Electrical cheat sheet (equations) M J Rhoades

Ohms law E = I R where: E = volts

I = amperage in amps
R = resistance in ohms
P = power in watts
R=

I=
Power

R=

, I=

where: P = watts, R =

,I=

P = E I where:

P = power in watts
E = volts
I = amperage in amps

P = R x I2, P =
volts

E=RI,E=

Electrostatic force

,E=

Fe = K

1 2
2

where Fe = in newtons =

q1 = charge first object in coulombs

q2 = charge of second object in coulombs
r = distance between centers of objects in meters
K = constant 8.99 x 10 9
Potential difference V =

where: V = volts
W = work in joules
q = charge in coulombs

Electric field strength E =

where: E = field strength in newtons/coulomb

Fe = electrostatic force in newtons
q = charge in coulombs

Current I =

where: I = amperes in amps

= change in charge in coulombs/ sec
t = time in seconds

Resistance R =

where: R = ohms
= resistivity in * meters
Resistivities at 200 C

L = meters
A = meter2

Conductance G =

Material

Resistivity ( * m )

Aluminum

2.82 x 10-8

Copper

1.72 x 10-8

Gold

2.44 x 10-8

Nichrome

150 x 10-8

Tungsten

5.60 x 10-8

where G = is in mhos
R = resistance in ohms

Magnetic flux density B =

where: B = magnetic flux density in teslas

= magnetic flux in webers
A = area in square meters

Permeability r =

where: r = the relative permeability in henries per meter or newton per

ampere squared (

= the permeability of the material in newton per ampere squared

0 = the permeability of a vacuum ( 4 x 10-7
=

where: = permeability in newtons per ampere squared

B = magnetic flux density in teslas
H = field intensity ampere turns per meter

Tesla T =

where: T = tesla
V = volts
m = meters

Magnetomotive Force Fm = N I where Fm = Magnetomotive force in ampere turns

N = number of turns
I = amperes

Field Intensity

H=

where: H = field intensity in ampere turns/meter

Fm = Magnetomotive force
N I = ampere turns
L = length between poles

Reluctance (1) R =

where: R = reluctance in Fm /
mmf = Fm or N I
= flux in webers

(2) R =

where: R = ampere turns / weber

L = length of coil in meters

= permeability of the material in

A = cross sectional area of coil, m2

Flux ( 1) =

where: = magnetic flux in webers (Wb)

Fm = Magnetomotive force in ampere turns
R = reluctance in ampere turns / weber

(2) =

where N I = ampere turns

Wb = webers

Induced voltage Vind = -N

where: Vind = induced voltage in volts

N = number of turns in the coil

= rate at which the flux cuts across the

conductor,

Temperature coefficient of resistance ()

Rt = Ro + Ro( T)

where: = the temperature coefficient no units

Rt = resistance at new temperature in ohms
Ro = the resistance at 200 C in ohms

Temperature Coefficient for various materials

Material

Temperature coefficient
in per 0C

Aluminum

0.004

Carbon

-0.0003

Constantan

Copper

0.004

Gold

0.004

Iron

0.006

Nichrome

0.0002

Nickel

0.005

Series Circuits

Parallel Circuits

I = I1 = I2 = I3...

I = I1+ I2 + I3 + ...

V = V1+ V2 + V3 + ...

V = V1 = V2 = V3 ...
1

REq = R1 + R2 + R3 + ...

1
1

1
2

1
3

...

where: I = amperes
V = voltage
REq = resistance equivalent
R = circuit resistance

Two resisters in parallel

RT =

1 2
1 + 2

where RT = total resistance in ohms

R1 = first resistance in ohms
R2 = second resistance in ohms

Counter electromotive force (CEMF) CEMF = -L

where:

CEMF = induced voltage in volts

L = inductance in henries

= time rate of change of current in amps/sec

Inductance

L=

where: L = inductance in heneries

= flux in webers
I = current in amperes
Inductive reactance XL = 2 f L where: XL = inductive reactance in ohms
f = frequency in hertz
L = inductance in henries
Inductors in series

LEq = L1 + L2 + L3 +... where LEq = the equivalent inductance in henries

L123 = inductors in henries

Inductors in parallel

1
1

1
2

1
3

+... where LEq = the equivalent inductance in henries

L123 = inductors in henries

Capacitance C =

where: C = capacitance in farads (F) (coulombs / volt)

Q = amount of charge in coulombs
V = the voltage in joules / coulomb

Capacitance of two plates

C=K

(8.85 x 10-12) where: C = capacitance in farads

K = dielectric constant from tables, no units
A = area of the plates in square meters

d = distance between the plates in meters

8.85 x 10-12 = constant of proportionality in F meters
Capacitive reactance Xc =

1
2

where: Xc = capacitive reactance in ohms

f = frequency in hertz
C = capacitance in farads

= 3.1416
Work stored in a capacitor Wstored =

2
2

where: Wstored = energy stored in joules

C = capacitance in farads
V = voltage in volts

Capacitors in series

1
1

1
2

1
3

+... where: CEq = the equivalent capacitance in farads

C123 = component capacitance in farads

Capacitors in parallel
Capacitive time constant

CEq = C1 + C2 + C3 +...
Tc = R C where: Tc = capacitive time constant in seconds
R = resistance in ohms
C = capacitance in farads

Internal resistance (Battery) VL = VB - IL RI where: VL = loaded voltage in volts

VB = Unloaded battery volts in volts
IL RI = internal voltage drop in volts

Generated voltage in a dc generator VG = K N where: VG = generated voltage in volts

K = fixed constant for the generator no units
= magnetic flux strength in webers
N = speed in revolutions per minute

Resonance frequency (undamped) of a LC circuit

(1) f =

1
2

where: f = frequency in hertz

L = inductance in henries
C = capacitance in farads

(2) o =

where: o = freq in radians / second

L = inductance in henries
C = capacitance in farads
Power factor

Pf =

where: Pf = power factor expressed in decimals

P = real power in watts

S = apparent power in volt amp reactive ( VAR
Efficiency motor

Meff =

where: Meff = efficiency in percentage

Pin = power in in watts or horse power
Pout = power out in watts or horse power

AC / DC power /current formulas for motors

V volts, I = amps, PF = power factor, Eff = efficiency HP = horse power W = watts
DC amps =

746

AC amps 3phase =

AC amps(120 240) =

746

746
1.73

AC / DC motor cont.
DC amps =

1000

AC amps(120,240) =

, AC amps(120, 240) =

1000

1000

, AC amps3phase =

AC amps 3phase =

1000
1.73

1000
1.73

DC kw =

1000

, AC kw(120, 240) =

AC kv-amps (120,240) =
DC hp =

746

AC hp 3 phase =

1000

1000

, AC kw 3 phase =

, AC kv-amps 3 phase =

, AC hp(120,240) =

1000

1.73
1000

746

1.73

1.73
746

Transformer voltage and current Vp =

where:Vp = primary voltage in volts

Vs = secondary voltage in volts
Is = secondary current in amps
Ip = primary current in amps

Transformer voltage and turns in coil Vp =

where: Vp = voltage in primary coil in volts

Vs = voltage in secondary coil in volts
Ip = current in primary coil in amps
Ts = turns in secondary coil

Vs =
Transformer amperes and turns in coil Ip =
Is =

Resistor color codes by just looking at a resistor in a circuit you can tell certain things about it if
it follows the standard code.
The fourth is the tolerence
The fifth is the max % the
resistance will change over
1000 hours of operation

Indicates the
Second number

The third is the multiplier

The first color gives the first

value of the resistor
Color code table

Numeral

multiplier

Black

Brown

10

Red

1000 (1k)

Orange

100

Yellow

10000(10k)

Green

100000 (100k)

Blue

106

Violet

107

Grey

108

white

109

4th band ,tolerance ,silver

10%, gold 5%, no band, 20%

5th band, brown 1%, red

band, .1 %, no band, > 1 %

In our example, red, violet, green, we have 27 x 100k or 270 k , 10 % tolerance, 1 %

change. The way I remembered this code was with a mind trick. "Bad boys rape our young girls
but violet gives willingly. It seems, when you say this once, you will never forget the code.