Advanced Placement (AP) Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism (also known as AP Physics C: E&M or AP E&M) is an introductory physics course administered by the College Board as part of its Advanced Placement program. It is intended to proxy a second-semester calculus-based university course in electricity and magnetism. The content of Physics C: E&M overlaps with that of AP Physics 2, but Physics 2 is algebra-based and covers other topics outside of electromagnetism, while Physics C is calculus-based and only covers electromagnetism. Physics C: E&M may be combined with its mechanics counterpart to form a year-long course that prepares for both exams.
E&M is equivalent to an introductory college course in electricity and magnetism for physics or engineering majors.[1] The course modules are:[1]
Methods of calculus are used wherever appropriate in formulating physical principles and in applying them to physical problems. Therefore, students should have completed or be concurrently enrolled in a calculus class.[1]
The course culminates in an optional exam for which high-performing students may receive some credit towards their college coursework, depending on the institution.[2]
The AP examination for AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism is separate from the AP examination for AP Physics C: Mechanics. Before 2006, test-takers paid only once and were given the choice of taking either one or two parts of the Physics C test.
The exam is typically administered on a Monday afternoon in May. The exam is configured in two categories: a 35-question multiple choice section and a 3-question free response section.[1] Test takers are allowed to use an approved calculator during the entire exam.[3] The test is weighted such that each section is worth half of the final score.[1] This and AP Physics C: Mechanics are the shortest AP exams, with total testing time of 90 minutes (45 minutes for each section).[1]
The topics covered by the exam are as follows:[4]
| Topic | Percent |
|---|---|
| Electrostatics | 26-34% |
| Conductors, insulators, capacitors, dielectrics | 14-17% |
| Electric circuits | 17-23% |
| Magnetic fields | 17-23% |
| Electromagnetism | 14-20% |
The grade distributions for the Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism scores since 2010 were:
| Score | 2010[5] | 2011[6] | 2012[7] | 2013[8] | 2014[9] | 2015[10] | 2016[11] | 2017[12] | 2018[13] | 2019[14] | 2020[15] | 2021[16] | 2022[17] | 2023[18] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 32.0% | 32.0% | 35.1% | 31.7% | 33.5% | 28.5% | 32% | 28.1% | 35% | 34.6% | 40.4% | 32.6% | 31.5% | 31% |
| 4 | 25.2% | 24.5% | 24.0% | 24.1% | 25.1% | 24.9% | 22.6% | 25.1% | 23.1% | 22.6% | 22.4% | 23.1% | 23.6% | 24% |
| 3 | 13.1% | 14.1% | 13.9% | 13.7% | 12.2% | 13.7% | 13.5% | 15.6% | 13.7% | 13.9% | 11.6% | 13.8% | 14.3% | 13% |
| 2 | 17.4% | 17.7% | 16.5% | 19% | 17.6% | 19.8% | 19.3% | 18.2% | 17.3% | 17.8% | 16.2% | 18.0% | 18.1% | 20% |
| 1 | 12.3% | 11.7% | 10.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% | 13.1% | 12.6% | 13% | 10.9% | 11.1% | 9.5% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 12% |
| % of Scores 3 or Higher | 70.3% | 70.6% | 73.0% | 69.5% | 70.8% | 67.1% | 68.1% | 68.8% | 71.8% | 71.1% | 74.4% | 69.5% | 69.4% | 68% |
| Mean | 3.47 | 3.47 | 3.57 | 3.46 | 3.51 | 3.36 | 3.42 | 3.37 | 3.54 | 3.52 | 3.68 | 3.45 | 3.44 | 3.42 |
| Standard Deviation | 1.41 | 1.39 | 1.38 | 1.40 | 1.40 | 1.41 | 1.42 | 1.39 | 1.40 | 1.40 | 1.38 | 1.42 | 1.41 | 1.41 |
| Number of Students | 14,191 | 15,185 | 17,380 | 19,380 | 20,765 | 22,789 | 23,347 | 24,249 | 25,074 | 25,342 | 23,655 | 20,471 | 19,978 |