All Flashcards
Label the components in a basic RC circuit diagram.
1: Voltage Source, 2: Resistor (R), 3: Capacitor (C)
What happens to the charging/discharging rate if the resistance in an RC circuit is increased?
The charging/discharging rate decreases; it takes longer for the capacitor to charge or discharge because the time constant increases.
What happens to the charging/discharging rate if the capacitance in an RC circuit is increased?
The charging/discharging rate decreases; it takes longer for the capacitor to charge or discharge because the time constant increases.
What happens to the current in an RC circuit after a very long time when the capacitor is fully charged?
The current becomes zero because the capacitor acts like an open circuit.
What is the effect of increasing the voltage of the battery on the maximum charge accumulated on the capacitor?
The maximum charge increases because .
What happens immediately after a charged capacitor begins to discharge?
The plate charge and stored energy immediately decrease.
What happens to the time constant if both resistance and capacitance are doubled?
The time constant quadruples because .
What is a resistor?
A component that opposes the flow of electric current, dissipating energy as heat.
What is a capacitor?
A component that stores electrical energy in an electric field.
What is equivalent capacitance?
The total capacitance of a circuit with multiple capacitors that can be analyzed as a single capacitor.
What is the time constant (τ)?
A measure of how quickly a capacitor charges or discharges in an RC circuit, calculated as .
Define 'charging' in the context of RC circuits.
The process where a capacitor accumulates electric charge, increasing its potential difference and stored energy over time.
Define 'discharging' in the context of RC circuits.
The process where a capacitor releases its stored electric charge, decreasing its potential difference and stored energy over time.