AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
Physics C: E&M, unit by unit
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism is the calculus-based electricity and magnetism course. It runs on the new course description, effective Fall 2024 and first examined in May 2025. Its six units are numbered 8 through 13, continuing from the seven units of Physics C: Mechanics, and they run from electric charges and Gauss's law through conductors and capacitors, circuits, magnetic fields, and electromagnetic induction.
On the May 2025 exam, 72.8% of the 29,910 students who took Physics C: E&M scored a 3 or higher, with a mean score of 3.37 (official score distributions).
The six units
Weighting is each unit's share of the multiple-choice section.
| Unit | Title | Weighting | Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Electric Charges, Fields, and Gauss's Law | 15-25% | 8.1 Electric Charge and Electric Force · 8.2 Conservation of Electric Charge and the Process of Charging · 8.3 Electric Fields · 8.4 Electric Fields of Charge Distributions · 8.5 Electric Flux · 8.6 Gauss's Law |
| 9 | Electric Potential | 10-20% | 9.1 Electric Potential Energy · 9.2 Electric Potential · 9.3 Conservation of Electric Energy |
| 10 | Conductors and Capacitors | 10-15% | 10.1 Electrostatics with Conductors · 10.2 Redistribution of Charge between Conductors · 10.3 Capacitors · 10.4 Dielectrics |
| 11 | Electric Circuits | 15-25% | 11.1 Electric Current · 11.2 Simple Circuits · 11.3 Resistance, Resistivity, and Ohm's Law · 11.4 Electric Power · 11.5 Compound Direct Current Circuits · 11.6 Kirchhoff's Loop Rule · 11.7 Kirchhoff's Junction Rule · 11.8 Resistor Capacitor (RC) Circuits |
| 12 | Magnetic Fields and Electromagnetism | 10-20% | 12.1 Magnetic Fields · 12.2 Magnetism and Moving Charges · 12.3 Magnetic Fields of Current-Carrying Wires and the Biot-Savart Law · 12.4 Ampère's Law |
| 13 | Electromagnetic Induction | 10-20% | 13.1 Magnetic Flux · 13.2 Electromagnetic Induction · 13.3 Induced Currents and Magnetic Forces · 13.4 Inductance · 13.5 Circuits with Resistors and Inductors (LR Circuits) · 13.6 Circuits with Capacitors and Inductors (LC Circuits) |
Exam format
- Length: 3 hours
- Section I: 42 multiple-choice questions, 85 minutes, 50% of exam score
- Section II: 4 free-response questions, 95 minutes, 50% of exam score: Mathematical Routines, Translation Between Representations, Experimental Design and Analysis, Qualitative/Quantitative Translation
- Calculator: A four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator is allowed on both sections of the exam.
Guides for this course
Gauss's lawChoosing surfaces that make the flux integral easy.Coulomb's lawThe force between point charges, step by step.Electric field and potentialTwo descriptions of the same charges, and how to move between them.The Physics C: E&M equation sheet, annotatedEvery constant and equation from the official sheet, rendered cleanly.Put a simulation on a class pageThe Coulomb's law calculator embeds from the widgets hub.
Course study resources
All cram sheetsPhysics C: E&M cram sheetReview fields, circuits, magnetism, and induction in course order.Concept comparisonsPut closely related quantities, laws, and representations side by side.Practice by course and skillAnswer generated multiple-choice and free-response questions with worked feedback.Build a study planTurn your course, test date, and confidence into the next sessions to complete.Scientific notationRead the powers of ten used across every AP Physics course and equation sheet.AP Physics reference tablesConstants, task verbs, prefixes, identities, and the tables printed with the sheets.