AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism

The Physics C: E&M equation sheet, annotated for 2026

Transcribed from the equations table of the official AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Course and Exam Description (Effective Fall 2024). College Board provides this sheet on both sections of the exam, so nothing here needs memorizing; knowing when each equation applies is the skill the exam actually tests. The geometry and math reference tables printed alongside the equations are not reproduced here.

For the units these equations belong to, see the Physics C: E&M course hub.

Constants and Conversion Factors

k=14πε0=9.0×109 (N⋅m2)/C2k = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} = 9.0 \times 10^9\ (\text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2)/\text{C}^2

Coulomb constant

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ε0=8.85×10−12 C2/(N⋅m2)\varepsilon_0 = 8.85 \times 10^{-12}\ \text{C}^2/(\text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2)

Vacuum permittivity

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μ0=4π×10−7 (T⋅m)/A\mu_0 = 4\pi \times 10^{-7}\ (\text{T} \cdot \text{m})/\text{A}

Vacuum permeability

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mp=1.67×10−27 kgm_p = 1.67 \times 10^{-27}\ \text{kg}

Proton mass

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mn=1.67×10−27 kgm_n = 1.67 \times 10^{-27}\ \text{kg}

Neutron mass

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me=9.11×10−31 kgm_e = 9.11 \times 10^{-31}\ \text{kg}

Electron mass

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e=1.60×10−19 Ce = 1.60 \times 10^{-19}\ \text{C}

Elementary charge

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1 eV=1.60×10−19 J1\ \text{eV} = 1.60 \times 10^{-19}\ \text{J}

1 electron volt

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c=3.00×108 m/sc = 3.00 \times 10^8\ \text{m/s}

Speed of light

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1 u=1.66×10−27 kg=931 MeV/c21\ \text{u} = 1.66 \times 10^{-27}\ \text{kg} = 931\ \text{MeV}/c^2

1 unified atomic mass unit

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G=6.67×10−11 m3/(kg⋅s2)=6.67×10−11 N⋅m2/kg2G = 6.67 \times 10^{-11}\ \text{m}^3/(\text{kg} \cdot \text{s}^2) = 6.67 \times 10^{-11}\ \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2

Universal gravitational constant

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g=9.8 m/s2g = 9.8\ \text{m/s}^2

Magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity at Earth's surface

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g=9.8 N/kgg = 9.8\ \text{N/kg}

Magnitude of the gravitational field strength at Earth's surface

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Electricity and Magnetism

∣F⃗E∣=14πε0∣q1q2∣r2=k∣q1q2∣r2\left| \vec{F}_E \right| = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \frac{|q_1 q_2|}{r^2} = k \frac{|q_1 q_2|}{r^2}
E⃗=F⃗Eq\vec{E} = \frac{\vec{F}_E}{q}
E⃗=14πε0∫dqr2r^\vec{E} = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \int \frac{dq}{r^2} \hat{r}
ΦE=∫E⃗⋅dA⃗\Phi_E = \int \vec{E} \cdot d\vec{A}
∮E⃗⋅dA⃗=qencε0\oint \vec{E} \cdot d\vec{A} = \frac{q_{\text{enc}}}{\varepsilon_0}
Qtotal=∫ρ(r) dVQ_{\text{total}} = \int \rho(r)\, dV
UE=14πε0q1q2rU_E = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \frac{q_1 q_2}{r}
V=14πε0∫dqrV = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \int \frac{dq}{r}
ΔV=−∫abE⃗⋅dr⃗\Delta V = -\int_a^b \vec{E} \cdot d\vec{r}
Ex=−dVdxE_x = -\frac{dV}{dx}
ΔUE=qΔV\Delta U_E = q \Delta V
C=QΔVC = \frac{Q}{\Delta V}
C=κε0AdC = \frac{\kappa \varepsilon_0 A}{d}
UC=12QΔVU_C = \frac{1}{2} Q \Delta V
κ=εε0\kappa = \frac{\varepsilon}{\varepsilon_0}
I=dqdtI = \frac{dq}{dt}
I=∫J⃗⋅dA⃗I = \int \vec{J} \cdot d\vec{A}
E⃗=ρJ⃗\vec{E} = \rho \vec{J}
R=ρℓAR = \frac{\rho \ell}{A}
I=ΔVRI = \frac{\Delta V}{R}
P=IΔVP = I \Delta V
Req,s=∑iRiR_{\text{eq,s}} = \sum_i R_i
1Req,p=∑i1Ri\frac{1}{R_{\text{eq,p}}} = \sum_i \frac{1}{R_i}
1Ceq,s=∑i1Ci\frac{1}{C_{\text{eq,s}}} = \sum_i \frac{1}{C_i}
Ceq,p=∑iCiC_{\text{eq,p}} = \sum_i C_i
τ=ReqCeq\tau = R_{\text{eq}} C_{\text{eq}}
∮B⃗⋅dA⃗=0\oint \vec{B} \cdot d\vec{A} = 0
F⃗B=q v⃗×B⃗\vec{F}_B = q\, \vec{v} \times \vec{B}
dB⃗=μ04πI dℓ⃗×r^r2d\vec{B} = \frac{\mu_0}{4\pi} \frac{I\, d\vec{\ell} \times \hat{r}}{r^2}
F⃗B=∫I dℓ⃗×B⃗\vec{F}_B = \int I\, d\vec{\ell} \times \vec{B}
∮B⃗⋅dℓ⃗=μ0Ienc\oint \vec{B} \cdot d\vec{\ell} = \mu_0 I_{\text{enc}}
Bsol=μ0nIB_{\text{sol}} = \mu_0 n I
ΦB=∫B⃗⋅dA⃗\Phi_B = \int \vec{B} \cdot d\vec{A}
E=∮E⃗⋅dℓ⃗=−dΦBdt\mathcal{E} = \oint \vec{E} \cdot d\vec{\ell} = -\frac{d\Phi_B}{dt}

emf, printed as script E on the official sheet

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∣Esol∣=N∣dΦBdt∣\left| \mathcal{E}_{\text{sol}} \right| = N \left| \frac{d\Phi_B}{dt} \right|
Lsol=μcoreN2AℓL_{\text{sol}} = \frac{\mu_{\text{core}} N^2 A}{\ell}
UL=12LI2U_L = \frac{1}{2} L I^2
E=−LdIdt\mathcal{E} = -L \frac{dI}{dt}
τ=LReq\tau = \frac{L}{R_{\text{eq}}}
ωLC=1LC\omega_{LC} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{LC}}

Mechanics

vx=vx0+axtv_x = v_{x0} + a_x t
x=x0+vx0t+12axt2x = x_0 + v_{x0} t + \frac{1}{2} a_x t^2
vx2=vx02+2ax(x−x0)v_x^2 = v_{x0}^2 + 2 a_x (x - x_0)
Δx=∫vx(t) dt\Delta x = \int v_x(t)\, dt
Δvx=∫ax(t) dt\Delta v_x = \int a_x(t)\, dt
x⃗cm=∑mix⃗i∑mi\vec{x}_{\text{cm}} = \frac{\sum m_i \vec{x}_i}{\sum m_i}
r⃗cm=∫r⃗ dm∫dm\vec{r}_{\text{cm}} = \frac{\int \vec{r}\, dm}{\int dm}
λ=ddℓm(ℓ)\lambda = \frac{d}{d\ell} m(\ell)
a⃗sys=∑F⃗msys=F⃗netmsys\vec{a}_{\text{sys}} = \frac{\sum \vec{F}}{m_{\text{sys}}} = \frac{\vec{F}_{\text{net}}}{m_{\text{sys}}}
∣F⃗g∣=Gm1m2r2\left| \vec{F}_g \right| = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}
∣F⃗f∣≤∣μF⃗N∣\left| \vec{F}_f \right| \leq \left| \mu \vec{F}_N \right|
F⃗s=−kΔx⃗\vec{F}_s = -k \Delta \vec{x}
ac=v2r=rω2a_c = \frac{v^2}{r} = r \omega^2
T=1fT = \frac{1}{f}
K=12mv2K = \frac{1}{2} m v^2
W=∫abF⃗⋅dr⃗W = \int_a^b \vec{F} \cdot d\vec{r}
ΔK=∑Wi=∑F∥,i di\Delta K = \sum W_i = \sum F_{\parallel, i}\, d_i
ΔU=−∫abF⃗cf(r)⋅dr⃗\Delta U = -\int_a^b \vec{F}_{\text{cf}}(r) \cdot d\vec{r}
Fx=−dU(x)dxF_x = -\frac{dU(x)}{dx}
Us=12k(Δx)2U_s = \frac{1}{2} k (\Delta x)^2
UG=−Gm1m2rU_G = -\frac{G m_1 m_2}{r}
ΔUg=mgΔy\Delta U_g = m g \Delta y
Pavg=WΔt=ΔEΔtP_{\text{avg}} = \frac{W}{\Delta t} = \frac{\Delta E}{\Delta t}
Pinst=dWdtP_{\text{inst}} = \frac{dW}{dt}
p⃗=mv⃗\vec{p} = m \vec{v}
F⃗net=dp⃗dt\vec{F}_{\text{net}} = \frac{d\vec{p}}{dt}
J⃗=∫t1t2F⃗net(t) dt=Δp⃗\vec{J} = \int_{t_1}^{t_2} \vec{F}_{\text{net}}(t)\, dt = \Delta \vec{p}
v⃗cm=∑p⃗i∑mi=∑miv⃗i∑mi\vec{v}_{\text{cm}} = \frac{\sum \vec{p}_i}{\sum m_i} = \frac{\sum m_i \vec{v}_i}{\sum m_i}
ω=dθdt\omega = \frac{d\theta}{dt}
α=dωdt\alpha = \frac{d\omega}{dt}
ω=ω0+αt\omega = \omega_0 + \alpha t
θ=θ0+ω0t+12αt2\theta = \theta_0 + \omega_0 t + \frac{1}{2} \alpha t^2
ω2=ω02+2α(θ−θ0)\omega^2 = \omega_0^2 + 2 \alpha (\theta - \theta_0)
v=rωv = r \omega
aT=rαa_T = r \alpha
τ⃗=r⃗×F⃗\vec{\tau} = \vec{r} \times \vec{F}
Itot=∑Ii=∑miri2I_{\text{tot}} = \sum I_i = \sum m_i r_i^2
I=∫r2 dmI = \int r^2\, dm
I′=Icm+Md2I' = I_{\text{cm}} + M d^2
αsys=∑τIsys=τnetIsys\alpha_{\text{sys}} = \frac{\sum \tau}{I_{\text{sys}}} = \frac{\tau_{\text{net}}}{I_{\text{sys}}}
Krot=12Iω2K_{\text{rot}} = \frac{1}{2} I \omega^2
W=∫τ⋅dθW = \int \tau \cdot d\theta
L⃗=r⃗×p⃗=Iω⃗\vec{L} = \vec{r} \times \vec{p} = I \vec{\omega}
ΔL=∫τ dt\Delta L = \int \tau\, dt
Δxcm=rΔθ\Delta x_{\text{cm}} = r \Delta\theta
T=2πω=1fT = \frac{2\pi}{\omega} = \frac{1}{f}
Ts=2πmkT_s = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}
Tp=2πℓgT_p = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{\ell}{g}}
Tphys=2πImgdT_{\text{phys}} = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{I}{m g d}}
x=xmaxcos⁡(ωt+ϕ)x = x_{\text{max}} \cos(\omega t + \phi)

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