Help Me Find the Capacitance: A Stumped Student's Story

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In summary, the conversation is about a question regarding the capacitance of a circuit with three capacitors. The person initially thought to ignore two of the plates, but according to the book's answer, all three capacitors are actually in series. They are seeking clarification on how this is possible and if the end plates can be ignored.
  • #1
cupid.callin
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Hi again!

I got stuck in this question (Pic), the original question is the fig. 1. I then arranged the charges on the plates (fig 2) and then separated the plates to form three capacitors. Now I just don’t know what the capacitance will be and how to find it!
First I thought to ignore the two plates at 2 ends. Then the two capacitors on right will be in parallal and their resultant in series with the last one… then answer comes out to be 2C/3 … which is wrong!
According to the book’s answer, all three capacitors will be in series, to get capacitance as C/3 …
Please tell me how are three capacitors in series, and can I really ignore the end plates!
 

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  • #2
Please someone help!
 
  • #3
They are not in series. Your equivalent circuit on the right is correct. Between which points do you need the resultant capacitance?

ehild
 
  • #4
No, I am telling you they are in series because the net capacitance comes out to be (acc. to book) C/3
 
  • #5
some help?
 

FAQ: Help Me Find the Capacitance: A Stumped Student's Story

What is capacitance and why is it important?

Capacitance is a measure of an object's ability to store an electrical charge. It is an important concept in electronics and is used to design and analyze circuits, as well as in various other applications such as energy storage and sensing.

What factors affect capacitance?

The capacitance of an object is affected by its physical characteristics, such as size, shape, and material. It is also influenced by the distance between the object's plates and the dielectric constant of the material between them.

3. How do I calculate capacitance?

The formula for calculating capacitance is C = Q/V, where C is capacitance, Q is the amount of charge stored, and V is the voltage applied. It is important to note that capacitance is a constant value for a given object, but the amount of charge stored and voltage applied can vary.

4. What is the unit of capacitance?

The unit of capacitance is the farad (F), named after the scientist Michael Faraday. However, this unit is often too large for practical use, so smaller units such as microfarads (µF) and picofarads (pF) are more commonly used.

5. How can I find the capacitance of an unknown object?

To find the capacitance of an unknown object, you can use a capacitance meter or a multimeter set to measure capacitance. Alternatively, you can measure the amount of charge and voltage for a specific object and use the formula C = Q/V to calculate its capacitance.

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