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 (Nm2)/C2k = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} = 9.0 \times 10^9\ (\text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2)/\text{C}^2

Coulomb constant

ε0=8.85×1012 C2/(Nm2)\varepsilon_0 = 8.85 \times 10^{-12}\ \text{C}^2/(\text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2)

Vacuum permittivity

μ0=4π×107 (Tm)/A\mu_0 = 4\pi \times 10^{-7}\ (\text{T} \cdot \text{m})/\text{A}

Vacuum permeability

mp=1.67×1027 kgm_p = 1.67 \times 10^{-27}\ \text{kg}

Proton mass

mn=1.67×1027 kgm_n = 1.67 \times 10^{-27}\ \text{kg}

Neutron mass

me=9.11×1031 kgm_e = 9.11 \times 10^{-31}\ \text{kg}

Electron mass

e=1.60×1019 Ce = 1.60 \times 10^{-19}\ \text{C}

Elementary charge

1 eV=1.60×1019 J1\ \text{eV} = 1.60 \times 10^{-19}\ \text{J}

1 electron volt

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

Speed of light

1 u=1.66×1027 kg=931 MeV/c21\ \text{u} = 1.66 \times 10^{-27}\ \text{kg} = 931\ \text{MeV}/c^2

1 unified atomic mass unit

G=6.67×1011 m3/(kgs2)=6.67×1011 Nm2/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

g=9.8 m/s2g = 9.8\ \text{m/s}^2

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

g=9.8 N/kgg = 9.8\ \text{N/kg}

Magnitude of the gravitational field strength at Earth's surface

Electricity and Magnetism

FE=14πε0q1q2r2=kq1q2r2\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}
E=FEq\vec{E} = \frac{\vec{F}_E}{q}
E=14πε0dqr2r^\vec{E} = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \int \frac{dq}{r^2} \hat{r}
ΦE=EdA\Phi_E = \int \vec{E} \cdot d\vec{A}
EdA=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=14πε0dqrV = \frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0} \int \frac{dq}{r}
ΔV=abEdr\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=JdAI = \int \vec{J} \cdot d\vec{A}
E=ρJ\vec{E} = \rho \vec{J}
R=ρAR = \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}}
BdA=0\oint \vec{B} \cdot d\vec{A} = 0
FB=qv×B\vec{F}_B = q\, \vec{v} \times \vec{B}
dB=μ04πId×r^r2d\vec{B} = \frac{\mu_0}{4\pi} \frac{I\, d\vec{\ell} \times \hat{r}}{r^2}
FB=Id×B\vec{F}_B = \int I\, d\vec{\ell} \times \vec{B}
Bd=μ0Ienc\oint \vec{B} \cdot d\vec{\ell} = \mu_0 I_{\text{enc}}
Bsol=μ0nIB_{\text{sol}} = \mu_0 n I
ΦB=BdA\Phi_B = \int \vec{B} \cdot d\vec{A}
E=Ed=dΦBdt\mathcal{E} = \oint \vec{E} \cdot d\vec{\ell} = -\frac{d\Phi_B}{dt}

emf, printed as script E on the official sheet

Esol=NdΦBdt\left| \mathcal{E}_{\text{sol}} \right| = N \left| \frac{d\Phi_B}{dt} \right|
Lsol=μcoreN2AL_{\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(xx0)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
xcm=miximi\vec{x}_{\text{cm}} = \frac{\sum m_i \vec{x}_i}{\sum m_i}
rcm=rdmdm\vec{r}_{\text{cm}} = \frac{\int \vec{r}\, dm}{\int dm}
λ=ddm()\lambda = \frac{d}{d\ell} m(\ell)
asys=Fmsys=Fnetmsys\vec{a}_{\text{sys}} = \frac{\sum \vec{F}}{m_{\text{sys}}} = \frac{\vec{F}_{\text{net}}}{m_{\text{sys}}}
Fg=Gm1m2r2\left| \vec{F}_g \right| = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}
FfμFN\left| \vec{F}_f \right| \leq \left| \mu \vec{F}_N \right|
Fs=kΔx\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=abFdrW = \int_a^b \vec{F} \cdot d\vec{r}
ΔK=Wi=F,idi\Delta K = \sum W_i = \sum F_{\parallel, i}\, d_i
ΔU=abFcf(r)dr\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}
p=mv\vec{p} = m \vec{v}
Fnet=dpdt\vec{F}_{\text{net}} = \frac{d\vec{p}}{dt}
J=t1t2Fnet(t)dt=Δp\vec{J} = \int_{t_1}^{t_2} \vec{F}_{\text{net}}(t)\, dt = \Delta \vec{p}
vcm=pimi=mivimi\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(θθ0)\omega^2 = \omega_0^2 + 2 \alpha (\theta - \theta_0)
v=rωv = r \omega
ar=rαa_r = r \alpha
τ=r×F\vec{\tau} = \vec{r} \times \vec{F}
Itot=Ii=miri2I_{\text{tot}} = \sum I_i = \sum m_i r_i^2
I=r2dmI = \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=τdθW = \int \tau \cdot d\theta
L=r×p=Iω\vec{L} = \vec{r} \times \vec{p} = I \vec{\omega}
ΔL=τdt\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=2πgT_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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