Capacitors Flashcards
1
Q
What are capacitors
A
Two conducting plates with a gap between them separated by a dielectric.
Stores chemical potential energy
2
Q
What are dielectrics
A
Insulating materials between capacitors
They are formed out of polar molecules, when there’s an electric field they align themselves with the field.
Negative end rotates towards positive plate etc… to decrease p.d required to charge capacitor
3
Q
What is the time constant
A
Resistance x Capacitance
time taken to discharge 0.37 of the initial capacitance/charge/voltage
time taken to charge 0.67 of the total capacitance/charge/voltage
