RC Circuit Charge Time Calculator
Here’s the table without symbols, using plain language:
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| RC Circuit | An electrical circuit that consists of a resistor and a capacitor connected in series or parallel. |
| Charging Equation | The voltage across the capacitor as it charges can be described as: the voltage at any time equals the source voltage multiplied by one minus the exponential of negative time divided by the product of resistance and capacitance. |
| Time Constant | The time constant is the product of resistance and capacitance. It defines how quickly the capacitor charges or discharges. After one time constant, the capacitor charges to about sixty-three point two percent of its maximum voltage. |
| Charging Time | To charge to approximately ninety-nine percent of the source voltage, it takes about five time constants. This can be calculated as five times the product of resistance and capacitance. |
| Capacitance | Measured in Farads, capacitance indicates how much charge the capacitor can store per volt of electric potential. |
| Resistance | Measured in Ohms, resistance determines how much current flows in the circuit. Higher resistance means slower charging. |
| Maximum Voltage | The maximum voltage the capacitor can reach is equal to the source voltage. The capacitor cannot exceed this voltage during charging. |
| Charging Curve | The voltage across the capacitor increases exponentially over time, approaching the maximum voltage asymptotically. |
| Discharging Equation | The voltage across the capacitor during discharge can be described as: the voltage at any time equals the initial voltage multiplied by the exponential of negative time divided by the product of resistance and capacitance. |