Formula Explanation

1 Q1Q2 Coulomb’s law:

F= Magnitude of the force F (in N) between two charges Q1
4πε 0 r 2 and Q2 (both in C), with r (in m) the distance between the
two charges.
The electric field vector at any point due to one or more
F
E= charges is defined as the force per unit charge that would
q act on a positive test charge placed at that point.
1 Q Magnitude of the electric field (in N/C) at a distance r (in
E= m) from a point charge Q (in C).
4πε 0 r 2
σ Electric field (in N/C) above or below an ‘infinite’ plane of
E= any shape holding a charge density σ (in C/m2).
2ε 0
Electric flux (in Nm2/C) through a flat area A for a uniform
Φ E = E. A
electric field E (direction of A is chosen perpendicular to
the surface whose area is A).
Φ E = ∫ E.d A Electric flux in case the field is not uniform.

Qencl Gauss’s law:

∫ E.d A = ε0
Net flux passing through any closed surface (left-hand side
of equation) equals the net charge Qencl (in C) enclosed by
that surface divided by ε 0 .
b Potential difference (in V or J/C) between two points, a and
Vb − Va = − ∫ E.dl b, given the electric field E (in N/C or V/m).
a

Vb − Va = − Ed Potential difference (in V or J/C) between two points, a and

b, in the case the electric field is uniform (with magnitude
E). d (in m) is the distance between the two points.
1 Q Electric potential V (in V) due to a single point charge Q at
V= a distance r (in m) from this point charge.
4πε 0 r
∂V ∂V ∂V E = ( E x , E y , Ez )
Ex = − , Ey = − , Ez = − Components of the electric field vector
∂x ∂y ∂z given the known potential V ( x, y, z ) .
Q Definition of capacitance C (in F):
C= ratio of the charge Q (in C) to potential difference V (in V)
V between the two conductors of a capacitor
(the two conductors of a capacitor hold equal and opposite
charges of magnitude Q).
A Capacitance C (in F) of a parallel-plate capacitor with plate
C = ε0 area A (in m2) and separation d (in m).
d
Ceq = C1 + C2 +… Equivalent capacitance when capacitors are connected in
parallel.
1 1 1 Equivalent capacitance when capacitors are connected in
= + +… series.
Ceq C1 C2
1 1 1 Q2 A charged capacitor stores an amount of energy U as a
U = QV = CV 2 = function of C, Q, or V
2 2 2 C

1
 1 In any electric field E in free space the energy density u
u = ε0E2 (energy per unit volume)
2
A A Capacitance in dielectrics. K is the dielectric constant.
C = Kε 0 = ε
d d
ε = Kε 0 Permittivity for a dielectric material

1 1 The energy density for a dielectric material

u= Kε 0 E 2 = ε E 2
2 2
V = IR Relation between resistance R (in Ω ) of a device and the
current I (in A) in the device and the potential difference V
(in V) applied across it.
Ohm’s law: R is a constant independent of V.
ρl Resistance R (in Ω ) of a wire with cross-sectional area A
R= (in m2), length l (in m) and resistivity ρ (in Ω m).
A
V2 Power P (in W) transformed in a resistance R (in Ω ) with I
P = IV = I 2 R = (in A) the current in the resistor and V (in V) the potential
R difference applied across it.
I0 V The rms values of sinusoidally alternating currents and
I rms = , Vrms = 0 voltages.
2 2
j = nqv d Relation between the current density j and the number of
charge carriers n per unit volume, the charge q per particle
and the drift velocity v d .
j =σ E Relation between the current density, the electric field and
the conductivity σ .
1 The conductivity is one over the resistivity.
σ=
ρ
ρT = ρ0 1 + α (T − T0 )  Resistivity ρT at temperature T expressed in terms of the
resistivity ρ0 at temperature T0 (= 20 C ). The coefficient
α is the temperature coefficient of resistivity (in 1/ C )
Req = R1 + R2 +… Equivalent resistance when resistors are connected in series.

1 1 1 Equivalent resistance when resistors are connected in

= + +… parallel.
Req R1 R2
τ = RC The time constant τ of an RC circuit is the resistance
multiplied by the capacitance.

Fundamental constants

Quantity Symbol Value

Charge on electron e 1.60 x 10-19 C
Rest mass electron me 9.11 x 10-31 kg
Permittivity of free space ε0 8.85 x 10-12 C2/N.m2