Supplement Options for AP Physics Textbook: Fluid Dynamics and Beyond?

[Subdot]

I hope I posted this in the right place... Anyways, I have just about finished my junior year of high school, and I have been looking forward to taking another physics course in my senior year. Because the sequence of science textbooks continues with this:

https://apologia.securesites.net/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=10

that is the textbook my teachers are probably going to give me. Unfortunately, after looking through the table of contents, it looks like it is missing something on fluid dynamics, which is part of the AP Physics-B exam. It may be missing more too (between this and the course I already took, that is, because it splits AP Physics-B into two years), but I caught that immediately.

A couple of questions then. Are there any supplements that you can recommend for me to take along with that textbook in order to learn the fluid dynamics I need to learn for the AP Physics-B exam? If there are other deficiencies in the textbook, are there any supplements you can recommend in order for me to make them up too? If there is no better way than to get a different textbook, are there any you can recommend so that my teachers can use that instead?

Also, would it be better to take AP Physics-C instead of continuing AP Physics-B (and if so any textbook recommendations)? I've been taking AP Calculus this year, am just about done with it, and have done very well in it, so the math shouldn't be a problem. However, are there any advantages to taking Physics-C instead of continuing Physics-B? Like, do colleges with a good physics deparment look better on a good score for the AP Physics-C exam? Would I just have to retake the equivalent of Physics-C again anyways, and so there is no point in doing it?

In addtion, can both parts of Physics-C be completed in one school year? Because I'd rather learn both mechanics and electromagnetism than have to take only one the entire year. I did complete the first physics course offered by the place I linked to in a semester and did very, very well in it, if that is any help information-wise.

The main problem is that I really like the way these books teach science. They really do explain the concepts well and make them easy to understand. I wouldn't want to miss out on it, yet I also want to make sure I'm making the most of my education.

 

[physicsnoob93]

Okay whoaw that's a lot of questions, so one by one:

1) Missing fluid mech, what can you do?
Okay for this one, you could either use the library to read up on fluid mechanics, and then use an AP review book to just focus on what you need for fluid mechanics. For a review book, I used PR and i didn't really like it, you could try Barrons. For an alternative text for Physics B, College Physics, by Serway and Faughn should do, but I always prefer calculus based texts, even for physics B if you know calculus. These are: University Physics by Young and Freedman or Halliday Resnick KRANE - Physics. Remember, KRANE, not walker.

2) Physics B or C?
They are 2 different types of exams. Physics B tests on a broad understanding of general physics, but doesn't go too deep. Physics C, is focused and deeper. I think it will be good if you have both in your application. I'm a sophomore, took B this year, taking C next year.

3) Texts for Physics C I would recommend are:
These are the books I own and mostly use only 1.

1) Halliday Resnick Krane - Physics (Comes in 2 volumes)
IMO, this book is the best for introductory calculus based physics. It is easy to understand, has lesser words and explains much better and goes in deeper in some subjects than its competitors, with good problems. It comes in 2 volumes. This is volume 2:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0471401943/?tag=pfamazon01-20

2) University Physics by Young and Freedman.
This text is good, very comprehensive and explains well. It's used at MIT for their introductory physics course. It's quite big though. On amazon people say the binding is very bad so its hard to maintain LOL. But the text is generally very good. The problems are just alright, but every chapter there are 2 or 3 challenging problems which are difficult.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/080532187X/?tag=pfamazon01-20

3) Serway - Physics for Scientists and Engineers
Well, IMO, the explanations are bad. But its a very "problem-solving oriented" book and the problems are really very hard. They're marked by pink, blue and black for difficulty, with pink being challenging and blue being advanced or something. For explanations, the only part i like is the QM part, but that's not in the Physics C exam anyway.

Now you have to decide what to do, B or C, but again, I would recommend B first then C.

Hope this helped.

 

[Subdot]

Ok, thanks. That was VERY helpful. Unfortunately, the only way I can get both B and C done before college is by using my one remaining summer to finish B (then do C in my senior year) or by waiting an extra year before going into college. So, I'll probably only have B done in time ('cause all of C in one semester looks impossible). I suppose I could also finish B and do half of C because the C exams are split up.

Thanks again.

 

[physicsnoob93]

Yes, you could do that, i really regretted not taking Physics C: E and M because it was right after the B exam, but check next year's schedule before you make the choice.

And no problem.