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SJDLecture26 PDF
SJDLecture26 PDF
Series
Parallel
Vab = Vax + V xy + V yb
V1 = V2 = V3 = Vab
1 1 1 1
= + = ; Reff = 2 Ω
Reff 6 Ω 3 Ω 2 Ω
yielding
Reff = 4 Ω + 2 Ω = 6 Ω yielding
V 18
I= = = 3 Amps
R eff 6
V4 Ω = 3 ⋅ 4 = 12Volts;
V2 Ω = 3 ⋅ 2 = 6Volts
6Volts
I6 Ω = = 1 Amp;
6Ω
6Volts
I3Ω = = 2 Amps
3Ω
2
The power dissipated in R2 is given by P= V
R
When the switch is closed neither V nor R changes
With the switch open the current in the circuit is zero and
zero charge accumulates on the capacitor
Physics 231 Lecture 6-25 Fall 2008
RC Circuits
Now close the switch Initially the full potential will be
across the resistor as the potential
across the capacitor is zero since q is
zero
Initially the full potential is across the
resistor
The initial current in the circuit is then
given by I 0 = ε / R
ε − Vresistor − Vcapacitor = 0
q
ε − IR − =0
C
εq
Solving for the current I= −
R RC
As time increases, the charge on the capacitor increases,
therefore the current in the circuit decreases
⎛ q − Cε ⎞ 1
The resultant integration yields ln⎜ ⎟=−
⎝ − Cε ⎠ RC
What will be the voltage across the capacitor a long time after
the switch is closed?
(a) VC = 0 (b) VC = ε R2/(R1+ R2) (c) VC = ε
After a long time the capacitor is completely charged, so no
current flows through it
The circuit is then equivalent to a battery with two resistors in
series
The voltage across the capacitor equals the voltage across R2
(since C and R2 are in parallel)
Physics 231 Lecture 6-30 Fall 2008
RC Circuits
The current in the circuit is given by
d q ε −t / RC
I= = e = I 0 e −t / RC
dt R
and looks like
Vresistor = IR
The capacitor will now act as a source of emf, but one whose
value is not constant with time
q = Q0e −t / RC
t
−
The voltage across the resistor is given by V = V0 e RC
a) Q1 > Q2 b) Q1 = Q2 c) Q1 < Q2
Initially, the charges on the two capacitors are the same. But the two
circuits have different time constants: τ1 = RC and τ2 = 2RC
Since τ2 > τ1 it takes circuit 2 longer to discharge its capacitor
Therefore, at any given time, the charge on capacitor 2 is larger than that on
capacitor 1
Physics 231 Lecture 6-37 Fall 2008
Example 5 a b
The capacitor in the circuit shown is initially
charged to Q = Q0. At t = 0 the switch is R 3R
connected to position a.
At t = t0 the switch is immediately flipped C
from position a to position b.
a) Which of the following graphs best represents the time dependence of the
charge on C?
Q0
Q0
Q0
a) b) c)
Q
Q
Q
b) Which of the following correctly relates the value of t0 to the time constant
τa while the switch is at a?
(a) t0 < τa (b) t0 = τa (c) t0 > τa
Physics 231 Lecture 6-38 Fall 2008
Example 5 a b
The capacitor in the circuit shown is initially
charged to Q = Q0. At t = 0 the switch is R 3R
connected to position a.
At t = t0 the switch is immediately flipped C
from position a to position b.
a) Which of the following graphs best represents the time dependence of the
charge on C?
Q0
Q0
Q0
a) b) c)
Q
Q
Q
For 0 < t < t0, the capacitor is discharging with time constant t = RC
For t > t0, the capacitor is discharging with time constant τ = 3RC,
i.e., much more slowly Therefore, the answer is a)
Physics 231 Lecture 6-39 Fall 2008
Example 5 a b
The capacitor in the circuit shown is initially
charged to Q = Q0. At t = 0 the switch is R 3R
connected to position a.
C
At t = t0 the switch is immediately flipped
from position a to position b.
Q0
Q0
Q0
a) b) c)
Q
Q
Q
b) Which of the following correctly relates the value of t0 to the time constant
τa while the switch is at a?
Charging
It takes time to put the final charge on
Initially, the capacitor behaves like a wire (∆V = 0, since Q = 0).
As current starts to flow, charge builds up on the capacitor
Æ it then becomes more difficult to add more charge
Æ the current decreases
After a long time, the capacitor behaves like an open switch.
Discharging
Initially, the capacitor behaves like a battery.
After a long time, the capacitor behaves like a wire.