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    RC Circuits: Example 1. Very Simple RC Circuit: A Capacitor C, Charged To An Initial Voltage V Q

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    Rezky Fiqih
    This document describes RC circuits and provides two examples. In an RC circuit, a resistor and capacitor are connected. The first example shows a simple circuit with a charged capacitor connected to a resistor via a switch. When the switch is closed, the capacitor discharges through the resistor exponentially over time. The time constant τ = RC describes how long it takes for the charge to reduce to 1/e of its initial value. The second example shows charging a capacitor from a battery, with the current and charge on the capacitor increasing exponentially over time and reaching their maximum values after several time constants.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    RC Circuits: Example 1. Very Simple RC Circuit: A Capacitor C, Charged To An Initial Voltage V Q

    Uploaded by

    Rezky Fiqih
    48 views25 pages
    This document describes RC circuits and provides two examples. In an RC circuit, a resistor and capacitor are connected. The first example shows a simple circuit with a charged capacitor connected to a resistor via a switch. When the switch is closed, the capacitor discharges through the resistor exponentially over time. The time constant τ = RC describes how long it takes for the charge to reduce to 1/e of its initial value. The second example shows charging a capacitor from a battery, with the current and charge on the capacitor increasing exponentially over time and reaching their maximum values after several time constants.

    Original Description:

    bhyyuu

    Original Title

    RC Circuits

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    This document describes RC circuits and provides two examples. In an RC circuit, a resistor and capacitor are connected. The first example shows a simple circuit with a charged capacitor connected to a resistor via a switch. When the switch is closed, the capacitor discharges through the resistor exponentially over time. The time constant τ = RC describes how long it takes for the charge to reduce to 1/e of its initial value. The second example shows charging a capacitor from a battery, with the current and charge on the capacitor increasing exponentially over time and reaching their maximum values after several time constants.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as RTF, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as rtf, pdf, or txt
    48 views25 pages

    RC Circuits: Example 1. Very Simple RC Circuit: A Capacitor C, Charged To An Initial Voltage V Q

    Uploaded by

    Rezky Fiqih
    This document describes RC circuits and provides two examples. In an RC circuit, a resistor and capacitor are connected. The first example shows a simple circuit with a charged capacitor connected to a resistor via a switch. When the switch is closed, the capacitor discharges through the resistor exponentially over time. The time constant τ = RC describes how long it takes for the charge to reduce to 1/e of its initial value. The second example shows charging a capacitor from a battery, with the current and charge on the capacitor increasing exponentially over time and reaching their maximum values after several time constants.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as RTF, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as rtf, pdf, or txt
    of 25

    RC-1

    RC Circuits
    An RC circuit is a circuit with a resistor (R) and a capacitor (C). RC circuits are used to
    construct timers and filters.

    Example 1. Very simple RC circuit: a capacitor C, charged to an initial voltage V0 = Q0/C,


    attached to a resistor R with a switch.

    switch
    C
    +Q0
    Q
    RC =
    ⇒ V0
    Q
    = 0

    –Q0

    Close the switch at time t = 0 , so current I starts to flow. The charged capacitor is acting like a
    battery: it produces a voltage difference across the resistor which drives the current through the
    resistor:

    At t = 0+,

    I0
    =
    V0
    .

    +Q

    I
    R

    –Q

    dQ
    (– sign because Q is decreasing)
    I=−
    dt
    Vacross C = Vacross R , VC = VR ,

    =I R ,

    =−
    dQ

    ⋅R
    ,

    dQ
    1
    =−
    Q

    dt

    dt
    RC

    RC = "time constant" = τ, has units of time


    is a differential equation of the form
    dx

    = a ⋅x ,
    where a is a constant.

    dt
    This equation says: (rate of charge of x) ∝ x ⇔ exponential solution :
    x =x
    0
    exp a t
    )
    (

    dx

    dx
    ⋅ea t
    )

    at
    (0

    Check:
    =

    =⋅ax
    ⋅e
    =a ⋅x .

    It works!
    dt

    dt

    0
    a > 0 ⇒ exponential growth ,

    a<0
    ⇒ exponential decay

    The solution to

    dQ

    1
    is

    =−

    Q(t)
    =Q
    0
    exp

    =C V exp

    −
    dt

    RC

    0
    RC

    Notice that at t = 0, the formula gives Q = Q0 .

    In time τ, Q falls by a factor of exp(–1) = 1/e ≅0.37..


    Last update: 10/8/2009

    Dubson Phys1120 Notes, ©University of Colorado


    In time 2τ,Q falls by a factor of exp(–2) = (1/e)(1/e) ≅0.14..

    ⇒ Q approaches zero asymptotically, and so does V and I

    Q0

    Q(t) =Q 0
    exp −

    RC

    Q0/e

    τ
    t
    RC-2

    t
    =Q
    exp −

    C
    V=Q/C VC = Q /
    dQ C by Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (Loop Law)
    I =−
    other V's
    V in this
    =+ 0
    example.
    exp(−t/ τ) The charge Q on the capacitor and the voltage VC
    E = Q / C across the capacitor cannot change
    dt instantly, since it takes time for Q to build up,
    R so ..

    At t = 0+ , Q = 0 , VC = 0, E = VC + VR = VR = I
    R ⇒ I0 = E / R

    Although Q on the capacitor cannot change


    t t instantly, the current I = dQ/dt can change
    instantly.

    "Current through a capacitor" means dQ/dt .


    Before Even
    Example 2: More complex RC switch is
    circuit: Charging a capacitor with closed, I
    a battery. = 0, Q =
    0.
    switch though there is no charge ever passing between
    R the
    Let's use symbol E for battery I
    VR = I R +
    voltage (E
    Close -
    switch at I
    t = 0.
    plates of the capacitor, there is a current going
    short for emf) because there are so into one
    many
    +
    Always -
    true that
    E = VC
    + VR ,
    + Dubson Phys1120 Notes, ©University of
    - + Colorado
    -

    Last update: 10/8/2009


    RC-3

    plate and the same current is coming out of the other plate, so it is as if there is a current passing
    through the capacitor.

    E
    C
    E = VR
    + VC

    dQ

    E = IR
    +

    , I =+

    C
    dt

    R
    E =
    dQ
    R+
    Q

    dt

    Qualitatively, as t ↑, Q ↑, VC = Q/C ↑, VR ↓, I = VR / R ↓. After a long time , t >> τ= RC , the


    current decreases to zero: I = 0, VC = E , Q = C E

    Vc = Q / C

    Analytic solution:
    E
    VC
    (t) =E [1
    −exp( −t/RC)]

    Q(t) =E ⋅C [1 −exp( t /−RC) ]

    Things to remember:

    Uncharged capacitor acts like a "short" ( a wire ) since VC = Q / C = 0.

    After a long time, when the capacitor is fully charged, it acts like an "open-circuit" ( a break the
    wire). We must have IC = 0 eventually, otherwise Q → ∞, VC → ∞.

    Last update: 10/8/2009 Dubson Phys1120


    Notes, ©University of Colorado

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