184_notes:cap_charging

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184_notes:cap_charging [2021/06/14 23:43] – schram45184_notes:cap_charging [2022/10/19 14:40] (current) – valen176
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 As this process continues, the capacitor plates lose more and more of their charge, so the electric field gets smaller and smaller causing the bulb to get dimmer and dimmer. Eventually, the capacitor plates lose all of their charge (both become neutral plates), so the electron current stops completely because there is no longer an electric field around the wire.  As this process continues, the capacitor plates lose more and more of their charge, so the electric field gets smaller and smaller causing the bulb to get dimmer and dimmer. Eventually, the capacitor plates lose all of their charge (both become neutral plates), so the electron current stops completely because there is no longer an electric field around the wire. 
  
-It is important to note here that //__this is no longer a steady-state current situation__//.  The current, potential difference across the capacitor, and the amount of charge on the capacitor are all decreasing as time goes on. Depending on the capacitor and resistor you have in your circuit, this process can take anywhere from fractions of a second up to minutes. The amount of time it takes a capacitor to discharge is slow compared to how long it takes to set up the electric field in the wire ([[184_projects:project_6|you found before that this takes nanoseconds]]). However, a capacitor is not capable of sustaining a constant current for long periods of time like a battery is. You might hear this referred to as a **quasi-static state**. +It is important to note here that //__this is no longer a steady-state current situation__//.  The current, potential difference across the capacitor, and the amount of charge on the capacitor are all decreasing as time goes on. Depending on the capacitor and resistor you have in your circuit, this process can take anywhere from fractions of a second up to minutes. The amount of time it takes a capacitor to discharge is slow compared to how long it takes to set up the electric field in the wire (this takes nanoseconds). However, a capacitor is not capable of sustaining a constant current for long periods of time like a battery is. You might hear this referred to as a **quasi-static state**. 
  
 ==== Charging a Capacitor ==== ==== Charging a Capacitor ====
  • 184_notes/cap_charging.1623714221.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2021/06/14 23:43
  • by schram45