Pre-PT Hub
5 min read By Pre-PT Hub Team

Physics II shifts from the mechanics of Physics I into an entirely different domain: electricity, magnetism, waves, and optics. Many pre-PT students find this semester more abstract because you cannot always see the phenomena you are studying. Electric fields, magnetic forces, and electromagnetic waves are invisible, so building mental models takes deliberate effort. But these concepts connect directly to therapeutic modalities you will use as a PT, making this course more clinically relevant than it first appears.

Why This Course Matters for PT

Physics II is not just a prerequisite to check off. The concepts translate directly into clinical practice:

Electrotherapy and electrical stimulation. Physical therapists apply electrical currents to trigger muscle contractions, promote circulation, and reduce pain. Modalities like TENS, NMES, and interferential therapy all require understanding circuits, current flow, resistance, and voltage to select appropriate treatment parameters.

Therapeutic ultrasound. Ultrasound therapy uses high-frequency sound waves (typically 1.0-3.0 MHz) to penetrate tissue. Wave propagation, frequency, wavelength, and energy transfer govern how ultrasound delivers thermal and non-thermal effects for tissue healing.

Nerve conduction. Nerve signals are fundamentally electrical. Electric potential, current flow through conductors, and capacitance (cell membranes act as capacitors) all apply to understanding how nerves transmit signals and how electrodiagnostic tests work.

Shortwave diathermy uses electromagnetic fields to generate deep tissue heating. Laser therapy (photobiomodulation) relies on understanding light behavior: reflection, refraction, and absorption in tissue. Both come directly from Physics II content.

What You Will Cover

A standard Physics II course typically includes:

  • Electrostatics: electric charge, Coulomb's law, electric fields, Gauss's law, electric potential
  • Capacitance: capacitors, energy storage, dielectrics
  • DC circuits: current, resistance, Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's laws, series and parallel circuits, RC circuits
  • Magnetism: magnetic fields, forces on moving charges, Biot-Savart law, Ampere's law
  • Electromagnetic induction: Faraday's law, Lenz's law, inductance, AC circuits
  • Electromagnetic waves: Maxwell's equations, wave propagation, the electromagnetic spectrum
  • Optics: reflection, refraction (Snell's law), mirrors, lenses, interference, diffraction, polarization
  • Waves and sound (some programs): wave motion, superposition, standing waves, the Doppler effect

Study Strategies That Work

Build conceptual understanding before diving into math. Research in physics education shows that students who do not explicitly connect concepts to calculations struggle to solve unfamiliar problems. Start by understanding what an electric field is before calculating its magnitude.

Master right-hand rules early. The direction of magnetic fields and forces on moving charges relies on right-hand rules. Practice these until they are automatic: point your thumb in the direction of current, and your curled fingers show the magnetic field direction. Always use your right hand (a surprisingly common mistake under exam pressure).

Draw everything. Circuit diagrams, electric field lines, magnetic field configurations, and wave representations should be sketched for every problem. Students who draw diagrams while solving physics problems consistently perform better on exams.

Use simulations to build intuition. PhET Simulations let you visualize electric fields, build circuits, explore Faraday's law, and observe wave interference. Combining these visualizations with problem-solving from your textbook helps you connect abstract concepts to physical behavior.

Recognize parallels between topics. Gauss's law for electric fields mirrors Ampere's law for magnetic fields. Capacitors store energy in electric fields; inductors store energy in magnetic fields. RC circuits and RL circuits follow similar exponential behavior. Spotting these patterns reduces the amount you need to memorize.

Keep a formula reference sheet and review it daily. Physics II has many equations. Use Anki or a similar spaced repetition tool to drill the core formulas (Coulomb's law, Gauss's law, Faraday's law, Ohm's law, the Nernst equation for membrane potential).

Connect every topic to clinical applications. When you study circuits, think about electrical stimulation parameters. When you study waves, think about therapeutic ultrasound frequency selection. This connection makes the material stick and reminds you why it matters.

Free Resources

Video lectures:

Free textbooks:

Interactive tools:

  • PhET Simulations includes circuit construction kits, electric field visualizers, Faraday's law demos, and wave interference tools
  • HyperPhysics from Georgia State University provides concept maps and concise explanations for quick E&M reference
  • Wolfram Alpha can compute electric fields, circuit properties, and electromagnetic phenomena

Recommended Textbooks

  • OpenStax University Physics Volume 2 (free) matches the scope of most Physics II courses
  • Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Serway and Jewett is one of the most widely adopted introductory physics textbooks with clear worked examples
  • Fundamentals of Physics by Halliday, Resnick, and Walker (12th edition) is a long-standing standard for calculus-based courses
  • Feynman Lectures on Physics, Volume II (free online) is brilliant for building intuition, though it is not a problem-set textbook

Note: Most DPT programs accept both algebra-based and calculus-based physics. Check your target programs' specific requirements.

Apps Worth Using

  • Anki for spaced repetition on key equations and concepts
  • PhET Simulations for interactive exploration of circuits, fields, and waves
  • Wolfram Alpha for checking calculations and step-by-step solutions
  • HyperPhysics for quick concept and formula reference
  • Khan Academy (app available) for structured lessons with built-in practice

How This Connects to DPT School

In your DPT program, you will study therapeutic modalities that use electricity, sound waves, and electromagnetic energy to treat patients. When your modalities course covers electrical stimulation parameters, you will understand why because you learned about current, voltage, and resistance here. When you study ultrasound therapy, the concepts of frequency, wavelength, and wave attenuation will already be familiar. Nerve conduction studies make sense because you learned about electric potential and capacitance. Physics II gives you the invisible toolkit that makes these clinical technologies comprehensible rather than mysterious.

This is part of our Study Saturday series, where we break down how to succeed in each PT school prerequisite course. For an overview of all prerequisites, see understanding PT school prerequisites.

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