Capacitors

    Cards (15)

    • What is the primary function of a capacitor?
      To store charge in a circuit
    • What two factors determine how much charge a capacitor can store?
      The potential difference and capacitance
    • What is capacitance?
      Measure of charge stored per unit potential difference
    • What is the equation for capacitance?
      C = Q/V
    • What does the area under a capacitor's charge-potential graph represent?
      The energy stored by a capacitor
    • What does the gradient of a capacitor's charge-p.d. graph represent?

      Capacitance
    • What are the three equations to calculate the energy stored by a capacitor?

      • W = 1/2 Q x V
      • W = 1/2 C x V^2
      • W = 1/2 Q^2 x C
    • What does a charge-time graph for charging a capacitor look like?
      It shows an exponential increase in charge
    • What does the gradient of a charge-time graph represent?
      The rate of charge increase
    • What does a current-time graph for charging a capacitor look like?
      It shows an exponential decrease in current
    • What does the area under a current-time graph represent?
      The total charge transferred
    • What does a voltage-time graph for charging a capacitor look like?
      It shows an exponential increase in voltage
    • What value is given by the product of resistance and capacitance?
      The time constant of the circuit
    • What does the time constant of a circuit indicate?
      Time to reach 63% charge and 37% discharge
    • What is the unit of Capacitance?
      F (Farads)
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