There are four physics courses administered by the College Board as part of its Advanced Placement program: the algebra-based Physics 1 and Physics 2, and the calculus-based Physics C: Mechanics and Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism. All are intended to be equivalent to university courses.
Each AP Physics course has an exam for which high-performing students may receive credit towards their college coursework, depending on which college or university they attend (as well as specific major requirements).[1]
AP Physics 1 and 2
AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2 were introduced for the 2015 exam administration (the 2014–2015 school year).[2] The courses were designed to emphasize critical thinking and reasoning as well as learning through inquiry.[3] They are algebra-based courses, and do not require any calculus knowledge.[4]
AP Physics 1
AP Physics 1 covers standard Newtonian mechanics:[4]
- Unit 1: Kinematics
- Unit 2: Dynamics
- Unit 3: Circular Motion and Gravitation
- Unit 4: Energy
- Unit 5: Momentum
- Unit 6: Simple Harmonic Motion
- Unit 7: Torque and Rotational Motion
Before the 2020–2021 school year, the course also covered introductory electricity (Coulomb's Law and resistive DC circuits), as well as mechanical waves and sound. These units were removed because they are included in AP Physics 2.[4]
AP Physics 2
AP Physics 2 covers the following topics:[5]
- Unit 1: Fluids: Pressure and Forces
- Unit 2: Thermodynamics
- Unit 3: Electric Force, Field, and Potential
- Unit 4: Electric Circuits
- Unit 5: Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction
- Unit 6: Geometric and Physical Optics
- Unit 7: Quantum, Atomic, and Nuclear Physics
AP Physics C
From 1969 to 1972, AP Physics C was a single course with a single exam that covered all standard introductory university physics: fluids, optics, modern physics, mechanics, and electricity and magnetism.[6]
In 1973, the College Board split the course into AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism. The exam was also split into two separate 90-minute tests, each equivalent to a semester-length calculus-based college course for majors in physical science or engineering.[7][8] Until 2006, both exams were available for a single fee; in 2006, this was changed to each exam having its own fee.
AP Physics C: Mechanics
AP Physics C: Mechanics studies Newtonian mechanics, covering the following:[7]
- Unit 1: Kinematics
- Unit 2: Newton’s Laws of Motion
- Unit 3: Work, Energy, and Power
- Unit 4: Systems of Particles and Linear Momentum
- Unit 5: Rotation
- Unit 6: Oscillations
- Unit 7: Gravitation
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism studies electricity and magnetism, covering the following:[8]
- Unit 1: Electrostatics
- Unit 2: Conductors, Capacitors, Dielectrics
- Unit 3: Electric Circuits
- Unit 4: Magnetic Fields
- Unit 5: Electromagnetism
The two AP Physics C courses can be combined to make a unified Physics C course that prepares students for both exams.
AP Physics B (discontinued)
Until 1969, only a single AP Physics course existed. In 1969 it was replaced with AP Physics B and AP Physics C, each with its own exam.[9] AP Physics B was equivalent to an introductory algebra-based college course in physics, with a laboratory component.[10] As the course was not calculus based, it utilized algebra and trigonometry to solve physics problems.[11]
AP Physics B was divided into five different sections:[11]
- Newtonian mechanics
- Fluid mechanics and thermal physics
- Electricity and magnetism
- Waves and optics
- Atomic and nuclear physics
In 2014, AP Physics B was replaced by AP Physics 1 and 2.
AP Physics A (never materialized)
Designed concurrently with AP Physics B and AP Physics C, AP Physics A was supposed to be a conceptual-only version of AP Physics B. This course would have employed little to no mathematics. AP Physics A never proceeded past the development stage, as colleges would not offer credit for physics without mathematics.[11][12][13]
References
- ^ "Credit & Placement". AP Students. The College Board. 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
- ^ "AP Physics 1 and 2, 2014–15". AP: Advances in AP. The College Board. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014.
- ^ "AP Physics 1 Course Home Page". AP Central. The College Board. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014.
- ^ a b c "AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based – AP Students | College Board". apstudents.collegeboard.org. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
- ^ "AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based – AP Students | College Board". apstudents.collegeboard.org. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
- ^ Private collection of AP Physics exams 1956-1973. https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0aaklyARPE3ips_Vw5DyoXwwQ#AP_Physics_1956-1973
- ^ a b AP® PHYSICS C: MECHANICS (PDF), College Board, December 2016, retrieved January 30, 2017
- ^ a b AP® PHYSICS C: ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM (PDF), College Board, December 2016, retrieved January 30, 2017
- ^ Private AP Physics Exams collection 1956-1973(https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0aaklyARPE3ips_Vw5DyoXwwQ#AP_Physics_1956-1973)
- ^ "AP Physics B". AP Central. College Board. 2011. Archived from the original on 2 July 2011. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
- ^ a b c Physics Course Description (PDF), The College Board, May 2009, archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-01
- ^ Perlmutter, Carolyn (October 9, 2014). "AP Physics curriculum changes provide more time for conceptual understanding". J.J. Pearce High School Pony Express. Archived from the original on 2016-05-31. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
- ^ Pinizzotto, J (June 18, 2018). Twitter https://twitter.com/MisterNeutrino/status/1008735004086677504. Archived from the original on 2021-09-20. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
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