Each AP Physics examination consists of a multiple-choice section

and a free-response section, in separate booklets. The

multiple-choice section includes a table of information that may

be useful on the examinations. Calculators are not permitted on

this section. The free-response section includes a removable

insert printed on green paper, which contains the table of

information, several tables of equations, and reproductions of the

questions that appear in the answer booklet.

See more about calculators and tables of equations and

information.

Physics B

The Physics B examination is three hours long and is divided

equally in time between a 70-question multiple-choice section and

a free-response section. The two sections are weighted equally,

and a single grade is reported for the B examination.

The free-response section will normally contain six to eight

questions. Typical examples of its format are six questions, each

taking about 15 minutes, or four questions of about 15 minutes

each and three shorter questions of about 10 minutes each.

Physics C

The Physics C examination consists of two parts, each one and

one-half hours long. One part covers mechanics; the other part,

electricity and magnetism. A student may take either or both

parts, and a separate grade is reported for each. In addition,

each part is divided equally in time between a 35-question

multiple-choice section and a free-response section; the two

sections are weighted equally in the determination of each grade.

Each of the two free-response sections contains three questions. A

student is expected to spend about 15 minutes answering each of

these questions.

Content of the Examinations

See the Course Outline for the percentages of each exam that are

devoted to each major category.

Departures from these percentages in the free-response section in

any given year are compensated for in the multiple-choice sections

so that the overall topic distribution for the entire examination

is achieved as closely as possible, although it may not be reached

exactly.

The multiple-choice sections of both examinations emphasize the

breadth of the students' knowledge and understanding of the basic

principles of physics. The free-response sections emphasize the

application of these principles in greater depth in solving more

extended problems, for example:

* determine directions of vectors or paths of particles

* draw or interpret diagrams

* interpret or express physical relationships in graphical form

* account for observed phenomena

* interpret experimental data, including their limitations and

uncertainties

* construct and use conceptual models and explain their

limitations

* explain steps taken to arrive at a result or to predict

future physical behavior

* manipulate equations that describe physical relationships

* obtain reasonable estimates

* solve problems that require the determination of physical

quantities in either numerical or symbolic form and that may

require the application of single or multiple concepts.

Laboratory-related questions may ask students to:

* design experiments, including identifying equipment needed

and describing how it is to be used; drawing diagrams or

providing descriptions of experimental setups; or describing

procedures to be used, including controls and measurements to

be taken

* analyze data, including displaying data in graphical or

tabular form, fitting lines and curves to data points in

graphs, performing calculations with data, or making

extrapolations and interpolations from data

* analyze errors, including identifying sources of error and

how they propagate, estimating magnitude and direction of

errors, determining significant digits, or identifying ways

to reduce error

* communicate results, including drawing inferences and

conclusions from experimental data, suggesting ways to

improve experiments, or proposing questions for further study

In grading the free-response sections, credit for answers depends

on the quality of the solutions and explanations shown, so

students should show their work. If students make a mistake they

may cross it out or erase it. Crossed-out work will not be graded,

and credit may be lost for incorrect work that is not crossed out.

The examinations are designed to provide the maximum information

about differences in students' achievement in physics. Therefore,

it is intended that the average scores be about 50 percent of the

maximum possible scores for each of the multiple-choice and

free-response sections. Students should be aware that they may

find these examinations more difficult than most classroom

examinations. However, it is possible for students who have

studied most but not all topics in the outlines to obtain

acceptable grades.

Conventions Used in the AP Physics Exams

The International System (SI) of units is used predominantly in

both examinations. The following conventions are also used in the

examinations.

I. Unless otherwise stated, the frame of reference of any

problem is assumed to be inertial.

II. The direction of any electric current is the direction of

flow of positive charge (conventional current).

III. For any isolated electric charge, the electric potential is

defined as zero at an infinite distance from the charge.

IV. The work done by a thermodynamic system is defined as a

positive quantity (topic in Physics B exam only).

The use of rulers or straight edges is permitted on the

examinations to facilitate the sketching of graphs or diagrams

that might be required in the free-response sections.

See information about the AP Physics B course.

See information about the AP Physics C course.

See what the differences are between Physics B and C.

See information about the laboratory component.

The Laboratory

Laboratory experience must be part of the AP Physics courses just

as it is in introductory college physics courses. Students should

be able to:

* design experiments,

* observe and measure real phenomena,

* organize, display, and critically analyze data,

* determine uncertainties in measurement,

* draw inferences from observations and data, and

* communicate results, including suggesting ways to improve

experiments and proposing questions for further study.

Why Is Lab Experience Necessary?

Laboratory Survey

Why Is Lab Experience Necessary?

In textbooks and problems, most attention is paid to idealized

situations: friction is assumed to be constant or absent; meters

read true values; heat insulators are perfect; gases follow the

ideal gas equation. In the more realistic setting of the

laboratory, the validity of these assumptions can be questioned.

Laboratory experience should also help students understand the

topics being considered. Students need to be proficient in problem

solving and the application of fundamental principles to a wide

variety of situations. Problem-solving ability can be fostered by

investigations that are somewhat nonspecific. Such investigations

are often more interesting and valuable than "cookbook"

experiments that merely investigate a well-established

relationship, and which can take important time away from the rest

of the course. Thus it is often valuable to ask students to write

informally about what they have done, observed, and concluded, as

well as for them to keep well-organized laboratory notebooks. The

use of computers with sensing devices to record and analyze data

is another useful activity in which to engage students.

Some questions or parts of questions on the AP Physics

Examinations may distinguish between students who have had

laboratory experience and those who have not. In addition,

understanding gained in the laboratory may improve the students'

test performance overall. Students who have had laboratory

experience in high school may also be in a better position to

validate their AP courses as equivalent to the corresponding

college courses and to undertake the laboratory work in more

advanced courses with greater confidence.

Most college placement policies assume that students have had

laboratory experience, and students should be prepared to show

evidence of their laboratory work in case the college asks for it.

Such experience can be documented by keeping a lab notebook or

portfolio of lab reports. Presenting evidence of laboratory

experience to the college they attend can be very useful to

students as an adjunct to their AP grades if they desire credit

for or exemption from an introductory college course that includes

a laboratory. Although colleges can expect that most entering AP

students will have been exposed to many of the same laboratory

experiments performed by their own introductory students,

individual consultation with students can help determine the

nature of their laboratory experience.

Laboratory programs in both college courses and AP courses differ

widely, and there is no clear evidence that any one approach is

necessarily best. The success of a given program depends strongly

on the interests and enthusiasm of the teacher and on the general

ability and motivation of the students involved.

Although programs differ, the AP Physics Development Committee has

made some recommendations in regard to school resources and

scheduling. Students in AP Physics should have adequate and timely

access to computers that are connected to the Internet and its

many online resources. Students should also have access to

computers with appropriate sensing devices and software for use in

gathering, graphing, and analyzing laboratory data, and writing

reports. Although using computers in this way is a useful activity

and is encouraged, some initial experience with gathering,

graphing, and manipulating data by hand is also important for

students to be able to attain a better feel for the physical

realities involved in the experiments. And it should be emphasized

that simulating an experiment on a computer cannot adequately

replace the "hands-on" experience of doing an experiment.

Flexible or modular scheduling is best in order to meet the time

requirements identified in the course outline. Some schools are

able to assign daily double periods so that laboratory and

quantitative problem-solving skills may be fully developed. At the

very least, a weekly extended or double laboratory period is

needed. It is not advisable to attempt to complete high-quality AP

laboratory work within standard 45- to 50-minute periods.

If AP Physics is taught as a second-year physics course, following

a first-year course with a strong laboratory component, then

somewhat less time might be devoted to labs in the AP course.

However, all AP labs should build on and extend the lab

experiences of the first-year course. Students should be

encouraged to save evidence of their first-year lab work, such as

their lab reports or a lab notebook, as well a similar evidence of

the lab work in their AP course. The important criterion is that

students completing an AP Physics course must have had laboratory

experiences that are roughly equivalent to those in a comparable

introductory college course.

Therefore, school administrations should realize the implications,

both in cost and time, of incorporating serious laboratories into

their program. An AP course is a college course, and the equipment

and time allotted to laboratories should be similar to that in a

college course.

Laboratory Survey

To provide guidance for the development of the AP courses and

exams, the AP Program undertakes periodic surveys of introductory

college courses. A 1998 survey of both non-calculus and

calculus-based introductory physics courses obtained some

information about the laboratory programs in these courses. The

survey revealed that nearly all the courses of either type

included a laboratory, and that on average from two to three hours

per week are devoted to laboratory activities. Secondary schools

may have difficulty scheduling this much weekly time for the lab.

However, the college academic year typically contains fewer weeks

than the secondary school year, so AP teachers may be able to

schedule a few more lab periods during the year than can colleges.

Also, some college faculty have reported that some lab time may be

occasionally used for other purposes as well. Nevertheless, in

order for AP students to have sufficient time for lab, at least

one double period per week is recommended for all AP Physics

courses.

In response to a survey question about whether separate credit is

given for lab, the percent of the colleges indicating that credit

is given separately was 39% for non-calculus courses and 34% for

calculus-based courses. For these separate lab courses, the mean

number of credit hours awarded was just slightly higher than one,

and the mean number of credit hours awarded for the rest of the

course was 3.4 for the non-calculus courses and 3.7 for the

calculus-based courses. For the courses for which lab credit was

not awarded separately, the lab component contributed on average

about 18% of final course grade for both non-calculus and

calculus-based courses. Thus it appears that when all the

introductory courses are considered together, about 20% of the

total course credit awarded can be attributed to lab performance.

One question in the survey asked the colleges for the percent of

the laboratory activities that can be classified depending on

levels of student involvement. The categories were: (1) prescribed

or "cookbook," (2) limited investigations with some direction

provided, and (3) open investigations with little or no direction

provided. Most colleges (93% for non-calculus courses, 90% for

calculus-based courses) reported that they do labs in the first

category and of these colleges the mean percentage of their labs

in this category were 82% for non-calculus courses and 75% for

calculus-based courses. However, many colleges (55% for

non-calculus courses, and 70% for calculus-based courses) also

reported doing labs in the second category, with the mean

percentages being 40% for both types of courses. Far fewer

colleges (12% for non-calculus courses, 20% for calculus-based

courses) reported doing labs in the third category with the mean

percentages being about 20-22% for both types of courses. While

many college professors believe that labs in the latter two

categories do have more value to students, they report often being

limited in their ability to institute them by large class size and

other factors. In this respect, AP teachers often have an

advantage in being able to offer more open-ended labs to their

students.

Another question asked the colleges to indicate which of a number

of assessment techniques or instruments are used in assessing

laboratory performance or determining laboratory grades. They were

told to check all that apply. See a table indicating the

percentage of colleges using each type of assessment.

Finally, the survey asked the colleges to check which of a number

of skills were assessed if they attempted to assess laboratory

skills with written test questions. They were again told to check

all that apply. See a table indicating the percent of colleges

indicating each type of skill.

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The Physics B Course

This course provides a systematic introduction to the main

principles of physics and emphasizes the development of conceptual

understanding and problem-solving ability using algebra and

trigonometry, but rarely calculus. In most colleges, this is a

one-year terminal course and is not the usual preparation for more

advanced physics and engineering courses. However, the B course

provides a foundation in physics for students in the life

sciences, premedicine, and some applied sciences, as well as other

fields not directly related to science.

Topics Covered

The Physics B course includes topics in both classical and modern

physics. A knowledge of algebra and basic trigonometry is required

for the course; the basic ideas of calculus may be introduced in

the theoretical development of some physical concepts, such as

acceleration and work. Understanding of the basic principles

involved and the ability to apply these principles in the solution

of problems should be the major goals of the course.

The course seeks to be representative of topics covered in similar

college courses, as determined by periodic surveys. Accordingly,

goals have been set for percentage coverage of five general areas.

See the topic outline for each area:

Newtonian Mechanics (35%)

Thermal Physics (10%)

Electricity and Magnetism (25%)

Waves and Optics (15%)

Atomic and Nuclear Physics (15%)

Many colleges and universities include additional topics such as

fluids or special relativity. Some AP teachers may wish to add

such supplementary material to an AP Physics B course. Many

teachers have found that a good time to do this is late in the

year, after the AP Exams have been given.

Textbooks

The following textbooks are commonly used in colleges and typify

the level of the B course. However, the inclusion of a text does

NOT constitute endorsement by the College Board, ETS, or the AP

Physics Development Committee.

* Coletta, Vincent P., College Physics, 1st ed. New York:

WCB/McGraw Hill, 1995.

* Cutnell, John D. and Kenneth W. Johnson, Physics, 4th ed. New

York: John Wiley & Sons, 1998.

* Giancoli, Douglas C., Physics: Principles with Applications,

5th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1998.

* Hecht, Eugene, Physics: Algebra/Trigonometry, 2nd ed. Pacific

Grove, CA, Brooks Cole Publishing, 1998.

* Jones, Edwin R. and Richard L. Childers, Contemporary College

Physics, 3rd ed. Boston: WCB/McGraw Hill, 1999.

* Sears, Francis W., Mark W. Zemansky, and Hugh D. Young,

College Physics, 7th ed. Reading, Mass.: Addison Wesley

Longman, 1991.

* Serway, Raymond A. and Jerry S. Faughn, College Physics, 5th

ed. Fort Worth: Saunders, 1999.

* Wilson, Jerry D. and Anthony J. Buffa, College Physics, 3rd

ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1997.

See information about the AP Physics C course.

See what the differences are between Physics B and C.

See information about the AP Physics Exams.

See information about the laboratory component.

The Physics C Course

This course ordinarily forms the first part of the college

sequence that serves as the foundation in physics for students

majoring in the physical sciences or engineering. The sequence is

parallel to or preceded by mathematics courses that include

calculus. Methods of calculus are used wherever appropriate in

formulating physical principles and in applying them to physical

problems. The sequence is more intensive and analytic than that in

the B course. Strong emphasis is placed on solving a variety of

challenging problems, some requiring calculus. The subject matter

of the C course is principally mechanics, and electricity and

magnetism, with approximately equal emphasis on these two areas.

The C course is the first part of a sequence which in college is

sometimes a very intensive one-year course but often extends over

one and one-half to two years, with a laboratory component.

Topics Covered

In the typical C course, roughly one-half year is devoted to

mechanics. Use of calculus in problem solving and in derivations

is expected to increase as the course progresses. In the second

half-year of the C course, the primary emphasis is on classical

electricity and magnetism. Calculus is used freely in formulating

principles and in solving problems. See the topic outline for each

area:

Newtonian Mechanics (50%)

Electricity and Magnetism (50%)

Most colleges and universities include additional topics such as

wave motion, thermal physics, optics, alternating current

circuits, or special relativity in a C course. Although wave

motion, optics, and thermal physics are usually the most commonly

included, there is little uniformity among such offerings, and

these topics are not included in the Physics C examination. The

Development Committee recommends that supplementary material be

added to a Physics C course when possible. Many teachers have

found that a good time to do this is late in the year, after the

AP Exams have been given.

Textbooks

The following textbooks are commonly used in colleges and typify

the level of the C course. However, the inclusion of a text does

NOT constitute endorsement by the College Board, ETS, or the AP

Physics Development Committee.

* Crummett, William P. and Arthur B. Western, University

Physics: Models and Applications, 1st ed. New York:

WCB/McGraw Hill, 1994.

* Fishbane, Paul M., Stephen Gasiorowicz, and Stephen T.

Thornton, Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 2nd ed. Upper

Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1996.

* Halliday, David, Robert Resnick, and Jearl Walker,

Fundamentals of Physics, 5th ed. New York: John Wiley, 1997.

* Halliday, David, Robert Resnick, and Kenneth Krane, Physics,

Parts I and II, 4th ed. New York: John Wiley, 1992.

* Serway, R. A., Physics: For Scientists and Engineers, 5th ed.

Fort Worth: Saunders, 1999.

* Serway, R.A., Principles of Physics, 2nd ed. Fort Worth:

Saunders, 1998.

* Sanny, Jeff and William Moebs, University Physics, 1st ed.

New York: WCB/McGraw Hill 1996.

* Tipler, Paul A., Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 4th

ed. New York: Freeman/Worth, 1999.

* Wolfson, Richard, and Jay M. Pasachoff, Physics for

Scientists and Engineers, 3rd ed. Reading, Mass.: Addison

Wesley Longman, 1999.

* Young, Hugh D. and Roger A. Freedman, University Physics, 9th

ed. Reading, Mass.: Addison Wesley Longman, 1996.

See information about the AP Physics B course.

See what the differences are between Physics B and C.

See information about the AP Physics Exams.

See information about the laboratory component.

The Laboratory

Laboratory experience must be part of the AP Physics courses just

as it is in introductory college physics courses. Students should

be able to:

* design experiments,

* observe and measure real phenomena,

* organize, display, and critically analyze data,

* determine uncertainties in measurement,

* draw inferences from observations and data, and

* communicate results, including suggesting ways to improve

experiments and proposing questions for further study.

Some Questions and Answers about AP Physics

* What are the basic differences between the AP Physics B and

Physics C courses?

* Which AP Physics course should I take? Physics B or Physics

C?

* Are the AP Physics courses very difficult?

* Why should I take a more difficult course and risk getting a

lower grade?

* I'm not sure I'm interested in credit or advanced college

placement. Why should I take an AP Physics course and exam?

* Can I take an AP Physics examination if I haven't taken an AP

Physics course?

* I'm not sure I can handle an AP Physics course. What do I

need to succeed?

* How do I get into an AP Physics course? How do I sign up for

the exam?

* What if I decide I don't want a college to receive my AP

Examination grade?

* If I don't get a good grade on an AP Examination, will it

hurt my chances for college admissions?

What are the basic differences between the AP Physics B and

Physics C courses?

Physics B covers a wide range of topics, but in less depth than

those covered in Physics C. It provides a foundation for students

who need to satisfy a science requirement, or who need some

physics background in order to take some life or applied sciences.

It is not the usual preparation for more advanced physics and

engineering courses. Students taking Physics B should be familiar

with algebra and trigonometry, but not necessarily with calculus.

Physics C covers only two major areas, classical mechanics, and

electricity and magnetism. It is designed for students who plan to

major in one of the physical sciences or in engineering, or

possibly in another science or premedicine. Students taking

Physics C should take introductory calculus concurrently, if they

have not taken it previously, since some calculus is used in the

course.

Which AP Physics course should I take? Physics B or Physics C?

Not all schools offer both courses, so the decision may be made

for you. However, if your school offers both courses, or if it

offers only one course but you think you would like to take the

other exam, then there are several things to consider. These

include an honest assessment of your abilities, your reasons for

wanting to take AP Physics, and your intended course of study in

college. If you do not intend to major in physics, chemistry,

engineering, or a similar highly technical field (including

premedicine in some universities), then Physics B may be best for

you. If you do intend to major in one of these fields, then you

will probably need a college-level calculus-based physics course

similar to Physics C, and you should be aware that you are much

less likely to attain credit or placement for such a course with a

Physics B grade, even a good one. Of course, even if you don't get

credit or placement, the conceptual understanding achieved in a

Physics B course should help you when you take the calculus-based

course in college.

If you take one of the AP courses but want to take the other exam,

be prepared to put in a lot of extra work to learn the additional

material required. Whatever you want to do, it is always a good

idea to first discuss your options with your parents and the AP

Physics teacher. If you know what college you want to attend, then

finding out about the AP Physics credit and placement policies at

that college can help in your decision.

Are the AP Physics courses very difficult?

Compared with your regular high school courses in physics, the AP

courses will probably be more demanding in terms of the amount of

studying required. The courses are at the level of introductory

college classes, so they aren't easy, but neither are they

impossibly difficult. Meeting the demands of an AP Physics course

is an investment of effort that will be amply repaid.

Why should I take a more difficult course and risk getting a lower

grade?

Your grade may be as good as or better than one you would have

received in an easier course, because many schools weight the

grades given in AP courses to compensate for the increased

difficulty. Secondly, college officials know that all courses are

not equal. Their evaluation of student grades focuses as much on

the quality of the courses as on the grades received, and AP

courses and grades are very positive signs to college admission

officials.

I'm not sure I'm interested in credit or advanced college

placement. Why should I take an AP Physics course and exam?

You can experience the benefits of AP during the course, not only

at the end of it when credit or advanced placement may be granted

by the college of your choice. The extra learning opportunities

the course provides are important reasons in themselves for taking

an AP course in physics. Many students derive a great deal of

satisfaction from taking a difficult course and mastering a

subject that they find fascinating. Furthermore, taking an AP

course helps you develop analytical reasoning skills and

disciplined study habits that will be critically important to

successful study in college.

A word of warning: students who take an AP course in order to

prepare themselves for the same course in college often get poor

results. They may approach the AP course with reduced motivation

and mistake mere exposure to the material for an understanding of

physics concepts and principles. They may then take the college

course with a false sense of security and end up with bad grades.

Whether or not you eventually earn college credit or advanced

placement for your AP Physics work, your intention should be to

learn the material well the first time.

Can I take an AP Physics examination if I haven't taken an AP

Physics course?

To do well on an AP Physics examination, you have to understand

the important physical concepts covered in the course. You also

need to be able to apply these concepts to the solving of

difficult problems. The best way to acquire such knowledge and

skill is in a year-long AP course, following a regular high-school

level physics course, in which the students and teachers focus on

AP-level work.

Some successful AP Physics examinees, however, have taken physics

courses other than AP and completed extra work independently or

under the guidance of a teacher. The most important ingredient is

strong self-motivation. Regardless of the preparation method, a

good background in algebra and some trigonometry is important for

both exams, as is exposure to elementary calculus for Physics C.

Other science courses, particularly chemistry, may be helpful but

are not essential.

I'm not sure I can handle an AP Physics course. What do I need to

succeed?

You need to be willing and you need to be able. "Willing" means

motivated to study and learn on the college level. If you are

committed to participating actively in an AP class and doing the

out-of-class problem-solving, you have met a major prerequisite

for success. You must also be able to do the work. Your record in

earlier science and mathematics courses is the most obvious

indicator of that ability.

How do I get into an AP Physics course? How do I sign up for the

exam?

First, discuss your interest in the course with your school's AP

Physics teachers or AP Coordinator to find out whether they feel

you can do the extra work. You may also want to discuss the course

with your parents. While you are taking the course, your AP

teacher or AP Coordinator will tell you when in May the AP

Examination will be offered at your school, and how to register

for it. You should also know that many states and schools now pay

for AP Exams. Check with your school's AP Coordinator.

What if I decide I don't want a college to receive my AP

Examination grade?

You control the reporting of your AP Examination grade. At the

time of the examination, you may indicate on your answer sheet the

name of the college you wish to receive your grades. Or, after the

exam, you can write to the AP Program and request that your grades

be sent to the colleges of your choice. Until June 15 of the year

in which you take the exam, you also have the option of telling

the AP Program not to send one or more of your AP grades to any or

a particular college.

If I don't get a good grade on an AP Examination, will it hurt my

chances for college admissions?

If you take an examination as a senior, colleges will not receive

your grade before July Ñ probably well after you have been

admitted. If you choose to report AP grades obtained before your

senior year, be sure to include those grades in your application

materials. You will primarily be telling the colleges that you

undertook a difficult course and that you are serious about your

studies.

Comparison of Topics in Physics B and Physics C

To help develop AP Physics courses and to more clearly identify

the specifics of the examinations, a detailed topical structure

has been developed relying heavily on information obtained in

college surveys. The general areas of physics are subdivided into

the five major categories listed below, and for each category the

percentage goals for each examination are given in the detailed

content outline. These goals are intended to serve only as a

guide. Some important subtopics for each major category are also

listed in the content outlines. The asterisks indicate the

subtopics that are included only in the Physics C examination.

Questions for the examination will come from these subtopics, but

not all of the subtopics will necessarily be included in every

examination, just as they are not necessarily included in every AP

or college course.

For both courses, a miscellaneous category also applies that

includes occasional questions on identification of vectors and

scalars, vector mathematics, graphs of functions, questions that

overlap several major topical areas, history of physics, or

contemporary topics in physics. Each exam will contain one or more

questions or parts of questions posed in a laboratory or

experimental setting. These questions generally assess some

understanding of content as well as experimental skills, and each

content area may include such questions. Although fewer topics are

covered in Physics C than in Physics B, they are covered in

greater depth in Physics C, and with greater analytical and

mathematical sophistication, including calculus applications.

Detailed Content for Major Areas in PhysicsÊB and PhysicsÊC

* Newtonian Mechanics

* Thermal Physics

* Electricity and Magnetism

* Waves and Optics

* Atomic and Nuclear Physics