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Phys 4, Section 2 Feb 11, 2002
RC Circuits:
Charging a capacitor:
The voltage drop across the resistor is iR while the voltage drop across the
capacitor is q/C. If these voltage drops are used in a Kirchhoff's loop around
the circuit
Vo -iR - q/C = 0
Now using the relation i = dq/dt, the equation for charging the capacitor is
The value RC is called the time constant τ = RC and is measured in seconds.
One time constant is the time required for the current to reach 1/e (about
1/3) of its initial value. After 5 time constants, the current has decayed to
1% of its initial value.
Discharging a Capacitor
Assume that many time constants have gone by and the capacitor is
essentially charged to the same voltage as the battery Vo, the charge q on
the capacitor is Qo, and the current I is zero. Remove the battery and short
circuit the terminals of the RC circuit. What does Kirchhoff say about the
voltage across the capacitor or the current in the resistor?
Magnetic Fields
Magnetism first studied by Greeks in Magnesia through phenomenon of
permanent magnets. Used for navigation, needle shaped magnets had one
end which pointed North and one end which pointed South. Magnets
interacted much as charges did, with likes repelling and opposites
attracting. Magnetic forces are due to moving charges.
F = qv × B
From this equation, the units of the magnetic field are N/(A٠m), or in teslas.
The magnetic field has field lines and flux just like the electric field, however,
since there are no separated magnetic poles (N and S) as there are charges
(+ and -), Gauss's law for magnetic flux through a closed surface is
different:
Note that the unit of magnetic flux is a weber (Wb): 1Wb = 1 T٠m2 = 1
N٠m/A
Last modified on February 11, 2002