All You Need To Know About Advanced Placement (AP) Physics

About Advanced Placement(AP) Exams: Conducted annually in May, APs are college-level courses which enable you to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both while you are still in high school
About AP Physics exams

• AP Physics 1
• AP Physics 2
• AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
• AP Physics C: Mechanics

AP PHYSICS EXAM	WHAT IS IT?	MAJOR TOPICS	PREREQUISITE	EXAM STRUCTURE
AP Physics 1	Algebra-based, introductory, college-level physics course of one year	1) Fundamental concepts of Physics 2) Kinematics 3)Dynamics 4) Circular motion and Gravitation energy 5)Momentum 6) Simple harmonic motion 7) Torque and rotational motion 8) Electric charge and electric force 9) DC circuits 10)Mechanical waves and sound	1) Designed to be a first-year physics course which you can take without prior physics experience 2) Students should have completed geometry and be concurrently taking Algebra II or an equivalent course	AP PHYSICS 1 EXAM: 3 HOURS Section I: Multiple Choice: 50 Questions | 1 Hour, 30 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score Section II: Free Response: 5 Questions | 1 Hour, 30 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score • Experimental Design (1 question) • Quantitative/Qualitative Translation (1 question) • Short Answer (3 questions, one requiring a paragraph-length argument) Students will be allowed to use a four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator on the entire AP Physics 1
AP Physics 2	Advanced version AP Physics 1 A full-year course that is the equivalent of a second-semester introductory college course in algebra-based physics.	1)Thermodynamics 2)Electrical force, field, and potential 3)Electric circuits 4)Magnetism and electromagnetic induction 5)Geometric and physical optics 6)Quantum, atomic 7)Nuclear Physics.	1) Students should have completed AP Physics 1 or a comparable introductory physics course 2) Students should have taken or been concurrently taking pre-calculus or an equivalent course.	AP PHYSICS 2 EXAM: 3 HOURS Section I: Multiple Choice: 50 Questions | 1 Hour, 30 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score Section II: Free Response: 4 Questions | 1 Hour, 30 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score • Experimental Design (1 question) • Quantitative/Qualitative Translation (1 question) • Short Answer (2 questions, one requiring a paragraph-length argument) Students will be allowed to use a four-function, scientific, or a graphing calculator on the entire AP Physics 2
AP Physics C: Mechanics	Equivalent to a one-semester, calculus-based, college-level physics course, ideal for students planning to specialize or major in physical science or engineering	1) Kinematics 2) Newton’s laws, 3) Work, Energy, Power 3) Systems of particles and linear momentum 4) Circular Motion and Rotation 5) Oscillations and Gravitation	1) AP Physics C: Mechanics is the advanced version of AP Physics 1 as it uses calculus 2)Students should have taken or been concurrently taking calculus. 3)AP Physics C courses are more challenging than AP 1 and AP2.	AP PHYSICS C: MECHANICS EXAM: 1 HOUR, 30 MINUTES Section I: Multiple Choice | 35 Questions | 45 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score Section II: Free Response | 3 Questions | 45 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism	Equivalent to a one-semester, calculus-based, college-level physics course, ideal for students planning to specialize or major in physical science or engineering	1)Electrostatics 2) Conductors, capacitors, and dielectrics 3) Electric circuits 4) Magnetic fields 5) Electromagnetism Introductory differential and integral calculus are used throughout the course.	1)AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism is the advanced version of AP Physics 2 as it uses calculus 2)Students should have taken or been concurrently taking calculus. 3)AP Physics C courses are more challenging than AP 1 and AP2.	AP PHYSICS C: ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM EXAM: 1 HOUR, 30 MINUTES Section I: Multiple Choice | 35 Questions | 45 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score Section II: Free Response | 3 Questions | 45 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score

How to go about selecting from the 4 AP Physics exams. When should we take these exams? Are we supposed to take all 4 AP Physics exams?
WHAT NEXT??

Select your situation and find the best options available in the following AP Physics Exam-Selection Cue Card

AP PHYSICS EXAM SELECTION CUES

SITUATIONS	OPTIONS
1) If your school doesn’t offer multiple AP Physics classes and you don’t have the time or the willingness to take multiple AP Physics classes	Take an introductory Physics course which will familiarize you with the basic concepts of Physics Once done with the introductory course, go for AP Physics 2 OR if you are good with calculus, AP Physics C after the introductory course will be ideal
2) If you are targeting the college which requires you to fulfil a science requirement but does not require you to study Science as a major	Take AP Physics 1 followed by the AP Physics 2 exam, as these courses will help students who are planning to study courses like life science, geology, and pre-med
3) If your school teaches AP Physics 2 but not AP Physics 1	In place of AP Physics 1, you can go for an introductory Physics course and then go for AP Physics 2
4) If your school teaches AP Physics 1 but not AP Physics 2	1) First, go for the AP Physics 1 course that your school is offering. Post completion of AP Physics 1, take another natural science course (including chemistry and biology) or a science elective 2) You can also go for the AP Physics 1 course and then consider taking AP Physics C if your school offers it
5) If you are planning to major in Engineering or Physical Sciences	Go for AP Physics C together with AP Calculus AB or AP Calculus BC
5.1) If you have to take AP Physics C	Finish with an AP Physics 1 (or a regular/introductory physics) exam, and then take AP Physics C AP Physics C is a difficult course so make sure you are getting the basics right and you have taken or are taking calculus