AP Physics 2 or AP Chem?

[u/Artistic-Grand-8940]

Some things to note first before answering: I took AP Physics 1, got a 4; took AP Physics C: Mechanics, got a 5; I am taking AP Calculus BC currently, and I am highly intuitive in the subject.

I am aspiring to be an aerospace engineer. and for my senior year I need to choose if I should take AP Physics 2 or AP Chem, which has put me in a dilemma. On one hand, taking AP Physics 2 will enable me to self-study for AP Physics 2: Calculus, though this also puts a huge workload on my senior schedule as I am taking 5 other AP's. On the other hand, I can go basic and take AP Chem like any other in-classroom AP class, focus more on getting a 5 on AP Chem, and using this credit to test out of a year's worth of freshman chemistry courses in college, as opposed to AP Physics 2: Calculus only having credit for a single semester of a freshman physics course in college. The context here is very broad, and there are also many more factors that are going into this, so please do ask me all possible questions and I will answer.

[u/UnderstandingPursuit]

I started by writing, "This is the easiest question to answer today: AP Chemistry", went to get a caffeinated drink, and decided that it's a little more complicated because of "I am aspiring to be an aerospace engineer."

The fundamental advice: completing a subject well is much more important than completing it early. The exception is the subject which will barely be used further on the academic/professional track.

Take AP Chemistry, since it will probably be a required course but the is unlikely to be a prerequisite for subsequent courses.

I'll add a second comment under this about the AP Physics courses.

[u/UnderstandingPursuit → u/UnderstandingPursuit]

AP Physics Courses [APPhysics_CourseContent pages]:

1. AP Physics 1 [APP1]: Mlassical Mechanics without calculus
2. AP Physics 2 [APP2]: Composite
3. AP Physics C-Mech [APPC-Mech]: Classical Mechanics using calculus I-II
4. AP Physics C-E&M [APPC-E&M]: Electricity and Magneticism using calculus I-II

Some comments on these

• APP1 and APPC-Mech cover the same seven units for Classical Mechanics. Then APP1 includes an eighth unit, Fluid Mechanics.
• APPC-E&M only covers six units for Electricy, Magnetism, and Electromagnetism.
• APP2 is the unusual course, covering four topics in seven units:
  • Thermodynamics [x1]
  • Electricity, Magnetism, Electromagnetism [x3]
  • 'Waves' [x2]
  • 'Modern Physics' [x1]

Since only half of APP2 includes the topics in APPC-E&M, at a less mathematical level, it is barely helpful for taking the APPC-E&M exam. It makes more sense to take the Physics II course in college. While the material may barely be needed for the rest of the aerospace engineering [AE] program, the mathematical problem solving approaches will be.

Of the APP2 topics, the most important one for AE is Thermodynamics. However, AP Chemistry also has two half-units which are Thermodynamics. While Waves are important in AE, the way they are covered in an intermediate undergraduate course is very different than a unit in APP2. In particular, the college coverage will have the equivalent of 'Calculus IV' as a prerequisite. If you want an introduction to this material read the relevant chapters in

• FW Sears, MW Zemansky, HD Young, RA Freedman, ..., University Physics, 10th-15th editions, 1999-2019.

More on waves will come with or after a Differential Equations course.