Physics 7B Quiz 3

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Consider the RC circuit shown below:

E = 10 V
+

+
C = 0.05 F R = 60

When the switch is open the Capacitor is already charged to a voltage of 20V . Show all your work.

1. What is the time constant and half-life of this circuit?

For an RC circuit the time constant = RC:

= RC = 3 seconds (1)

The half-life is
t1/2 = ln 2 2.08 seconds (2)

2. What is the current right when the switch is closed at t = 0?

Using the loop rule:

E + Vc IR = 0
1 (3)
= I = (E + Vc )
R
Now notice the initial orientation of the battery and capacitor at t = 0. If you go around in a loop clockwise youll
get an increase in voltage across both the battery and capacitor (you start on the side and go across to the +
side). So at t = 0 the voltage across the capacitor is VC = 20V . In other words, the battery and capacitor are
initially pushing the current in the same direction:
1 1 1
I= (E + Vc ) = (10V + 20V ) = A (4)
R 60 2

3. Plot the change in voltage across the capacitor and the resistor out to at least 3 time constants. Choose and label
an appropriate voltage and time scale. (Hint: How does the sign of VC relate to which side of the capacitor has
positive charge stored on it?)
Initially VC = 20V and the battery supplies 10V in the same direction so initially VR = 30V . The capacitor
will initially discharge (the positive charge will flow out of the + side and be added to the side). Once it reaches
0V it will then charge until its voltage is equal and opposite the battery VC 10V as t . Meanwhile the
voltage change across the resistor approaches zero. The plot should look similar to the one below (note that you did
not need to draw the battery voltage):
 V (V olts)

30 VC
E
20 VR

10

t (s)
3 6 9

10

20

30

Notice the magnitude of VR goes down by approximately one third with each time constant. For example, it
starts at 30V and after one time constant it should be slightly below 10V , more like 11V , but the plots do not
need to be perfect. VC is a little harder to draw. The key is that after each time constant the difference between
equilibrium (10V ) and VC changes by approximately one third. So it starts at 20V and after one time constant
it should be one third of the way from equilibrium, so its voltage is slightly over 0V , more like 1V . After two time
constants the difference between equilibrium and VC decreases by a third again. So after two time constants it
should be approximately 6V . Also notice that at all times VR + VC = E = 10V .

dy Q
Fun Facts: dt = y, y = y0 et , = 1 , RC = RC, t1/2 = ln 2, |VC | = C, |VR | = IR, = IR, j = k d
dx