<p>I'm currently taking 5 AP classes senior year including Physics B and Calculus BC. I'm doing well in both so far, I got a 99 in both first quarter. I know that Physics C is more calculus based but exactly how much different material does it have than B? I'm considering self-studying C because I've always been good at calculus. So how much difference is there between them? Will I have to learn just a few more concepts or a lot more?</p>
<p>If you enjoy calc, and you enjoy physics, you’d probably enjoy calc-based physics.</p>
<p>The main question is whether y would you be interested in self-studying Physics C: Mechanics, Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism, or both?</p>
<p>If you did Mech only, which is most common, it would be MUCH less work than doing both. A lot of C: Mech is pretty intuitive, the kinematics topics are covered in Calc BC, and most of it is covered algebraically in Physics B (minus topics such as rotational motion, MOI, etc.). So, it is essentially just understanding how the calculus plays a role in all of the relationships, which if I might add, gives it some beauty. However, while you cover the very basics of E&M in Physics B, E&M would require a lot more work to self-study. You cannot wing E&M; the past two years’ AP exams have been more difficult than usual, and if you try to wing it, it will probably crush you. E&M is MUCH more calculus-intensive, incorporating the basics of line integrals, surface integrals, etc. in applications of the Maxwell’s equations. That said, the AP C exams usually only require somewhere between 60-65% of the total points to earn a 5.</p>
<p>Still, lots of people (myself included) have self studied Physics C, so it is do-able. (I did it before I even took a formal calc course.) However, if you’re doing it for the wrong reasons, and you don’t enjoy it, you’ll just waste your time.</p>
<p>I hope that helps a little. I’d be happy to expand further on the differences between the courses if you provide some more specific questions.</p>
<p>A rough overview of the differences in what they cover:
The AP Physics B exam covers fluid mechanics, heat, thermodynamics, wave mechanics, optics, and nuclear physics, which are not covered on the C exam. [An AP Physics C course does cover wave mechanics though].</p>
<p>The AP Physics C exam covers Mechanics and Electromagnetism in far more depth than the AP Physics B exam. For example, the B exam does not cover calculus-based kinematics, rotational inertia, Maxwell’s equations, or continuous charge distributions.</p>
<p>So, you would have to learn a lot more topics.</p>
<p>Thanks for your inputs. I think I will self-study mechanics first and then if I feel confident, delve into E&M. Hopefully after I’m done with college apps, I’ll have a lot more free time and less stress. And because I’m a senior, I’m doing this just for my own knowledge and perhaps college credit, so there’s no pressure for me to score a 5.</p>