Capacitors - High School Physics
Card 0 of 12
Three capacitors are in series. They have capacitances of 
, 
, and 
, respectively. What is their total capacitance?
Three capacitors are in series. They have capacitances of
For capacitors in series the formula for total capacitance is:
Note that this formula is similar to the formula for total resistance in parallel. Using the values for each individual capacitor, we can solve for the total capacitance.
For capacitors in series the formula for total capacitance is:
Note that this formula is similar to the formula for total resistance in parallel. Using the values for each individual capacitor, we can solve for the total capacitance.
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Three capacitors are in parallel. They have capacitance values of 
, 
, and 
. What is their total capacitance?
Three capacitors are in parallel. They have capacitance values of
For capacitors in parallel the formula for total capacitance is:
Note that this formula is similar to the formula for total resistance in series. Using the values for each individual capacitor, we can solve for the total capacitance.
For capacitors in parallel the formula for total capacitance is:
Note that this formula is similar to the formula for total resistance in series. Using the values for each individual capacitor, we can solve for the total capacitance.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Three capacitors, each with a capacity of 
are arranged in parallel. What is the total capacitance of this circuit?
Three capacitors, each with a capacity of
The formula for capacitors in parallel is:
Our three capacitors all have equal capacitance values. We can simply add them together to find the total capacitance.
The formula for capacitors in parallel is:
Our three capacitors all have equal capacitance values. We can simply add them together to find the total capacitance.
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What is the total capacitance of a series circuit with capacitors of 
, 
, and 
?
What is the total capacitance of a series circuit with capacitors of
The total capacitance of a series circuit is 
Plug in our given values.
The total capacitance of a series circuit is
Plug in our given values.
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Calculate the total capacitance of a circuit with the following three capacitors in parallel.
Calculate the total capacitance of a circuit with the following three capacitors in parallel.
To calculate the total capacitance for capacitors in parallel, simply sum the value of each individual capacitor.
To calculate the total capacitance for capacitors in parallel, simply sum the value of each individual capacitor.
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Calculate the total capacitance of a circuit with the following three capacitors in series.
Calculate the total capacitance of a circuit with the following three capacitors in series.
To find the total capacitance for capacitors in series, we must sum the inverse of each individual capacitance and take the reciprocal of the result.
Remember, you must still take the final reciprocal!
To find the total capacitance for capacitors in series, we must sum the inverse of each individual capacitance and take the reciprocal of the result.
Remember, you must still take the final reciprocal!
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Which of these is the correct SI unit for capacitance?
Which of these is the correct SI unit for capacitance?
The correct unit for capacitance is the Farad, named after the English physicist Michael Faraday.
Newtons are used to measure force. Ohms measure resistance and volts measure electrical energy or potential. Joules are a unit of energy, but Farad-Joules are not a recognizable unit.
The correct unit for capacitance is the Farad, named after the English physicist Michael Faraday.
Newtons are used to measure force. Ohms measure resistance and volts measure electrical energy or potential. Joules are a unit of energy, but Farad-Joules are not a recognizable unit.
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By using a dielectric, it is possible to store more energy in a capacitor. Why is this?
By using a dielectric, it is possible to store more energy in a capacitor. Why is this?
Dielectrics are insulating materials that can be polarized, and can be used to increase the separability of the two plates of a capacitor. When a dielectric is absent, air is present between the capacitor plates. At high voltages, when the electric field between the plates is incredibly strong, air begins to break down and becomes unable to prevent the flow of electricity between the capacitor plates. When this occurs, the capacitor cannot store energy, nor can it properly function. The presence of a dielectric eliminates this problem, allowing the capacitor to store much more energy.
Dielectrics are insulating materials that can be polarized, and can be used to increase the separability of the two plates of a capacitor. When a dielectric is absent, air is present between the capacitor plates. At high voltages, when the electric field between the plates is incredibly strong, air begins to break down and becomes unable to prevent the flow of electricity between the capacitor plates. When this occurs, the capacitor cannot store energy, nor can it properly function. The presence of a dielectric eliminates this problem, allowing the capacitor to store much more energy.
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Three capacitors in series have a capacity of 
, 
, and 
, respectively. What is the total capacitance?
Three capacitors in series have a capacity of
The formula for capacitors in series is:
Plug in our given values:
The formula for capacitors in series is:
Plug in our given values:
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Three capacitors in parallel have a capacity of 
, 
, and 
, respectively. What is the total capacitance?
Three capacitors in parallel have a capacity of
The formula for capacitors in parallel is:
Plug in our given values:
The formula for capacitors in parallel is:
Plug in our given values:
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Three capacitors of equal capacitance are in a parallel circuit. If the total capacitance is 
, what is the capacitance of each individual capacitor?
Three capacitors of equal capacitance are in a parallel circuit. If the total capacitance is
The formula for capacitors in parallel is:
Since we have three equal capacitors, we can say:
Use the value for total capacitance to find the individual capacitance value.
The formula for capacitors in parallel is:
Since we have three equal capacitors, we can say:
Use the value for total capacitance to find the individual capacitance value.
Compare your answer with the correct one above
Three capacitors of equal capacitance are in a series circuit. If the total capacitance is 
, what is the capacitance of each individual capacitor?
Three capacitors of equal capacitance are in a series circuit. If the total capacitance is
The formula for capacitors in a series is:
Since we have three equal capacitors, we can say:
Using the value for total capacitance, we can find the value for the individual capacitance.
The formula for capacitors in a series is:
Since we have three equal capacitors, we can say:
Using the value for total capacitance, we can find the value for the individual capacitance.
Compare your answer with the correct one above