Advanced Placement (AP) Physics covers various areas of physics. These exams are intended to be equivalent to university courses that use best practices of physics teaching pedagogy. AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2 were introduced since the 2015 exam administration.
AP Physics 1 covers the same Newtonian mechanics as AP Physics B plus rotational mechanics, as well as an introduction to electricity (Coulomb's Law and simple DC circuits), and mechanical waves and sound.
AP Physics 2 covers the remaining subjects from AP Physics B: thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, optics, electricity and magnetism, and modern physics.
AP Physics C The College Board offers two courses in the AP Physics C suite, each equivalent to a semester-length calculus-based college course for majors in physical science or engineering:
AP Physics C: Mechanics studies Newtonian mechanics, with units on kinematics; Newton’s laws of motion; work, energy, and power; systems of particles and linear momentum; circular motion and rotation; and oscillations and gravitation. AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism studies electricity and magnetism, covering electrostatics; conductors, capacitors, and dielectrics; electric circuits; magnetic fields; and electromagnetism. The two AP Physics C courses can be combined to make a unified Physics C course that prepares for both exams.
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