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Physics Investigatory Project

The document outlines a project conducted at New Era Senior Secondary School to investigate the properties of simple R-C circuits through the charging and discharging of a capacitor. It includes acknowledgments, a detailed procedure for setting up the circuit, theoretical background on capacitors, and practical applications. The experiment successfully demonstrates the exponential behavior of capacitors and their importance in electronic systems, with visual indicators provided by an LED.

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22 views14 pages

Physics Investigatory Project

The document outlines a project conducted at New Era Senior Secondary School to investigate the properties of simple R-C circuits through the charging and discharging of a capacitor. It includes acknowledgments, a detailed procedure for setting up the circuit, theoretical background on capacitors, and practical applications. The experiment successfully demonstrates the exponential behavior of capacitors and their importance in electronic systems, with visual indicators provided by an LED.

Uploaded by

amaanramacademic
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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You are on page 1/ 14

AKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to extend my sincere thanks


and gratitude to New Era Senior
Secondary School who gave me a
platform to carry out the project and
helped throughout. I am grateful for Leena
Madam, the principal of the school for her
guidance and support. A huge thanks to
Sanjay Sir and Rutu Madam who helped
and advised me throughout.
INDEX

Sr No. CONTENTS
1 Aim
2 Materials
3 Theory
4 Procedure
5 Conclusion
6 Bibliography
Aim
To investigate simple R-C circuits and their
properties by charging and discharging the
capacitor.

Materials Required
1-Canvas board/cardboard
2-wires
3-1000 micro-farad capacitor 25V
4-two 2000ohm resistors
5-9V battery
6-two LED
7-two switches
8-Multimeter
Theory
Capacitors are fundamental components in
electronic circuits that store electrical energy in an
electric field between two conducting plates
separated by an insulating material (dielectric).
The ability of a capacitor to store charge is
measured in farads (F), with typical values for
practical applications being much smaller, such as
microfarads (µF). In this experiment, we explore
the charging and discharging behaviour of a
capacitor in a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit.

Charging of a Capacitor
When a capacitor is connected in series with a
resistor to a voltage source, the capacitor begins
to accumulate charge. Initially, the potential
difference across the capacitor is zero, allowing
maximum current to flow through the circuit. As the
capacitor charges, the voltage across it increases,
and the current in the circuit decreases over time.
The charging process is not instantaneous but
follows an exponential curve.
The voltage across the capacitor at any time t
during the charging process is given by the
formula:

As time progresses, the voltage across the


capacitor approaches the source voltage V0, but it
never fully reaches this value within a finite time.
Instead, after a period of time, the voltage across
the capacitor will be very close to the source
voltage, typically considered to be fully charged
after a few time constants.

Discharging of a Capacitor
When the power supply is removed and the circuit
is closed, allowing the capacitor to discharge
through the resistor, the stored charge in the
capacitor begins to deplete. Like charging, the
discharging process is exponential. The voltage
across the capacitor decreases over time,
following the equation:

Where the variables hold the same meaning as in


the charging equation.
During the discharging process, the capacitor
releases its stored energy back into the circuit,
with the voltage gradually decreasing until the
capacitor is nearly fully discharged. The time it
takes for the capacitor to discharge depends on
the values of resistance and capacitance in the
circuit.

Role of the Resistor


The resistor plays a crucial role in controlling the
rate at which the capacitor charges and
discharges. In both charging and discharging
phases, the resistor limits the current flow in the
circuit. Larger resistance values cause the
capacitor to charge and discharge more slowly,
while smaller resistance values allow quicker
charging and discharging. The combination of the
resistor and capacitor defines the overall timing of
these processes, with their product, RC,
commonly referred to as the time constant
(denoted by τ).
The time constant τ is an important characteristic
of the circuit, and it defines the time it takes for the
capacitor to charge to about 63% of the applied
voltage or to discharge to about 37% of its initial
voltage. After 5 time constants, the capacitor is
considered to be nearly fully charged or
discharged.

Exponential Behaviour
One of the key characteristics of capacitor
behaviour in an RC circuit is its exponential nature.
Unlike a simple linear increase or decrease in
voltage, the voltage change slows down as the
capacitor approaches full charge or complete
discharge. This non-linear behaviour is what gives
capacitors their unique ability to smooth out
voltage changes in many practical applications,
such as filters in power supplies or timing circuits
in electronics.

Practical Applications
Capacitors are used in a variety of electronic
devices and circuits due to their ability to store and
release energy. Some common applications
include:
 Energy Storage: Capacitors can temporarily
store electrical energy, which is particularly
useful in power supply circuits to provide
energy during brief interruptions.
 Timing Circuits: In an RC circuit, the charging
and discharging times of the capacitor can be
used to create delays or timed events in
electronic devices, such as clocks and timers.
 Filtering: Capacitors are used in filter circuits
to block unwanted frequency components in
signals, smoothing out fluctuations in power
supply voltages or signals.
In this experiment, we use an LED in parallel with
the capacitor and resistor to provide a visual
indication of the charging and discharging
processes. The LED lights up as the capacitor
charges, indicating the presence of voltage, and
dims as the capacitor discharges, providing a clear
visual representation of the energy flow within the
circuit. It can also be noted that the capacitor
charges and discharges approximately after 5 time
constants.
The behaviour observed in this experiment serves
as a practical demonstration of how capacitors and
resistors interact in basic circuits. While the
mathematical relationship between voltage,
resistance, and capacitance can be complex, the
general principle is that capacitors store and
release electrical energy, and resistors control the
rate at which these processes occur.

PROCEDURE
1. Circuit Setup

1.1. Assemble the Charging Circuit:


- Connect the positive terminal of the 9V battery
to one terminal of the switch labeled "Sc"
- Connect the other terminal of the switch to one
end of the 2000 Ω resistor.
- Connect the other end of the resistor to the
positive terminal of the LED(L2).
-Connect the negative terminal of LED to the
positive terminal of capacitor.
- Connect the negative terminal of the capacitor
back to the negative terminal of the 9V battery,
completing the charging circuit.
- Ensure that the LED is connected in series with
the capacitor and resistor in the charging circuit.
The LED will light up when the capacitor is
charging, indicating the presence of voltage and
get dimmer showing stoppage of current.

1.2. Assemble the Discharging Circuit:


- The discharging circuit is connected in parallel
to the charging circuit. Use the switch labeled "Sd"
to alternate between charging and discharging
modes. The LED(Ld) and 2000 Ω resistor are
connected in series.
- When the switch is toggled to the discharging
position, the capacitor discharges through a
second resistor (2000 Ω).
- Observe the LED(Ld) during the discharging
process, as it will gradually dim as the capacitor
discharges.
2. Charging the Capacitor

2.1. Apply Power:


- Toggle the switch to the "Charge Circuit"
position to connect the battery to the charging
circuit.
- Observe the LED lighting up and then getting
dimmer, indicating that the capacitor is charging.

2.3. Record the Charging Time:


- observe the time required for the capacitor to
charge. (it should be approximately 5 time
constants)

3. Discharging the Capacitor

3.1. Discharge the Capacitor:


-make sure the switch (Sc) is open.
- Toggle the switch to the "Discharge Circuit"
position to connect the capacitor to the
discharging circuit.
- Observe the LED as it gradually dims,
indicating the capacitor is discharging.
3.3. Record the Discharging Time:
- Observe the time required for the capacitor to
discharge. (it should be approximately 5 time
constants)

4. Safety and Cleanup

5.1. Disconnect Power Supply:


- Ensure that the power supply is disconnected
when making changes to the circuit or when not in
use.

5.2. Handle Components Carefully:


- Discharge capacitors before handling them to
avoid electric shocks.

5.3. Clean Up:


- Ensure all components are properly stored and
the workspace is clean.
Conclusion
This project successfully demonstrates the
fundamental behaviour of capacitors in RC
circuits, particularly their charging and discharging
processes. By assembling a simple circuit
involving a capacitor and a resistor, we observed
the exponential nature of both charging and
discharging. The LED provided a clear visual
representation of the capacitor's status, lighting up
during charging and gradually dimming during
discharging.
Through this experiment, we gained a deeper
understanding of how capacitors store and release
energy in a controlled manner, influenced by the
resistor in the circuit. While theoretical calculations
give an estimate of the time required for charging
and discharging, real-life factors such as
component tolerances and environmental
conditions may result in slight deviations from
predicted times.
Overall, the experiment highlights the importance
of capacitors in electronic systems, not only in
energy storage but also in timing and filtering
applications. The principles demonstrated here are
foundational to many advanced electronic circuits,
and the knowledge gained can be applied to a
wide range of practical uses in electronics.

Bibliography
 www.google.com
 www.wikipedia.com
 Class 12 Physics NCERT
 Megacosm Pinnacle physics module class 12
current electricity.

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