Physics & Astronomy Physics Placement Exam

This placement exam is for students seeking to place out of The Newtonian Synthesis (PHYS 123) who have not already received a 5 on the AP Physics C Mechanics exam. If you did take this AP exam and scored a 5, you automatically place out of PHYS 123.

The placement exam covers Newton’s laws of motion, work and energy, momentum, rotation, gravitation, and oscillations. Tests must be submitted by the first day of class. The Department Chair will contact students with results by email. If you have scores from IB Higher-Level or comparable exams, you should take the placement exam.

Find a quiet place, give yourself 90 minutes to complete this self-administered test. Please write all of your answers, graphs, and calculations down so we can see your thought process. It is a closed book exam. You may use a calculator for its basic calculational functions (addition, division, sines, exponentials, etc.); you may not use it for things like graphing, integrals, or programming.

Placement isn't about what you don't know or what you are capable of knowing; it's about discovering what you know right now. With that information and guidance from your advisors, you learn what you need to do next to achieve your goals. In some cases, you will be asked for further discussion with the Department Chair. We are trying to decide what is best for you among beginning physics courses.