AP Physics C is the most demanding level of high school physics. It is split into two separate courses with two separate exams, Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism, and both use calculus. It is the physics AP that carries the most weight for applicants heading toward STEM.
What Each AP Physics C Course Covers
- AP Physics C: Mechanics: Kinematics, force and translational dynamics, work, energy, and power, linear momentum, torque and rotational dynamics, energy and momentum of rotating systems, and oscillations, all with calculus tools. Force and translational dynamics carries 20% to 25%, the highest weight of any unit.
- AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism: Electric charges, fields, and Gauss’s law; electric potential; conductors and capacitors; electric circuits; magnetic fields and electromagnetism; and electromagnetic induction. Charges and fields and electric circuits carry the highest weights, at 15% to 25% each. Electricity and Magnetism is offered as an online small class in spring.
Where Students Struggle in AP Physics C
The difficulty is not the physics concepts themselves but the use of mathematical tools. Students must choose the variable of integration and set the limits of integration on their own within a physical situation, and they must handle vector components. Judging symmetry for Gauss’s law and Ampère’s law, and solving differential equations for time-dependent circuits, are fixed difficulties in free response every year.
AP Physics C Prerequisites
Students must have taken calculus or take it at the same time; see AP Calculus AB or BC. Students who take Physics C without a calculus foundation usually get stuck on the math rather than the physics. The recommended path is to take AP Physics 1 first to build physical intuition, then take Physics C in grade 11 or 12. Students with a strong foundation can also start directly.
How EDUBUS Teaches AP Physics C
Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism run as separate classes. Each moves unit by unit and adds the calculus tools needed along the way. Students must work through the derivation in each unit on their own at least once, rather than memorize the resulting formula. Free response is trained by question type, with the focus on writing out derivation steps and using notation correctly. In spring, the class moves to full timed practice exams, with the two subjects timed separately. Course availability at each school appears in the availability section below and in the Irvine Unified School District high school guide.
AP Physics C Class Formats
6 to 8 student seminars with homework, 32 weeks, no spring break, ending before the AP exam; also 1-on-1, online or in person.
How to Start AP Physics C at EDUBUS
Start with a placement assessment. We use it to set the level and class, then confirm the year plan with the family. For schedules, tuition, and bundle offers, request the 2026-27 program guide through the form below.
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Contact a course advisorHow the AP Physics C Exam Is Built
Sections drawn to their share of the score; the wider the block, the more practice it deserves.
| Section | Questions | Time | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanics — Multiple choice | 42 | 1 hr 25 min | 50% |
| Mechanics — Free response | 4 | 1 hr 35 min | 50% |
| E&M — Multiple choice | 42 | 1 hr 25 min | 50% |
| E&M — Free response | 4 | 1 hr 35 min | 50% |
AP Physics C Units and Exam Weighting
Each ruler segment equals the unit’s midpoint exam weight. The yellow unit carries the most points and gets the most class time.
- 1Mechanics: Kinematics10–15%
- 2Mechanics: Force and Translational Dynamics20–25%
- 3Mechanics: Work, Energy, and Power15–25%
- 4Mechanics: Linear Momentum10–20%
- 5Mechanics: Torque and Rotational Dynamics10–15%
- 6Mechanics: Energy and Momentum of Rotating Systems10–15%
- 7Mechanics: Oscillations10–15%
- 8E&M: Electric Charges, Fields, and Gauss’s Law15–25%
- 9E&M: Electric Potential10–20%
- 10E&M: Conductors and Capacitors10–15%
- 11E&M: Electric Circuits15–25%
- 12E&M: Magnetic Fields and Electromagnetism10–20%
- 13E&M: Electromagnetic Induction10–20%
AP Physics C Global Score Distribution 2026
Out of every 100 test takers.
AP Physics C at Irvine Public High Schools
Whether each school offers it, which grades can enroll, the gate, and last year’s results. Updates with the school guides.
Irvine High School
Not offered · self-study exam possibleNorthwood High School
Not offered · self-study exam possiblePortola High School
PrerequisitesShares one grade 12 AP Physics C course with Electricity and Magnetism
Full school guide →University High School
Not offered · self-study exam possiblePrerequisitesNo matching course; self-study
Full school guide →IUSD Course-Selection Rules for AP Physics C
Which grade can take this AP at each school, what the prerequisites are, and how weighted GPA is calculated. Confirm with the school's current course catalog before choosing.
- Irvine High School: Grade 9 may take AP World History, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Computer Science A. AP Precalculus and AP Art History open in grade 10. AP Physics 1 is taken in grade 11 and the remaining AP science courses in grade 12; AP Psychology and AP Macroeconomics require enrollment in grade 11 or 12.
- Northwood High School: No AP courses are offered in grade 9. Grade 10 is limited to four: AP Art History, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Music Theory, and AP Precalculus, assigned as seats allow. The remaining AP courses are concentrated in grades 11 and 12, and most require a current teacher's signed recommendation on the course request form.
- Portola High School: Grade 10 has a single AP option, AP Human Geography, which the school calls the "grade 10 choice." The large majority of AP courses are for grades 11 and 12. AP Precalculus, AP Statistics, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Computer Science A open from grade 10 subject to math prerequisites. Restricted to grade 12 are AP Physics C, AP English Language, AP United States Government together with Honors Political Economy, AP 3-D Design, and Honors Engineering Design and Development. Grade 9 students may not sit an AP exam at the school unless they have taken the course or the Irvine Unified School District GATE office approves it on the basis of existing preparation.
- University High School: No AP courses are offered in grade 9. From grade 10, students may take AP Precalculus, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Statistics, and AP Cybersecurity. AP United States History is offered in grade 10 on the condition that the student earned Honors Distinction in both semesters of World History. Most AP courses are concentrated in grades 11 and 12.
AP Physics C: Frequently Asked Questions
Is AP Physics C one course or two?
Two separate exams: Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism. Each runs 3 hours with 42 multiple choice questions and 4 free response questions, each half the score, and each is reported as its own AP grade. Most students take both within the same school year.
Do Irvine students need calculus before Physics C?
Yes, taken before or alongside the course. Physics C uses derivatives and integrals to handle motion, fields, and induction, so it should run in parallel with AP Calculus AB or BC. The course is offered for grades 11 and 12.
Can a student skip AP Physics 1?
It is allowed but not advised for students with no physics at all. Physics C assumes the Newtonian framework is already in place and spends class time on calculus-based derivation rather than concept building. Students who finished school physics or AP Physics 1 transition more smoothly.
How do Irvine public high school students score on both exams?
In 2026, Mechanics had 72 percent scoring 3 or higher and 20 percent scoring 5 worldwide. On Electricity and Magnetism, 24 percent scored 5, 24 percent scored 4, and 27 percent scored 3. School-by-school rates appear in the At Irvine public high schools section above. E and M is more abstract but draws a smaller, well-prepared group, so its distribution is not weaker.
Is Physics C a good fit for Irvine students?
Students planning to major in engineering, physics, or computer science are the best fit. Many universities grant introductory college physics credit on these scores, though policies vary. Prerequisites differ by school; the IUSD course-selection rules section above can help confirm whether the math sequence supports taking calculus at the same time.
