AP Physics
There are four Advanced Placement (AP) Physics courses administered by the College Board as part of its Advanced Placement program: the algebra-based Physics 1 and Physics 2 and the calculus-based Physics C: Mechanics and Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism. All are intended to be at the college level. Each AP Physics course has an exam for which high-performing students may receive credit toward their college coursework. AP Physics 1 and 2

AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2 were introduced in 2015, replacing AP Physics B. The courses were designed to emphasize critical thinking and reasoning as well as learning through inquiry. They are algebra-based and do not require any calculus knowledge. AP Physics 1 

AP Physics 1 covers Newtonian mechanics, including:

 Unit 1: Kinematics
 Unit 2: Dynamics
 Unit 3: Circular Motion and Gravitation
 Unit 4: Energy
 Unit 5: Momentum
 Unit 6: Simple Harmonic Motion
 Unit 7: Torque and Rotational Motion

Until 2020, the course also covered topics in electricity (including Coulomb's Law and resistive DC circuits), mechanical waves, and sound. These units were removed because they are included in AP Physics 2. AP Physics 2 

AP Physics 2 covers the following topics:

 Unit 1: Fluids
 Unit 2: Thermodynamics
 Unit 3: Electric Force, Field, and Potential
 Unit 4: Electric Circuits
 Unit 5: Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction
 Unit 6: Geometric and Physical Optics
 Unit 7: Quantum, Atomic, and Nuclear Physics

AP Physics C

From 1969 to 1972, AP Physics C was a single course with a single exam that covered all standard introductory university physics topics, including mechanics, fluids, electricity and magnetism, optics, and modern physics. In 1973, the College Board split the course into AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism. The exam was also split into two separate 90-minute tests, each equivalent to a semester-length calculus-based college course. Until 2006, both exams could be taken for a single fee; since then, a separate fee is charged for each exam. The two Physics C courses can be combined to create a year-long Physics C course that prepares students for both exams. AP Physics C: Mechanics 

AP Physics C: Mechanics covers Newtonian mechanics, including:

 Unit 1: Kinematics
 Unit 2: Newton’s Laws of Motion
 Unit 3: Work, Energy, and Power
 Unit 4: Systems of Particles and Linear Momentum
 Unit 5: Rotation
 Unit 6: Oscillations
 Unit 7: Gravitation

AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism 

AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism covers electricity and magnetism, including:

 Unit 1: Electrostatics
 Unit 2: Conductors, Capacitors, Dielectrics
 Unit 3: Electric Circuits
 Unit 4: Magnetic Fields
 Unit 5: Electromagnetism

AP Physics B

Until 1969, only a single AP Physics course existed. In 1969, it was split into AP Physics B and AP Physics C, each having its own exam. AP Physics B was equivalent to an introductory algebra-based college course in physics. The course did not use calculus. AP Physics B was divided into five different sections:

 Newtonian mechanics
 Fluid mechanics and thermal physics
 Electricity and magnetism
 Waves and optics
 Atomic and nuclear physics

In 2014, AP Physics B was replaced by AP Physics 1 and 2. AP Physics A

Designed concurrently with AP Physics B and AP Physics C, AP Physics A was supposed to be a conceptual version of AP Physics B, employing little to no mathematics. AP Physics A never proceeded past the development stage, as colleges would not offer credit for the course. References

Advanced Placement
Physics education