Obtaining a Companion Book
As mentioned in the introduction to all of our courses, a student MUST practice solving problems in every unit to earn a high score on any of the AP* Physics tests. Although our courses do provide a multitude of problems for each unit, it is absolutely essential that a student have access to some sort of companion book that will provide even more problems to practice.
A college-level physics text book is the best resource one can have. There are generally lots of practice problems at the conclusion of each chapter, and the answers to many of the problems are listed in the back of the text. Thus, the student can check to see if the answer they work out is correct.
The suggested texts for our courses can be used online or downloaded for free through OpenStax (a non-profit organization run by Rice University). Click on one of the links below to access the download page.
Also included in the list are hardbound text books to search for online. You should be able to find used versions of these books for under $40.
Physics 1 or Physics 2:
OpenStax - College Physics for AP Courses*
Physics by Cutnell and Johnson
Physics Principles with Applications by Giancoli
College Physics by Sears and Zemanski
College Physics by Giambatista
Physics C Mechanics:
OpenStax - University Physics Volume 1*
Fundamentals of Physics by Halliday and Resnick
Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Serway, et. al.
Physics C E&M:
OpenStax - University Physics Volume 2*
Fundamentals of Physics by Halliday and Resnick
Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Serway, et. al.
Additionally, you may want to purchase an AP* Physics review book like Barron's or the Princeton Review. There are many others as well. These softcover books are available online or at bookstores for between $10 and $20. They usually contain practice AP* exams as well as unit overviews and practice problems.
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