This unit introduces the fundamentals of electric charge, electric force, and electric fields. You will work through Coulomb’s law, electric fields due to point charges and continuous charge distributions, and how symmetry simplifies difficult problems. Topics include fields due to spheres, cylinders, line charges, and surface charges with both constant and variable charge densities. The unit also introduces Gauss’s law, which becomes one of the most powerful tools for finding electric fields in highly symmetric situations. A strong understanding of field direction, symmetry, and charge distributions is essential for success in AP Physics C: E&M.
