Three capacitors are connected to a battery as shown in the figure below. Their

Question

Three capacitors are connected to a battery as shown in the figure below. Their capacitances are C1 = 3C, c2 = c1, and C3 = 5C. What is the equivalent capacitance of this set of capacitors? (Use the following as necessary: C.) State the ranking of the capacitors according to the charge they store from largest to smallest. Rank the capacitors according to the potential differences across them from largest to smallest. Assume C3 is increased. Explain what happens to the charge stored by each capacitor.

Explanation / Answer

a)

equivalent Capacitance

C2 and C3 are in parallel

C23=C2+C3

C1 and C23 are in series

Ceq=C1*(C2+C3)/(C1+C2+C3) =3C*(C+5C)/(3C+C+5C)

Ceq=2C

b)

Charge on

Q1=Q

Q2=Q*(C2/C2+C3)=Q*(C/C+5C) =0.1667Q

Q3=Q*(C3/C2+C3)=Q*(5C/C+5C) =0.8333Q

Q1>Q3>Q2

c)

Voltage across each capacitor

V1=Q/C=V

V2=0.1667Q/C =0.1667(Q/C)

V3=0.8333Q/5C =0.1667(Q/C)

answer is B

V1>V2=V3

d)

Answer C

Q3 and Q1 increase ,Q2 decreases

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