Uploaded October 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This video is one in a series of 6 videos which can be used to answer the following questions about combinations of capacitors.
Question #1: How does the potential difference across each capacitor in a parallel or series combination compare to the potential difference across the battery.
Question #2: How does the equivalent capacitance of a parallel or series combination of capacitors compare to the capacitance of a single resistor?
For each combination of capacitors the electric potential is measured at both sides of each capacitor, and a current versus time graph is shown while the combination of capacitors is discharged. The area under the current vs. time graph can be used to estimate the charge stored by the combination of capacitors which can be used to calculate the equivalent capacitance of the series or parallel combination of capacitors.
The other 5 videos are linked below which show data collected for capacitors with the same capacitance arranged either in series or in parallel.
Teachers: The first link below is a presentation file which student groups can use to record / discuss their answers to the questions above. Feel free to make a copy to use with your students.
Combinations of Capacitors (Student Analysis) Presentation: docs.google.com/presentation/d/1l-s3AbGQTa7JI18dekjlGI3sJpdHFtV8e2o_dX3hnZU/edit?usp=sharing
Capacitors in Parallel (0.1 Farads x2): youtu.be/vnfAKhJKEpE
Capacitors in Parallel (0.025 Farads x2): youtu.be/-ComIYtgkS4
Capacitors in Parallel (0.025 Farads x3): youtu.be/RB5D3EeCSJM
Capacitors in Series (0.1 Farads x2): youtu.be/ldmZi_ANfxo
Capacitors in Series (0.025 Farads x2): youtu.be/Q6_AztuCe3g
Capacitors in Series (0.025 Farads x3): youtu.be/7WFJWurPr2Q
This video is one in a series of 6 videos which can be used to answer the following questions about combinations of capacitors.
Question #1: How does the potential difference across each capacitor in a parallel or series combination compare to the potential difference across the battery.
Question #2: How does the equivalent capacitance of a parallel or series combination of capacitors compare to the capacitance of a single resistor?
For each combination of capacitors the electric potential is measured at both sides of each capacitor, and a current versus time graph is shown while the combination of capacitors is discharged. The area under the current vs. time graph can be used to estimate the charge stored by the combination of capacitors which can be used to calculate the equivalent capacitance of the series or parallel combination of capacitors.
The other 5 videos are linked below which show data collected for capacitors with the same capacitance arranged either in series or in parallel.
Teachers: The first link below is a presentation file which student groups can use to record / discuss their answers to the questions above. Feel free to make a copy to use with your students.
Combinations of Capacitors (Student Analysis) Presentation: docs.google.com/presentation/d/1l-s3AbGQTa7JI18dekjlGI3sJpdHFtV8e2o_dX3hnZU/edit?usp=sharing
Capacitors in Parallel (0.1 Farads x2): youtu.be/vnfAKhJKEpE
Capacitors in Parallel (0.025 Farads x2): youtu.be/-ComIYtgkS4
Capacitors in Parallel (0.025 Farads x3): youtu.be/RB5D3EeCSJM
Capacitors in Series (0.1 Farads x2): youtu.be/ldmZi_ANfxo
Capacitors in Series (0.025 Farads x2): youtu.be/Q6_AztuCe3g
Capacitors in Series (0.025 Farads x3): youtu.be/7WFJWurPr2Q
