Concourse 8.

02 Formula Sheet April 13, 2006

Electrostatics
F~ = q E
~ (electric force on a particle with charge q)

The electric field at point P due to a small element of charge dq is

~ = 1 dq
dE r̂
4π0 r2
where ~r (= rr̂) is the displacement vector that points from dq to P.

For any closed surface S, I

E ~ = 1 Qenclosed by S
~ · dA (Gauss’s Law)
0
S

Known Electric Field Strengths

Q
E= (point charge Q)
4π0 r2
λ
E= (infinite line of uniform charge density λ C/m)
2π0 r
σ
E= (infinite sheet of uniform charge density σ C/m2 )
20

Electric Potential

U = qV (electrostatic potential energy of a particle with charge q)

Z ~
rb
Vb − V a = − ~ · d~l
E (finding electric potential from electric field)
~
ra
~ = −∇V
E ~ (finding electric field from electric potential)

The electrostatic potential at point P due to a small element of charge dq, relative to V (r = ∞) = 0, is

1 dq
dV =
4π0 r
where r is the distance from dq to P.

Capacitance

Q = CV (definition of capacitance)
A
C = 0 (for a vacuum- or air-filled parallel-plate capacitor with area A and separation d)
d
1
U = CV 2 (energy stored in a capacitor)
2

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Concourse 8.02 Formula Sheet April 13, 2006

Electric Field Energy

Electric fields store energy with a density (J/m3 ) of
1
u = 0 E 2
2

Dielectrics

E0
E= (electric field inside a dielectric material placed in an external field E0 )
K
A A
C =  = K0 (for a parallel-plate capacitor filled with a dielectric material)
d d

Current
Z
dq
I= = J~ · dA
~ (definition of current and current density)
dt
For any closed surface S,
I
Ileaving S = ~ = − d Qenclosed by S
J~ · dA (continuity equation)
dt
S

In a non-ideal conductor with conductivity σ (resistivity ρ = σ1 ),

~ = 1E
J~ = σ E ~
ρ

Resistance

V = IR (definition of resistance)
l
R=ρ (for a wire with length l and cross-sectional area A)
A

Magnetostatics

F~ = q~v × B
~ (magnetic force on a particle with charge q and velocity ~v )
dF~ = Id~l × B
~ (magnetic force on a small segment d~l of wire carrying a current I)

The magnetic field at point P due to a small segment of wire d~l carrying a current I is

~ = µ0 Id~l × r̂
dB
4π r2
where ~r (= rr̂) is the displacement vector that points from d~l to P.

For any closed loop C, I

~ · d~l = µ0 Ienclosed by C
B (Ampere’s Law)
C

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Concourse 8.02 Formula Sheet April 13, 2006

Known Magnetic Field Strengths

µ0 I
B= (infinite straight wire carrying current I)
2πr
B = µ0 nI (inside a long tightly-wrapped solenoid with n turns per unit length)

Circuit Elements
Type Relationship Series Combination Parallel Combination

1
Resistor V = IR Req = R1 + R2 Req = R11 + R12
Capacitor I = C dV
dt
1 1 1
Ceq = C1 + C2 Ceq = C1 + C2

Electric Power

P =VI (power consumed by any electrical device)

2
P =I R (power dissipated as heat in a resistor)
1
U = CV 2 (energy stored in a capacitor)
2

Math Corner
Solutions to Common Differential Equations
Decaying Exponential
The differential equation
df (t)
τ + f (t) = F0
dt
has solutions of the form
f (t) = F0 + Ae−t/τ
where:
τ is called the time constant
A is an arbitrary constant that depends on the initial conditions

Simple Harmonic Oscillator

The differential equation
d2 f (t)
+ ω0 2 f (t) = 0
dt2
has solutions of the form
f (t) = A cos(ω0 t + φ)
where:
ω0 is called the angular frequency
A and φ are arbitrary constants that depend on the initial conditions

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Concourse 8.02 Formula Sheet April 13, 2006

Vector Calculus

~ = ı̂ ∂ + ̂ ∂ + k̂ ∂
∇ (the “del” operator)
∂x ∂y ∂z
~ = ı̂ ∂f ∂f ∂f
∇f + ̂ + k̂ (gradient)
∂x ∂y ∂z

Vector Multiplication
  
~·B
A ~ = A
~  B
~  cos θA,B = ABk to A = Ak to B B

    
 ~ ~   ~  ~ 
A × B  = A B  sin θA,B = AB⊥ to A = A⊥ to B B

Geometry
A sphere of radius R has volume 43 πR3 and surface area 4πR2 .

A cylinder of radius R and height h has volume πR2 h and surface area 2πRh + 2πR2 (the first term is the area
around the side, the second term is the area of the top and bottom).

Trigonometry

sin2 θ + cos2 θ = 1 sin2 θ = 1

2 − 12 cos(2θ) sin 45◦ = cos 45◦ = √1
2
sin(θ + φ) = sin θ cos φ + cos θ sin φ cos2 θ = 1
2 + 12 cos(2θ) sin 30◦ = cos 60◦ = 1
2
√
cos(θ + φ) = cos θ cos φ − sin θ sin φ sin(2θ) = 2 sin θ cos θ sin 60◦ = cos 30◦ = 2
3

Quadratic Formula
√
−b ± b2 − 4ac
If ax2 + bx + c = 0 then x = .
2a

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