Physics A, B & C - Differences & My Son's AP Class

[tonyjacobsen]

My son just enrolled in Physics B, an AP class in high school. What are the differences between A, B, and C?

 

[ZombieFeynman]

http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap-physics-course-description.pdf

 

[TheKracken]

I have not heard of physics A, but physics B is the non calculus based physics usually for your physical science requirement if you are a liberal arts major. It also is required typically by kinesiology majors and sometimes Biology majors.

Physics C is calculus based and is typically required my all physical science, math and engineering majors.

 

[jtbell]

AP Physics B no longer exists by that name. Beginning this fall, it has been replaced by AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2, which together cover basically the same topics that Physics B did, and which (according to Wikipedia), "are designed to emphasize critical thinking and reasoning as well as learning through inquiry." I don't know what this will mean in practice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AP_Physics

 

[tonyjacobsen]

Thank you for your response. Since my son is going to take trig/precalc at the same time as this AP Physics class, the non-calc version makes sense. I hope he will be offered AP Physics 2 as a senior then since he will have at least some calc under his belt. Honestly, I don't see how they can really teach physics without calculus and still call it AP. Seems to me it will be really easy/basic, almost Junior High level.
Again, thanks for your response. I will see if I can pull more info out of the teacher after school starts. The teacher wasn't at open house (which was really unusual), so all of the parents were left hanging.

 

[Redbelly98]

I realize I am late to this discussion, but would like to clear up some wrong information that has been posted.

I have not heard of physics A, but physics B is the non calculus based physics usually for your physical science requirement if you are a liberal arts major. It also is required typically by kinesiology majors and sometimes Biology majors.

No, "Physics A" is used to describe the typical science requirement course for liberal arts majors. It is not offered as an AP Course.
The equivalent of Physics B is typically taken by premeds, nursing students, and biology majors. It does not use calculus.

Physics C is calculus based and is typically required my all physical science, math and engineering majors.

Yes.

Honestly, I don't see how they can really teach physics without calculus and still call it AP. Seems to me it will be really easy/basic, almost Junior High level.

Life-science and premed students typically take non-calculus physics in college. It is college level, so fitting for an AP course.

http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap-physics-course-description.pdf

That is 2 years out of date, but it does describe the different categories (A, B, C) of physics courses on pages 5 and 6.

There are now separate books, one for Physics C and one covering both Physics 1 & 2. The Physics 1 & 2 course description is the first link under "Resources" here:
http://advancesinap.collegeboard.org/math-and-science/physics