AP Physics Collection is a free, turnkey solution for
your AP® Physics course, brought to you through a collaboration between OpenStax and Rice Online Learning. The integrated
collection pairs the OpenStax College Physics for AP® Courses text with Concept Trailer videos, instructional videos, problem solution videos, and a correlation guide to help you align all of your content. The instructional videos and problem solution videos
were developed by Rice Professor Jason Hafner and AP® Physics teachers Gigi Nevils-Noe and Matt Wilson through Rice
Online Learning. You can access all of this free material through the College Physics for AP® Courses page on openstax.org.

Additional Resources
Student and Instructor Resources
We’ve compiled additional resources for both students and instructors, including Getting Started Guides, an instructor solution manual, and instructional videos. Instructor resources require a verified instructor account, which you can apply for when you log in or create your account on openstax.org. Take advantage of these resources to supplement your OpenStax book.
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