Breaking news: AP Physics updates, to take effect with the 2025 exam

The universe now has clarity about forthcoming changes to all four AP Physics exams.  I'm thoroughly impressed with the work being done by the College Board team and the development committees.  Here's what you need to know!

The changes I describe below will take effect with the 2025 exams.  The 2024 exams will be identical in form and content to those since 2015.

Let's start with content changes:

Physics 1 will now include fluids - just teach the current P2 fluids unit, or old Physics B material.  That's the major change.  Minor additions include the parallel axis theorem, the center-of-mass formula, and quantitative understanding of elliptical orbits.

Physics 2 will add in sound, specific heart, blackbody radiation, and a non-quantitative treatment of transient behavior in RC circuits.  Physics 2 removes special relativity and quantum wave functions (keeping E=mc^2).

Neither Physics C course will change its content significantly.  The new Course and Exam Description will include explicit references to some topics such as physical pendula which have been tested before but not named in old CEDs.

Now, what about the exam format changes?  These are rather significant.  The College Board representatives emphasize, as do I, that the style of questions on each exam are not changing much at all.  The format changes are for the purpose of clarity of expectation.  The CB wants students to know what sorts of questions to expect on each exam, such that they can worry less about reading directions and instead show their physics knowledge.  The CB further wants to be able to better differentiate the level of the 1/2 exams from the C exams.  A consistent format makes it easier to separate the skills of "being a good physicist" and "being a good test taker".

So there's no need to throw out the questions you've been using on your classroom tests!  You can cut out parts or add parts... but everything that's been given since 2015, and everything you can find on AP classroom as aligned to the exam, is still perfectly useful.

All four AP Physics exams will have the same format.  That format includes 50 multiple choice questions, each with four choices and a single correct answer; and 4 FRQs.  The timing will be 90 minutes for multiple choice, followed by 90 minutes of free response.  The equation sheets for all exams will be aligned.

The four free response questions on all exams will follow the same order and point distribution:

1. Mathematical Routines, 10 points.  This will include calculations and derivations; on the 1/2 exams especially there will likely be a part requiring multi-step verbal reasoning as well.

2. Translating Between Representations, 12 points.  Physics concepts can be communicated in many ways beyond merely equations and words.  This question will test students' ability to understand more than just one of these communication methods.

3. Experimental Design and Analysis, 10 points.  This will be very similar to the current questions on all exams that are posed in a laboratory setting.  It will likely include data collection techniques, even on the C exams.

4. Qualitative/Quantitative Translation, 8 points.  This is a shorter version of the style of question that has been on the 1/2 exams since 2015.  Fewer points allows the question to get straight to the point - describe a situation verbally, describe a situation with equations, and then show how the equations relate to the words.

That's all.  These changes are all made with the idea of transparency - if students knows exactly what to expect on the exam, then they can focus on showing their physics knowledge in each situation which is presented to them.

The College Board will be releasing three all-new practice tests in each course for teachers - they'll be available in 2024 after you pass the course audit.  Therefore, I'd recommend that you read these, and then cut and paste into the classroom tests that you're already using. 

The other exciting news, especially for P1 teachers, is that a new standard setting will happen for the 2025 exams.  That means a new set of comparisons between AP students and college students taking a similar exam.  And, that means re-evaluated cut scores to earn 5, 4, 3, etc.  The hope and likelihood is that more P1 students will be qualified for higher scores.  But stay tuned.