Question

Problem 92

Answer 1

Given information

Values of each capacitor

 

 

• Initial configuration of capacitors when they were charging

• Configuration at the instant when power source was removed

 

• Configuration after equilibrium established
• 

Need to determine the amount of charge on each capacitor, and the potential across each capacitor

Step-by-step explanation

Step 1.

First, understand that capacitors are in parallel combination with the battery source. When they were getting charged, the electric potential across the plates was the same for both magnitude and polarity. When the power source was removed and connected in reverse, that reverse polarity gives the motive force to the charges to move and keep moving until the electric potential across them is the same.

Start calculation by stating the formula first

The charge on the capacitor is given by the formula

, where

                      is the charge

                      is the capacitance

                      is the voltage