So I’m currently debating between which Physics to take my senior year. I finally decided that I was going to major in engineering so I would definitely need to have some type of physics background before entering college and the college board website says that AP Physics C is recommended for engineering majors, but it’s also recommended to take 1/2 before C. I spoke to the C teacher and when I told him that I would be taking all AP classes he recommended taking 1. However, I’ve heard that 1 is extremely easy, and I will have friends in C that can help me if I really need it and I know that I can atleast make a B in the class if not higher.
My initial worry was not having any prior physics background and taking Cal concurrently, but the teacher said that he wouldn’t expect us to know certain aspects of Cal considering we’re all in Pre-Cal at the moment. I’ll be doing introductory Physics and Cal classes this summer before school starts, so that would help with the first part of my worries I’m hoping. He says that there will most likely be about an hour of homework a night (expected) and I’m planning on taking AP Lit, AP Cal, AP Gov/Econ, Biomedical innovations, Research & Development, Cyber Security, and Show Choir as well. However, we are moving to an A/B day schedule next year which would allow more time for homework in class and per night.
My school requires that all Srs and Jrs take an AP science course both years so there is no opting out and I need a background in Physics anyhow.
If you’re taking AP Physics C, having taken any intro physics course is a MUST.
Now, you don’t necessarily need to take AP Physics 1/2 to flourish in AP Physics C, but I do recommend that you take a lengthy introductory physics course before you delve into either AP Physics C course.
It sounds like you have something lined up for that intro physics course, but I must warn you: taking a summer course, in my opinion, does not grant enough time for a student to get accustomed to physics, if you’ve never taken it before. That may be my personal bias, but keep that in mind.
If you want to go ahead, do so. Physics 1/2 isn’t necessary, but I would choose whichever course would be year long, regardless of which one it is, simply for the allotted time.
Both classes are year long, they’re broken up into Physics 1/2 (B) and Physics C: Mechanics/ Electricity and magnetism. I heard that Physics B is basically Precal which I’m doing fairly well in, but I’m (hopefully) taking two intros one with the MIT MITES program and then one online with edX. I’m currently leaning more towards C though
You don’t have to have taken Physics first to do well. At my school, most people who take Physics/Mechanics (basically Physics C; we don’t have AP’s) have not taken an introductory physics course. Just meet the prereq of Calculus, and you’ll be fine, it’s just a lot of studying, from what I hear.
I’m currently in Physics C, taking Calc BC concurrently, with no prior physics instruction, and it’s fine. If your school has Calc as a co-req instead of a pre-req, they’ll teach it as such (at my school, the same teacher teaches calc and physics, so she makes sure we’ve encountered concepts in calc before introducing them in physics-- accommodation to this extent is nice but not necessary; you should be okay). NotYetEngineer’s concerns about the lack of a formal year-long course seem a little extreme to me, as long as your school doesn’t state that they expect you to have a strong background in physics, though the summer introduction would probably be helpful.
In the end, sucess in Physics C depends more on strength in math than a previous understanding of physics (again, as long as your school doesn’t expect that you have this background), so if you’re an able math student, I’d say go for it.
No, honestly, the physics intro course doesn’t make physics C any easier. A lot of studying and you can do well in physics C. Just a note, ALWAYS STUDY, I had work the day before one test and didn’t stay up to study and got a 22, and another test I studied for four hours and pulled a 98. So it’s really all about studying, not the courses you’ve taken prior(with the exception of math).
It all depends on your capacity and the difficulty of your school course.
Do you have a lot of background in math, such as competition math? Then you would be able to understand the concepts of physics.
As for the study of physics itself, physics C is practically normal high school physics + calc. Calc will really help you understand the concepts behind physics, so it shouldn’t necessarily require prior experience.
While I don’t have much info, I suggest you take it and study hard.