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United States · College Board2026

AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism (College Board): complete guide to the units, the calculus, the science practices and the exam

A complete guide to College Board AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, the calculus-based course. Covers the units (from electrostatics and Gauss's law to circuits, magnetism and electromagnetic induction), the calculus demand, the science practices, how Section I (multiple choice) and Section II (free response) work, the equations sheet you are given, and how to study each unit for a 5.

Browse guides →Syllabus dot points (31)

College Board AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism is a calculus-based introductory electromagnetism course, designed to match a second-semester calculus-based college physics course. Unlike AP Physics 1 and 2, which are algebra-based, this course uses derivatives and integrals throughout: to integrate charge distributions, evaluate the flux and line integrals of Gauss's and Ampere's laws, apply the Biot-Savart law, and solve the differential equations of RC, LR and LC circuits. The course is built on a set of science practices and recurring themes (fields, symmetry, conservation, and the parallels between electricity and magnetism). This page is the index: below is a map of the units, the exam structure, and how to study each one. This library covers all six units in full.

The AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism units

The College Board organizes the content into units, each carrying an exam weighting (the share of questions it tends to contribute). From the 2024-25 revision, the units are numbered 8 to 13, continuing the numbering after the seven units of AP Physics C: Mechanics.

Unit 8 Electric Charges, Fields, and Gauss's Law (15 to 25%)
Electric charge and Coulomb's law, conservation of charge and charging, the electric field, integrating the field of continuous charge distributions, electric flux as a surface integral, and Gauss's law for spherical, cylindrical and planar symmetry.
Unit 9 Electric Potential (10 to 20%)
Electric potential energy of point-charge systems, electric potential and its relation to the field by line integral and gradient, and conservation of electric energy for charges moving through potential differences.
Unit 10 Conductors and Capacitors (10 to 15%)
Electrostatics with conductors in equilibrium, redistribution of charge between connected conductors, capacitance and its derivation for parallel-plate, spherical and cylindrical geometries, energy stored, and dielectrics.
Unit 11 Electric Circuits (15 to 25%)
Electric current as dQ/dt, simple circuits with EMF and internal resistance, resistance and Ohm's law, electric power, compound DC networks, Kirchhoff's loop and junction rules, and the exponential behavior of RC circuits.
Unit 12 Magnetic Fields and Electromagnetism (10 to 20%)
The magnetic field and the absence of monopoles, the magnetic force on moving charges and currents, the Biot-Savart law for wires and loops, and Ampere's law for wires, solenoids and toroids.
Unit 13 Electromagnetic Induction (10 to 20%)
Magnetic flux, Faraday's and Lenz's laws of induction, the forces and energy of induced currents, self-inductance and stored energy, and the differential-equation behavior of LR and LC circuits.

Exam structure

The AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism exam is 1 hour 30 minutes and has two equally weighted sections. A calculator is allowed throughout, and you are given a table of equations and constants.

  • Section I, multiple choice - 45 minutes, 50%. 35 questions, including individual questions and sets built on field maps, circuit diagrams and data.
  • Section II, free response - 45 minutes, 50%. Three or four free-response questions written from the science practices, requiring derivations with calculus, analysis of circuits and fields, and experimental reasoning.

The free-response questions ask you to create and interpret representations (field maps, circuit diagrams), carry out mathematical routines including integrals and derivatives, design and analyze experiments, and construct evidence-based arguments using AP task verbs (Calculate, Derive, Describe, Explain, Justify, Determine).

How to study AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism

AP Physics C rewards fluent calculus, clear field reasoning, and confident use of symmetry.

  1. Work from the Course and Exam Description. Each topic (for example 8.6 Gauss's Law) maps to specific learning objectives and essential-knowledge statements that exam questions are written from.
  2. Set up the integral first. For continuous distributions, identify the element (dq or a current element), the distance, and the surviving component by symmetry before integrating.
  3. Master Gauss's law and Ampere's law. Both turn hard integrals into one-line calculations when the symmetry (spherical, cylindrical, planar) lets you pull the field out. Knowing when they apply is half the battle.
  4. Use the electricity-magnetism parallels. Capacitors and inductors, RC and LR circuits, electric and magnetic energy density: the structures mirror each other, which halves what you must memorize.
  5. Rehearse the exam formats. Time yourself on derivation, circuit and experimental free-response questions, and make every claim include the equation, the substitution and a physical justification.

The units, topic by topic

Each topic has a Course-and-Exam-Description-level answer page with worked exam questions and cross-links, plus an overview guide and quiz. This library covers all six units in full:

You can also work through the applying Gauss's law and calculus to E&M problems skills guide and its paired quiz.

For the official Course and Exam Description

The College Board publishes the full Course and Exam Description, released free-response questions, scoring guidelines and the equations sheet at apcentral.collegeboard.org. Always study from the current Course and Exam Description and the College Board's own released exams, because question style and the science practices are board-specific.

Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism guides

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Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism practice quizzes

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Common questions about Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism

How is AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism structured?
AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism is a calculus-based introductory electromagnetism course, the second semester of the AP Physics C sequence. From the 2024-25 revision its units are numbered 8 to 13, continuing after the seven units of AP Physics C: Mechanics. They are Unit 8 Electric Charges, Fields, and Gauss's Law; Unit 9 Electric Potential; Unit 10 Conductors and Capacitors; Unit 11 Electric Circuits; Unit 12 Magnetic Fields and Electromagnetism; and Unit 13 Electromagnetic Induction. The course is built around recurring themes such as fields, conservation laws and the use of calculus to handle continuous distributions.
How is the AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism exam scored?
The exam is 1 hour 30 minutes and has two sections worth 50% each. Section I is 35 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes, and Section II is three or four free-response questions in 45 minutes. A calculator is allowed on the whole exam and you are given a table of equations and constants. The composite is scaled to the 1 to 5 AP score. The course is often taken alongside AP Physics C: Mechanics, which is a separate exam.
How much calculus is in AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism?
A lot, which is what distinguishes it from AP Physics 2. You use derivatives and integrals throughout: integrating charge distributions to find fields and potentials, evaluating the surface integral for electric flux and Gauss's law, the line integral for Ampere's law and potential, the Biot-Savart integral for magnetic fields, and solving the differential equations of RC, LR and LC circuits. Current is defined as dQ/dt, the induced EMF as the rate of change of flux, and energy as the integral of power. Single-variable calculus is assumed; you should be comfortable setting up and evaluating these integrals and derivatives.
What are the AP Physics C science practices?
The science practices are the skills assessed alongside content: creating representations and models, using mathematical routines (including calculus), engaging in scientific questioning and argumentation, and analyzing and designing experiments. Free-response questions are written from these practices, so you must draw and interpret field maps and circuit diagrams, set up and evaluate integrals and derivatives, design and analyze experiments, and justify claims with physics reasoning using AP task verbs such as Calculate, Derive, Justify and Explain.
What are the big themes in AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism?
Several themes thread through the course: the field as the central object (electric and magnetic), the power of symmetry with Gauss's law and Ampere's law, conservation of charge and energy, the deep parallels between electricity and magnetism (and between capacitors and inductors), and the use of calculus to move between point quantities and continuous distributions. Maxwell's equations sit in the background: Gauss's law, Gauss's law for magnetism, Faraday's law and Ampere's law all appear in the course in integral form.
How does AP Physics C compare to AP Physics 2?
Both cover electricity and magnetism, but AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism is calculus-based and goes far deeper on fields, while AP Physics 2 is algebra-based and broader (it also covers thermodynamics, fluids, optics and modern physics). Physics C treats Gauss's law, Ampere's law and the Biot-Savart law quantitatively with integrals, derives capacitance and inductance, and solves RC, LR and LC circuits with differential equations. It is designed to match a calculus-based college physics course for engineering and physical-science majors. Always study from the current Course and Exam Description and released exams.