CAPACITORS

Question 1

Capacitance

Answer 1

The ratio of the charge on each plate of a capacitor to the potential difference across it.

Question 2

Time constant

Answer 2

The time taken for the charge/potential difference across a capacitor to fall to 0.37 (=e-1) of its original value as a capacitor discharges.

Question 3

Exponential decrease

Answer 3

When the quantity decreases by a fixed fraction in a constant time interval (eg. every time 3 seconds passes, the quantity decreases by 1/2)