Charging and Discharging of Capacitor Experiment Report PDF

Experiment Overview

This experiment investigates the charging and discharging behaviors of a capacitor. A capacitor is a passive electronic component that stores electrical energy in an electric field. Capacitors are used in various electronic circuits, such as filters, timing circuits, and energy storage devices.

Materials and Equipment

• Capacitor (100 µF)
• Resistor (1 kΩ)
• Battery (9 V)
• Voltmeter
• Ammeter
• Stopwatch
• Graph paper

Experimental Procedure

1. Charging the capacitor: Connect the capacitor in series with the resistor and battery. Record the voltage across the capacitor and the current through the circuit at regular intervals.
2. Discharging the capacitor: Disconnect the battery and connect the capacitor in series with the resistor. Record the voltage across the capacitor and the current through the circuit at regular intervals.

Results

The results of the experiment are shown in the following graphs:

Charging Curve

[Image of Charging Curve]

OBSERVATIONS
* Voltage across the capacitor increases exponentially with time.
* Current through the circuit decreases exponentially with time.
* Charging time constant (τ) = RC = 100 ms
* After 5 time constants (5τ), the capacitor is approximately fully charged.

Discharging Curve

[Image of Discharging Curve]

OBSERVATIONS
* Voltage across the capacitor decreases exponentially with time.
* Current through the circuit increases exponentially with time.
* Discharging time constant (τ) = RC = 100 ms
* After 5 time constants (5τ), the capacitor is approximately fully discharged.

Discussion

The charging and discharging curves of a capacitor can be described by the following equations:

Charging: V(t) = V_max(1 - e^(-t/τ))
Discharging: V(t) = V_maxe^(-t/τ)

where:

• V(t) is the voltage across the capacitor at time t
• V_max is the maximum voltage across the capacitor
• τ is the time constant

The time constant of a capacitor-resistor circuit is equal to the product of the resistance and capacitance:

τ = RC

The time constant determines the rate at which the capacitor charges or discharges. A larger time constant indicates a slower charging/discharging process.

Applications of Capacitors

Capacitors are used in a wide range of electronic applications, including:

• Energy storage: Capacitors can store electrical energy and release it when needed.
• Filtering: Capacitors can be used to remove unwanted frequency components from signals.
• Timing circuits: Capacitors can be used to create timing circuits, such as in oscillators and timers.
• Coupling: Capacitors can be used to couple signals between different parts of a circuit.

Conclusion

This experiment has demonstrated the charging and discharging behaviors of a capacitor. Capacitors are versatile electronic components with a wide range of applications. Understanding the charging and discharging characteristics of capacitors is essential for designing and analyzing electronic circuits.

Tables

Table 1: Charging Curve Data

Table 2: Discharging Curve Data

Table 3: Time Constant Calculations

Table 4: Capacitor Applications

Keywords

• Capacitor
• Charging
• Discharging
• Time constant
• RC circuit