Physics 2 math practice
Every calculation the Physics 2 exam asks for, with new numbers every time. Type the answer rather than picking from four options — producing a number is a different skill from eliminating three wrong ones, and only one of them is what the exam scores.
Pressure at depth
Pressure depends on depth, not on the shape or total volume of the container. A narrow tube and a wide tank at the same depth read the same pressure.
Calculate the absolute pressure at a depth of 33.8 m in a fluid of density 800 kg/m³. Atmospheric pressure is 101300 Pa and g = 9.8 m/s².
Every skill in this set
- Pressure at depthFluids
- P = P₀ + ρgh
- Pressure depends on depth, not on the shape or total volume of the container. A narrow tube and a wide tank at the same depth read the same pressure.
- Ohm's law and powerElectric Circuits
- V = IR · P = IV = I²R = V²/R
- Three equivalent power expressions exist so you can use whichever two quantities you were given. Choosing the one that needs a quantity you must first calculate wastes time and invites error.
- Coulomb's lawElectric Force, Field & Potential
- F = kq₁q₂ / r² · k = 8.99 × 10⁹ N·m²/C²
- An inverse-square law: tripling the separation cuts the force to a ninth. Questions frequently change only the distance and ask for the factor.
- Snell's lawGeometric & Physical Optics
- n₁ sin θ₁ = n₂ sin θ₂
- Light entering a denser medium bends toward the normal. Angles are always measured from the normal, not from the surface — measuring from the surface is the standard setup error.
- Photon energyModern Physics
- E = hf = hc/λ · h = 6.63 × 10⁻³⁴ J·s
- Shorter wavelength means higher energy. Photoelectric-effect questions turn on whether a single photon clears the work function, which is why intensity does not help below threshold.
Common questions
What math is on the AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based exam?
5 distinct calculations: pressure at depth, ohm's law and power, coulomb's law, snell's law, photon energy. Each one appears on the exam's formula sheet or is assumed by it, so the work is applying the relationship rather than recalling it.
Do the problems repeat?
No. Every problem is generated with fresh numbers, so the same skill can be practiced indefinitely without memorizing an answer. That is the whole point — being able to run a procedure on numbers you have not seen is what the exam actually tests.
How precise does my answer need to be?
Answers are accepted within about 1–3% of the exact value, which allows for rounding at intermediate steps the way a calculator does. Units are optional — type the number and the unit if you like, or just the number.