MIT 8.02: Electricity and Magnetism
8.02 is MIT's electricity and magnetism GIR, covering electrostatics, circuits, magnetism, induction, and Maxwell's equations using multivariable calculus. It's the second required physics course for all MIT students and a heavily used OCW resource.
Fennie is independent and not affiliated with MIT. This is an unofficial study guide.
What makes it hard
E&M is more abstract than mechanics: fields can't be seen or felt, and the math (flux integrals, Gauss's law, Faraday's law) runs ahead of intuition for most students. 8.02 is widely considered the harder of the two physics GIRs, with induction and the integral theorems as the peak difficulty.
What you'll cover
- • Electrostatics and Gauss's law
- • Electric potential
- • Circuits and capacitance
- • Magnetic fields and forces
- • Faraday's law and induction
- • Maxwell's equations
The 8.02 study guide
How to study for MIT 8.02, step by step.
- 1
Solidify your vector calculus first
Weak surface and line integrals are the most common root cause of 8.02 struggles. Review 18.02's flux material before the course needs it. The physics is hard enough without the math fighting you.
- 2
Draw the field for every single problem
Fields can't be seen or felt, so the diagram is your only handle on them. Sketch field lines and Gaussian surfaces before computing, every time, until the visual habit is automatic.
- 3
Drill Gauss's law and Faraday's law setups
Choosing the surface, exploiting symmetry, and getting signs right form the exam core. Work these setups repeatedly. Induction problems in particular reward students who've practiced the sign conventions to death.
- 4
Explain each law in words, then in math
If you can't state what a flux integral physically measures, the symbols will detach from meaning under exam pressure. Concept questions and verbal explanations bridge the gap pure computation leaves open.
Today
Today's 8.02 plan
What a Fennie Daily Plan looks like for 8.02. Yours is built from your own syllabus and adapts every day to your deadlines and progress.
First plan free, no card required. Fennie is independent and unaffiliated with your school.
FAQ
Is 8.02 harder than 8.01?
Most MIT students say yes. The abstraction of fields plus heavier vector calculus makes E&M the tougher GIR. Concurrent or prior 18.02 helps substantially.
What math do I need for 8.02?
Multivariable calculus concepts, especially surface and line integrals at the 18.02 level. Weak vector calculus is the most common root cause of 8.02 struggles.
How do I build intuition for E&M?
Draw field diagrams for every problem before computing, and explain each law in words. Simulations and concept questions help bridge the gap that pure computation leaves open.
More MIT courses
8.01: Classical Mechanics
8.01 is MIT's calculus-based classical mechanics GIR, covering kinematics, Newton's laws, energy, momentum, rotation, and oscillations, required of every first-year student. Its OCW materials make it a benchmark mechanics course for self-learners and ambitious high schoolers worldwide.
8.03: Vibrations and Waves
8.03 is the third course in MIT's physics sequence: oscillators, coupled systems, waves on strings, sound, and electromagnetic waves through interference and diffraction. Its OCW versions, with full lecture videos and famously demonstration-rich teaching, make it a staple for physics self-learners after 8.01 and 8.02.
8.04: Quantum Physics I
8.04 is MIT's first quantum mechanics course: wave-particle duality, the Schrödinger equation, one-dimensional potentials, tunneling, and the hydrogen atom. Allan Adams' OCW lectures for 8.04 are among the most-watched physics courses on the internet, drawing self-learners far beyond MIT.