Capacitors

Leyden Jar
Leyden Jar Battery
Capacitor Construction
Capacitors
Schematic of simple circuit with capacitor
Capacitor Charging
 Capacitor Charging

Current stops when capacitor is fully charged

 Capacitor Charging

Capacitor remains charged when power

source is removed
 Charging Capacitor Voltage

applied
voltage

charge
voltage
Time
 Capacitor Discharging

Capacitor discharges when a current path is

applied
 Capacitor Discharging

Capacitor discharges when a current path is

applied
 Capacitor Discharging

Capacitor discharges when a current path is

applied
 Capacitor Discharging

Capacitor discharges when a current path is

applied
 Capacitor Discharging

Capacitor discharges when a current path is

applied
 Capacitor Discharging

Capacitor discharges when a current path is

applied
 Capacitor Discharging

Capacitor is fully discharged when plates are

neutral
 Time Constant
• Resistance is unavoidable in circuits, through the wire itself
or through components such as resistors.
• Resistance introduces the element of time into charging and
discharging a capacitor
• The voltage across a capacitor cannot change instantaneously
because it takes finite time to move charge from one point to
another.
• The rate at which a capacitor charges or discharges is
determined by the time constant t = RC (seconds)
• During one time constant interval, the charge on a capacitor
changes approx. 63%
• Five time constant intervals is accepted as the time to fully
charge or discharge a capacitor and is called the transient
time.
http://murray.newcastle.edu.au
 RC Time Constant

Time (seconds) = R (megohms) C (microfarads)

 Capacitor Charging
% of charge

time

Capacitor discharging
 Charging Capacitor Voltage

applied
voltage

charge
voltage
Time
 Charging Capacitor Voltage

applied
voltage

resistance added

charge
voltage
Time
 Discharging Capacitor Voltage

applied
voltage

charge
voltage
Time
 Discharging Capacitor Voltage

applied
voltage

resistance added
charge
voltage
Time
                                                 
 Relay Circuit

6V
 Relay Circuit

6V
 Relay Circuit
When switch button is released, relay “relaxes”

6V
 Relay Circuit w/capacitor

6V
 Relay Circuit w/capacitor

6V

Relay activates
 Relay Circuit w/capacitor
switch open

6V

capacitor discharges through relay

coil, which maintains the magnetic
field for a time…
 Relay Circuit w/capacitor
switch open

6V

Relay remains activated for a

period of time
 Relay Circuit w/capacitor

6V

Capacitor is discharged so relay “relaxes”