1.

Title: Capacitor

2. objective: i) To determine the time constant of an RC circuit

ii) To determine the capacitance of a capacitor using an RC circuit

3. theory:

The total charge, Q on each plate of a capacitor during the charging and discharging processes varies
with time, t as shown in Figure 1.1

During the charging process

𝒬 = 𝒬𝑂 (1 − ℯ −𝑡/𝜏 )

During the discharging process

𝒬 = 𝒬𝑂 ℯ −𝑡/𝜏
where Qo is the initial amount of charge stored in a capacitor

Q is the amount of charge at time t

R is the resistance of a resistor

C is the capacitance of a capacitor

τ = RC is the time constant

During discharging, the magnitude of the current I varies with time as shown in Figure 1.2

Evidently at time t = , the magnitude of the discharge current is 0.37Io. Negative sign shows the
current flows in opposite direction to that of the current flows during the charging process.

4. Apparatus:

A DC power supply (4 – 6 V)

A switch

A DC microammeter

A stopwatch

Connecting wires

Two capacitors labelled C1 and C2 (470 – 1000 µF)

5. Procedure:

1. The circuit as shown in Figure 1.3 were set up with switch S opened.
2. The reading of microammeter for 𝐼𝑂 with switch S closed were recorded.
3. Switch S was opened and a connecting wire use for short circuit the capacitor so that the
capacitor is fully discharged.
4. Switch S was closed again to charge the capacitor so that the microammeter reading is back
to 𝐼𝑂
5. Switch S was simultaneously opened and the stopwatch was start to measure the time t of
discharging process. Get at least six to eight pairs of current I and time t readings throughout
the discharging process until the current is about 0.05Io.
6. Data were tabulated
7. Capacitor C2 was connected to the circuit as shown in Figure 1.4.

8. Steps 3 to 6 were repeated to obtain the readings of the microammeter I and the stopwatch
t. Record the readings and tabulate I and t.
9. graphs of I against t and I against t using the same axes were plotted
10. the time constants  and  of the RC circuits have been determined from graph
𝜏
11. the capacitance of the two circuits using equation 𝐶 = 𝑅
12. the value of C2 was determined
13. value from step (12) with the actual value of C2 were compared
 6. observation:

i) data tabulation:

Data 1: Capacitor in series

R: 100 kΩ

I0: (90 ± 1) μA

I (±1μA) Time, t (±0.1 s)

t1 t2 tavg

80 13.0 13.1 13.1

70 27.5 27.7 27.6

60 43.8 43.8 43.8

50 60.1 60.0 60.1

40 90.0 90.0 90.0

30 122.1 122.0 122.1

20 164.0 164.1 164.1

Data 2: Capacitor in parallel

R: 100 kΩ
I0: (92 ± 1) μA
I (±1 μA) Time, t (±0.1 s)

t1 t2 tavg

80 30.0 30.0 30.0

70 56.1 56.0 56.1

60 87.9 88.1 88.0

50 130.0 130.0 130.0

40 180.0 179.8 179.9

30 243.9 244.0 244.0

20 330.0 330.0 330.0

Theoretical value of C1 and C2 is 1000 μF.

ii) calculation
iii) graph
7. discussion:

In this experiment, the experimental value obtained is 1000 µ which is same as the
theoretical value . the experiment can be considered successful because the percentage
error obtained is less than 10%.
Precaution step: make sure zero errors were took when obtained the reading or calculation
Errors:
-capacitors is not charged to avoid it make sure the switch S was closed to avoid problems
during conducting the experiments
-too many wires were used in experiment that cause energy loss, to avoid it make sure to
follow the procedure
-parallax error to avoid it make sure the eyes is perpendicular to the scale

8. conclusion: the value of C2 is 1000µF