A Guide to All AP Physics Exams
Advanced Placement (AP) Physics offers high school students the opportunity to study college-level physics and potentially earn college credit. The College Board currently offers four distinct AP Physics courses and exams, each tailored to different academic goals and mathematical backgrounds. These courses are: AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C: Mechanics, and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism.
The exam format is very similar for all the courses:
Section I: Multiple Choice
40 Questions | 80 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score
Section II: Free Response
4 Questions | 100 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score
Here’s a breakdown of each exam, including its focus, difficulty, format, and prerequisites. You can find official information and exam details on the College Board's AP Physics page: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses
AP Physics 1 is an algebra-based course intended as an introduction to college-level physics. It covers Newtonian mechanics, work, energy, power, mechanical waves, sound, and basic electric circuits. No calculus is required, making it accessible to students concurrently taking or who have completed algebra and basic trigonometry. This course is often the first physics class for high school students. This is considered to be the most challenging AP exam. The percentage of students who scored a 5 on the 2024 AP Physics 1 exam is only about 10%. APEX P01 and P02 are designed to help students prepare for this exam.
📄 Official Exam Website: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-physics-1
AP Physics 2 continues from AP Physics 1 and covers a broader range of topics: fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, optics, and modern physics (quantum, atomic, and nuclear). Like Physics 1, it is algebra-based and does not require calculus. Physics 2 is best suited for students interested in life sciences, medicine, or non-engineering physical sciences. APEX does not have classes for this exam yet.
📄 Official Exam Website: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-physics-2
AP Physics C: Mechanics is a calculus-based physics course focusing on classical mechanics topics such as kinematics, Newton’s laws, work and energy, rotational motion, and gravitation. It is designed for students pursuing physical sciences, mathematics, or engineering in college. Students must have completed or be concurrently taking calculus. APEX P03 is designed to help students prepare for this exam.
📄 Official Exam Website: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-physics-c-mechanics
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism is also calculus-based and is often taken after or alongside Physics C: Mechanics. It covers electric fields, circuits, magnetic fields, and electromagnetism. Like Mechanics, this course is aimed at future engineering and physical science majors. Students need calculus knowledge to handle the mathematical depth of the topics. APEX P05 is designed to help students prepare for this exam.
📄 Official Exam Website: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-physics-c-electricity-and-magnetism
