The College Board has announced significant updates to all four AP Physics courses—AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C: Mechanics, and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism—effective for the 2024-25 academic year. These revisions aim to better align the courses with college-level expectations and streamline content for both teachers and students. Key changes include:
– AP Physics 1: Expansion to 8 units, incorporating fluids and equations for simple harmonic motion, along with reduced exam questions and new question types.
– AP Physics 2: Enhanced coverage of waves, restructured optics units, and the addition of blackbody radiation and Compton scattering.
– AP Physics C: Updates to the frameworks for Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism, ensuring clearer definitions and consistency across all courses, with exams now running as full, independent sessions.
The new frameworks emphasize flexibility in assessing science practices, streamlined exam structures, and skill-focused assessments to better support student success.
