I'm taking AP Physics 1 this year and I've heard that some units are more difficult than others. Any current or former students have advice on which unit is considered the hardest? Any tips on tackling that specific unit?
3 months ago
I would say the hardest unit in AP Physics 1 varies from person to person, as it depends on individual strengths and weaknesses. However, a unit that many students find challenging is rotational motion, which covers topics like rotational kinematics, torque, and angular momentum. This is because these concepts are less intuitive than those covered in earlier units, and the math often involves more complex problem-solving.
To tackle this unit effectively, I suggest the following strategies:
1. Understand the basics: Before diving into more complex problems, make sure you have a solid understanding of the basic concepts. Familiarize yourself with key terms and variables such as angular displacement, angular velocity, and angular acceleration, and understand how they relate to their linear counterparts.
2. Practice problems: The more problems you solve, the better you'll get at identifying patterns and applying the right formulas. Make sure to practice a variety of problems that involve different aspects of rotational motion. Work through problems from your textbook, and supplement with online resources like College Board's AP Classroom or Khan Academy's practice materials.
3. Break down complex problems: When tackling challenging problems, it can be helpful to break them down into smaller, more manageable steps. Identify the knowns and unknowns, think about how the different concepts in the unit are related, and use that information to create a plan for solving the problem.
4. Seek help: If you're still struggling, don't hesitate to ask your teacher for help during or after class, or reach out to classmates to form a study group. Sometimes, discussing concepts and working through problems together can provide new insights and deepen your understanding of the material.
5. Review and make connections: As you progress through the course, take the time to review previous units and make connections between them and the rotational motion unit. This will not only help you with this unit but also reinforce your understanding of previous units, which will be beneficial for the AP exam.
3 months ago
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I would say the hardest unit in AP Physics 1 varies from person to person, as it depends on individual strengths and weaknesses. However, a unit that many students find challenging is rotational motion, which covers topics like rotational kinematics, torque, and angular momentum.
Is AP Physics 1 too hard? ›
The AP® Physics 1 exam is considered one of the more difficult exams in the AP® collection of exams. Physics is considered an advanced science, and the AP® version of it is meant to escalate the complexity to the college level. This exam requires an understanding of trigonometry as well as algebra and geometry.
Is a 3 on AP Physics 1 bad? ›
As reported by the College Board, a 3 is 'qualified,' a 4 'well qualified,' and a 5 'extremely well qualified. ' Depending on the college or university you plan to attend, credits can be awarded for scores within the 3-5 range.
How hard is a 5 on AP Physics 1? ›
In 2023, of the 144,526 students who took the AP Physics 1 exam, 43.2% of students scored a 3 or higher. Only 24.9% scored a 4 or 5. Not to incite alarm, but both the AP Physics 1 course and exam are real doozies.
Is a 4 on AP Physics 1 bad? ›
AP Physics 1: What Score Do I Need for College Credit? The score students need to secure to earn college credit varies between schools, but they all require at least a minimum score of 3. The vast majority of schools accept scores of 3 or 4 for college credit, but a few schools may require a score of 5.
How many people fail AP Physics 1? ›
AP Physics 1
Physics 1 has the lowest pass rate of any AP exam (43.3%) along with one of the lowest percentages of students scoring a 5 (just 7.9%). Physics 1 is an algebra-based physics class that explores topics such as Newtonian mechanics, simple circuits, and mechanical waves.
Is AP Physics 1 mostly math? ›
AP® Physics 1 and 2 are algebra-based physics courses. You will learn essentially the same content, but you will only have to work with algebraic math. Any calculus steps will be performed for you and mostly de-emphasized.
Is a 2 on AP Physics 1 bad? ›
Scoring Criteria. First, it is important to analyze the scoring criteria to understand your score and where you went wrong. According to Collegeboard, a 2 on the AP® Physics 1 exam suggests to colleges that you are “possibly qualified” but that there are some gaps in your knowledge of the curriculum.
What is a 69 on an AP exam? ›
As a general guide, though, you can consider roughly more than 70% correct as being in the 5 range, 50-69% for a score of 4, 40-49% for a score of 3, 30-39% for a 2, and below 30% would likely be a 1. Again, these ranges are approximations and can vary by subject and by year.
What is a 60% on an AP test? ›
Yes, a 60 is considered a passing grade in AP classes. In AP, the average passing rate is 60-70%.
Usually, a 70 to 75 percent out of 100 translates to a 5. However, there are some exams that are exceptions to this rule of thumb. The AP Grades that are reported to students, high schools, colleges, and universities in July are on AP's five-point scale: 5: Extremely well qualified.
Is AP Physics 1 curved? ›
How is AP Physics 1 scored? Each test is curved so scores vary from year to year, but as we see above, in May 2022 around 50% of test takers earned scores of 1 or 2.
Do AP exams get curved? ›
AP test scores are indeed "curved," but it's more accurate to call it a "scaling process." Instead of a traditional curve that compares your performance to other students' performance, the AP exam scaling process converts your raw score (the number of points you earned through multiple-choice questions and free- ...
What are the hardest units in AP Physics? ›
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism is generally rated as the hardest AP course with a difficulty rating of 8.1 out of 10. Also, their difficulty depends on what you are good at. AP Physics 1 deals a lot with concepts rather than maths but AP Physics C deals a lot with math as it is calculus-based.
Which is the hardest AP Physics? ›
AP Physics 1 is considered one of the hardest AP classes. Covered topics include Newtonian mechanics and electrical charge and force. You also spend about 25% of your class time performing college-level laboratory experiments and writing reports.
What is the hardest physics AP exam? ›
Consequently, both Physics C courses (Mechanics as well as Electricity & Magnetism) are regarded as two of the hardest AP classes that you can take in high school. You'll cover topics like electrostatics, conductors, and electromagnetism over the course of five units.
