College Board-Aligned Original Notes
AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based Unit 11 Topic 1: Definition and conservation of electric charge
Connect Definition and conservation of electric charge to a model, the evidence that supports it, and the variables that change the system.
Unit 11: Electric Circuits. College Board exam weighting listed for this unit: 15%-18% of exam score.
What to Know
- Identify the system, surroundings, and scale before explaining a process.
- Use diagrams, graphs, and tables as evidence rather than decoration.
- For quantitative questions, keep units visible from the setup through the final answer.
- Always connect this topic back to the larger unit: Electric Circuits.
Detailed Notes
Definition and conservation of electric charge belongs to Electric Circuits, so study it as part of a larger scientific system rather than as a stand-alone fact. Start by identifying what is being described, what is changing, and what evidence would let you defend a claim.
In AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based, strong answers usually connect a visible pattern to an underlying mechanism. That means explaining not only what happens, but why it happens at the particle, organism, environmental, or system level.
For AP-style questions, expect this topic to appear with graphs, diagrams, data tables, experiments, or written scenarios. Your job is to describe the evidence, apply the correct concept, and explain the reasoning that connects them.
Key Vocabulary
Electric charge
A property of matter that causes electric forces.
Electric field
A field that describes the force per unit positive charge at a point.
Electric potential
Electric potential energy per unit charge.
Current
Rate of flow of electric charge.
Magnetic field
A field produced by moving charges or magnetic materials.
Quick Practice
How would you explain Definition and conservation of electric charge in one or two AP-style sentences?
Name the concept, apply it to a specific example or source, and explain the reasoning that connects the evidence to your answer.
Related Topics in This Unit
- Resistivity and resistance
- Resistance and capacitance
- Kirchhoff’s loop rule
- Kirchhoff’s junction rule and the conservation of electric charge