All Flashcards
What is the effect of increasing the resistance in an RC circuit?
Increasing resistance increases the time constant, slowing down the charging/discharging process.
What is the effect of increasing the capacitance in an RC circuit?
Increasing capacitance increases the time constant, slowing down the charging/discharging process and allowing it to store more charge.
What is the effect of reaching steady state in a DC circuit with a capacitor?
The capacitor blocks DC current, acting like an open circuit.
What happens if a capacitor is uncharged in a circuit?
Current flows freely through the circuit.
What is the effect of connecting capacitors in parallel?
The total capacitance increases, allowing the circuit to store more charge at a given voltage.
Compare capacitors in series vs. parallel regarding total charge.
Series: Charge is the same on each capacitor. Parallel: Total charge is the sum of charges on each capacitor.
Compare capacitors in series vs. parallel regarding total capacitance.
Series: Reciprocal addition is used. Parallel: Capacitances are added directly.
Compare the behavior of a capacitor in a DC circuit initially versus at steady state.
Initially: Current flows freely. Steady State: No current flows; acts as an open circuit.
Compare charging vs. discharging an RC circuit regarding current flow.
Charging: Current decreases exponentially. Discharging: Current (magnitude) decreases exponentially, and flows in the opposite direction.
Compare the voltage distribution in series vs parallel capacitor circuits.
Series: Voltage is split across capacitors. Parallel: Voltage is the same across each capacitor.
How do you find the total capacitance of capacitors in series?
Use the reciprocal addition formula:
How do you find the total capacitance of capacitors in parallel?
Add the capacitances directly:
Describe the process of charging a capacitor in an RC circuit.
Initially, current flows freely. As the capacitor charges, the voltage across it increases until it equals the source voltage, at which point current stops flowing.
Describe the process of discharging a capacitor in an RC circuit.
The capacitor releases its stored charge through the resistor, with the voltage and current decreasing exponentially over time.
What happens to the voltage across a capacitor in a DC circuit over time?
The voltage across the capacitor increases over time until it reaches the voltage of the source, after which it remains constant.