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About the Course
Have you ever thought about why you feel the downward pull of Earth but not an upward pull from the Moon? Why throwing a heavy rock forward pushes you backward? Or why the end of a stick swings down faster than a rock that is dropped? In AP Physics C: Mechanics, you’ll explore concepts such as motion, gravitation, momentum, and rotation using conceptual explanations and calculus-based mathematics.
AP Physics Revisions 2024-25
We revised the 4 AP Physics courses and exams for the 2024-25 school year.
Skills You'll Learn
Creating representations that depict physical phenomena
Conducting analyses to derive, calculate, estimate, or predict
Describing experimental procedures, analyzing data, supporting claims
Equivalency and Prerequisites
College Course Equivalent
A semester-long, introductory calculus-based college course in physics.
Recommended Prerequisites
You should have taken calculus or be taking calculus at the same time as this course.
Exam Date
About the Units
The course content outlined below is organized into commonly taught units of study that provide one possible sequence for the course. Your teacher may choose to organize the course content differently based on local priorities and preferences.
Course Content
Credit and Placement
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Course Resources
See Where AP Can Take You
AP Physics C: Mechanics can lead to a wide range of careers and college majors