Your AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Resource Center
Written by Shefali Sundram
Updated on: 14 Feb 2025
Content
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism stands for Advanced Placement Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism. It is a college-level course offered by the College Board for high school students interested in the specific study of electrical and magnetic phenomena. The course delves deep into topics such as electrostatics, electric circuits, magnetic fields, and electromagnetism.
The course is demanding and is best suited for students with a solid grounding in calculus. It expects them to engage in complex problem-solving, advanced lab experiments, and intricate data analysis related to electromagnetic concepts.
Course Contents
The course framework included in the course and exam description (CED) clearly details the course requirements necessary for student success. The framework also encourages instruction that prepares students to make connections across domains through a broader way of thinking about the physical world.
The AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism course framework is organized into six commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. As always, you have the flexibility to organize the course content as you like.
Unit | Details | Exam Weighting (Multiple-Choice Section) |
---|---|---|
Unit 8: Electric Charges, Fields, and Gauss’s Law | You’ll begin your study of the electric force with an exploration of electric charges | 15%–25% |
Unit 9: Electric Potential | You’ll continue your study by analyzing forms of energy that occur when electric charges interact | 10%–20% |
Unit 10: Conductors and Capacitors | You’ll explore how electric charge can move through an object and the factors that affect the way charge moves | 10%–15% |
Unit 11: Electric Circuits | You’ll build on your knowledge of electrical components to investigate the nature of electric circuits and explore current, resistance, and power | 15%–25% |
Unit 12: Magnetic Fields and Electromagnetism | You’ll begin your exploration of magnetism by learning how magnetic fields are generated, how they behave, and how they relate to electricity | 10%–20% |
Unit 13: Electromagnetic Induction | You’ll build on what you’ve learned about charges, currents, and electric and magnetic fields to explore electromagnetic forces and their properties | 10%–20% |
Resources
AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism Exam Guide
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Credit Policy
AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism Practice Tests
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Shefali SundramReviewed by
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