#AP Physics C: E&M - Unit 1 Study Guide ⚡

Hey there, future physicist! Let's get you prepped for the AP Physics C: E&M exam with a super-focused review of Unit 1. We'll break down the key concepts, highlight what's most important, and get you feeling confident. Let's dive in!

#🚀 Unit 1: Electrostatics - The Foundation

This unit is all about the basics of electric charge, forces, and fields. It's a big chunk of the exam, so let's make sure you're solid on this stuff. Think of it as the bedrock upon which all the other E&M concepts are built. It's like learning the alphabet before writing a novel – crucial!

#Big Ideas of Electrostatics

• Force Interactions: Forces characterize interactions between objects or systems.
  • Why does your hair stand on end after brushing it with a plastic comb? 🤔
• Fields: Fields predict and describe interactions.
  • How does a charged rubber rod bend a stream of water? 🌊
• Conservation: Conservation laws constrain interactions.
  • How are the kinematics of charged particles used in old televisions?
  • Why is it sometimes necessary to shield against electric fields? 🛡️
  • How are maps of voltage and topographical maps related? 🗺️
  • Why can a bird land on a high voltage wire and not be electrocuted? 🐦

#Exam Impact

• Unit 1 is a big deal, covering about 25-33% of the exam. That's a lot!
• Expect to spend around 40 class periods on this material.
• The AP Classroom personal progress check has ~35 multiple-choice questions and 1 free-response question to help you practice. Make sure to use it!

# 💡1.1: Electric Charge & Coulomb's Law

#What is Charge? 🌩️

• Charge is a fundamental property of matter, like mass.
• Two types: positive (protons) and negative (electrons).
• Measured in:
  • Coulombs (C): For larger amounts of charge.
  • Elementary charges (e): For smaller amounts (like on individual particles).
• In AP Physics C, we mostly deal with point charges – infinitely small objects with charge but no size.

#Law of Electrostatics

• Like charges repel, opposites attract. Simple as that!

  Name	Attracted to	Repelled by
  Positive charge	Negative & Neutral	Positive
  Negative charge	Positive & Neutral	Negative
  Neutral object	Both Positive & Negative	Neither

• Check out the PhET simulation to visualize this...