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This site last updated August 22, 2007 6:12 PM .
Physics AP-B Exam Preparation (begin in Spring 2008)
- Task 1: Familiarization with the AP Physics B exam and curriculum
- Visit and navigate around the AP Physics B website at AP Central
- In particular, skim (but do not print) the course description
- Print out and carefully read the objectives for the exam -- this is your most valuable tool in studying for this exam, because it tells you what you need to know. Remember you do not have to understand the stuff that is only for AP Physics C.
- Check out this page of practice tests -- but do not read them or print them out yet, we'll use these to study from in the coming weeks
- Familiarize yourself with the equation sheet you'll be given for the free response portion of the exam (you will not be allowed this sheet during the multiple choice portion); remember that you do not care about anything on this sheet that is designed for the AP Physics C students.
- Purchase an AP Physics B review book or borrow one from BJP. My used copies are a little out of date but are still fine.
- Task 2: Taking your first free-response practice exam
- Go to the this page of practice tests and print out the questions for the 2001exam . Give yourself 90 minutes to complete the exam. You may use your equation sheet and your graphing calculator. (You are going to have trouble with #3 and #5 because we have not yet done that work in class. Still, you can read them and see the type of questions we'll be studying later in the year.) It is important that you take this test under exam conditions.
- Read the scoring guidelines and sample responses and self-evaluate. You want to get about 50-60% of the points to get a '5' on the AP Exam.
- Task 3: Spring Break Study
- In the objectives for the exam you'll see on Page 6, Section E, Part 2, that you need to know a few things about Torque and Rotational Statics. We did not study this over the course of the year in honors physics, so you should take a stab at it. The material for this is in Chapter 9 of the People's Physics Book. The key things are that you be able to calculate torque and angular momentum. You obviously will not have as deep an understanding of this as you do other things that we have covered, but perhaps between your review book and the PPB, you can figure it out. Discuss questions regarding this material on the public folder.
- Work this sheet of practice problems in rotational motion; come see any physics teacher for help.
- In your review book, take a practice AP Physics B exam and use it to identify areas of weakness. Share your results with Mr. Philhour or Mr. O'Keefe and discuss study strategies.
- Task 4: Formal Practice Exam
- Come to Room 310 and we'll do a practice exam on each of these days from 2:30 pm to 4 pm.
- If your instructor approves, a passing grade on this practice exam will replace your final exam grade for honors physics, and you don't have to take the honors physics final exam
- Practice Exam Results
SAT Subject Test in Physics Exam Preparation
- We have prep books available for loan.
- The SAT Subject Test: Physics exam will include some material we did not or will not cover in Physics H. Click here and scroll down to physics on page 18 for some sample problems and the distribution of question types.