AP®︎ Physics 2 Unit 9: Notes & Study Guide

Prepare for your quiz, test, or the AP exam with a comprehensive review on Unit 9 of AP Physics 2 – Thermodynamics.

Exam weight: 15%–18%
6 Topics

Unit 9: Thermodynamics

How heat, temperature, and thermal energy behave in systems like heat engines, heat pumps, and refrigerators.

Begin with Topic 9.1: Kinetic Theory of Tempera...

To review Unit 9, go through each of the 6 topics below.

Everything you actually need to know for your Unit 9 test, pulled directly from the AP® Physics 2 curriculum.

Topic 9.1
~7 min
Review
Kinetic Theory of Temperature and Pressure
Kinetic Theory of Temperature and Pressure
  • What Kinetic Theory Says About Gases
  • How Atomic Collisions Create Pressure
  • Temperature as Average Kinetic Energy
Review
Topic 9.2
~6 min
Review
The Ideal Gas Law
The Ideal Gas Law
  • What an Ideal Gas Is
  • The Ideal Gas Law
  • The Three Special Cases of the Ideal Gas Law
Review
Topic 9.3
~7 min
Review
Thermal Energy Transfer and Equilibrium
Thermal Energy Transfer and Equilibrium
  • Thermal Energy Transfer Between Systems
  • The Three Mechanisms of Thermal Energy Transfer
  • Thermal Equilibrium
Review
Topic 9.4
~6 min
Review
The First Law of Thermodynamics
The First Law of Thermodynamics
  • What Internal Energy Is
  • The First Law of Thermodynamics
  • Work and PV Diagrams
Review
Topic 9.5
~6 min
Review
Specific Heat and Thermal Conductivity
Specific Heat and Thermal Conductivity
  • Specific heat and temperature change
  • Thermal conductivity and conduction rate
  • What controls the rate of conduction
Review
Topic 9.6
~6 min
Review
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
  • What Entropy Is
  • The Second Law of Thermodynamics
  • Types of Systems and Entropy Behavior
Review

Notes

1 credit used · 5/5 remaining