New AP Physics Exams for 2015-2016?

Test Preparation AP Sciences
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1

So I heard that AP Physics B is now being split up into AP Physics 1, 2, and C. That’s 3 years of physics!!

I’m going to be a junior next year and I was wondering if any of you had any recommendations regarding how I should take these 3 classes in two years? I’m taking AP Calc BC next year, and I only have one class open to decide what the heck I’m going to do with AP Physics. Should I start with jumping straight into AP Physics 2 and take C senior year, or should I take physics 1 junior year and 2 + C senior year?

Maybe one of you here has taken AP Physics A, B, and C and could suggest whether I should take two AP Physics classes in one year based on their difficulty?

2

There’s also always the possibility of—and I know, I know, this is heresy, but hear me out, it’s so crazy it just might work—not taking all of them.

3

There’s no point in taking AP Physics 1 and 2 and AP Physics C. They cover roughly the same material, but C uses calculus.

4

@dfbdfb thanks for the sarcastic suggestion, but I already mentioned only taking Physics 2 and C.

@guineagirl96 okay, I think I will go ahead and jump straight into Physics 2 then. thank you.

5

@rissanicole14‌

Don’t take physics 2 and C. That’s worse than taking all 3. Either take AP physics 1+2 or just take C.

taking 2 without 1 is the same thing as taking calc 2 without calc 1. It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.

6

No. Physics C has always existed. Physics B was split into AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2. So now, there are 4 different AP Physics exams; 2 require calculus and 2 do not.

AP Physics 1: Algebra-based. Covers Newtonian mechanics (including rotational dynamics and angular momentum); work, energy, and power; and mechanical waves and sound. It will also introduce electric circuits.

AP Physics 2: Algebra-based. Covers fluid mechanics; thermodynamics; electricity and magnetism; optics; and atomic and nuclear physics.

AP Physics C: Mechanics: Calculus-based: Covers kinematics (including vectors, vector algebra, components of vectors, coordinate systems, displacement, velocity, and acceleration), Newton’s laws of motion, work, energy, power, systems of particles, linear momentum, circular motion and rotation, oscillations and gravitation.

AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism: Calculus-based: Covers electrostatics, conductors, capacitors, dielectrics, electric circuits, magnetic fields, electromagnetism.

http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap-physics-1-2-course-and-exam-description.pdf

http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap-physics-c-course-description.pdf

AP Physics C is more difficult, but as you will be taking calculus, it is probably the most appropriate.

7

@skieurope Sorry, I meant that AP Physics in general was being split up into 1, 2, and C :stuck_out_tongue:

When I first started the thread I was pretty confused about the class but now thanks to all the responders I think I understand it way more now. Thanks everyone!

One last question: My school doesn’t offer AP Physics C: Mechanics and EM as two separate classes but as just semester 1 being mechanics and 2 EM ( I don’t know if this is the norm at other schools too) Since I am jumping straight into Calc BC from pre-calc, would taking Physics C be a poor decision (since I wouldn’t have previous calculus knowledge)? I’m thinking about maybe just taking honors physics and then taking physics C senior year, since maybe the initial background would make C a little easier to understand…what do you think?