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

𝐸 𝐸2 𝑃
R= , R= where: P = watts, R =
𝐼 𝑃 𝐼2

𝑃 𝐸 𝑃
I= , I= ,I=
𝐸 𝑅 𝑅

Power P = E I where: P = power in watts

E = volts
I = amperage in amps

𝐸2
P = R x I2, P =
𝑅
𝑃
volts E=RI,E= ,E= 𝑃𝑥𝑅
𝐼
𝑞1 𝑞2 𝑘𝑔 𝑥 𝑚
Electrostatic force Fe = K where Fe = in newtons =
𝑟2 𝑠𝑒𝑐 2
q1 = charge first object in coulombs
q2 = charge of second object in coulombs
r = distance between centers of objects in meters
𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑜𝑚𝑏
K = constant 8.99 x 10 9
𝑁−𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 2
𝑊
Potential difference V = where: V = volts
𝑞

W = work in joules
q = charge in coulombs
 𝐹𝑒
Electric field strength E = where: E = field strength in newtons/coulomb
𝑞

Fe = electrostatic force in newtons

q = charge in coulombs
∆𝑞
Current I = where: I = amperes in amps
𝑡
∆𝑞 = change in charge in coulombs/ sec
t = time in seconds
𝜌𝐿
Resistance R = where: R = ohms
𝐴
𝜌 = resistivity in Ω * meters
L = meters Resistivities at 200 C
A = meter2 Material Resistivity ( Ω * 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

1
Conductance G = where G = is in mhos
𝑅
R = resistance in ohms
𝛷
Magnetic flux density B = where: B = magnetic flux density in teslas
𝐴
Φ = magnetic flux in webers
A = area in square meters
 µ
Permeability µr = where: µr = the relative permeability in henries per meter or newton per
µ0
𝑁
ampere squared ( )
𝐼2
µ = the permeability of the material in newton per ampere squared
𝑁
µ0 = the permeability of a vacuum ( 4π x 10-7 )
𝐼2
𝐵
µ= where: µ = permeability in newtons per ampere squared
𝐻
B = magnetic flux density in teslas
H = field intensity ampere turns per meter
𝑉 𝑥 𝑠𝑒𝑐
Tesla T = where: T = tesla
𝑚2
V = volts
m = meters
Magnetomotive Force Fm = N I where Fm = Magnetomotive force in ampere turns
N = number of turns
I = amperes

𝐹𝑚 𝑁𝐼
Field Intensity H= = where: H = field intensity in ampere turns/meter
𝐿 𝐿
Fm = Magnetomotive force
N I = ampere turns
L = length between poles
𝑚𝑚𝑓
Reluctance (1) R = where: R = reluctance in Fm / Φ
𝛷
mmf = Fm or N I
Φ = flux in webers
 𝐿
(2) R = where: R = ampere turns / weber
µ𝐴

L = length of coil in meters

𝑇−𝑚
µ = permeability of the material in
𝑁𝐼
A = cross sectional area of coil, m2

𝐹𝑚
Flux ( 1) Φ = where: Φ = magnetic flux in webers (Wb)
𝑅
Fm = Magnetomotive force in ampere turns
R = reluctance in ampere turns / weber
𝑁𝐼
(2) Φ = 𝑁𝐼 where N I = ampere turns
𝑊𝑏

Wb = webers

Δ𝛷
Induced voltage Vind = -N where: Vind = induced voltage in volts
Δ𝑡
N = number of turns in the coil
Δ𝛷
= rate at which the flux cuts across the
Δ𝑡
𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑠
conductor,
𝑠𝑒𝑐

Temperature coefficient of resistance (α) Rt = Ro + Ro(α ΔT)

where: α = 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 Ω per 0C
Aluminum 0.004
Carbon -0.0003
Constantan 0
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 1 1 1
REq = R1 + R2 + R3 + ... = + + ...
𝑅𝐸𝑞 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3

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

𝑅1 𝑅2
Two resisters in parallel RT = where RT = total resistance in ohms
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

R1 = first resistance in ohms

R2 = second resistance in ohms
 ∆𝐼
Counter electromotive force (CEMF) CEMF = -L where:
∆𝑡
CEMF = induced voltage in volts
L = inductance in henries
∆𝐼
= time rate of change of current in amps/sec
∆𝑡
𝑁𝛷
Inductance L= where: L = inductance in heneries
𝐼
Φ = flux in webers
I = current in amperes
Inductive reactance XL = 2π 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
1 1 1 1
Inductors in parallel = + + +... where LEq = the equivalent inductance in henries
𝐿𝐸𝑞 𝐿1 𝐿2 𝐿3

L123 = inductors in henries

𝑄
Capacitance C = where: C = capacitance in farads (F) (coulombs / volt)
𝑉
Q = amount of charge in coulombs
V = the voltage in joules / coulomb

Capacitance of two plates
𝐴
C=K (8.85 x 10-12) where: C = capacitance in farads
𝑑
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
1
Capacitive reactance Xc = where: Xc = capacitive reactance in ohms
2𝜋𝑓 𝐶

f = frequency in hertz
C = capacitance in farads

π = 3.1416
𝐶 𝑉2
Work stored in a capacitor Wstored = where: Wstored = energy stored in joules
2
C = capacitance in farads
V = voltage in volts
1 1 1 1
Capacitors in series = + + +... where: CEq = the equivalent capacitance in farads
𝐶𝐸𝑞 𝐶1 𝐶2 𝐶3

C123 = component capacitance in farads

Capacitors in parallel CEq = C1 + C2 + C3 +...
Capacitive time constant 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 Φ N where: VG = generated voltage in volts

K = fixed constant for the generator no units
Φ = magnetic flux strength in webers
N = speed in revolutions per minute
Resonance frequency (undamped) of a LC circuit
1
(1) f = where: f = frequency in hertz
2𝜋 𝐿 𝐶
L = inductance in henries
C = capacitance in farads
1
(2) 𝜔o =
𝐿𝐶
where: 𝜔o = freq in radians / second
L = inductance in henries
C = capacitance in farads
𝑃
Power factor Pf = where: Pf = power factor expressed in decimals
𝑺
P = real power in watts
S = apparent power in volt amp reactive ( VAR
𝑃𝑖𝑛
Efficiency motor Meff = where: Meff = efficiency in percentage
𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡

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
𝐻𝑃 𝑥 746 𝐻𝑃 𝑥 746
DC amps = , AC amps(120 240) = ,
𝑉 𝑋 𝐸𝑓𝑓 𝑉 𝑥 𝐸𝑓𝑓 𝑥 𝑃𝐹
𝐻𝑃 𝑥 746
AC amps 3phase =
1.73 𝑥 𝑉 𝑥 𝐸𝑓𝑓 𝑥 𝑃𝐹

AC / DC motor cont.
𝑘𝑤 𝑥 1000 𝑘𝑤 𝑥 1000 𝐾𝑊 𝑥 1000
DC amps = , AC amps(120, 240) = , AC amps 3phase =
𝑉 𝑉 𝑥 𝑃𝐹 1.73 𝑥 𝑉 𝑥 𝑃𝐹
𝑘𝑉𝐴 𝑥 1000 𝑘𝑉𝐴 𝑥 1000
AC amps(120,240) = , AC amps3phase =
𝑉 1.73 𝑥 𝑉
 𝐼𝑥𝑉 𝐼 𝑥 𝑉 𝑥 𝑃𝐹 𝐼 𝑥 𝑉 𝑥 1.73 𝑥 𝑃𝐹
DC kw = , AC kw(120, 240) = , AC kw 3 phase =
1000 1000 1000
𝐼𝑥𝑉 𝐼 𝑥 𝑉 𝑥 1.73
AC kv-amps (120,240) = , AC kv-amps 3 phase =
1000 1000
𝐼 𝑥 𝑉 𝑥 𝐸𝑓𝑓 𝐼 𝑥 𝑉 𝑋 𝐸𝑓𝑓 𝑥 𝑃𝐹
DC hp = , AC hp(120,240) = ,
746 746
𝐼 𝑥 𝑉 𝑥 𝐸𝑓𝑓 𝑥 1.73 𝑥 𝑃𝐹
AC hp 3 phase =
746
𝑉𝑠 𝑥 𝐼𝑠
Transformer voltage and current Vp = where:Vp = primary voltage in volts
𝐼𝑝

Vs = secondary voltage in volts

Is = secondary current in amps
Ip = primary current in amps
𝑉𝑠 𝑥 𝐼𝑝
Transformer voltage and turns in coil Vp = where: Vp = voltage in primary coil in volts
𝑇𝑠

Vs = voltage in secondary coil in volts

Ip = current in primary coil in amps
Ts = turns in secondary coil
𝑉𝑝 𝑥 𝑇𝑠
Vs =
𝑇𝑝

𝐼𝑠 𝑥 𝑇𝑠
Transformer amperes and turns in coil Ip =
𝑇𝑝
𝐼𝑝 𝑥 𝑇𝑝
Is =
𝑇𝑠
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
4th band ,tolerance ,silver ±
Color code table Numeral multiplier 10%, gold ± 5%, no band, 20%

Black 0 1
Brown 1 10
Red 2 1000 (1k) 5th band, brown ± 1%, red
band, .1 %, no band, > ± 1 %
Orange 3 100
Yellow 4 10000(10k)
Green 5 100000 (100k)
Blue 6 106
Violet 7 107
Grey 8 108
white 9 109

In our example, red, violet, green, we have 27 x 100k or 270 kΩ , ± 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.