AP Physics B is an Advanced Placement science course that is divided into nine different sections: Newtonian Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Physics, Waves and Optics, and Atomic and Nuclear Physics. The course is equivalent to a one-year college course that includes a laboratory component. It is not the usual preparation for more advanced physics and engineering courses like AP Physics C: Mechanics or Electricity and Magnetism may be.
The course is non calculus based and only involves algebra and basic trigonometry to solve various physics problems. It is supposed to be equivalent to an introductory college course in physics.
This course can help prepare students for the SAT Subject Test in Physics which is also administered by College Board.
The exam
The exam is administered in two sections, a seventy question multiple choice section and a six to eight question free response section. Each section must be completed within a 90 minute time limit. In order to test knowledge as well as skills, the multiple choice section is taken without a calculator. The free response section permits the use of a calculator as well as a list of common formulas. The test is weighted such that each section is worth fifty percent of the final score. Overall, the exam is configured to approximately cover a set percentage of each of the five target categories:
| 35% |
| 15% |
| 25% |
| 15% |
| 10% |
Purpose
According to the College Board web site, "the Physics B course provides a foundation in physics for students in the life sciences, premedicine, and some applied sciences, as well as other fields not directly related to science." Additionally, students who receive a certain score (usually 3 or above) on the AP Exam may have the opportunity to bypass the preliminary physics course at the college they choose to attend, depending on that institution's policy. However, students are cautioned to check with their intended college or university, as acceptance policies vary widely. Some schools require a higher score (4 or 5) in order to receive credit, while others will only give credit for a lower level physics course. It is the intention of the College Board, however, for this class to be taken by those students wishing to challenge themselves in a physics class but have no desire to pursue a rigorously science based college major or career.
Grade distribution
In the 2009 administration, 62,702 students took the exam. The mean score was a 2.88 with a standard deviation of 1.34 and 60.8% of students achieving a score of 3 or higher. In the 2010 administration, 67,312 students took the exam. The mean score was a 2.86 with a standard deviation of 1.35 and 59.4% of students achieving a score of 3 or higher.