Balaji 1

Capacitors Lab
Mridhan Balaji
Group Members: Gokulraj Kumaraswamy, and Navya Bajaj
Ap Physics 2AB
Date of Experiment Completion: October 24th, 2023
Date of Report: November 5th, 2023
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PURPOSE:

The lab’s purpose is to explore the charging and discharging processes of a capacitor within an

RC circuit while understanding the underlying charge movement principles. It also investigates

how the resistor influences the rate of these processes. With a known capacitor capacitance of 1F,

the objective is to determine the resistor value required in series with the capacitor for the

specific time constant.

THEORY:

To determine how a capacitor charges and discharges an rc circuit has to be set up, a capacitor

will be set up in series with a resistor and power supply to form an RC circui, while a voltmeter

is set up in parallel across the capacitor to measure the voltage across it as time goes on. The

capacitance(C) of the capacitor is measured by the equation C = Q/V, where Q is equal to the

charge on the capacitor, and V is the voltage across the capacitor

A capacitor is an essential electronic component designed to store and release electrical energy. It

consists of two conductive plates, separated by an insulating material called a dielectric. When a

voltage is applied across the plates by a power source, electrons accumulate on one plate as they

flow from the negative terminal of the power source to the positive terminal, creating a surplus

of negative charge, and an equivalent positive charge is induced on the other plate. This charge

separation establishes an electric field between the plates. The dielectric causes an electric field

opposite the capacitors allowing more charge to accumulate on the capacitor plates.
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The charging process of a capacitor occurs when it is connected to a voltage source. In this lab,

the voltage source was a battery. Initially, the capacitor is typically discharged, meaning it has no

electric charge stored on its plates. Connecting to a Voltage Source: When the capacitor is

connected to a voltage source, electrons flow from the negative terminal of the source to one

plate, while an equal number of electrons are pushed from the other plate to the positive terminal

of the source. This flow of electrons is the charging current. The buildup of Electric Field: As

electrons accumulate on one plate, a negative charge builds up, creating a strong electric field.

Simultaneously, the other plate becomes positively charged due to the lack of electrons. Charging

Progress: The capacitor's voltage gradually increases, approaching the voltage of the source.

However, it doesn't reach the source voltage instantaneously; instead, it follows an exponential

charging curve. Current: As the voltage of the capacitor approaches the voltage of the power

source, the current flow through the circuit decreases. The initial current through the circuit is at

a maximum when the capacitor is neutrally charged with a zero potential difference and is 0

when the voltage across the capacitor is equal to the voltage across the power source. This is

because the power source cannot push electrons onto the negatively charged plate of the

capacitor as the voltage across both is the same.

For this lab, Ohm's Law is a foundational principle to understand. At its core, Ohm's Law

describes the relationship between voltage (V), current (I), and resistance (R) in an electrical

circuit. This law is mathematically expressed as V = I * R, where V represents the voltage across

a component in the circuit, I denotes the electric current flowing through the component, and R is

the electrical resistance of the component/resistor in the circuit.

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The essence of Ohm's Law is the proportional relationship it highlights. It states that assuming

the resistance remains constant, the voltage across a component is directly proportional to the

current flowing through it. In practical terms, if you increase the voltage applied to a component,

the current through that component will increase proportionally.

Resistance is a key concept in Ohm's Law. Resistance is a property of an electrical component

that resists the flow of electrical current. Components with higher resistance allow less current to

flow for a given voltage, while those with lower resistance permit more current to flow.

In applying Ohm's Law, it is essential to maintain consistent units. Voltage is typically measured

in volts (V), current in amperes (A), and resistance in ohms (Ω).

For this lab, an RC circuit was used. An RC circuit, or Resistor-Capacitor circuit, is a

fundamental component in electronics. It combines two key components: a resistor (R) and a

capacitor (C) to create a circuit with time-dependent characteristics. Resistors restrict the flow of

electrical current, and capacitors store electrical energy in the form of an electric field between

two conductive plates separated by an insulating material, known as a dielectric. These circuits

are widely used in electronics for various purposes, including signal timing, filtering, and

shaping.

The components of an RC circuit are the resistor and capacitor, as well as a power source.

Resistor (R): The resistor is a passive component characterized by its resistance value, measured

in ohms (Ω). It dissipates electrical energy in the form of heat when current flows through it. In
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an RC circuit, the resistor plays a crucial role in controlling the rate at which the capacitor

charges and discharges. Capacitor (C): A capacitor consists of two conductive plates separated

by a dielectric material. It stores electrical energy in the form of an electric field between its

plates and is measured in Farads (F). The power source provides a potential difference for the

electrons to flow and charge up the capacitor. In this lab, the power source was a battery.

The time constant (τ), calculated as the product of resistance (R) and capacitance (C), plays a

pivotal role in the behavior of RC circuits. It determines the rate at which capacitors charge and

discharge. A larger time constant results in slower charging and discharging, while a smaller time

constant leads to faster processes. Thus, the time constant is a key parameter for characterizing

the dynamics of these circuits.

The fundamental operation of an RC circuit centers on the interaction between the resistor and

the capacitor. When a voltage source is connected to an RC circuit with a capacitor, the charging

process initiates. Initially, the capacitor is uncharged, acting as a short circuit, and current

primarily flows through the resistor. The resistor limits the current flow, causing the voltage

across the capacitor (V) to increase gradually. The time it takes for the voltage to reach

approximately 63.2% of its maximum value (power source voltage) is determined by the time

constant (τ = RC).

Conversely, during the discharging process, when the voltage source is disconnected, the

capacitor releases its stored energy through the resistor. The resistor controls the rate at which the

charge dissipates, and the voltage across the capacitor decreases exponentially. The time it takes
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for the voltage to reach approximately 36.8% of its maximum value (power source voltage) is

determined by the time constant (τ = RC).

Due to the Kirnshoffss loop rule, the sum of the potential gains across a loop is equal to the sum

of the potential drops across the loops, so the potential difference across a loop is always 0. This

means at any given time in the RC circuit, Vr = potential drop of the battery, Vc = Potential drop

across the capacitor, and Vb = potential supplied by the power source, must follow the form Vb -

Vc - Vr = 0.

Now to determine the voltage values of the capacitor in an RC circuit at time t, an equation can

be derived. The derivation of the equation for the voltage across a capacitor in an RC circuit

during the charging process involves understanding the relationship between the charge on the

capacitor, the time, and the resistor-capacitor time constant (τ=RC). At the start of the charging

process, the capacitor is uncharged, so the voltage across it is initially zero. As time progresses,

the capacitor accumulates charge, and the voltage across it increases. This voltage, denoted as

V(t)=Vmax(1−e^(−T/ τ)). In this equation, V_max represents the maximum voltage the capacitor

can attain, and τ is the time constant, which is the product of the resistance (R) and the

capacitance (C) in the circuit. The exponential term (e^(−T/ τ)) governs the rate at which the

voltage increases with time. The derivation involves solving the differential equation associated

with the charging process, which leads to this exponential growth relationship, illustrating how

the voltage across the capacitor reaches its maximum value as the charging process progresses

V(t), following an exponential growth curve described by the equation.

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The derivation of the equation for the voltage across a capacitor in an RC circuit during the

discharging process also follows a fundamental relationship involving time and the

resistor-capacitor time constant (τ=RC). At the outset of discharging, the capacitor is charged to

some initial voltage (V0 ). As the discharging process proceeds, while time t increases, the

voltage across the capacitor decreases. This voltage, denoted as V(t), obeys an exponential decay
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curve described by the equation V(t)=V0(e^(−T/ τ)). V0 will usually be equal to Vmax which

would be the voltage of the power source that was connected when charging the capacitor if the

capacitor was fully charged. Here, (τ) represents the time constant, which is the product of the

resistance (R) and the capacitance (C) in the circuit. The exponential term (e^(−T/ τ)) governs

the rate at which the voltage decreases with time. The derivation involves solving the differential

equation associated with the discharging process, which leads to this exponential decay

relationship. This equation illustrates how the voltage across the capacitor decreases from its

initial value (V0), as the discharging process advances in time, providing insight into the

time-dependent behavior of the circuit.

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In an RC circuit during the charging of a capacitor, the current flowing through the circuit

experiences a distinct behavior as time progresses. Initially, when the capacitor is uncharged, it

acts as a short circuit, and the current is at its maximum value. As time increases, the current

gradually decreases. Initial High Current: At the very beginning of the charging process, when

the switch is closed, the capacitor is essentially empty, and the voltage across it is zero.

Consequently, the capacitor behaves like a short circuit, offering very little resistance to the flow

of current. As a result, the current in the circuit is at its maximum value, determined by Ohm's

law (I = V/R), where V is the source voltage and R is the resistance in the circuit. Exponential

Decay: As time elapses, the voltage across the capacitor gradually increases, following an

exponential charging curve. The rate of current decrease is proportional to the rate of voltage

increase across the capacitor. Therefore, the current starts to decrease exponentially as the

capacitor charges. This is because, with a higher voltage across the capacitor, the potential

difference between the plates becomes less, reducing the driving force for current flow. Toward

Zero Current: Over time, the current continues to decrease, approaching zero. In practice, it

doesn't reach exactly zero, but it gets very close, as the graph is isentropic towards 0. The rate of

current decrease is directly related to the time constant (τ=RC), and it takes approximately 5-time

constants for the current to decrease to around 0.7% of its initial value. So as time increases

during the charging of a capacitor in an RC circuit, the current initially starts at its maximum

value, and then it decreases exponentially until it approaches a negligible level. This change in

current is a direct result of the increasing voltage across the charging capacitor, which provides

less incentive for current to flow through the resistor.

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When charging and discharging, the current in the circuit follows the same exponential curve.

This is because when discharging, the capacitor itself turns into a power source with its voltage

pushing the current. Therefore the current will be at a maximum initially, undergoing exponential

decay, as the voltage across the capacitor decreases, when it discharges.

To calculate the experimental resistance the coefficient that is in front of time = t will be set

equal to the value -1/RC, and since capacitance is 1 Farad, resistance can be solved for.

Similarly, 63.2% of the maximum voltage of the capacitor when charging, and 36.8% of the

initial voltage of the capacitor when discharging can be found. Using these values, they can be

plugged into the trendline to get the value t when they occur. This will occur at the time RC =

Tau. Since again capacitance is known to be 1 Farad, the equation can be solved for experimental

resistance.

A percent error calculation is then performed to calculate the amount of error in the lab. To

𝑚𝑒−𝑚𝑡
compare the experimental and theoretical resistance, the formula δ = | 𝑚𝑡
| * 100 can be

used to find the percent error(δ), w𝑅𝑒 representing experimental mass, and 𝑅𝑡 representing

theoretical mass.
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MATERIALS:

1. Ipad for stopwatch

2. Ipad for recording time

3. Voltmeter from the Multimeter

4. Resister

5. 1F Capacitor

6. Wires with clips on the end

7. Power supply

PROCEDURE:

1. Create a circuit with the power supply set to 5 volts and the 220-ohm resistor connected

to the power supply via a wire.

2. Discharge the capacitor by connecting a wire between the 2 terminals of the capacitors,

allowing the capacitor to neutralize.

3. Connect a voltmeter in parallel and make sure the voltage across the capacitor is 0 volts.

If not, repeat step 2.

4. Next, connect the 1 Farad capacitor in series with the power supply and resistor, but don't

close the circuit yet.

5. Next, set up a voltmeter in parallel to the 2 ends of the capacitor, so the potential drop

across the capacitor can be measured.

6. Set up a stopwatch on an iPad, while setting up a camera to record both the stopwatch

and the voltmeter.

7. Close the circuit, but dont on the power supply.

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8. On the power supply while simultaneously starting the stopwatch.

9. Once the voltage across the capacitor nears 5 volts, so around 4.9 volts, turn off the

power supply while simultaneously turning off the stopwatch.

10. Log 50 voltages across the capacitor and at what time they occur.

11. Plot the data and analyze the exponential trendlines.

12. Now disconnect the wires attached to the positive and negative terminals of the battery.

13. Reset the stopwatch.

14. Start a new recording while simultaneously starting the stopwatch, and connecting those

2 wires to close the circuit.

15. The capacitor will start to discharge.

16. Stop the stopwatch and disconnect the circuit as the capacitor's voltage nears or almost

equals 0 volts.

17. Discharge the battery without the resistor by connecting a wire between the 2 ends of the

capacitor,

18. Note down the voltage values and their respective times. Plot the discharging Voltage vs.

Time(Seconds) graph, and analyze the trendline.

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DIAGRAM:

The image shows the lab setup for charging the capacitor, with one iPad setup as the stopwatch,

and another recording the stopwatch and voltmeter set up in parallel between the 2 ends of the 1

farad capacitor. It has a power supply set to 5 volts, with wires connecting the power supply,

resistor, and 1 Farad capacitor all in series. An image for the discharging of the capacitor was not

taken, but would look very similar to the image up top, except the 2 prongs connected to the

positive and negative terminals of the power supply would be disconnected, and then connected.

DATA:

Charging of the Capacitor Discharging of the Capacitor

Time (s) Voltage (V) Time (S) Voltage (V)

0 0 0 4.73

0.068 0.048 1.456 4.7

0.877 0.056 3.301 4.6

1.193 0.072 3.597 4.5

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1.656 0.087 9.543 4.4

2.009 0.088 10.388 4.3

2.395 0.101 17.086 4.2

2.7 0.109 21.582 4.1

3.148 0.119 23.268 4

3.714 0.142 30.624 3.9

5.038 0.171 35.388 3.8

7.038 0.2 38.709 3.7

9.423 0.256 42.338 3.6

12.721 0.401 52.367 3.5

16.217 0.48 58.136 3.4

24.14 0.518 64.344 3.3

35.629 0.836 66.527 3.2

40.387 1.019 84.855 3

54.811 1.285 86.769 2.9

60.314 1.345 94.887 2.8

65.045 1.42 108.155 2.7

74.072 1.535 114.366 2.6

79.811 1.654 123.049 2.5

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91.414 1.7 136.031 2.4

95.581 1.8 146.855 2.3

108.938 1.9 159.223 2.2

117.465 2 172.058 2.1

121.409 2.1 182.346 2

145.995 2.2 188.67 1.9

161.038 2.4 202.424 1.8

166.493 2.5 225.536 1.7

194.361 2.6 232.037 1.6

213.169 2.8 247.997 1.527

228.854 2.9 266.875 1.467

257.188 3 294.785 1.321

267.723 3.1 303.481 1.256

282.245 3.2 321.916 1.132

303.311 3.3 346.806 1.015

333.294 3.4 376.946 0.913

372.396 3.5 413.93 0.88

402.501 3.6 435.293 0.781

434.806 3.7 478.551 0.653

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545.335 3.8 565.306 0.535

566.958 4 580.147 0.511

717.043 4.1 645.403 0.438

745.113 4.3 783.606 0.226

712.216 4.2 845.632 0.2

894.594 4.4 869.847 0.195

949.84 4.5 917.918 0.173

1202.278 4.6 1081.892 0.127

1274.01 4.7 1194.47 0.076

The capacitance of the Capacitor: 1 Farad

Voltage of the Battery: 5 volts

Resistance of the Resistor: 220Ω ± 5%

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ANALYSIS:

−0.0047𝑡
TRENDLINE: 𝑉(𝑡) = 4. 3916 − 4. 2594𝑒

V(t) = Voltage of the capacitor at Time t measured in volts

t = Time measured in seconds elapsed

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1
- 𝑅𝐶 = -0.0047

R^2 = 0.9937

−0.0044𝑡
TRENDLINE: 𝑉(𝑡) = 4. 4825𝑒
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V(t) = Voltage of the capacitor at Time t measured in volts

t = Time measured in seconds elapsed

1
− 𝑅𝐶
= - 0.0044

R^2 = 0.9949
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ANALYSIS:
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CONCLUSION:

The purpose of the lab was to describe and understand the charging and discharging of a

capacitor(C) with relation to time, given a resistor with resistance(R) placed in series, and a

power source with a voltage (V) of 5 volts. The lab's goal was to calculate the resistance of the

resistor R with a theoretical resistance of 220 ohms. To determine the results of this lab, an RC

circuit was built. This was done by connecting the power supply to the resistor, which was then

connected to the capacitor. All of this was connected in series, and the circuit was closed. A

voltmeter was connected in parallel to the 2 sides of the capacitor. All the connections were

made using wires. The stopwatch was used to record time, as the voltmeter recorded the voltage.

This was set up so an iPad could record the times in seconds by the stopwatch, and the voltages

from the voltmeter in volts. The capacitor slowly reached the voltage of the battery as time

increased, then the capacitor was disconnected from the battery, and the stopwatch reset. The

disconnected ends from the battery were connected to allow the capacitor to discharge, while

simultaneously restarting the timer. The iPad was then reset to start a new recording as the

voltages of the capacitor measured in volts by the voltmeter as it discharged were collected in

relation to the time given by the stopwatch in seconds. These voltages and their corresponding

time values were used to construct Voltage(V) V.S. Time(S) graphs for both charging and

discharging.

The trendline for the Voltage(V) V.S. Time(S) graph while charging was given to be

−0.0047𝑡
𝑉(𝑡) = 4. 3916 − 4. 2594𝑒 . V(t) represents the voltage measured in volts at time t

measured in seconds. This equation represents logistic exponential growth. This is because as the

capacitor charges the voltage across it increases. It initially starts from 0, and slowly approaches
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the voltage of the battery. The rate at which the voltage across the capacitor increases, decreases

because as the voltage across the capacitor increases it makes it harder for electrons to move onto

the negatively charged plate of the capacitor. This is because the more negative charges that

accumulate on the plate, the more repulsive force the incoming electrons face. This means the

current through the circuit decreases, therefore the amount the voltage increases must also

decrease. The graph shows exponential growth at a decreasing rate. This is because the graph’s

first derivative is positive, as it increases, but the graph's second derivative is negative, as the

graph is concave down. This means the graph is increasing at a decreasing rate, as it isotopes out

at the maximum voltage equal to the voltage across the battery. There are multiple methods to

calculate the experimental resistance of the resistor for the charging of the capacitor. The first

method is to use the trendline equations constant that is readied to e. The equation of the voltage

V(t) in volts for a time t in seconds across the capacitor was derived to be
−𝑡

𝑉(𝑡) = 𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥(1 − 𝑒 τ ), where Vmax is the maximum voltage across the capacitor equal to the

voltage of the power source, and τ is the time constant equal to the resistance(R) times the
−𝑡

capacitance(C), τ = RC. Therefore the equation can be rewritten as: 𝑉(𝑡) = 𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥(1 − 𝑒 ). 𝑅𝐶

−0.0047𝑡
We can rewrite the trendline in a similar form to represent:𝑉(𝑡) = 4. 2594(1. 031 − 𝑒 )

−𝑡
. Now since both equations are in a similar form we can set the 𝑅𝐶
= -0.0047. Since the

capacitance of the capacitor is known to be 1Farad, we can solve for the experimental resistance

of the resistor to be 212.766 Ω. We can now use the theoretical resistance of the resistor equal to

a value of 220 Ω, to make a percent error calculation. This resulted in a percent error of 3.2288%

error. Another method to calculate the experimental resistance would be to find the time when

the voltage of the capacitor is equal to 63.2% of the maximum voltage which is equal to the
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−1
voltage of the power source. This is because when 𝑡 = τ = RC, 𝑉(𝑡) = 𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥(1 − 𝑒 ). This

means 𝑉(𝑡) = 𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥0. 632. To calculate the time when 63.2% of the maximum voltage, we first

calculate 𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥0. 632, which is equal to 5 * 0. 632 equal to 3.16 volts. We can then plug this

into the trendline equation to solve for the time t when the voltage across the capacitor is equal to

this value. This results in the time t = 264.003 seconds. Since this time is equal to RC and the

time constant we can now set up the equation t = RC, which is 264.003 = RC. Since the

capacitance of the capacitor is known to be 1 Farad, we can now solve for the experimental

resistance equal to a value of 264.003 Ω. We can now use the theoretical resistance of the resistor

equal to a value of 220 Ω, to make a percent error calculation. This resulted in a percent error of

20.001% error.

The trendline for the Voltage(V) V.S. Time(S) graph while discharging was given to be

−0.0044𝑡
𝑉(𝑡) = 4. 4825𝑒 . V(t) represents the voltage measured in volts at time t measured in

seconds. This equation represents exponential decay. This is because as the capacitor discharges

the voltage across it decreases. It initially starts from max voltage, and slowly approaches 0

volts, as the charges neutralize each other, and there is no potential difference allowing them to

flow. The rate at which the voltage across the capacitor decreases, increases. This means the

current through the circuit decreases, therefore the amount the voltage increases must also

decrease. The graph is exponential decay. This is because the graph’s first derivative is negative,

as it increases, but the graph's second derivative is positive, as the graph is concave down. This

means the graph is decreasing at an increasing rate, as it isotopes out at 0 volts equal to the. This

means slowing down since the graph is already decreasing, so the increase in this rate would
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mean the graph's decreasing rate becomes less negative and approaches 0 There are multiple

methods to calculate the experimental resistance of the resistor for the discharging of the

capacitor. The first method is to use the trendline equations constant that is raised to e. The
−𝑡

equation of the voltage for a time t across the capacitor was derived to be: 𝑉(𝑡) = 𝑉0(𝑒 τ ),

where V(t) is the voltage of the capacitor measured in volts at time t measured in seconds, with

V0 being the initial voltage across the capacitor before it discharges, and τ is the time constant

equal to the resistance(R) times the capacitance τ = RC. Therefore the equation can be rewritten
−𝑡
−𝑡
as: 𝑉(𝑡) = 𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥(𝑒 𝑅𝐶 ). Now since both equations are in a similar form we can set the 𝑅𝐶
=

-0.0044. Since the capacitance of the capacitor is known to be 1 Farad, we can solve for the

experimental resistance of the resistor to be 227.2727 Ω. We can now use the theoretical

resistance of the resistor equal to a value of 220 ohms, to make a percent error calculation. This

resulted in a percent error of 3.3058% error. Another method to calculate the experimental

resistance would be to find the time when the voltage of the capacitor is equal to 36.8% of the

−1
initial voltage. This is because when 𝑡 = τ = RC, 𝑉(𝑡) = 𝑉0(𝑒 ). This means

𝑉(𝑡) = 𝑉00. 368. To calculate the time when 36.8% of the maximum voltage, we first calculate

𝑉00. 368, where V0 = 4.73 volts, which is equal to 4. 73 * 0. 632 equal to 1.74 volts. We can

then plug this into the trendline equation to solve for the time t when the voltage across the

capacitor is equal to this value. This results in the time t = 215.067 seconds. Since this time is

equal to RC and the time constant we can now set up the equation t = RC, which is 215.067=

RC. Since the capacitance of the capacitor is known to be 1 Farad, we can now solve for the

experimental resistance equal to a value of 215.067 Ω. We can now use the theoretical resistance
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of the resistor equal to a value of 220 Ω, to make a percent error calculation. This resulted in a

percent error of 2.242% error

The experiment was overall very accurate as the percent errors for the resistance values of

discharging were both less than 3.5% error, with 3.3058% and 2.242% respectively. Also, the

resistance values of charging were decent with percent errors of 3.2288%, and the other

20.001% error. There could have been several reasons for the error. One reason could be that the

setup was assumed to be ideal in our calculations. This means we assumed the wires to have 0

resistance internally. This would have skewed the calculations, since if they were taken into

account then the overall equivalent resistance of the circuit would increase, since the resistance

of the wires would be added into series. This would mean the time constant RC would also

increase, causing the time it takes the capacitor to charge and discharge to also increase, meaning

the calculations would result in an underestimate. Since this was not taken into account, the

experimental resistance values were slightly skewed resulting in some error in the calculations.

Another source of error is again assuming the circuit to be ideal, meaning assuming the battery

was ideal. This meant the internal resistance of the battery was ignored in the calculations. The

internal resistance of the battery would increase the total resistance of the circuit as it would be

added in series, but it can also be viewed as reducing the voltage output of the battery. This

means that the time constant RC would increase causing a longer time to charge and discharge,

leading to some error in the calculations. A third source of error would be the multimeter used.

The multimeter was assumed to be ideal, meaning that it would have a very large resistance

associated with it. This would mean very little to no current would go through it, causing the

current to split off from the main circuit. However, the multimeter we used was not ideal and
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would have had some current passing through it, decreasing the current through the resistor. This

means the capacitor would have taken longer to charge and discharge, causing errors in the

resistance calculations. The last source of error would be the frames of the iPad. This limits how

accurately the time when the voltage value changes can be recorded. This is because the voltage

values measured were rounded to the nearest 10th place by the voltmeter for higher values. Due

to the limited frame rate of the camera, the exact time when this switch outscored is difficult to

find, and can sometimes be missed. The time found can sometimes be an overestimate since the

multimeter used as the voltmeter will round the values and not show extra decimal points. This

could have caused variability in the data and errors in the resistance calculations.

POST LAB QUESTIONS:

1. The graphs depicting the charging and discharging of a capacitor in an RC circuit exhibit

distinctive exponential shapes. During the charging process, the voltage across the

capacitor initially rises rapidly and then gradually approaches its maximum level (Vmax)

equal to the voltage provided by the power source. As time progresses, the rate at which

the voltage changes decreases, resulting in an exponential growth curve. This can also be

examined by the derivatives. The first derivative is positive indicating an increasing

curve, but the second derivative is negative, indicating a concave down curve. So the

graph will be increasing at a decreasing rate, slowly asentoping off at a maximum value

of Vmax equal to the voltage provided by the power source. Conversely, when

discharging the capacitor, the voltage starts high at an initial maximum voltage of V0

and decreases rapidly before gradually approaching zero. This can also be examined by

the derivatives. The first derivative is negative indicating a decreasing curve, but the
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second derivative is positive, indicating a concave down the curve. So the graph will be

decreasing at an increasing rate(This means slowing down since the graph is already

decreasing, so the increase in this rate would mean the graph’s decreasing rate becomes

less negative and approaches 0), slowly asentoping off at a minimum value of zero volts

Like charging, the rate of voltage change during discharging follows an exponential

decay curve. The rate at which the capacitor charges and discharges is primarily

influenced by the time constant (τ) of the RC circuit, where a smaller time constant

results in faster processes, while a larger time constant leads to slower charging and

discharging. This behavior is consistent with the fundamental principles of RC circuits

and the characteristics of exponential decay and growth.

2. In the context of charging the capacitor, at the beginning of the process, the voltage

across the capacitor rises rapidly because the capacitor plates are initially devoid of

electric charge. As the voltage increases, more and more charges accumulate on one of

the plates, typically the positively charged plate, while an equal amount of charges are

repelled from the other plate. However, as the capacitor becomes charged, it approaches

its maximum voltage level (Vmax), but this achievement is a gradual process. This is due

to the fact that, as the voltage across the capacitor increases, the electric field between the

plates opposes the further accumulation of charges. It becomes increasingly challenging

to add additional charges, and as a result, the rate of charge accumulation slows down

significantly. The voltage readings change slowly at the end of the charging process

because the capacitor is approaching a state of equilibrium, where the voltage is very

close to Vmax, and the rate of change is minimal due to the opposing electric field. At
 Balaji 33

this point, the capacitor cannot accumulate charges as rapidly as it did initially. In the

context of discharging the capacitor, during the discharging process, the voltage across

the capacitor starts high and decreases rapidly. However, as the voltage decreases, the

potential difference between the plates also decreases, which results in a reduced force

driving the flow of charges. As the voltage approaches zero, the rate of change in voltage

decreases. This happens because, at low voltages, there is less potential difference, and

fewer charges are being expelled from one plate to the other. The rate of discharge slows

down, and the voltage readings change more slowly as the capacitor approaches full

discharge. The slow change in voltage readings at the end of the charging and discharging

processes is a consequence of the physical limitations imposed by the electric field and

potential difference. As the capacitor reaches its charged or discharged state, the rate of

change in voltage diminishes due to the diminishing ability to accumulate or deplete

charges rapidly, resulting in the characteristic exponential curve seen in the graphs.

3.
 Balaji 34

4.