Skip to content Study Mondo Free study resources for students from Grade 4 through AP and test prep. 24 courses, 700+ topics.
Courses Features Company Stay Ahead in School Free weekly study tips, practice sets, and exam strategies. Join 10,000+ students.
ยฉ 2026 Study Mondo. Built for students.
APยฎ is a trademark registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this website.
Maxwell's Equations | Study Mondo
Topics / Maxwell's Equations / Maxwell's Equations Maxwell's Equations The four fundamental equations of electromagnetism
๐ฏ โญ INTERACTIVE LESSON
Try the Interactive Version! Learn step-by-step with practice exercises built right in.
Start Interactive Lesson โ Maxwell's Equations
The Four Maxwell's Equations
1. Gauss's Law (Electric)
Integral form:
โฎ E โ โ
d A โ = Q e n c ฯต 0 \oint \vec{E} \cdot d\vec{A} = \frac{Q_{enc}}{\epsilon_0} โฎ E โ
๐ Practice ProblemsNo example problems available yet.
Explain using: ๐ Simple words ๐ Analogy ๐จ Visual desc. ๐ Example ๐ก Explain
๐งช Practice Lab Interactive practice problems for Maxwell's Equations
โพ ๐ Related Topics in Maxwell's Equationsโ Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is Maxwell's Equations?โพ The four fundamental equations of electromagnetism
How can I study Maxwell's Equations effectively?โพ Start by reading the study notes and working through the examples on this page. Then use the flashcards to test your recall. Regular review and active practice are key to retention.
Is this Maxwell's Equations study guide free?โพ Yes โ all study notes, flashcards, and practice problems for Maxwell's Equations on Study Mondo are 100% free. No account is needed to access the content.
What course covers Maxwell's Equations?โพ Maxwell's Equations is part of the AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism course on Study Mondo, specifically in the Maxwell's Equations section. You can explore the full course for more related topics and practice resources.
๐ก Study Tipsโ Work through examples step-by-step โ Practice with flashcards daily โ Review common mistakes
d
=
ฯต 0 โ Q e n c โ โ
Differential form:
โ โ
E โ = ฯ ฯต 0 \nabla \cdot \vec{E} = \frac{\rho}{\epsilon_0} โ โ
E = ฯต 0 โ ฯ โ
Electric field diverges from charges.
2. Gauss's Law for Magnetism Integral form:
โฎ B โ โ
d A โ = 0 \oint \vec{B} \cdot d\vec{A} = 0 โฎ B โ
d A = 0
Differential form:
โ โ
B โ = 0 \nabla \cdot \vec{B} = 0 โ โ
B = 0
No magnetic monopoles; magnetic field lines are closed loops.
3. Faraday's Law Integral form:
โฎ E โ โ
d l โ = โ d ฮฆ B d t \oint \vec{E} \cdot d\vec{l} = -\frac{d\Phi_B}{dt} โฎ E โ
d l = โ d t d ฮฆ B โ โ
Differential form:
โ ร E โ = โ โ B โ โ t \nabla \times \vec{E} = -\frac{\partial \vec{B}}{\partial t} โ ร E = โ โ t โ B โ
Changing magnetic field creates electric field (circulation).
4. Ampere-Maxwell Law Integral form:
โฎ B โ โ
d l โ = ฮผ 0 I e n c + ฮผ 0 ฯต 0 d ฮฆ E d t \oint \vec{B} \cdot d\vec{l} = \mu_0 I_{enc} + \mu_0\epsilon_0\frac{d\Phi_E}{dt} โฎ B โ
d l = ฮผ 0 โ I e n c โ + ฮผ 0 โ ฯต 0 โ d t d ฮฆ E โ โ
Differential form:
โ ร B โ = ฮผ 0 J โ + ฮผ 0 ฯต 0 โ E โ โ t \nabla \times \vec{B} = \mu_0\vec{J} + \mu_0\epsilon_0\frac{\partial \vec{E}}{\partial t} โ ร B = ฮผ 0 โ J + ฮผ 0 โ ฯต 0 โ โ t โ E
Current and changing electric field create magnetic field (circulation).
Displacement Current Maxwell's addition to Ampere's law:
I d = ฯต 0 d ฮฆ E d t I_d = \epsilon_0\frac{d\Phi_E}{dt} I d โ = ฯต 0 โ d t d ฮฆ E โ โ
Displacement current density:
J โ d = ฯต 0 โ E โ โ t \vec{J}_d = \epsilon_0\frac{\partial \vec{E}}{\partial t} J d โ = ฯต 0 โ โ t โ E โ
In charging capacitor, no conduction current between plates, but changing E โ \vec{E} E creates magnetic field as if current flowed.
Ensures โ โ
J โ + โ ฯ โ t = 0 \nabla \cdot \vec{J} + \frac{\partial \rho}{\partial t} = 0 โ โ
J + โ t โ ฯ โ = 0 (charge conservation).
Symmetry in Maxwell's Equations In vacuum (ฯ = 0 \rho = 0 ฯ = 0 , J โ = 0 \vec{J} = 0 J = 0 ):
โ โ
E โ = 0 , โ โ
B โ = 0 \nabla \cdot \vec{E} = 0, \quad \nabla \cdot \vec{B} = 0 โ โ
E = 0 , โ โ
B = 0
โ ร E โ = โ โ B โ โ t , โ ร B โ = ฮผ 0 ฯต 0 โ E โ โ t \nabla \times \vec{E} = -\frac{\partial \vec{B}}{\partial t}, \quad \nabla \times \vec{B} = \mu_0\epsilon_0\frac{\partial \vec{E}}{\partial t} โ ร E = โ โ t โ B โ , โ ร B = ฮผ 0 โ ฯต 0 โ โ t โ E
Nearly symmetric! Differences:
No magnetic monopoles (no ฯ m \rho_m ฯ m โ )
Factor ฮผ 0 ฯต 0 \mu_0\epsilon_0 ฮผ 0 โ ฯต 0 โ in Ampere-Maxwell
Poynting Vector Energy flux in electromagnetic field:
S โ = 1 ฮผ 0 E โ ร B โ \vec{S} = \frac{1}{\mu_0}\vec{E} \times \vec{B} S = ฮผ 0 โ 1 โ E ร B
Units: W/mยฒ (power per area)
Direction: Direction of energy propagation
Intensity: I = โฃ S โ โฃ a v g I = |\vec{S}|_{avg} I = โฃ S โฃ a vg โ
Energy Density Electric field:
u E = 1 2 ฯต 0 E 2 u_E = \frac{1}{2}\epsilon_0 E^2 u E โ = 2 1 โ ฯต 0 โ E 2
Magnetic field:
u B = 1 2 ฮผ 0 B 2 u_B = \frac{1}{2\mu_0}B^2 u B โ = 2 ฮผ 0 โ 1 โ B 2
Total:
u = u E + u B = 1 2 ฯต 0 E 2 + 1 2 ฮผ 0 B 2 u = u_E + u_B = \frac{1}{2}\epsilon_0 E^2 + \frac{1}{2\mu_0}B^2 u = u E โ + u B โ = 2 1 โ ฯต 0 โ E 2 + 2 ฮผ 0 โ 1 โ B 2
Continuity Equation โ u โ t + โ โ
S โ = โ J โ โ
E โ \frac{\partial u}{\partial t} + \nabla \cdot \vec{S} = -\vec{J} \cdot \vec{E} โ t โ u โ + โ โ
S = โ J โ
E
Rate of energy change + energy flux out = work done by field on charges.
Historical Significance Maxwell's equations unified electricity and magnetism, predicted electromagnetic waves, led to:
Radio
Radar
Modern telecommunications
Understanding of light as electromagnetic wave
โ
โ