CAPACITORS: Scenario: Simple circuit with battery and capacitor connected in series.

Initially there is no charge on the capacitor the p.d. across the battery is greater than that on the capacitors plates. So electrons flow through circuit repelled from batterys negative terminal to deposit on capacitor plate making it negative. At the same time, positive terminal of cell attracts electrons to it, causing electrons to be removed from the other plate, making it positive. This happens until p.d. across battery is equal to p.d. across capacitor and is constant. {DC SUPPLY} If there had been a resistor present in series in the circuit: Rate of charge would have been the same, exponential, because p.d. across capacitor + p.d. across resistor = p.d. across battery. So eventually the p.d. across resistor would become 0 to allow the p.d. across capacitor = p.d. across battery. Resistor or load has the effect of decreasing rate of discharge as it limits current flow (V= IR). No instantaneous exponential discharge.