AP Physics C: E&M study plan
AP Physics C: E&M · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Electric Charges, Fields, and Gauss's Law
State Coulomb's law and compute the net force on a point charge from two or more fixed charges in 1D and 2D
Sketch electric field lines for dipoles, line charges, and parallel plates, and justify the sketch from symmetry
Apply Gauss's law to derive the field inside and outside spherical, cylindrical, and planar charge distributions
Distinguish when Gauss's law is useful from when it is merely true, and explain why in writing
Your checkpoint
A one-page derivation sheet with five Gauss's-law derivations (point, shell, solid sphere, infinite line, infinite sheet) plus 20 solved force/field problems scored against a rubric
Electric Charges, Fields, and Gauss's Law & Electric Potential
Compute electric potential by integrating the field along a path for rod, ring, and disk geometries
Relate field to potential via the negative gradient in Cartesian and radial coordinates
Calculate potential energy of assembled charge configurations and identify where zero potential is set
Solve for motion of a charged particle in a uniform field using energy conservation
Your checkpoint
A timed 45-minute mixed set of 12 problems covering field-potential relations and potential energy, with a written error log of every missed item
Electric Potential & Conductors and Capacitors
Derive capacitance for parallel-plate, cylindrical, and spherical capacitors from first principles
Compute equivalent capacitance and charge/voltage distribution for series and parallel networks
Analyze a capacitor with and without a dielectric, tracking changes in Q, V, E, and stored energy
Explain why the field inside a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium is zero and apply it to shielding problems
Your checkpoint
A capacitor design worksheet: five networks solved for full charge/voltage/energy state before and after inserting a dielectric, plus a one-paragraph justification of conductor shielding
Electric Circuits
Apply Kirchhoff's loop and junction rules to two-loop circuits with two batteries
Compute equivalent resistance for series, parallel, and mixed networks including internal resistance
Analyze RC charging and discharging using the time constant and exponential solutions
Interpret and sketch graphs of current and voltage versus time in RC circuits
Your checkpoint
A closed-book 60-minute mock section on circuits (10 problems) scored to a target of 70 percent or higher, with a corrected redo of every miss
Electric Circuits & Magnetic Fields and Electromagnetism
Compute magnetic force on moving charges and current-carrying wires, including direction via right-hand rules
Apply the Biot-Savart law to straight wires and circular arcs
Use Ampere's law to find the field of solenoids, toroids, and long straight wires
Solve charged-particle circular motion in a uniform magnetic field, including velocity selectors
Your checkpoint
A formula-and-direction card for magnetism plus 15 solved problems, of which at least 5 require combined electric and magnetic force analysis
Magnetic Fields and Electromagnetism & Electromagnetic Induction
Compute magnetic flux through tilted and rotating loops
Apply Faraday's law and Lenz's law to determine induced emf magnitude and current direction
Analyze motional emf for a rod on rails, including terminal velocity with friction or resistance
Calculate self-inductance and analyze LR circuit growth and decay
Your checkpoint
A worked induction portfolio: eight problems each with an explicit Lenz's-law direction justification and a labeled energy accounting
Electric Charges, Fields, and Gauss's Law & Electric Circuits & Electromagnetic Induction
Solve multi-concept problems that chain Gauss's law into potential and then into capacitor or circuit behavior
Complete a full-length timed practice exam under exam conditions
Classify every missed problem by domain and error type (concept, algebra, direction, units)
Re-derive the five most-missed results from scratch without notes
Your checkpoint
A scored full-length practice exam plus a categorized error analysis table listing domain, error type, and corrective action for each miss
Electric Charges, Fields, and Gauss's Law & Electric Potential & Conductors and Capacitors & Electric Circuits & Magnetic Fields and Electromagnetism & Electromagnetic Induction
Re-solve every problem from the week 7 error table to full correctness
Drill rapid-recall of units, constants, and sign conventions across all six domains
Practice direction-determining routines (right-hand rules, Lenz's law) until automatic
Simulate exam pacing with two 45-minute mixed-domain sprints
Your checkpoint
A final one-page master sheet of constants, sign conventions, and top-10 trap patterns, plus two completed timed sprints at 80 percent or higher accuracy
Milestones
Week 2: Can derive the field and potential for all standard symmetric charge distributions from memory with correct units
Week 4: Scores 70 percent or higher on the closed-book circuits mock and can set up Kirchhoff equations without prompting
Week 6: Correctly predicts induced current direction on 8 of 8 Lenz's-law items and explains each in one sentence
Week 7: Full-length practice exam completed within time with a written error table covering every miss
Week 8: All week-7 errors re-solved correctly and both final sprints finished at 80 percent or higher