Analysing capacitor discharge

Enter the data you recorded into the graph plot.

What function best describes the capacitor voltage/time graph now?

Find from the capacitor voltage graph values of V_cfor

t = 1CR
t = 2CR
t = 3CR
t = 4CR
t = 5CR

Can you see the pattern in this data?

What effect would a large resistor have on the discharging process?

The voltage across the capacitor, and hence the charge on it (Q µ V_c)fall to 0.63 of the initial value after one time constant.

Each successive time constant sees a fall of 0.37 of the previous value of V_c (or Q).

Total discharge is achieved after about five time constants.

You have now completed this exercise. Before you quit the package, return to the title page and check that the learning outcomes have been achieved.

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