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1) An RC circuit contains a resistor and capacitor. Charging and discharging a capacitor in a circuit with resistance is not instantaneous. 2) When a switch connects a charged battery to an initially uncharged capacitor through a resistor, current flows as the capacitor charges according to an exponential curve over time with a characteristic time constant. 3) When a charged capacitor is discharged through a resistor, the current and charge on the capacitor decrease exponentially over time according to the circuit's time constant.

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32 views16 pages

A Document

1) An RC circuit contains a resistor and capacitor. Charging and discharging a capacitor in a circuit with resistance is not instantaneous. 2) When a switch connects a charged battery to an initially uncharged capacitor through a resistor, current flows as the capacitor charges according to an exponential curve over time with a characteristic time constant. 3) When a charged capacitor is discharged through a resistor, the current and charge on the capacitor decrease exponentially over time according to the circuit's time constant.

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LECTURE 13

RC CIRCUITS
Lecture 13
2

¨ Reading chapter 25-6.


¤ RC circuits
n Discharginga capacitor
n Charging a capacitor
RC circuits
3

¨ A circuit containing a resistor and capacitor is called an RC circuit.


¨ In a circuit containing only batteries and capacitors, charge appears
almost instantaneously on the capacitors when the circuit is connected.
However, if the circuit contains resistors as well, this is not the case.
¨ Kirchhoff’s rules still apply; however, the current is not necessarily
constant with time.
Charging a capacitor
4

¨ Charging an initially uncharged capacitor.


¨ When the switch is closed, a current starts, charging the capacitor.
¨ When the capacitor is fully charged, current stops.
¨ And the potential difference across the capacitor and the battery would
be the same.
ℰ  = Qf/C
¤ where Qf is the final charge on the capacitor.
¨ Applying Kirchhoff’s loop rule when the switch is closed we obtain
𝑑𝑄 𝑄
ℰ − 𝐼𝑅 − 𝑉' = ℰ − 𝑅− =0
𝑑𝑡 𝐶
Charging a capacitor: 2
5

¨ The charge on the capacitor and the current in the circuit as functions of time are:

E
Qf = CE I (t ) = I 0 e −t / RC I0 =
R
Quiz: 1 & 2
6
Example: 1
7

¨ A resistor with a resistance of R = 145 Ω is


connected to a switch, a capacitor, and a battery
with an emf of E = 9.0 V, all in series. Assume
that the capacitor is uncharged initially.
a) What capacitance must be used in this
circuit if the time constant is to be
τ = 3.5 ms?
b) Using the capacitance determined in part
a), calculate the current in the circuit
t = 7.0 ms after the switch is closed.
c) What is the charge on the capacitor a long
time after the switch is closed.
Discharging a capacitor
8

¨ The current reduces the charge on the capacitor.


¨ A capacitor initially has charge Q0.
¨ The initial potential difference across the capacitor is
Q0
V0 =
C
¨ Right after the switch is closed, the initial current is
V0 Q0
I0 = =
R RC
¨ Applying Kirchhoff’s loop rule when the switch is closed we obtain
𝑄 𝑑𝑄
𝑉' + 𝐼𝑅 = + 𝑅=0
𝐶 𝑑𝑡
€
Discharging a capacitor: 2
9

¨ The charge and current as the capacitor


discharges are:

¤ τ = RC is called the time constant.


¤ τ is the time it takes for the charge or current to
decrease by a factor of e-1.
Demo: 1
10

¨ RC circuit
¤ A capacitor is charged by a battery through a resistor, all in series.

Scope

¤ A capacitor is discharged through a resistor.


Quiz: 3 & 4
11
Example: 2
12

¨ After the switch has been at contact b for a


long time, the potential difference across the
capacitor is 100 V. The switch is then rotated to
contact a at t = 0. At t = 10.0 s, the potential
difference across the capacitor is 1.00 V.
a) What is the time constant of the circuit?
b) What is the potential difference across the
capacitor at t = 17.0 s?

b
Demo: 2
13

¨ Relaxation oscillator (RC circuit)


¤ A capacitor, resistor, and 90V battery are hooked in series with a neon bulb
in parallel with the capacitor.
¤ The capacitor charges to about 80V (the breakdown voltage of the neon
bulb), then discharges through the bulb and begins the cycle again.
Example: 3
14

¨ The circuit consists of an ideal battery with emf


ℰ = 10 V, two resistors with resistance R1 = 4100
Ω, and R2 = 10 kΩ, and an initially uncharged
capacitor with capacitance C = 4 µF. The circuit is
completed when switch S is closed at time t = 0.
a) What is the current through the battery
immediately after the switch is closed?
b) What is the time constant for charging the
capacitor?
c) What is the current through the battery
after a long time has elapsed?
Example: 4
15

¨ The circuit consists of an ideal battery with emf


ℰ   = 12 V, two resistors with resistance R1 = 4.0
Ω, and R2 = 6.0 Ω, and an initially uncharged
capacitor with capacitance C = 6 μF. The circuit is
completed when switch S is closed at time t = 0.
a) What is the potential difference across C at
time t = 2τ?
b) What are the potential differences across
the two resistors at time t = 2τ? Do these
change with time?
Energy in charging a capacitor
16

¨ A total charge of 𝑄/ passes through the battery, therefore the work


done by the battery is given by 𝑊 = 𝑄/ ℰ = 𝐶ℰ 1
¨ The energy stored in the capacitor is given by 𝑈 = 34𝑄/ ℰ = 34𝐶ℰ 1
¨ The energy lost in the resistor is given by
6 6
ℰ1
𝑊 = 5 𝐼 𝑡 1 𝑅𝑑𝑡 = 5 𝑒 91: ⁄;' 𝑑𝑡 = =1𝐶ℰ 1
𝑅
7 7
¨ The work done by the battery is split evenly between the capacitor
and resistor.

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