AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism is an Advanced Placement science course about electricity and magnetism. It one of the AP Physics courses offered in some U.S. secondary schools.
Contents
Course content
It is supposed to be equivalent to an introductory college course in electricity and magnetism for physics or engineering majors. The course modules are:
Methods of calculus are used wherever appropriate in formulating physical principles and in applying them to physical problems. Therefore, students should have completed or be concurrently enrolled in a calculus class.
This course may be combined with AP Physics C: Mechanics to make a unified Physics C course that prepares for both exams. In this scenario, Electricity and Magnetism is typically taught second, as it requires much of the knowledge gained in the Mechanics course.
AP test
The course culminates in an optional exam for which high-performing students may receive some credit towards their college coursework, depending on which college or university they attend.
Registration
The AP examination for AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism is separate from the AP examination for AP Physics C: Mechanics. Before 2006, test-takers paid only once and were given the choice of taking either one or two parts of the Physics C test.
Format
The exam is configured in two categories: a 35-question multiple choice section and a 3-question free response section. Test takers are allowed to use an approved calculator during the entire exam. The test is weighted such that each section is worth half of the final score. This is one of the shortest AP exams, with total testing time of 90 minutes.
The topics covered by the exam are as follows:
Grade distribution
The grade distributions for the Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism scores since 2010 were: