2025 AP Physics Reforms Explained | 2025年AP物理改革解析

📚 2025 AP Physics Reforms Explained | 2025年AP物理改革解析

Starting in the 2024-25 school year, the College Board has implemented the most significant restructuring of the AP Physics program in over a decade. These changes, which will be tested for the first time in the May 2025 exams, reconfigure the content boundaries between AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2, while also making targeted updates to the AP Physics C courses. The overarching goal is to better align the AP Physics curriculum with first-year college physics sequences and to provide a more coherent progression of skills. As students and teachers adapt to the new frameworks, understanding exactly what has been added, removed, and reshuffled is essential for success on exam day.

从 2024-25 学年开始，大学理事会（College Board）对 AP 物理课程进行了十多年来最大规模的重组。这些变化将在 2025 年 5 月的考试中首次实施，重新划分了 AP 物理 1 和 AP 物理 2 之间的内容边界，同时对 AP 物理 C 课程进行了有针对性的更新。改革的总体目标是使 AP 物理课程与大学一年级的物理教学序列更好地衔接，并提供更连贯的技能进阶路径。对于正在适应新框架的学生和教师来说，准确理解哪些内容被新增、删除和重新调整，对于在考试中取得成功至关重要。

1. Background and Rationale for the Reforms | 改革背景与动机

The AP Physics suite, consisting of four courses (AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C: Mechanics, and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism), has long been popular but also criticized for uneven content distribution. AP Physics 1, originally covering mechanics, waves, and introductory circuits, left waves and electricity disconnected from more advanced treatment. Meanwhile, AP Physics 2 straddled fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and modern physics, creating a jumpy curriculum. College faculty feedback indicated that a clearer separation of mechanics-focused topics and electricity/magnetism-focused topics, with thermodynamics and fluids placed more logically, would improve college credit policies. The 2025 reforms directly address these concerns by consolidating mechanics and adding fluids to AP Physics 1, while concentrating thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, optics, and modern physics in AP Physics 2. This reshuffling eliminates the awkward split of waves and circuits from the algebra-based sequence and creates a fluid, coherent storyline for each course.

AP 物理课程系列包括四门课（AP 物理 1、AP 物理 2、AP 物理 C：力学和 AP 物理 C：电磁学），长期以来深受欢迎，但也因内容分布不均而受到批评。原来的 AP 物理 1 涵盖力学、机械波和基础电路，导致波和电学无法与更高级的处理衔接。同时，AP 物理 2 则横跨流体力学、热力学和现代物理，课程跳跃性较大。大学教员的反馈指出，如果能将力学重点内容与电磁学重点内容更清晰地分离，并将热力学和流体放在更合理的位置，将有助于改善大学学分政策。2025 年的改革直接回应了这些关切：将力学整合在一起并增加流体力学到 AP 物理 1，同时将热力学、电学、磁学、光学和现代物理集中到 AP 物理 2。这一重新组合消除了代数学系列中波和电路的不协调分离，为每门课程创造了流畅且连贯的主线。

2. AP Physics 1 Content Restructuring | AP 物理 1 内容重组

The revised AP Physics 1 framework removes two entire units that were previously examined: Electric Charge and Electric Force, and DC Circuits (formerly Units 8 and 9), as well as Mechanical Waves and Sound (formerly Unit 10). In their place, the course now features eight streamlined units that concentrate exclusively on classical mechanics and introduce the new Unit 8: Fluids. The unit sequence has been reordered to follow a natural pedagogical flow: Unit 1 Kinematics, Unit 2 Dynamics, Unit 3 Circular Motion and Gravitation, Unit 4 Energy, Unit 5 Momentum, Unit 6 Simple Harmonic Motion, Unit 7 Torque and Rotational Motion, and Unit 8 Fluids. This restructuring ensures that all mechanics topics, from linear motion to rotational dynamics and fluid statics/dynamics, are taught in one continuous sequence. The total number of instructional topics is reduced, but the depth of investigation in rotational and oscillatory systems is increased, with an emphasis on energy-based analysis and multiple representations.

修订后的 AP 物理 1 框架移除了之前考试中包含的两个完整单元：电荷与电场力以及直流电路（原第 8 和第 9 单元），还有机械波与声波（原第 10 单元）。取而代之的是，课程现在包含八个精简后的单元，专注于经典力学，并引入了新的第 8 单元：流体。单元顺序经过重新调整，遵循自然的教学流程：单元 1 运动学、单元 2 动力学、单元 3 圆周运动与引力、单元 4 能量、单元 5 动量、单元 6 简谐运动、单元 7 扭矩与旋转运动以及单元 8 流体。这种重组确保了从直线运动到旋转动力学再到流体静力学/动力学的所有力学主题都在一个连贯的序列中讲授。教学主题总数有所减少，但在旋转和振荡系统中的探究深度得到加强，尤其注重基于能量的分析方法和多重表征。

3. New Addition: Fluids in AP Physics 1 | 新增内容：AP 物理 1 中的流体力学

The most prominent addition to AP Physics 1 is Unit 8: Fluids. This unit was previously part of AP Physics 2. Students now learn about fluid statics and dynamics, including density (ρ = m/V), pressure (P = F/A), hydrostatic pressure variation (ΔP = ρgΔy), buoyant force and Archimedes’ principle (F_b = ρVg), flow rate (Q = Av), and Bernoulli’s equation (P + ½ρv² + ρgy = constant). The inclusion of fluids within a mechanics-first course mirrors the structure of many university physics sequences, where fluids are treated as an extension of Newton’s laws and work-energy principles. Exam questions may ask students to analyze floating objects, fluid flow through pipes of varying cross-section, or apply conservation of energy to fluid systems. The mathematical demands are algebraic, but conceptual emphasis on pressure differences and continuity is significant.

AP 物理 1 中最引人注目的新增内容是第 8 单元：流体。该单元原本属于 AP 物理 2。现在学生将学习流体静力学和动力学，包括密度（ρ = m/V）、压强（P = F/A）、静压力变化（ΔP = ρgΔy）、浮力与阿基米德原理（F_b = ρVg）、流量（Q = Av）以及伯努利方程（P + ½ρv² + ρgy = 常数）。把流体纳入以力学为先的课程，反映了许多大学物理的教学序列，其中流体被视为牛顿定律和功-能原理的延伸。考试题目可能要求学生分析漂浮物体、流体在变截面管道中的流动，或者应用能量守恒来求解流体系统。数学要求仅为代数水平，但对压强差和连续性原理的概念性考查占据重要地位。

4. Content Removed from AP Physics 1 | AP 物理 1 移除的内容

Three major topic areas have been completely removed from AP Physics 1: electric charge, electric force and fields, DC circuits, and mechanical waves and sound. This means that topics such as Coulomb’s law, Ohm’s law, series and parallel resistors, wave speed, superposition, standing waves, and the Doppler effect are no longer assessed in the Algebra-Based Physics 1 exam. While these topics remain foundational in physics education, the College Board determined that grouping electricity and waves in an isolated manner within an introductory mechanics course was not pedagogically optimal. Students who wish to cover electricity and waves in an AP setting should now take AP Physics 2, which integrates electricity with magnetism and optics, but notable is that mechanical waves are not explicitly covered in AP Physics 2 either. This creates a gap for mechanical waves, which may need to be addressed in college coursework if not covered elsewhere.

AP 物理 1 中完全移除了三个主要主题领域：电荷、电场力与电场，直流电路，以及机械波与声波。这意味着像库仑定律、欧姆定律、串并联电阻、波速、叠加原理、驻波和多普勒效应等主题将不再在代数基础物理 1 考试中出现。虽然这些主题仍然是物理教育的基础内容，但大学理事会认为，在入门力学课程中以孤立的方式安排电学和波的内容并非最佳教学方案。希望在校内 AP 课程中学习电学和波的学生现在应选修 AP 物理 2，后者将电学与磁学和光学整合在一起，但值得注意的是，AP 物理 2 中也没有明确涵盖机械波。这给机械波留下了空白，如果其他地方没有教授，可能需要在大学课程中弥补。

5. AP Physics 2 Content Changes | AP 物理 2 内容调整

AP Physics 2 also undergoes significant content redistribution. The unit on Fluids is eliminated and moved to AP Physics 1, which leaves AP Physics 2 with six focused units: Unit 1 Thermodynamics, Unit 2 Electric Force, Field, and Potential, Unit 3 Electric Circuits, Unit 4 Magnetism and Electromagnetism, Unit 5 Optics, and Unit 6 Modern Physics (quantum, atomic, and nuclear physics). Thermodynamics, which previously appeared alongside fluids, now becomes the lead unit, allowing for a more complete treatment of ideal gases, heat engines, and the laws of thermodynamics. The electric circuits unit now explicitly includes RC (resistor-capacitor) circuits and time-dependent behavior (charging and discharging), which were previously de-emphasized. The reduction in breadth enables deeper exploration of these central topics, aligning AP Physics 2 more closely with a second-semester college physics course.

AP 物理 2 也经历了显著的内容重新分配。流体单元被取消并移至 AP 物理 1，这使得 AP 物理 2 只剩下六个重点单元：单元 1 热力学、单元 2 电场力、场与电势、单元 3 电路、单元 4 磁学与电磁感应、单元 5 光学和单元 6 现代物理（量子、原子和核物理）。热力学以前与流体并列，现在成为开篇单元，从而能够更完整地处理理想气体、热机和热力学定律。电路单元现在明确包含 RC（电阻-电容）电路的暂态行为（充电和放电），这在以前并未被强调。广度的缩减使得对这些核心主题的探究更加深入，使 AP 物理 2 更贴近大学第二学期的物理课程。

6. Removal of Fluids and Strengthened Thermodynamics | 移除流体，强化热力学

By removing fluids from AP Physics 2, the course gains space to reinforce thermodynamic concepts such as the kinetic theory of gases, the first law (ΔU = Q – W), PV diagrams, and the Carnot cycle. Students are expected to perform calculations involving work done by/on a gas, heat exchange, and internal energy changes for various thermodynamic processes (isobaric, isochoric, isothermal, adiabatic). The ideal gas law (PV = nRT) and the relationship between microscopic kinetic energy and temperature (K_avg = (3/2)k_B T) are core components. Because fluids are now in AP Physics 1, the shift prevents redundancy and strengthens the bridge to modern physics topics like quantum phenomena and nuclear processes that appear later in the course. The exam may include analysis of heat engines and entropy, demanding qualitative reasoning alongside algebraic manipulation.

通过将流体从 AP 物理 2 中移除，课程获得了空间来强化热力学概念，如气体动理论、第一定律（ΔU = Q – W）、PV 图以及卡诺循环。学生需要完成各种热力学过程（等压、等容、等温、绝热）下气体做功、热交换和内能变化的计算。理想气体状态方程（PV = nRT）以及微观动能与温度之间的关系（K_avg = (3/2)k_B T）是核心组成部分。由于流体现已归属 AP 物理 1，这一调整避免了内容重复，并强化了与后续课程中量子现象和核过程等现代物理主题之间的衔接。考试可能包括对热机和熵的分析，要求定性的推理配上代数运算。

7. Minor Revisions to AP Physics C | AP 物理 C 课程的微小修订

The AP Physics C: Mechanics and AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism courses have not undergone radical content overhauls, but their curriculum frameworks have been refreshed with updated learning objectives, clarified boundary statements, and enhanced emphasis on experimental design and error analysis. For example, in Mechanics, the treatment of non-constant forces and extended body systems has been sharpened; in E&M, the use of Gauss’s law now explicitly links to symmetry arguments, and Maxwell’s equations are presented as a unified set. The mathematical rigor remains calculus-based, with students expected to differentiate and integrate common functions. The exam format for Physics C remains unchanged in duration and question count, so instructors can continue using many existing resources. However, the inclusion of scientific practice skills (SP) is now more explicit, requiring students to demonstrate proficiency in justifying claims with evidence and evaluating experimental uncertainties.

AP 物理 C：力学和 AP 物理 C：电磁学课程并未经历大幅内容改革，但其课程框架得到了更新，有了更明确的学习目标、明晰的边界陈述，并且更加注重实验设计和误差分析。例如，在力学中，对非恒力和扩展物体系统的处理得到了加强；在电磁学中，高斯定律的应用现在明确与对称性论证挂钩，麦克斯韦方程组被作为一个统一的整体出现。数学的严谨性仍以微积分为基础，要求学生能对常见函数进行求导和积分。物理 C 的考试形式在时长和题目数量上保持不变，因此教师可以继续使用许多现有资料。不过，科学实践技能（SP）的融入现在更为明确，要求学生展示出用证据证明主张以及评估实验不确定性的能力。

8. 2025 Exam Format and Scoring Updates | 2025 年考试形式与评分更新

Both AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2 exams have undergone notable format changes starting in May 2025. The updated exam specifications are summarized in the table below.

自 2025 年 5 月起，AP 物理 1 和 AP 物理 2 考试的形式都发生了显著变化。更新后的考试规格总结如下表。

Exam	Section I: MCQ	Section II: FRQ
AP Physics 1	40 questions, 80 minutes	4 questions, 100 minutes
AP Physics 2	40 questions, 80 minutes	4 questions, 100 minutes
AP Physics C (both)	No change	No change

In the old format, AP Physics 1 had 50 MCQs and 5 FRQs. The reduction in MCQ length allows more time per question, reflecting a shift toward multi-concept problem solving. The four FRQs in the new exam include one experimental design question, one qualitative/quantitative translation, one short-answer paragraph argument, and one extended multi-part problem. The scoring weight for multiple choice is now 40% and free response 60%, similar to before, but with revised rubrics that reward consistent physics reasoning and clear communication.

在旧格式中，AP 物理 1 有 50 道选择题和 5 道自由回答题。选择题数量的减少使每道题答题时间更充裕，反映出考试向多概念融合问题求解的转向。新考试中的四道自由回答题包括一道实验设计题、一道定性/定量转换题、一道简短论述题和一道扩展性多步骤问题。选择题和自由回答题的评分权重分别为 40% 和 60%，与以往类似，但评分准则经过修订，会奖励连贯的物理推理和清晰的表达。

9. Potential Impact on College Credit | 对大学学分的潜在影响

Many colleges and universities are currently reviewing their credit and placement policies in light of the revised AP Physics frameworks. Because the new AP Physics 1 now resembles a comprehensive mechanics plus fluids course, institutions that previously required AP Physics C for engineering mechanics credit may recognize AP Physics 1 for algebra-based physics requirements. The removal of waves and circuits from AP Physics 1 could mean that students who only complete that course will lack exposure to waves, which some engineering or life-science physics sequences assume. Similarly, AP Physics 2 now covers thermodynamics, EM, optics, and modern physics, making it a strong match for second-semester physics. Students are advised to check individual college websites for updated credit matrices. Some institutions may offer credit for AP Physics 1 alone, while others may require both Physics 1 and Physics 2 for a full year of credit.

许多学院和大学目前正在根据修订后的 AP 物理框架审查其学分和免修政策。由于新的 AP 物理 1 现在类似于一门综合性的力学加流体课程，以前需要 AP 物理 C 才能换取工程力学学分的院校，可能会认可 AP 物理 1 以满足代数基础的物理要求。从 AP 物理 1 中移除波和电路意味着仅修完该课程的学生将缺少波的学习，而某些工程或生命科学类的物理序列认为学生已具备波的知识。同样，AP 物理 2 现在涵盖热力学、电磁学、光学和现代物理，使之与第二学期物理学高度匹配。建议学生查看各高校网站上的最新学分对照表。有些院校可能单独接受 AP 物理 1 的成绩，而其他院校则可能要求同时提交物理 1 和物理 2 的成绩才能换取一整年的学分。

10. Strategies for Adapting to the Changes | 适应改革的备考策略

Students beginning AP Physics in the 2024-25 school year must ensure they are using revised textbooks and study resources aligned with the new course frameworks. For AP Physics 1, focus heavily on rotational dynamics and fluids because these now constitute a larger portion of the curriculum. Practice applying energy and momentum principles to fluid systems, such as using the Bernoulli equation alongside conservation of energy. For AP Physics 2, shift attention from fluids to thermodynamics and RC circuit behavior. Master the analysis of PV diagrams and the first law of thermodynamics, and be prepared for FRQs that combine thermodynamics with electrostatics. Since old released exams contain questions on waves and circuits for Physics 1, students should not rely solely on legacy practice tests; instead, use the College Board’s new practice sets available in AP Classroom. Furthermore, the increased emphasis on experimental design in FRQs means students should regularly design and critique lab procedures, identify sources of error, and suggest improvements throughout the year.

从 2024-25 学年开始学习 AP 物理的学生必须确保自己使用的是与新课程框架一致的修订版教材和学习资源。对于 AP 物理 1，要特别注意旋转动力学和流体，因为这两个主题现在在课程中占比更大。练习将能量和动量原理应用于流体系统，例如结合机械能守恒使用伯努利方程。对于 AP 物理 2，将注意力从流体转移到热力学和 RC 电路行为上。掌握 PV 图分析和热力学第一定律，并准备好应对将热力学与静电学相结合的自由回答题。由于旧的真题中包含物理 1 的波和电路题目，学生不应仅依赖以往的练习题；相反，应使用大学理事会在 AP Classroom 中提供的新练习组。此外，自由回答题对实验设计的重视程度增加，意味着学生在整个学年中应经常设计和评论实验方案、识别误差来源并提出改进建议。

11. Frequently Asked Questions | 常见问题解答

Q: Will the AP Physics 1 exam still ask about waves or electricity?
No. Starting in 2025, the Physics 1 exam will not assess any content related to mechanical waves, sound, electric charge, electric fields, or DC circuits. These topics are entirely removed from the course.

问：AP 物理 1 考试还会考波或电学吗？
不会。从 2025 年开始，物理 1 考试将不再考查任何与机械波、声波、电荷、电场或直流电路相关的内容。这些主题已从课程中完全移除。

Q: Where can I learn mechanical waves if they are not in AP Physics 1 or 2?
Waves are not explicitly in AP Physics 2 either, but some wave concepts appear in the context of optics (interference, diffraction) and modern physics (wave-particle duality). If your intended college program requires wave physics, you may cover it in an introductory physics course or through a supplementary resource.

问：如果 AP 物理 1 和 2 都不包含机械波，我可以在哪里学到机械波？
AP 物理 2 中也没有明确设置机械波单元，但一些波的概念会出现在光学（干涉、衍射）和现代物理（波粒二象性）的背景中。如果你计划就读的专业需要波动物理，你可能会在大学入门物理课程中学习，或者可以通过补充资源自行掌握。

Q: Do the changes affect AP Physics C students?
Only minimally. The course frameworks have been refined, but the topics and exam format remain consistent. Physics C students can continue with proven preparation strategies while paying closer attention to lab-based reasoning and error analysis skills.

问：这些改革会影响 AP 物理 C 的学生吗？
影响极小。课程框架有所细化，但主题和考试形式保持一致。物理 C 的学生可以继续沿用行之有效的备考策略，同时更加关注基于实验的推理和误差分析技能。

12. Conclusion and Looking Ahead | 总结与展望

The 2025 AP Physics reforms represent a deliberate effort to modernize the curriculum, making it more cohesive and better aligned with college physics expectations. By

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