Capacitance

Question 1

What is a capacitor used for?

Answer 1

Storing electrical charge

Question 2

To find the value of total capacitance, when do you only add up the capacitance values?

Answer 2

› When the capacitors are in parallel

› When in series, it is the reciprocal of this

Question 3

What is always the same in capacitors in parallel?

Answer 3

The voltage

Question 4

What is always the same in capacitors in series?

Answer 4

The charge stored

Question 5

What is the time constant and what does it mean?

Answer 5

› ‘RC’ is the time constant, found in the charging/discharging equation
› The time to charge/discharge to/down to 37% of its original value