Scribd
Upload
405 views4 pages

EXPERIMENT Capacitor RC Circuit

This document describes an experiment to determine the time constant and capacitance of capacitors using RC circuits. Students are instructed to charge and discharge capacitors through resistor circuits and measure the current over time. By plotting the current versus time graphs and determining the time constants, the capacitance of each capacitor can be calculated using the relationship of time constant to resistance and capacitance. Students also study different types of capacitors and evaluate if their experimental time constants match theoretical calculations.

Uploaded by

faiz shukri
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
405 views4 pages

EXPERIMENT Capacitor RC Circuit

This document describes an experiment to determine the time constant and capacitance of capacitors using RC circuits. Students are instructed to charge and discharge capacitors through resistor circuits and measure the current over time. By plotting the current versus time graphs and determining the time constants, the capacitance of each capacitor can be calculated using the relationship of time constant to resistance and capacitance. Students also study different types of capacitors and evaluate if their experimental time constants match theoretical calculations.

Uploaded by

faiz shukri
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

EXPERIMENT : CAPACITOR – TIME CONSTANT OF RC CIRCUIT

1.0 Objective

1.1 To determine the time constant and the capacitance of a capacitor


using an RC circuit.

2.0 Apparatus

2.1 6V battery
2.2 Switch & breadboard
2.3 Stopwatch
2.4 2 unit of 220 kΩ resistors
2.5 2 Capacitors (C1: 2200 F and C2: 10000 F)
2.6 Wire jumpers and connectors
2.7 DC milliammeter

3.0 Pre-Lab Tasks


3.1 Study on how capacitor store the energy and discharge the energy.
3.2 Study on what are the factors that affect the charging and discharging
capability of a capacitor.

4.0 Introduction

A capacitor is charged when we supply a voltage with current running through


the capacitor, in the process the capacitor accumulates charges and is called
charged.

The total charge, Q on each plate of a capacitor during the discharging


processes varies with time, t as shown in FIGURE 3.1.
FIGURE 3.1

During the charging process:


(3.1)

During discharging, the magnitude of the current, I varies with time as shown in
Figure 3.2.

FIGURE 3.2

During the discharging process:


(3.2)

where Qo = the initial amount of charge stored in the capacitor


Q = the amount of charge at time, t
RC = time constant, τ

The magnitude of the discharge current is:


(3.3)

Evidently at time. t = τ, the magnitude of the discharge current is 0.37 of its initial
or maximum value, 0.37Io.

5.0 Procedures
Note:
Before starting or repeating this experiment, please ensure that the capacitors
are fully discharged. This can be attained by short circuiting the capacitors.

1. Set up the circuit as shown in Figure 3.3 with switch S opened.

2. Close switch S. Use the circuit to study the variation of Io, where Io is the
reading of the microammeter. Record your result and tabulate your data
in a suitable table.

FIGURE 3.3 FIGURE 3.4

3. Open switch S to short circuit the capacitor, so that the capacitor will be
discharged.

4. Close switch S again to charge the capacitor so that the microammeter


reading suppose give you the same value of Io.

5. Now, open switch S and start the stopwatch simultaneously. Observe the
reading of the microammeter. When the current reaches a certain
value, stop the stopwatch.

6. Record the readings of the current, I and the time, t respectively.

7. Repeat steps (5) and (6) for other values of I and t. Record your readings
in a suitable table and tabulate the values for both I and t.

8. Then, get ready to replace capacitor C2, to the circuit.

9. Repeat steps (3) to (6) to obtain the readings of the microammeter and
the stopwatch to obtain I’ and t’. Record the readings and tabulate I’
and t’ in a suitable table.

10. Plot graphs of I against t and I’ against t’ using the same axis.

6.0 Results and Analysis

6.1 From the graphs, determine the time constants τ and τ’ of the RC circuits.
6.2 Calculate the capacitance of the two circuits using equations τ = RC.
Note that the result obtained for circuit in Figure 3.3 is for C and the result
for circuit in Figure 3.4 is the effective capacitance, C when capacitors C1
and C2 are in parallel combination.
6.3 Write the relationship of C1, C2 and C and then determine the value of C2.

7.0 Discussion

7.1 Identify and discuss the various types of capacitors including ceramic,
electrolytic and film along with their applications.

7.2 Identify which type of capacitor that you used in this experiment. Does
the RC (time constant, τ) value that obtained in your experiment in line
with theoretical RC value.

8.0 Conclusion

8.1 Your conclusion must relate to your stated purposes or objectives. Please
attach verified result together with the conclusion

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy