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 1. Home
 2. Course & Exam Pages
 3. Active Page: AP Physics Revisions for 2024-25


AP PHYSICS REVISIONS FOR 2024-25

Learn more about revisions to the 4 AP Physics courses and exams for the 2024-25
school year.


GET DETAILS ABOUT 2024-25 COURSE AUTHORIZATION

Visit Your Course Audit Page

FEBRUARY 2024 UPDATE

In August 2023, we posted an initial summary of course and exam revisions and
draft course frameworks to this page.  

An updated summary is now available below, along with FAQs, information on AP
Course Audit reauthorization, and revised course and exam descriptions (CEDs)
for the 2024-25 school year. 

AP periodically revises course frameworks to ensure alignment with comparable
introductory college courses and more clearly communicate the required course
content and skills.

Since the launch of AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based and AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based,
we’ve received feedback on ways to improve and clarify these course frameworks.

We’ve revised those courses—alongside AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C:
Electricity and Magnetism—to align the content and skills across the four AP
Physics courses and provide more transparent, sequential frameworks for teachers
and students.

The revisions take effect with the 2024-25 school year (May 2025 AP Exams).


AP PHYSICS 1


COURSE CHANGES 

 * 8 units—an increase from 7.
 * Fluids (previously Unit 1 of AP Physics 2) will now be Unit 8 of AP Physics
   1.
 * Adding connections between rotational and translational motion. 
 * Adding specific learning objectives referencing power.
 * Adding equations of motion for objects in simple harmonic motion.
 * Uncoupling specific science practices from specific learning objectives. In
   the revised course framework, any learning objective can be tested with any
   science practice, which allows a greater range of questions to be written to
   the new framework.


EXAM UPDATES

 * 40 multiple-choice questions (MCQs)—a decrease from 50 MCQs.
 * Removing multiselect questions.
 * Decreasing Section I (MCQs) time from 90 to 80 minutes. 
 * 4 free-response questions (FRQs)—a decrease from 5 FRQs.
 * All 4 FRQs will be new question types:
   * Mathematical routines
   * Translation between representations
   * Experimental design and analysis
   * Qualitative/quantitative translation
 * Increasing Section II (FRQs) time from 90 to 100 minutes.


LEARN MORE IN THE REVISED CED

For details on the updated course and exam, download the AP Physics 1:
Algebra-Based Course and Exam Description, Effective Fall 2024 (.pdf).


AP PHYSICS 2


COURSE CHANGES

 * Fluids will no longer be part of AP Physics 2 and will move to AP Physics 1,
   as Unit 8.
 * Including a full treatment of waves (mechanical waves, standing waves, sound
   waves, and the Doppler effect), which was previously covered in AP Physics 1.
 * The current AP Physics 2 Unit 6: Geometric and Physical Optics will become
   two separate units: Geometric Optics (Unit 13) and Waves, Sound, and Physical
   Optics (Unit 14).
 * Renumbering the AP Physics 2 units beginning at 9, sequent to the 8 units of
   AP Physics 1.
 * Including a more comprehensive treatment of circuits.
 * Including topics about blackbody radiation (which connects thermodynamics and
   modern physics) and Compton scattering.
 * Uncoupling specific science practices from specific learning objectives. In
   the revised course framework, any learning objective can be tested with any
   science practice, which allows a greater range of questions to be written to
   the new framework.


EXAM UPDATES 

 * 40 MCQs—a decrease from 50 MCQs.
 * Removing multiselect questions.
 * Decreasing Section I (MCQs) time from 90 to 80 minutes.
 * All 4 FRQs will be new question types:
   * Mathematical routines
   * Translation between representations
   * Experimental design and analysis
   * Qualitative/quantitative translation
 * Increasing Section II (FRQs) time from 90 to 100 minutes.


LEARN MORE IN THE REVISED CED

For details on the updated course and exam, download the AP Physics 2:
Algebra-Based Course and Exam Description, Effective Fall 2024 (.pdf).


AP PHYSICS C: MECHANICS


COURSE CHANGES

Even though there are no major content changes, the course framework is
receiving the following revisions parallel to AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2:

 * Making language consistent across all 4 courses where appropriate. For
   example, the AP Physics C: Mechanics learning objective for Newton’s third
   law will use the same language as AP Physics 1.
 * More clearly defining the scope and depth of certain topics that will be
   assessed on the exams, such as gravitational forces within an extended mass
   and physical pendulums.
 * Stronger alignment between the essential knowledge statements, the learning
   objectives, and the science practices.


EXAM UPDATES

 * 40 MCQs—an increase from 35 MCQs.
 * Increasing Section I (MCQs) time from 45 to 80 minutes.
 * Changing all MCQs from 5 options to 4.
 * 4 FRQs—an increase from 3 FRQs.
 * All 4 FRQs will be new question types:
   * Mathematical routines
   * Translation between representations
   * Experimental design and analysis
   * Qualitative/quantitative translation
 * Increasing Section II (FRQs) time from 45 to 100 minutes.


LEARN MORE IN THE REVISED CED

For details on the updated course and exam, download the AP Physics C: Mechanics
Course and Exam Description, Effective Fall 2024 (.pdf).


AP PHYSICS C: ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM


COURSE CHANGES

Even though there are no major content changes, the course framework is
receiving the following revisions parallel to AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2:

 * Making language consistent across all 4 courses where appropriate. For
   example, the AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism learning objective for
   Ohm’s law will use the same language as AP Physics 2.
 * Adding language to clearly define the scope and depth of certain topics, such
   as the definition and properties of dielectrics and descriptions of LC
   Circuits to be assessed on the exams.
 * Stronger alignment between the essential knowledge statements, the learning
   objectives, and the science practices.
 * Renumbering the units beginning at 8, sequent to the 7 units of AP Physics C:
   Mechanics.


EXAM UPDATES 

 * 40 MCQs—an increase from 35 MCQs.
 * Increasing Section I (MCQs) time from 45 to 80 minutes.
 * Changing all MCQs from 5 options to 4.
 * 4 FRQs—an increase from 3 FRQs.
 * All 4 FRQs will be new question types:
   * Mathematical routines
   * Translation between representations
   * Experimental design and analysis
   * Qualitative/quantitative translation
 * Increasing Section II (FRQs) time from 45 to 100 minutes.


LEARN MORE IN THE REVISED CED

For details on the updated course and exam, download the AP Physics C:
Electricity and Magnetism Course and Exam Description, Effective Fall 2024
(.pdf).


TEACHER RESOURCES

To support teacher planning and student learning, free AP Physics resources will
be added to AP Classroom on a rolling basis, starting in July:  

 * Hundreds of topic questions and progress checks 
 * Updated AP Daily videos  
 * Comprehensive question bank 


WHAT TO EXPECT

 * March 2024: The AP Course Audit opens for 2024-25. Learn how to reauthorize
   your course in the FAQ below.
 * June 2024: AP Summer Institutes (APSIs) will begin training teachers on the
   revised CEDs.
 * July 2024: We’ll start updating AP Classroom with new progress checks,
   topic questions, AP Daily videos, and an updated question bank. We’ll
   continue adding resources throughout the school year. 
 * Fall 2024: AP Physics teachers will start implementing the revised CEDs in
   their classrooms.
 * May 2025: Students will take AP Physics Exams that align with the revised
   CEDs.


SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS 

Contact us using this feedback form. 


FAQ

Expand All Collapse All


WILL AP PHYSICS TEACHERS NEED TO RESUBMIT IN THE AP COURSE AUDIT?


Yes. All new and returning AP Physics teachers will need to complete an AP
Course Audit form attestation in 2024-25. They can select one of these three
submission options:  


 * Adopt a sample syllabus or unit guide (preferred) 

 * Claim an identical syllabus to a colleague who has been authorized for the
   2024-25 school year 

 * Submit a new or revised course document 

For teachers selecting the third option: The original course document should
only outline how the course fulfills the curricular requirements and does not
need to be the full syllabus used in the classroom. Teachers should not submit
syllabi that include classroom management policies.  

Information about AP Course Audit requirements and updated sample syllabi and
syllabus development guides are available on the AP Physics Course Audit pages
on this site.

Read more


HOW DO THE REVISED FRAMEWORKS GIVE TEACHERS MORE CLARITY FOR LESSON PLANNING?


The revised frameworks include specific terminology in the Essential Knowledge
statements, making the revised frameworks more focused than the current
frameworks and providing greater clarity for teachers and students about what
concepts are considered “in scope” for AP Physics.

Read more


WILL THERE BE NEW AP CLASSROOM RESOURCES FOR THE REVISED COURSES?


Yes. AP Classroom resources will be updated for the 2024-25 school year,
including AP Daily videos, progress checks, topic questions, and an updated
question bank.  



Most resources will be available on July 1, 2024, when AP Classroom updates to
the next school year. Additional resources will be released on a rolling basis
throughout the school year.  

Read more


HOW WILL AP CLASSROOM ALIGN THE EXISTING QUESTION BANK ITEMS WITH THE REVISED
CONTENT?


We're evaluating and revising current question bank items as needed to align
them to the revised courses and exams. We’re also developing new question bank
items to give students opportunities for formative assessment and retrieval
practice for each topic in the courses and the types of questions that will
appear on the AP Physics Exams. 

Read more


WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE QUESTIONS AND QUIZZES THAT TEACHERS CREATED IN AP
CLASSROOM?


Questions and quizzes authored by teachers will stay in AP Classroom. We’ll
contact teachers in the coming months with more information about how to retag
their questions and quizzes to the new frameworks.

Read more


WHAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE AVAILABLE TO HELP TEACHERS
PREPARE FOR THE NEW CONTENT? 


AP Summer Institutes and other opportunities for learning and collaboration will
be available to teachers to help prepare them for the revised courses. 

Read more


WILL THE TEXTBOOKS WE CURRENTLY USE WORK WITH THE REVISED COURSES?


Yes. Current textbooks adequately address the material needed for the revised
courses.  



Textbook requirements have not changed: students should have access to a
college-level introductory physics textbook that has been published in the last
10 years.  



We’ve informed publishers of the changes. They’re working to update their
materials to align with the revised courses so that schools wishing to purchase
textbooks aligned to the changes can do so. 

Read more


WHAT CHANGES DID YOU MAKE TO THE COURSE AND EXAM INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE?


In August 2023, we published information on this page about the upcoming AP
Physics revisions, along with draft course frameworks.  



At the end of February 2024, we updated the page to reflect the final state of
the course and exam revisions. Here are the changes we made to the course and
exam information:  



 * We removed the draft frameworks and posted the revised course and exam
   descriptions (CEDs). The final frameworks can be found in these CEDs. 

 * We updated some of the details on how the exam designs were
   changing—specifically, section timing and number of multiple-choice questions
   (MCQs)—to reflect the final CEDs.  

Read more


WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THE REVISIONS?


As with all AP courses, development committees of experienced educators and
college faculty were responsible for revising AP Physics. The AP Physics
Development Committees also worked with high school teachers and higher
education faculty reviewers and consultants. 

Read more


WERE UNIVERSITIES CONSULTED DURING THE REVISION PROCESS, AND WILL THEY STILL
HAVE THE SAME CREDIT POLICIES?


Universities were consulted during the revision process, and many faculty
members were included on the revision committees. We expect these revisions will
preserve current credit and placement policies and create opportunities to
broaden them. 

Read more


HOW AND WHEN WILL THE REVISED CUT SCORES FOR THE AP PHYSICS EXAMS BE
ESTABLISHED, AND WHEN WILL THEY BE REVISITED?


The revised cut scores will be established during the standard setting in summer
2025.

Read more


RESOURCES

Download


AP PHYSICS 1: ALGEBRA-BASED COURSE AND EXAM DESCRIPTION, EFFECTIVE FALL 2024

 * PDF
 * 5.29 MB

Download


AP PHYSICS 2: ALGEBRA-BASED COURSE AND EXAM DESCRIPTION, EFFECTIVE FALL 2024

 * PDF
 * 4.41 MB

Download


AP PHYSICS C: MECHANICS COURSE AND EXAM DESCRIPTION, EFFECTIVE FALL 2024

 * PDF
 * 7.64 MB

Download


AP PHYSICS C: ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM COURSE AND EXAM DESCRIPTION, EFFECTIVE
FALL 2024

 * PDF
 * 4.44 MB


GET DETAILS ABOUT 2024-25 COURSE AUTHORIZATION

Visit Your Course Audit Page




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