AP Physics C – Exam Content

 

Shown below is an approximate breakdown of the material found on each Physics C exam. 
This information also serves as an outline for the content of each course.

 

 

I. Newtonian Mechanics

 
  1. Kinematics (including vectors, vector algebra, components of vectors,
    coordinate systems, displacement, velocity, and acceleration)

    1. Motion in one dimension
    2. Motion in two dimensions, including projectile motion

18%
  1. Newton's laws of motion 

    1. Static equilibrium (first law)
    2. Dynamics of a single particle (second law)
    3. Systems of two or more bodies (third law)

20%
  1. Work, energy, power

    1. Work and work-energy theorem
    2. Conservative forces and potential energy
    3. Conservation of energy
    4. Power

14%
  1. Systems of particles, linear momentum

    1. Center of mass 
    2. Impulse and momentum
    3. Conservation of linear momentum, collisions

12%
  1. Circular motion and rotation

    1. Uniform circular motion
    2. Torque and rotational statics
    3. Rotational kinematics and dynamics 
    4. Angular momentum and its conservation  

 

18%
  1. Oscillations and gravitation

    1. Simple harmonic motion (dynamics and energy relationships)
    2. Mass on a spring
    3. Pendulum and other oscillations
    4. Newton's law of gravity
    5. Orbits of planets and satellites
      1. Circular
      2. General 

18%

 

 

II. Electricity and Magnetism

 
  1. Electrostatics

    1. Charge and Coulomb’s Law
    2. Electric field and electric potential (including point charges)
    3. Gauss’s Law
    4. Fields and potentials of other charge distributions  

30%
  1. Conductors, capacitors, dielectrics

    1. Electrostatics with conductors
    2. Capacitors
      1. Capacitance
      2. Parallel plate
      3. Spherical and cylindrical 
    3. Dielectrics 

14%
  1. Electric circuits

    1. Current, resistance, power
    2. Steady-state direct current circuits with batteries and resistors only
    3. Capacitors in circuits
      1. Steady state
      2. Transients in RC circuits 

20%
  1. Magnetic Fields

    1. Forces on moving charges in magnetic fields
    2. Forces on current-carrying wires in magnetic fields
    3. Fields of long current-carrying wires
    4. Biot-Savart and Ampere's law 

20%
  1. Electromagnetism

    1. Electromagnetic induction (including Faraday's law and Lenz's law)
    2. Inductance (including LR and LC circuits) 
    3. Maxwell's equations 

16%