<p>Are you supposed to take Physics 2 before, during, or after Physics C? What's the primary difference(s)?</p>
<p>Instead of.</p>
<p>Physics 2 is algebra-based, and taken by prospective, life sciences and non-STEM majors and by pre-meds. Physics C is calculus-based and taken by prospective physics and engineering majors.</p>
<p>My school offers Physics 2, but not Physics C. I want to take the most challenging Physics courses (so that would be C), so that means I would have to take it online. If I take Physics C online, will that overlap the content of 2 enough to take the 2 test in addition to the C test? Or should I just take the C test when the time comes?</p>
<p>AP Physics 1/2 cover more topics but in less depth. AP Physics C covers fewer topics in more depth. Specifically:</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>AP Physics 2: algebra-based covers fluid mechanics; thermodynamics; electricity and magnetism; optics; and atomic and nuclear physics.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism calculus-based cover electrostatics, conductors, capacitors, dielectrics, electric circuits, magnetic fields, electromagnetism </p>
<p>Thanks. So what would you advise? Should I take AP Physics C and self-study AP Physics 2? Or should I just take one of them? </p>
<p>Well, I don’t think any college has published the AP credit chart for the class of 2021, but I’d bet the farm that no top college will give credit for both. Just take one.</p>
<p>Well, I’m guessing that C will be more likely to get credit… See my dilemma is that I’m going to run out of classes to fill my schedule at school and I want it to be as rigorous as possible (AP classes at my school are notorious for being super easy compared to other high schools, so the schedule just has to look rigorous). Taking C online (from like Northwestern or something) would be MUCH more work, but I think I would rather take C… </p>
<p>Physics B (or the new 1 and 2) is supposed to be an AP version of premed physics, but even their own college’s premed physics course isn’t even accepted by most science or engineering departments. And also some med schools don’t accept AP. So, I feel those tests are exceptionally useless. I also don’t think any college would give you credit for taking both premed physics and freshman physics. There’s too much overlap. They certainly aren’t going to give you credit for all those AP tests. My daughter is self-studying physics C while taking the B course, because the B exam will be useless for her.</p>