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Capacitive Circuits Lab

This lab experiment aims to simulate voltage drops across series, parallel, and combination capacitive circuits. Students will draw circuit diagrams, calculate voltages and charges, and measure circuits using a simulator. For series circuits, the total capacitance is less than the smallest capacitor and the voltage is the same across each. For parallel circuits, the total capacitance is greater than the largest capacitor and the charge is the same across each. Equivalent circuits simplify analysis of complex combinations.

Uploaded by

Ahmed Munir
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
64 views

Capacitive Circuits Lab

This lab experiment aims to simulate voltage drops across series, parallel, and combination capacitive circuits. Students will draw circuit diagrams, calculate voltages and charges, and measure circuits using a simulator. For series circuits, the total capacitance is less than the smallest capacitor and the voltage is the same across each. For parallel circuits, the total capacitance is greater than the largest capacitor and the charge is the same across each. Equivalent circuits simplify analysis of complex combinations.

Uploaded by

Ahmed Munir
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Capacitive Circuits Lab

Phys 122

Purpose

Simulate the voltage drop across the elements of series, parallel, and combination capacitive circuits.

Draw equivalent circuit diagrams.

Calculate the charge on and voltage across each in element of a series capacitive circuit, a parallel
capacitive circuit, and a combination capacitive circuit.

Directions

 If you have not yet read 25-3 in Halliday, now is a good time to do so. See specifically sample
problem 25.02, this is very similar to what we will be doing in the third part of this lab exercise. A
similar example is found in the OpenStax text in example 8.7 volume 2.
 You’ll be using the free online circuit simulator, Multisim Live found here:
 https://www.multisim.com/
 You will have to create a login to gain access to the simulator.
 See the video on the assignment page for a quick demo of how to place circuit elements in
Multisim, and how to use the voltmeter.
 For new circuit you build, include a diagram of the circuit in your report.

Series Capacitors

1. Draw a circuit diagram for three capacitors (0.1 uF) in series. The series combination is
connected to a 10V source.
2. Now, draw the equivalent circuit. Calculate the total equivalent capacitance, and the charge
stored on the total equivalent capacitor.
 Show your work, including the formulas before plugging in any numbers.
 How will the charges on each of the series capacitors compare with the charge on the
total equivalent capacitor? Explain how you know this is the case.
3. Work your way back to find the expected voltage drop across each capacitor, along with the
charge on each capacitor. Indicate each on your diagram. Show your work.
4. Using the simulation Multisim Live simulator, place a step voltage power supply on the
workspace, set the voltage to 10V. Connect the negative terminal to ground. For our purposes, in
any analysis or calculations, you can treat the step voltage as we would otherwise treat a regular
dc power supply (battery).
5. Connect three 0.1 uF capacitors in series. ‘Measure’ the voltage across each of them. Compare
your calculated values of the voltage with the measured voltages. Compute the % error in
voltage.
6. What voltage would you expect to find if you measure the voltage across the first two capacitors
in the series? Calculate and compare with measurement. Include a screenshot in your report,
showing the voltmeter, and the location of the + / - voltmeter leads when you have made this
measurement.
7. Replace one of the 0.1 uF caps with an .01uF cap. Repeat 1-5
Parallel Capacitors

1. Draw a circuit diagram for three capacitors (0.1 uF) in parallel. The parallel combination is
connected to a 10V source.
2. Now, draw the equivalent circuit. Show your work, including the formula that you have used first.
Calculate the total equivalent capacitance, and the charge stored on the total equivalent
capacitor. How will the voltage across each of the parallel capacitors compare with the voltage
across the total equivalent capacitor?
3. Work your way back to find the expected voltage drop across each capacitor, along with the
charge on each capacitor. Indicate each on your diagram. Show your work.
4. Using the simulation Multisim Live simulator, place a step voltage power supply on the
workspace, set the voltage to 10V. Connect the negative terminal to ground.
5. Connect three 0.1 uF capacitors in parallel. ‘Measure’ the voltage across each of them.
Compare your calculated values of the voltage with the measured voltages. Compute the % error
in voltage.

Combination Circuit

1. Connect a 0.01 uF capacitor in parallel with the capacitors in the original (series) circuit.
2. Draw a circuit diagram for the combined circuit. Now, draw the equivalent circuit, first combining
the series capacitors into one element.
3. Draw a second, total equivalent circuit. This time combining the series 0.1 uF capacitors with the
.01 uF parallel element. Calculate the charge on the total equivalent circuit.
4. Using your diagram, calculate the expected voltage drop across each cap, along with the charge
on each capacitor. Indicate each on the appropriate diagram. Show your work.
5. Build the circuit, using the simulator. Measure the voltage across each capacitor. Compute the %
error in voltage for each.

Conclusions:

1. Write the formula for finding the total equivalent capacitance of series capacitors; describe this
equation in a sentence or two.
2. What do all series capacitors have in common?
3. Write the formula for finding the total equivalent capacitance of parallel capacitors; describe this
equation in a sentence or two.
4. What do all parallel capacitors have in common?
5. Why is it necessary to draw the equivalent circuits, especially when you are working with
combinations of series and parallel elements? Describe what the equivalent circuits have helped
you to find.

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